(Dive Travel Business News - January 31, 2013) -- The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) has announced that it has canceled plans for the Water, Sports and Travel Festival which was originally scheduled for spring of 2013.
According to Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA, “The Water, Sports and Travel Festival could only be conducted with the full support of the diving industry, including dive retailers, scuba manufacturers and training organizations. The cross marketing concept, originally introduced in 2011 at the DEMA Membership Meeting as a way to reach potential new diving customers, was initially embraced by diving equipment manufacturers, dive training organizations and dive travel providers, as well as by associations and companies in the board sports and water craft industries.
Unfortunately, even after several changes to the proposed Festival structure, including prohibiting life support equipment sales by exhibitors, the Festival concept has not generated sufficient support from the diving business community.” read more »