(DiverWire) The world’s largest scuba diving trade show, the DEMA show, is coming back to Florida after last year’s show in Las Vegas. Organized by DEMA (the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association), DEMA is targeted toward the diving professionals of the world. The show lasts from November 6th to November 9th, at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando.
Not open to the public or consumers, DEMA requires you to be a commercial, rescue, government, or military diver. Manufacturers and their representatives are welcome, as are retail buyers, international distributors, travel agents, dive store staff, supplier, or other industry professionals. The DEMA show focuses on scuba diving, action water sports, and the travel industries that ferry divers and swimmers to exotic locales. The exhibit floor itself is home to hundreds of exhibitors, including manufacturers, travel agents, dive programs, underwater photographers, and show-exclusive discounts.
The “New Product Showcase” always introduces the hottest new scuba gear every year, from some of the top manufacturers in the business. This year, SeaLife Cameras is debuting its Sea Dragon Maxx Duo, what insiders believe to be a significant upgrade both in luminosity and function to the the DC1400 Maxx and Pro Duo kits that combined the DC1400 underwater camera with adjustable LED lights and flashes. TUSA is unveiling their Freedom HD Mask, w4 Wetsuit, and their breathable D9 Drysuit. There’s even a demonstration pool on the show floor to host live presentations of products like the Predator Power fin, or services like NASE Worldwide’s dive instruction program.
Last year’s DEMA Show in Las Vegas
DEMA 2013’s Image Resource Center has grown as well, featuring the work of dozens if not hundreds of underwater photographers and videographers on display. The Image Resource Center also hosts seminars for the UW photography community, by top industry professionals. Joel Penner of Backscatter UW Video and Photo is hosting a seminar about video techniques for compact cameras, offering tips on exposure, composition, and color. Sea and Sea’s Andy & Allison Sallmon will be presenting a tutorial on underwater modeling, focusing on working with divers, what kind of gear you’ll need, how best to communicate, and the proper set-ups for shooting in reefs and wrecks. Joseph Tepper is presenting a seminar on photographing divers, sponsored by divephotoguide.com, which details the tips and handy advice for taking underwater pics of dive buddies.
Dozens of other seminars are also being hosted on a plethora of industry-relevant topics, every day of the show. Beth Ziesenis of AskBethZ.com is hosting a number of tech-savvy seminars, dedicated to improving graphic design for scuba gear business, including juicing up newsletters and marketing material. Rick Segel of Rick Segel & Associates will be talking about the “Showrooming” phenomenon, where customers check out gear and take advice from local dive shops, but end up going home and purchasing the products online. DEMA itself will be running a “Lionfish Update,” hosted by Lad Akins, REEF Director of Special Projects and Peter Hughes, founder of DivEncounters. They’ll be offering up all the news on the ecosystem-damaging lionfish invasion, offering hands-on demonstrations for removal techniques, and highlighting local and regional successes in combating the lionfish problem.
For more information on DEMA 2013, the schedule or booking and ticket information, see their website here.
