FareHarbor at PVA 2025: Key takeaways, trends & operator insights

Back on January 27-30, 2025, the FareHarbor team traveled to Savannah, Georgia for the exciting PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends. Bringing together the leaders of the passenger vessel industry, this conference features four days of impactful sessions, workshops and roundtables — a must-attend for operators in this sector. 

Read on for highlights from our time at PVA, including what we learned, the emerging trends we discussed, and how FareHarbor is evolving to meet the needs of today’s multi-location operators.

Key learnings we gained from PVA

The biggest takeaway?There’s a strong and growing demand for seamless cross-dashboard functionality — especially from businesses managing multiple locations or attractions.

We heard from operators looking to offer annual passes across multiple venues (like a zoo, riverboat, and museum), while also integrating retail and F&B POS systems. These conversations highlight a major opportunity for FareHarbor to strengthen its all-in-one solution by enabling smoother transitions and deeper integrations between Dashboards.

We also saw how much clients value flexibility and control. Many operators  are confidently making updates to their FareHarbor setup on their own, but they still want accessible, hands-on support when things get complex. This highlights the continued importance of effective training, intuitive tools, and personalized guidance.

Emerging trends and technology we discussed with operators

Here are the hot topics that kept coming up in our conversations with operators:

1. Dynamic pricing: While many operators are already using dynamic pricing, managing multiple price sheets remains a challenge. There’s a clear need for a simpler, more intuitive way to structure and update price schedules — one that reduces the burden of manual work.
2. Self-service technology: Operators are actively exploring self-service options to improve the customer experience and streamline check-ins. Interest in FareHarbor’s Square integration and discussions about kiosks confirmed that self-service tools are becoming key priorities.
3. AI & automation: There’s growing enthusiasm around tools like ChatBot, Abandoned Cart, and Email Capture to help drive conversions and reduce lost bookings. Operators are eager to utilize  AI-driven automation to enhance the booking process and customer engagement.

Our favorite part of PVA

The best part of the event was deepening relationships with operators — from meaningful conversations at the booth to shared meals and casual interactions. Whether it was celebrating an operator’s birthday, hearing about record-breaking January numbers, or discussing how we can improve seat maps and upsell strategies, these moments reinforced the strong community FareHarbor has built.

Additionally, the excitement around new feature possibilities and integrations — like Square payroll, kiosks, and private event improvements — which shows that our operators see FareHarbor not just as a tool, but as a true partner in their success.

FareHarbor’s ultimate takeaway

PVA reinforced a clear path forward: FareHarbor has a strong opportunity to streamline its pricing, automation, and cross-Dashboard features to better serve operators managing multiple locations. 

Feedback showcased that operators love our platform — but they’re asking for even more intuitive workflows, particularly around dynamic pricing, dispute reporting, and POS integration.

At the same time, rising interest in self-service kiosks, AI-powered tools, and automated systems points to a need for smarter, more flexible technology across the board.

By continuing to prioritize ease of use, operator training, and strategic support, FareHarbor can continue to grow as the go-to platform for tour, activity, and passenger vessel businesses.

See you at next year’s PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends happening February 22–25, 2026 in Covington, KY!