NMTA President George Harris, Boat Show Director Katie McPhail, and Director of Communications Karsten McIntosh attended the 53rd Annual National Marine Trades Council (NMTC) Conference in South Lake Tahoe, July 20–23. The conference brought together marine trade association leaders, boat show producers, and industry representatives from across the United States, along with Boating BC, to network, exchange ideas, and discuss the industry’s biggest opportunities and challenges.
This year’s conference featured in-depth discussions on membership growth and engagement, workforce development, consumer marketing through Discover Boating, boat show trends and best practices, legislative priorities, and the growing role of AI in everything we do. Key takeaways included innovative strategies for working with NMTA’s diverse membership, new approaches to boat show marketing and increasing attendance, a thorough dive into the profile of today’s boaters, collaboration opportunities on workforce initiatives, updates on legislative and advocacy issues, technological advancements to watch, and practical ways AI can enhance communications, marketing, and organizational efficiency.
