A recent study about the economic contribution of the Discover Boating New England Boat Show revealed the substantial adverse impact the show’s recent move from its traditional February timeframe to early January has had on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the recreational boating industry.

The study, conducted by the Recreation Marine Research Center at Michigan State University, concluded that restoring the boat show’s traditional February dates could substantially boost its economic contribution and is critical to the vitality of the show, resulting in approximately a 32% increase in jobs, 35% more in wages, 31% in additional statewide sales, and a 31% boost in tax revenues.

Other important findings in the study include:

• If the February timeframe is restored, it is estimated the New England Boat Show could support 490 Massachusetts jobs with wage and salary support of just under $20 million. It would also contribute an estimated $28.9 million to annual gross state product on economy-wide transactions of $61.2 million.
• Show vendors attribute an average of 13.9% of annual sales to the New England Boat Show, with some reaching 40%. Estimated sales generated during the show in 2024 amounted to $58.7 million, with an additional estimated $85.1 million occurring post-show.
• Show vendors reported substantial negative effects on both direct sales and follow-up sales due to the lower attendance and January dates.
• The 23,300 attendees in 2024 spent approximately $2.3 million in Massachusetts during the five days of the show, based on tourism spending figures from the Massachusetts Department of Tourism.

Beyond the boat show’s direct financial impact, the recreational boating industry in Massachusetts generates $5 billion in annual revenue, supporting more than 1,000 businesses and 17,600 jobs. If the boat show returns to its traditional February dates, attendance is expected to rebound more than 30,000 to pre-pandemic numbers over the course of two years.