Reinvention and relocation are key to success and mark the beginning of a new era for the Scandinavian Dive Show.
The good folks from Waterproof cheer a productive dive show.
It was a relief to see the crowds entering the Scandinavian Dive Show on the morning of Saturday, 10 February. Tommy Jarnbrink, the founder and principal organiser, alongside the X-Ray Mag team, worked tirelessly to organise and promote the expo to both local and international networks, aiming to attract new attendees. Following the 2023 edition, it became apparent that a new format was essential for the show's future. The Dive Show, "Dykmässan" in Swedish, faced challenges as a standalone event, particularly achieving economies of scale in a niche industry, even in countries larger than Sweden. The previous edition's low attendance highlighted the need for significant changes.
Successful new format
Tommy Jarnbrink engaged with the organisers of the long-standing Boat Show in Gothenburg, who quickly saw the potential of combining the expos into a larger, unified water sports event. In May 2023, an agreement was reached to host the Dive Show alongside the Boat Show. X-Ray Mag also stepped up as a co-organiser, promoting the revamped expo to its international network and co-branding it as the Scandinavian Dive Show.
The new format proved successful, with booth space selling out and the venue reporting 15,815 visitors over the weekend, a satisfactory turnout.
Gothenburg, a strategic location in Scandinavia
Scandinavia, known for its affluent economies and love for water sports, presents a lucrative market for the dive industry. The strategic location of Gothenburg, accessible from major Scandinavian population centres, enhances the expo's appeal.
While Gothenburg has its own airport, for international visitors, flying to Copenhagen, which is Scandinavia's biggest hub, and taking a train straight to Gothenburg centre may offer a quicker and more convenient travel option, with trains running hourly from the station right under the terminal.
Next year will be even bigger
The 2025 show, scheduled for 7-9 February, will move to a larger hall within the expo complex, with most exhibitors from this year already signed up. The expo complex, featuring several halls, is directly connected to the Gothia Towers hotel—the largest hotel in the Nordic countries—offering exhibitors easy access to the expo from the hotel's reception area. The larger hall designated for next year's dive show, situated a level above and offering a panoramic view of the main floor through its windows, promises a spectacular setting. Access is facilitated by a wide escalator leading from the boat show's centre to the dive show level.
Plans for further improvements and entertainment for the next edition are underway, promising to evolve the show into Scandinavia's premier dive industry networking event. Already, all Nordic Sportsdiver Federations have met and held a conference at the expo, with more training agencies expected next year.
Contact organiser Tommy Jarnbrink for further information about next year's Scandinavian Dive Show.
Try dives were offered in the pool which was set up at the junction between the boat show halls and the dive show. Kids looked like the were having a ball.
