Keeping the Economy Afloat
Annapolis knows boating like peanut butter knows jelly. Whether you boat for sport or recreation, our capitol is nautically superior. But just how significant is this seafaring activity?
Facts and figures are powerful in a data-driven world. Last month, the Bureau for Economic Analysis released a report on outdoor recreation from 2012-2016. Outdoor recreation made up $412 billion of the U.S. gross domestic product — that’s 2.2 percent of the entire U.S. GDP.
Recreational boating and fishing was the largest outdoor activity in 2016 with $36.9 billion of real gross output. Numbers like these will benefit mariners who advocate for policies to support maritime recreation.
“As we work for boaters in Washington and state capitals, this data will help policymakers understand that boating is more than just fun on the water,” said BoatUS Manager of Government Affairs David Kennedy.
On October 4, the world’s largest and most prestigious sailboat and powerboat shows float back to City Dock. With more than 100,000 visitors expected, the showcase will bring millions in revenue for Annapolis.
The Annapolis Spring Boat Show broke attendance records by a landslide. The president of the Annapolis Boat Shows, Paul Jacobs, says that not only are audience sizes changing, “But so is the demographic, as evidenced by the number of younger people, families and diversity at the shows.”