Does The Dive Industry Need a DEMA Show?

I agree with Paul. Every year, I have so many meetings and training sessions to attend for the various training agencies, that I have barely any time for the show floor.

Otherwise, this should be a question of marketing foresight for the dive industry, not a question of democratic feeling!

No, Please don't Change a thing!

The world outside is changing constantly and why should DEMA have to adapt?

I say keep it the same and the end will just come quicker...

Indepth: There are already many consumer shows. There is one this week-end in California. I go to NONE of them. I am not a dive consumer.

However, I go once a year to the ONLY "trade show" we have. If you think that there is room for more consumer shows, good! But that has nothing to do with having a trade show for our industry.

There's only one trade show for the dive industry, can we please keep it?

Darcy, I agree with your point. but at the end of the day the people who show there are looking for a return on there investment. Its pretty expensive 20K + to rub shoulders with industry folk as much as I enjoy that its a pretty expensive party huh..
I will still go to do some shoulder rubbing but can not afford the cost of a booth if we dont ... See Moresell dive trips.. the internet has changed how people book trips.. It used to be at DEMA the travel wholesalers and the dive shops would book trips to the tune of about 30% of the yearly sales. DEMA needs to sell booths. The whole reason they are asking the question about consumers at the show is booth sales have dropped off. No consumer should be able to go and buy dive gear at the show, that would defeat the whole reason for a dive shop and we must support out local dive shops.
I still pose the question, of the many who say no consumers, how many of thoes exhibit?

I hate new Orleans my car has been broken into 3 times there and I was mugged 1 time there in broad daylight on bourbon street and would NEVER got to a DEMA show there, and I love Orlando. so obviously some of use see it in different ways.

I have heard from many small dive business owners who think New Orleans is the most productive DEMA destination. After hours everyone descends upon Bourbon Street and we can socialize there. In Vegas and Orlando we are at the mercy of the evening's event. Larger companies whisk away their clients to special events and the rest of the DEMA demographic are left meandering about without any central gathering place. New Orleans rocks for small businesses!

In order to see old friends! For the rest, there's the internet!