Be a Diver

DEMA's Be A Diver Pool Tour 2013

(Dive Travel Business News - Monday January 7, 2013) -- Since it first came into existence more than 10 years ago, the Be A Diver Pool Tour has traveled throughout the U.S. enabling potential new diving customers to try scuba diving in the warm, safe confines of a four-foot deep swimming pool under professional supervision. With 2013 just beginning, the Pool’s schedule is already filling up and 2013 promises to be another productive year for both the Pool and local retailers who participate at pool tour stops. read more »

"Be A Diver" Pool Creates New Customers with its Pool Stops in 2011

Dive Travel Business News - March 27, 2011) -- Continuing to demonstrate its value as a new customer acquisition tool and a diving awareness program, DEMA's Be a Diver Pool kicked off 2011 with a big splash at all of its first quarter pool stops. DEMA's Big Wave Dave Reidenbach and DEMA Member retailers who were on-site with the Be A Diver Pool, educated attendees about the ease of learning to dive, and why diving is a fun and family-friendly activity. As a result, thousands of dollars in scuba class signs-up and multiple broadcast coverage spots were generated in the first quarter of 2011. read more »

Tenth Anniversary of Yukon Sinking

(Dive Travel Business News - July 19, 2010) -- On July 14, 2000 the San Diego Oceans Foundation, and its group of passionate volunteers led by DUI Chairman Dick Long, intentionally sunk the Canadian destroyer escort HMCS Yukon. Ten years later the HMCS Yukon has taken on a new life at the bottom of the ocean off North Mission Beach in San Diego as an artificial reef. Covered with invertebrates and encrusting organisms the ship is an ecologically sound marine habitat for a variety of aquatic life as well as an economic benefit to the area.

The Yukon is some 365 feet long and about 43 feet wide. Prior to sinking, the Yukon was cleaned of toxic and hazardous materials and large holes were cut into the sides for easy diver entry and exit. She lays on her side in about 90 to 100 feet of water, with the exposed starboard side located at the wreck's shallowest depth of about 56 feet. There she has drawn thousands of divers during the last decade, read more »

Census Benchmarks “Be A Diver Program”

(March 28, 2008 - DEMA) - According to the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) Open Water level certifications in the US and US territories fell about 1.4 percent overall as measured from 2006, in spite of volatility and uncertainty in the overall U.S. economy.The census revealed that 160,249 divers were certified at the Open Water level in 2007.

Tom Ingram, DEMA’s Executive Director, explained, “The industry needs this important benchmark in order to gauge the effectiveness of the ‘Be A Diver’ campaign. Our goal with ‘Be A Diver’ is to increase the number of new, Open Water diver certifications by 10 percent over a two-year period. Since the campaign begins at the consumer level in 2008, the 2007 number is critical as our initial point of reference.” read more »

DEMA Launches “Be A Diver”

(April 4, 2008 - DTN) -- Looking for a place to get your clients into scuba diving? The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) launched a new website, www.BeADiver.com. This website is part of DEMA’s national Be A Diver advertising and promotional campaign aimed at increasing the number of new diving customers and re-activating previously-certified divers.

Potential diving customers can use BeADiver.com to find a professional dive center locally or find a DEMA Member international resort dive operator so they can learn to dive on vacation. The website includes an updated US dive center locator, listings of DEMA Member international resort dive operators and information about diving specifically designed for the non-diver. read more »