Saturday-Only “Immersion” Pass Available for New, Part-Time and Busy Dive Professionals Interested in Attending DEMA Show 2013

Qualified dive professionals can register for a one-day experience at DEMA Show 2013 using the Saturday-Only Immersion Pass. Available for as little as $20 for DEMA Members and $60 for non-Members, The Saturday-Only Immersion pass was created to help Divemasters, Dive Control Specialists, Assistant Instructors and Instructors attend the Show and can be purchased by visiting www.demashow.com and clicking on Register Now. Those registering for the Immersion Pass will be required to provide credentials as outlined on the DEMA Show website.

Although any diving professional may register for the Saturday-Only Pass, the Immersion Pass program specifically recognizes the need for local or regionally-located dive professionals to attend DEMA Show, even though time may not allow them or they feel they are too “new” to the Industry to attend the entire Show. Now they can attend DEMA Show without paying full attendance prices and acquire the information needed to remain active in the Industry.

According to Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA, “The Immersion Pass is designed to encourage these upcoming professionals and important diver influencers to explore new products and services, attend seminars and meet face-to-face with Industry colleagues.” As with everyone attending DEMA Show, professionals obtaining the Saturday-only Immersion Pass are required to provide professional credentials in order to receive a DEMA Show badge and are NOT automatically qualified to receive a “Buyer” designation.

The Immersion Pass provides attendees with Saturday-only access to DEMA Show Exhibits, Exhibitor Sponsored Seminars, IRC Seminars, TDRC Seminars and Espresso Education Sessions. Those attending the Show on Saturday are encouraged to join us for two important sessions to help guide the future of our Industry:

Starting off the Show’s Saturday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. will be the Espresso Education Session:  How to Ban the Sale of Shark Fins in Your Area. Presented by Bob Harris, DEMA Legislative Consultant of Messer Caparello Law Firm, this session will outline how to introduce legislation in your state or community that would make the sale of shark fins illegal.

On Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. all attendees are encouraged to join Tom Ingram, DEMA Executive Director for Saturday’s session: Moving Toward 2020: Developing a Strategic Vision for the Recreational Diving Industry. Come brainstorm with your colleagues to guide the direction of the Diving Industry over the next few years and help DEMA implement new ideas, such as those generated during 2020 Sessions in 2011 and 2012:

• Access to workers compensation and health insurance for DEMA Members, including business owners and their employees.
• Increased use of social media with the diving community.
• Implementation of programs to reach a younger audience and bring them into diving.
• Creation and promotion of programs which encourage “local diving”. 

Visit the DEMA Show website for additional information on these sessions and DEMA Show registration.

DEMA Board of Directors Enhances the Trade Show Business Experience for DEMA Show 2014

In May of 2013, the DEMA Show Committee met to discuss changes that could be implemented to enhance business for DEMA Members at the trade-only DEMA Show 2014. The Committee discussed how a number of different policy changes could help Members increase their own business transactions and improve the time they spend at the Show as dive industry buyers and influencers. The changes agreed upon are expected to create an improved Show experience for Exhibitors and Attendees alike. Confirmed changes for DEMA Show 2014 include:

• Recognition of DEMA Membership level in determining the number of Exhibitor Badges allotted per 10x10 Exhibit space.
  To make sure that legitimate and qualified Attendees are served during the limited Show schedule the Board has voted to tightly manage the number of badges allotted for each exhibit space and create a sliding scale based upon DEMA Member Level.
   
• Exhibitor and Attendee Badge Reprints
  Members have asked DEMA to continue to improve the registration process to prevent unqualified consumers (non-trade) from obtaining badges which allow them to slip on to the trade show floor. To improve this process, the Board has voted to implement a badge reprint fee and tighten the badge distribution process to be certain that fewer badges are being lost, distributed to those other than the person indicated on the badge or never being distributed to all registered staff members, thus leaving some registered individuals needing a reprint of a badge they were never given. The Board has voted to implement a $25 reprint fee for DEMA Show badges. DEMA staff has developed a method of properly recording badge distribution to determine if a badge has actually been picked up to avoid unfairly charging for reprints. DEMA will continue to check ID’s in order to distribute a reprinted badge.
   
• Manufacturers Representatives will become a part of the attendee registration system in 2014.
  In consideration of paying DEMA Show Attendees, the DEMA Board has discussed and acknowledged that in general, legitimate Manufacturers Reps are able to obtain an Exhibitor’s badge from at least one of the companies they are representing. The Board has voted to include Manufacturers Reps in the normal diving professional registration process, requiring registration in the same manner as other business Attendees for DEMA Show beginning in 2014. Manufacturers Reps can elect to receive a badge from one of their affiliated Exhibitors or register and pay as all professional Attendees.

More information on DEMA’s Board of Directors and Committees is available on the DEMA website. Complete minutes from past Board of Directors Meetings are available to current DEMA Members from the Member Dashboard of www.dema.org.

Media Participates in Hiding DiveCaches in the Caribbean

Diving for treasure in the Caribbean just became an activity for any certified diver!  DEMA is launching a pilot underwater “treasure hunt” in Bonaire, promoting DiveCaching through DEMA”s “Treasure Challenge” and daring divers to find a series of underwater geocaches throughout the Dutch Caribbean island.

Mirrored after the Diving for Texas Treasure Challenge, the Diving for Bonaire Treasure Challenge will be launched this year at DEMA Show in Orlando, FL. The contest will run for six months, and the winners will be announced the first week of May 2014.

In order to promote the Diving for Bonaire Treasure Challenge, Bonaire sponsored a press trip last month that focused on hiding several of the DiveCaches that will be part of the Challenge. Four top U.S. media professionals were on the island for a week of DiveCaching and diving. All journalists are certified divers and on assignment for the following publications; Ashley Castle writing for AFAR magazine, Ted Stedman for Global Traveler magazine, Cynthia Barnes for Montage magazine and Abi Smigel Mullens for Wetpixel. For more information about their outlets and audiences, visit: AFAR, Global Traveler, Montage and Wetpixel.

DEMA Board of Directors to Meet in San Diego, CA for Quarterly Board Meeting on August 14th and 15th

DEMA’s Board of Directors will meet on August 14^th and 15^th to continue strategizing ideas to maximize DEMA’s benefits for Members and the Diving Industry. Topics for discussion will include future DEMA Show venues, Youth Programs at DEMA Show 2013 and beyond, the upcoming Board of Directors Election for 2014-2016 and an Industry Strategic Planning update.

Board meetings focus on strategic topics and the Board receives reports and data prior to the meeting.  Completed work or progress reports are part of a so called “consent agenda,” which is approved for the archives during day one of the Board meeting.  For August the consent agenda will include:

• June Board Meeting Minutes
• Quarterly Financial Report
• Membership and Legislative Reports
• Past Committee Meeting Notes
• Diving for Texas Treasure Challenge Update 

Board Members will break into various committee meetings for the majority of the first meeting day to brainstorm and further discuss strategies to enhance current programs and benefits. Each Board Member has volunteered to work in various committees based upon their areas of expertise, desire, knowledge and talent. The goal of the committee meetings is to create new ideas, improve current programs and benefits, clarify or resolve pending issues and get feedback from Industry stakeholders, as well as to provide details to the Board at large for their strategic decision-making. Additional Committee information is available online.

Committees scheduled to meet on day one include the DEMA Show, Research, Strategic Workshop Planning, Nominations and International Growth committees.  Once these are complete the Board Meeting will conclude with Nicole Russell, DEMA Managing Director, leading a discussion regarding venues for DEMA Show 2018, 2020 and beyond.

Day two of the Board of Directors Meeting will address ongoing business topics as well as a review of Youth Program Plans for DEMA Show 2013, potential Board candidates for the upcoming election and continued discussion of strategic planning to help grow and sustain our industry.  DEMA encourages Industry professionals to communicate with their elected DEMA Board stakeholder representative as well as provide feedback to the Board and staff regarding industry programs and new ideas so we may share ideas and input during such Board meetings.

More information on DEMA’s Board of Directors is available on the DEMA website. Complete minutes from past Board of Directors Meetings are available to current DEMA Members from the Member Dashboard of www.dema.org. The next DEMA Board Meeting is scheduled for November 4, 2013 during DEMA Show 2013 in Orlando, FL.