DEMA Activates Disaster Assistance Program to Aid Show Exhibitors & Buyers Impacted by Hurricanes Matthew and Nicole

**Funds Available to Assist DEMA Member Exhibitors and Buyers of DEMA Show 2016 **

The Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA) announced on October 18, 2016 that the DEMA Board of Directors has approved the activation of the Disaster Assistance Program to assist DEMA-Member Show Exhibitors and Buyers impacted by Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Nicole.

DEMA’s Disaster Assistance Program was first created in 2004 and has been used when DEMA-Member companies are impacted by natural disasters which may interfere with their ability to promote their businesses, products, services and destinations.  The funds have also been set aside to assist DEMA-Member retailers to make sure that they can continue their operations.  As funds are limited, in this instance, DEMA has earmarked them specifically for DEMA-Member companies that planned to exhibit or buy at DEMA Show 2016 but which were subsequently impacted by these two large storms. Funds are provided to Exhibitors, in the affected areas, based on their exhibit size, and to Buyers in the impacted areas who attend DEMA Show and stay in a DEMA block hotel.

Exhibitors from the affected areas outlined below are eligible to apply for the funds to help them get to the trade show. Buyers who planned to attend DEMA Show can also apply for funds to assist in staying onsite at DEMA Show. 

"The DEMA Disaster Assistance Program funds are available to DEMA-Member manufacturers, destinations and other industry-related entities to aid them in getting to and exhibiting at DEMA Show 2016,” said Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA.  “Registered Buyers from DEMA Member businesses who are staying in the DEMA hotel block are also eligible for funds to assist in attending DEMA Show, so they can buy the products and services they need to keep their businesses in operation.”

Exhibitor Assistance Program: DEMA’s Disaster Assistance Program funds are available to DEMA-Member Exhibitors who were fully paid by September 23, 2016, and physically located in the following places: 

• Aruba (Hurricane Matthew)
• Bahamas – all islands (Hurricane Matthew)
• Bermuda (Hurricane Nicole)
• Bonaire and Klein Bonaire (Hurricane Matthew)
• Curacao (Hurricane Matthew)
• Florida (Hurricane Matthew) – locations from a line north of and including Palm Bay, Florida and east of I-95.
• Georgia (Hurricane Matthew) – locations east of I-95
• South Carolina (Hurricane Matthew) – locations east of I-95
• North Carolina (Hurricane Matthew) – locations east of I-95

For affected Exhibitors, each exhibit space purchased and paid for by September 23, 2016, DEMA will provide regular Exhibitors with $US 400.00 in assistance.  Funds will be awarded onsite at DEMA Show 2016 to the exhibiting companies who apply and fall within the guidelines deeming them eligible for assistance. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis up to the maximum available from the DEMA disaster assistance fund.   All interested parties must apply for the assistance funds on site at DEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV prior to close of DEMA Show on Friday November 18, 2016. For more information and to receive a DEMA 2016 Disaster Assistance Fund Processing form, see the DEMA Staff at the DEMA Booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. The complete rules for disbursements will be available at the DEMA Booth.

Attendee Assistance Program:  Designed for DEMA Member Buyers who are registered for the Show and staying in the official DEMA Show hotel block (Westgate Hotel, 3000 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89109), one registered Buyer from an attending DEMA Member business physically located in the affected areas can receive reimbursement for one night hotel stay in the DEMA hotel block which takes place by midnight eastern time, November 18, 2016. The complete rules for disbursements will be available at the DEMA Booth.

Designated disaster areas eligible for funds include:

• Aruba (Hurricane Matthew)
• Bahamas – all islands (Hurricane Matthew)
• Bermuda (Hurricane Nicole)
• Bonaire and Klein Bonaire (Hurricane Matthew)
• Curacao (Hurricane Matthew)
• Florida (Hurricane Matthew) – locations from a line north of and including Palm Bay and east of I-95.
• Georgia (Hurricane Matthew) – locations east of I-95
• South Carolina (Hurricane Matthew) – locations east of I-95
• North Carolina (Hurricane Matthew) – locations east of I-95

The designated Buyer from an affected DEMA Member must apply for the disaster funds through the DEMA Office prior to close of business on December 2, 2016 and present the receipt for the hotel stay.   Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis up to the maximum of the DEMA disaster assistance fund.  Exhibitors are not eligible for hotel reimbursement assistance under this program, but can receive Exhibitor Assistance as described above.

Millions of Potential New Divers Reached with Go Dive Now, DEMA’s Newest Consumer Marketing Campaign

DEMA’s Go Dive Now program and advertising campaign has reached millions of potential divers since its May 2016 debut and continues to deliver outstanding results.  Since the launch in May, GoDiveNow.com has received more than 106,000 page visits (58% of which were new visitors), and the Dive Store Locator feature has been used more than 33,400 times to find DEMA Member retail dive centers across the US. Social media and YouTube continue to have impressive results as well, reaching over 3.8 million potential customers through Facebook and Instagram combined, and accumulating more than 181,000 video views on YouTube.

On May 24, 2016, DEMA launched the Go Dive Now consumer marketing campaign, which utilizes Facebook, YouTube and pay-per-click advertising, focused on connecting targeted consumers with their local retail dive center and dive vacation destinations through the locators hosted on GoDiveNow.com. The website also highlights the many benefits of diving, and eases barriers to entry by offering information and resources for potential new divers.  In the four months since its launch, the campaign has seen significant results with traffic from paid and organic sources driving potential divers to the website to learn more about the sport.

Since its launch, GoDiveNow.com has had over 106,000 page visits. The website provides potential divers with a wealth of information to help them learn more about diving. Site features include the professional dive center locator, listings of DEMA Member international vacation destinations, FAQ’s, videos, and ways to connect with other divers through social media.

Go Dive Now’s campaign videos are also making quite an impression. The campaign’s “Learn to Dive” campaign video, released on YouTube in June has received over 122,000 views to date, and since it was uploaded on August 10, “Dive Into a Bigger World,” has already been viewed on YouTube over 48,000 times.

Beyond the website, Go Dive Now is utilizing social media to build awareness, generate interest in scuba diving with non-diving consumers, and drive visitors to GoDiveNow.com. Social media continues to be the most influential source in driving traffic to the website, accounting for 55% of new visitors visiting GoDiveNow.com.

A significant benefit to DEMA Retail Members, paid Facebook ads are targeting relevant neighborhoods located nearest to individual DEMA Member retail stores. In effect, DEMA is advertising to potential consumers for Member stores!  If your retail dive store is not a DEMA Member already, now is the time to become a 2016 DEMA Member to make sure potential new consumers near your location are being reached by the campaign.

More than a way to drive just certifications, Go Dive Now utilizes industry research to locate and target households with adults and children in the age range for certification.  These are audiences that are most likely to fully engage in all aspects of recreational diving, including buying equipment, diving locally and buying dive travel. Go Dive Now is expected to be a multi-year campaign.  By working with many different stakeholders in the industry, Go Dive Now has been and will continue to be, a collaborative effort amongst industry members through the gathering of marketing insight, coming together for brainstorming sessions, and sharing media files for promotional efforts.

Visit www.GoDiveNow.com to learn more; follow @GoDiveNow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and use hashtag #GoDiveNow with all your scuba-related social media posts!