Friday, April 27, 2012

WTF DEMA: WHY THE FESTIVAL?

** Growing the Diving Industry Using Proven Cross Marketing Techniques **
As announced at DEMA Show 2011, DEMA is continuing discussions with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau about hosting an annual consumer-based diving and sports festival in Fort Lauderdale starting in spring of 2013.  Far from being a “diving consumer show,” the intent of such a festival is to reach outside of the diving industry to potential consumers who currently participate in activities with a high potential for cross-over to diving.  The ultimate goal is to use this well-known method of cross-marketing to increase the number of scuba divers and snorkelers.  Read more about the Festival here.

During the “2020 Vision” brainstorming sessions hosted by DEMA in 2011, Diving Industry Professionals expressed their concerns, ideas, and strategic thoughts for the future of the Industry. Among these was the need for promoting the “diving lifestyle” as well as reaching new audiences.  The DEMA Festival, as conceived, addresses many of these issues, with an eye toward Industry growth. 

The concept for the Festival, a city-wide, diving-based consumer event with additional activities and widespread media opportunities for diving, also stems from significant findings in research conducted by DEMA starting as early as 2004. The information collected has been helpful in realizing how the diving industry can increase growth and interest in the sport through cross-promotion and other methods.  The research created an objective and accurate “picture” of the active diver; the diver’s financial resources, age, “lifestyles,” activities in which they participated, and more.  A significant finding of the research was the discovery of these “other” activities to which divers are most attracted. 
Based on these significant findings, the Festival will feature diving, as well as other recreational activities in an effort to draw active divers, as well as a new potential audience. “We are confident that a consumer event which features more than just diving and which takes advantage of the cross-over potential of these other activities will provide the diving community with invaluable exposure to a huge audience with great potential interest,” explained Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA. “Such a Festival benefits recreational diving and also opens the way for sponsorships and funding from other activities and industries, as originally envisioned by the DEMA Board.”

The Festival is tentatively planned for spring of 2013 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Additional details will be available at www.dema.org as they are determined.

The next brainstorming “2020 Vision” session will be held at Scuba Show in Long Beach on May 6, 2012. To participate in this collaboration with industry professionals, register here.

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