WASHINGTON, D.C., October 27, 2021 — Chad Tokowicz, Government Relations Manager for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, participated in a panel discussion during the Outdoor Writers Association of America Annual Conference.




The panel, which provided a status updates on the current state of the outdoor industry, was hosted by Lindsay Davis, Vice President of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and featured Cassie Gasaway,
 Communications Manager for the Archery Trade Association, and Andria Yu, Director of Media Relations for the Motorcycle Industry Council, Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, and the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America.During the panel,
 speakers highlighted the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the outdoor recreation industry and the challenges and opportunities this presented. According to a survey conducted by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable during the pandemic, 89 percent
 of the businesses surveyed had trouble with production and distribution.




Furthermore, 79 percent of these businesses have laid off or furloughed a portion of their workforce. Although the pandemic did stifle trade shows and create challenges for production distribution, more Americans recreated outdoors during the pandemic.




Fishing, hunting, and recreational boating all experienced massive increases in participation throughout the pandemic, with boating in particular soaring to all-time highs. According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association new boat sales, which
 reached a 13-year high in 2020, remained at elevated levels with sales through March of 2021, up 30 percent compared to 2020. Additionally, the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation Special Report on Fishing found that from 2019 to 2020, there
 was a net increase of 4.6 million fishing participants, and that the fishing participation rate rose to 18 percent of the U.S. population.




Panel attendees primarily featured writers in the outdoor space but also consisted of representatives from State Tourism Departments like New York and Vermont. During the panels question-and-answer session, the panelists discussed a variety of topics,
 ranging from inquiries about the diversity and equity initiatives in the outdoor space to current priorities of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.




“It was so wonderful to meet writers, photographers, and other media experts in the outdoor space and share with them an update on the outdoor recreation economy,” noted Tokowicz. “It is my hope that we can work closer with OWAA members in the future
 and provide them additional resources and information to take their understanding of boating, fishing and all outdoor recreational pursuits to the next level.”

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas

At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong
 and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.