In 2019 the U.S. Superyacht Association’s annual conference will move to Ft. Lauderdale immediately before the fourth-annual Refit Show.
In 2019, the U.S. Superyacht Association (USSA) will move its annual Superyacht Summit from its March dates in Palm Beach to align with the Refit Show in Ft. Lauderdale in April. The Refit Show will take place April 10-11, 2019, at the Broward County Convention Center, while the U.S. Superyacht Summit precedes it on Tuesday, April 9 at the same location. The alignment of these two industry events will facilitate expanded networking and professional opportunities for the marine industry.
The Refit Show attracts yacht captains and crew, boatyard personnel, naval designers and engineers, subcontractors and consultants. Attendance at the 2018 Refit Show in January increased by 28% over 2017. An expanded exhibit hall and conference program, daily networking events, and live demonstrations attracted the substantial crowd of refit-industry professionals. Refit Show organizers selected the April dates for 2019 to coincide with the traditional yacht circuit that moves from the Caribbean to Florida in early spring.
The Superyacht Summit is a daylong conference now entering its sixth year. The USSA produces seminars on personal and professional growth, networking and relationship-building in the superyacht industry throughout the year. Attendees are predominantly professional and technical service providers, and marina/boatyard operators. The most recent event in March in Palm Beach included sessions on marketing, business development and legislation issues.
In 2019, the Refit Show and the Superyacht Summit will remain independent events, but will support each other through co-marketing and networking opportunities in the shared space.
“The Refit Show’s relationship with the U.S. Superyacht Summit will facilitate growth for both events,” said Jim Miller, Refit Show director. “The industry now has three back-to-back days of valuable education, networking and sales opportunities.”
“The U.S. Superyacht Association is proud to be partnering with the Refit Show for 2019,” said USSA president Kitty McGowan. “This relationship highlights our association’s commitment to the strength of the refit industry in the United States and our move to Ft. Lauderdale will enable us to make the summit more easily accessible to more of our members and the industry.”
Sponsorship and exhibit sales for the 2019 Refit Show began in summer 2018 and event organizers have already begun seeking 2019 seminar topics. More information about exhibiting and attending is available online at www.refitshow.com.
Sponsorship sales for the 2019 U.S. Superyacht Summit are ongoing and topics are well in formation. More information about attending the summit or joining the U.S. Superyacht Association is available at www.ussuperyacht.com.
About Refit International Exhibition & Conference
Owned and managed by Professional BoatBuilder magazine, Refit International Exhibition & Conference is a marine industry trade show combining exhibits, seminars, and demonstrations for yacht and boat refit and repair professionals. The Refit Show delivers a potent combination of practical education, emerging technologies, new products, service innovations, and B2B networking. The Refit Show is the indispensable event for yard owners, managers, designers and engineers, owners and their representatives, captains, marine surveyors, and customer service & project managers. Held at the Broward County Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, the Refit Show will take place April 10-11, 2019. More information is available online at www.refitshow.com.
About U.S. Superyacht Association
The U.S. Superyacht Association (USSA) is a non-profit trade association incorporated in 2006, whose mission is to promote and support the U.S. Superyacht Industry and its members worldwide through advocacy, marketing and education. For more information, visit our website at ussuperyacht.com or call 800-208-5801.