Keller Marine & RV has altered its distributor show dates to better accommodate dealers. The Keller Marine & RV Accessory Show, which typically takes place the last week of November in recent years, will be held Nov. 4-5 in Clearwater, Florida, this year.
Keller Marine & RV President Mike Keller said the distributor shifted the date to move away from Thanksgiving. He said the company’s team recognized attendees were less prone to travel so close to the holiday.
The distributor did not want to conflict with dealers’ active season. Keller said southern U.S. dealers reported the show opened around busy sales times. Northern dealers said they saw lower traffic at the end of November.
“We are trying to find a balance between northern dealers winding down their business,” Keller said, “and southern dealers picking up their business.”
With an RV and marine audience, Keller said he was trying to find a balance between the overlapping show seasons. The marine show season ends as the RV show season begins. In the 1980s and ’90s, the show was held in October and has slowly moved back since.
Keller said he anticipates the new dates will boost attendance.
The show location is close to a salty breeze and a sandy beach at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort at 1160 Gulf Boulevard.
The show alternates between Pennsylvania and Florida each year. In 2024, the show will make its debut appearance in Clearwater. Keller said the selected hotel is closer to the beach than the Tampa Convention Center, where the event was held two years ago.
Keller said the beach scene “gives people nice things to do when they are not at the show.”
The hotel is located 21 miles from Tampa International Airport and 13 miles from Clearwater International Airport.
Keller will provide more show information.
