Bret Gilliam was a larger-than-life personality—dare we say, character—in the dive industry. Over a 50-year career, he was involved with several dive-industry firsts, holding a number of influential postings, including serving on the boards of NAUI and IANTD, as well as CEO of TDI. But he was most known for being a co-founder of what would become the largest technical diver training agency in the world, TDI.
It was an upbeat and vibrant edition, reminiscent of how it used to be in its heyday in the late 1990s, when it peaked and only got bigger from year to year. Even the social events and various parties were plentiful and back at full strength—at least, that was my impression.Â
That is not to say that the show and the dive industry have not changed since DEMA was last held in the Big Easy (New Orleans’ nickname). More than two decades have passed since then, so of course, they have.Â
Explorer Ventures Fleet, a renowned provider of extraordinary liveaboard diving experiences, will have a strong presence at the highly anticipated 2023 DEMA Show in New Orleans, LA.Â
You are cordially invited to join the DAN team and your dive industry colleagues at The Sugar Mill (just across the street from the convention center) from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 14.Â
We’ll raise a glass to you — and all who help divers safely explore our underwater world. From food to music, there will be plenty of local flavor, so come ready for a taste of New Orleans.Â
As your dive safety organization, we’ll raise a glass to all who work tirelessly to promote safe diving. We hope you’ll join us on Tuesday, November 14, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the Sugar Mill (right across the street from the convention center).
Meet With DAN
If you’re planning to be at the show, make an appointment to meet with us and learn what DAN can do for your dive business.
Explorer Ventures invites dive shops, group leaders, and wholesale agents to connect, explore exclusive travel deals, and attend two captivating seminars set to enlighten attendees on the benefits of liveaboard dive travel.
Hosted in New Orleans, this year’s show is recognized as the must-attend event of the year. Explorer Ventures promises to spark liveaboard travel inspiration, foster dive shop growth, and present unparalleled networking opportunities.
As your dive safety organization, we will raise a glass to all who work tirelessly to promote safe diving. We hope you’ll join us on Tuesday, November 1, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Ballroom Grand C.
Meet With DAN
If you’re planning to be at the show, make an appointment to learn what DAN can do for your dive business. We have numerous programs you can benefit from, including Student Membership, rewards for new member referrals, and discounts on both retail products and professional liability insurance.
“The show overall was good. Smaller and slower than normal, but it seemed those who came were serious about doing business. It was nice to see familiar faces too.”
While the show is significantly smaller in scale this year due the Covid-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, there were new equipment launches happening such as the new Avelo System (diveavelo.com) this week at the Image Resource Center (Booth #2327) and Room S227 as well as a full schedule of seminars taking place in various meeting spots on the floor in adjoining rooms.
Tune in for talks about advances in postdive bubble monitoring, emergency action planning, managing unusual dive accidents, and more. See the streaming schedule here.
