A total of 169 retailers registered for the 2016 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo during the month of April, two more than the high water mark set last year. Those taking advantage of the month’s special pricing enjoyed a $50 instant savings over the full price ticket — with members of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas eligible for an additional $75 discount.

The 2016 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, produced jointly by the MRAA and Boating Industry magazine, will take place Dec. 5-8 in Orlando. Some of the benefits of the later time frame include fewer scheduling conflicts with key events like the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and the Marine Equipment Trade Show in Amsterdam.

“The December dates are also likely to allow marine retailers in northern climates to be further along in their boat winterization and storage processes,” Jonathan Sweet, editor-in-chief of Boating Industry, said. “This may prompt some dealerships to participate for the first time and others to register more team members.”

The strong April numbers, coupled with the later dates, put MDCE 2016 on track to see the highest attendance to date. In 2015, a total of 1,147 marine industry professionals from throughout North America and as far away as Australia traveled to Orlando for MDCE, which featured a sold-out expo hall filled with more than 100 exhibitors.