The Official Hotel Block for DEMA Show 2023 is Now Open

 **Block Offers Exclusive Savings and Benefits for DEMA Show Attendees & Exhibitors**

The DEMA Show Hotel Block is officially open! To help dive industry professionals keep their planning efforts on track for this year’s annual trade-only event for the Diving Industry, DEMA has contracted with five hotels convenient to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. By booking in DEMA’s hotel block the entire industry saves, as DEMA is able to use the occupation data to better negotiate convention center rates, nearby hotel block rates and transportation in any city, to everyone’s benefit. Start your planning for the Show, taking place November 14-17 in New Orleans, LA, by booking your room reservation in the DEMA Show Hotel Block, featuring exclusive exhibitor and attendee rates and benefits.

DEMA Show will feature the New Orleans Marriot as this year’s Host Hotel. The New Orleans Marriot is conveniently located within walking distance of Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – home to DEMA Show 2023. Those booking in DEMA’s block at the New Orleans Marriot will receive the special rates of $249 per night (single/double rooms)* at the New Orleans Marriot.

Other specially-priced DEMA Show hotel block rooms will also be available at:

• New Orleans Downtown Marriot at the Convention Center for $259/night (single/double)*
• Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel for $249/night (single/double)*
• Courtyard New Orleans Downtown/Convention Center for $225/night (single/double)*
• SpringHill Suites New Orleans Downtown for $237/night (single/double)*

*Plus applicable state and local taxes and fees. Additional information available here.

Those staying at any of the five hotels in the official hotel block will be entered into daily drawings on-site for a chance to win prizes including:

• The Full DEMA Show 2024 Package:
  • Two full conference passes
  • Hotel accommodations for a four-night stay in the DEMA Show 2024 Host hotel in Las Vegas (one room)

• Other prizes may include:
  • An all-inclusive dive trip for two
  • Visa gift cards
  • New Orleans-themed gift baskets
  • DEMA merchandise
  • New Orleans restaurants gift cards
  • Two complimentary conference passes to DEMA Show 2023
  • New Orleans experiences (local tours, shows, and more!)
    
    
• And much more—be sure to check back as the list of confirmed prizes is updated!

Shuttle service will be provided between select DEMA hotel block hotels and Halls G & F at the Shuttle Depot of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center from Tuesday, November 14th to Friday, November 17th for those staying in the Official DEMA Show housing block. If you need to arrange wheelchair-accessible transportation, please call (318) 208-4841 at least 60 minutes prior to pick-up. The shuttle schedule can be viewed here.

Reserve by Monday, October 16 to secure accommodations in the Official DEMA Show Hotel block (based on availability). Please advise that there are other shows staging in New Orleans during the dates of DEMA Show 2023. Hotel accommodations will be limited. Be sure to book EARLY to ensure you get a room and the best rates

DEMA Show registration is expected to open in early July. Be sure to subscribe to our weekly email newsletter, DEMAIL, to catch the announcement!

Tell Us About Your Experiences: Insurance Premium Surges

 

Your personal stories can help amend the new insurance liability provisions we first flagged last year. DEMA is working with Congress to make sure they understand how their policy decisions impact your business, and Congress is starting to listen!  We will share more about the productive conversations we are starting to have with policymakers in the weeks and months to come. In the meantime, it’s important that we continue to hear from you about how the new retroactive liability insurance requirements are impacting your business.  Please share your personal stories via the form below, so your experiences can be shared with policymakers.

 

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE

DEMA Publishes Most Recent Dive Consumer Survey Data

 ** Reports Help Members Understand Current Customer Behaviors and Activities **

In late 2022, DEMA launched the Diver Online Survey with the goal of updating diver behavioral and activity information of divers everywhere. DEMA and industry professionals asked diving customers both within the U.S. and internationally to participate.

More than 12,000 consumers responded to this survey, with about 6% coming from Canada, 56% from the U.S., and the remainder from countries across the globe.  The survey requests diving activity information from respondents through 2022 and is the first comprehensive diver behavioral survey following the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey specifically probed information about diving consumer behaviors and activities to help the diving industry understand more about these aspects of the recreational diver market. 

Two data sets are available on DEMA.org: 

1. An “All Countries” data set which includes 12,000 responses from divers who reside in many different countries around the world.
2. A data set that includes responses from divers residing in the U.S. only. 
   

DEMA extends its thanks to the DEMA-Member companies who helped obtain participation by their customers in order to obtain this important information.  With an estimated 5 - 6 million active scuba divers worldwide, the large sample size is helpful in obtaining the clearest picture possible for the state of the market.

The reports are available free to all DEMA Members, and can be purchased by non-members for $119.00 each. Members can obtain their free report by logging into their account on DEMA.org and downloading the report found under the "Market Research & Insights" section of their DEMA Member Dashboard. Non-members can purchase their report for download here.

DEMA Introduces 2023 Board of Directors

 The results of DEMA's 2023-2025 Board of Directors Election are in! Members of DEMA's 2023 Board of Directors include the following individuals:

A1-Manufacturing

• Mike Hollis, Pro Asia
• Tom Phillipp, XS Scuba, Inc*

A2-Diver Certification and Training Agencies

• Tom Leaird, Scuba Educators International**
• Jeff Mondle, PADI Americas

A3-Dive Publishing, Media, Consulting and Non-Retail Service Providers

• William Cline, Cline Group Advertising, Inc**
• Dan Orr, Dan Orr Consulting

A4-Retailers

• Jeffrey Cinciripino, Scuba Shack Diving Services*
• Patrick Hammer, Dive Right In Scuba, Inc.

A5-Travel & Resorts

• Bradley Barnett, Clearly Cayman Dive Resorts
• Steve Weaver, Dream Weaver Travel**

*Elected in 2023
**Reelected in 2023

In accordance with the DEMA Bylaws, Directors serve three-year terms. Additional information on DEMA's Board of Directors and Bylaws is available on DEMA.org. The election was conducted by CPA firm, Gray, Proctor & McMannis, based in Newport Beach, CA. All A-category DEMA Members who had joined or renewed their DEMA Membership for 2023 by January 17, 2023 were eligible to vote in this election. The final vote count is available to DEMA Members who are logged into the Members-Only Dashboard of www.dema.org.

Congratulations to all of DEMA's Directors! In the coming weeks, the Board will meet to conduct officer elections, form committees and select individuals to chair them. Contact us at toll free (800) 862-DIVE (3483), (858) 616-6408 or info@dema.org if you have any questions or are interested in serving on one of the DEMA Board committees. Additional Committee information can be found online here. Thank you for your continued support!

ALERT: New Law Threatens Dive Operators & Their Employees

 As you know, in December DEMA asked you to reach out to Congress in an urgent attempt to repeal a brand-new liability requirement imposed on small vessel operators, which is already causing the cost of passenger vessel liability insurance to substantially increase, and threatening to put many operators throughout the industry out of business.

The liability requirement was included in the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Lawmakers had been led to believe that Section 11503 of the NDAA was simply a “fix for the families who lost loved ones” in the tragic Conception Dive Boat fire of 2019.  But the new law goes far beyond one tragedy – it lines the pockets of trial lawyers and does nothing to make sure dive boats are operating safely.  Already, the cost of passenger vessel liability insurance has started increasing substantially, threatening the business of many dive operators.

 

There is still hope for a repeal. A brand-new Congress has been seated. We need your help to educate them about the ramifications of this new law and persuade them to repeal it.  If we come together as an industry, we CAN minimize businesses losses and prevent layoffs.

 

Why Does It Matter?

The liability requirement will have a cost impact on YOUR business.  Either directly (because you operate a small passenger vessel for diving) or indirectly (because you contract with a dive vessel for travel or instruction)—YOUR BUSINESS COSTS WILL INCREASE.

 

Dive vessel operators:
Dive vessel operators around the country started reporting exponential increases in their premiums in December 2022 as insurers cited this new law.

 

Businesses that contract with dive vessel operators:
With unfathomable increases in insurance premiums, dive vessel operators will have no choice but to increase their rates with YOU.

 

What Can You Do?

We ask that you reach out to your two US Senators and US House Representative and educate them about the true impact of the law on both your business and the industry as whole.  Below is a sample script to help guide you in your conversation with lawmakers. DEMA has also attached background information to help you better understand what is happening and why. 

Please Contact your US House Representative and Senators by calling the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121

The outline below provides the simple steps to follow:

1. Call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121, give the operator your state or zip code, and ask them to connect you. They can help you identify your Senators & US Representative.
   
   
2. If you are able to connect with someone on the phone, suggested talking points are below. If needed, you may also leave a voicemail.
   
   
   • Hello, my name is __________ from __________ (city / state). May I speak to the staffer who handles Coast Guard issues?
     
     
   • I’m calling today because buried in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act that passed in December is a new liability requirement that is devastating MY small business.
     
     
   • Section 11503 was touted as a “fix for the families who lost loved ones” in the tragic Conception Dive Boat fire of 2019. But the provision goes far beyond this one tragedy.
     
     
   • Section 11503 IMPACTS ALL SMALL VESSEL operators. It DOES NOTHING to improve safety standards. It just requires me to increase liability insurance in case I get sued AFTER an accident.  

     Note: If you have a personal story about the costs you are facing, please share it – e.g., we know of a dive boat operator facing $160K insurance increase for a $2.2M operation .

   • This is just a payday for the plaintiffs’ lawyers at the expense of my small operation and our employees. I am asking you and your boss to Please REPEAL Section 11503 of the 2023 NDAA IMMEDIATELY.
     
     
   • At a time when I’m already facing increased costs because of inflation – my employees and I need Congress to repeal this ill-conceived requirement. Without a repeal, we may not be able to operate – or forced to lay off employees, which makes no one safer!
     
     
3. You can also click here and enter your zip code if you would like to email your US Representative. US Senators are listed here by state.

Additional information and background on the new law can be found here.

DEMA-Sponsored Education Sessions Start September 27th

Once again, DEMA-Sponsored Educational Sessions will be available online and in-person at DEMA Show 2022.

DEMA-Sponsored Education covers a wide spectrum of topics to expand your business and career. Online sessions will take place from September 27 - October 19 and in-person sessions will take place in Orlando during DEMA Show.

Introduced in 2021, DEMA is again offering the opportunity for attendees to obtain a Digital Credential in Marketing Education, when you attend and complete at least five designated Marketing Education sessions during DEMA Show 2022!

LEARN MORE & BROWSE EDUCATION

Is One of Your Employees Rising to the Top? Nominate Them for DEMA’s 2022 Wave Makers Award Today!

DEMA is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Wave Makers Award. These annual awards recognize new professionals in the diving industry who are rising to the top and making a difference in our industry. Honorees will be recognized at the Annual Membership Meeting taking place on November 2, 2022 during DEMA Show 2022 in Orlando, FL. 

Nominations for the Wave Makers Award are being accepted until Monday, August 22, 2022. 

Learn more, check out our past recipients, and submit a nomination!

SUBMIT A NOMINATION