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LIDS – on its last legs, or a Phoenix rising from the flames?

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While most divers in the UK are looking forward to DIVE 2015 as the next big date in the UK dive calendar, the companies that make up the UK dive industry are already being courted by the Dive Show Group – the company that organise and run the two UK dive shows – for the London International Dive Show (LIDS) 2016, which takes place in February next year at London’s ExCel centre.

Traditionally a two-day event that always took place on the last weekend in March each year, this year the event was brought forward to February to coincide with the Telegraph Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show. By buying a ticket to LIDS, visitors would also be granted access to the Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show, The London Bike Show and The Triathlon Show: London (so four shows for one ticket – a right bargain). Although the Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show is a four-day event, LIDS remained a two-day event and ran in a hall adjoining the Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show.

So why did the Dive Show Group make this move? For two reasons: firstly, to answer the call made by many in the dive industry to do something to introduce some desperately needed new blood into UK diving. And secondly, to save LIDS from extinction. Over the years, LIDS has seen a dramatic fall in both exhibitors and visitors, due in part to the location of ExCel (anyone who has been there can tell you it’s a right pain in the backside to get to), and also because of the restrictions exhibitors are faced with when they are unloading and loading back up their gear.

So the question is… did latching LIDS onto the side of the Outdoor & Adventure Show work?

To be honest… not really.

But why not? It was a great idea, and a move that was welcomed by many in the dive industry – a great opportunity to promote scuba diving to the uninitiated, to those who have a passion for outdoor and adventure sports and activities. So why didn’t it have the effect that many in the dive industry had hoped for?

There are a few theories. One is that in order to get into LIDS, you had to leave the main Outdoor & Adventure Show hall. For many, mild curiosity was not enough to drag them away from the activities that got them to the show in the first place.

Another theory is that although the doors between each show were wide open, they were flanked by security guards who were scrutinising visitors’ credentials. Why though? If you were already in one show, and your ticket granted you access to the other events taking place, why did your wristband need to be checked by a heavy with a judgemental glint in his eye? The security guards’ overbearing presence may have been enough to put people off checking out LIDS.

For whatever reason (or reasons), despite taking place at the same time and at the same location as other outdoor enthusiast shows, this year LIDS felt smaller and quieter than ever.

So what next?

Convinced that hooking up with the Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show is the way forward, for 2016 the Dive Show Group have taken things a step further. Instead of being latched onto the side of the main attraction, next year LIDS will actually be a part of the Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show – and what’s more, it will be slap bang in the middle, meaning that no matter what outdoor activity you are interested in, at some point while you are walking around the show you are bound to be exposed to the world of scuba diving. What’s more, as an official section of the Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show, LIDS will now be a four-day event, running from the 11th-14th February.

So far, the response from the dive industry has been mixed. While some see this as a fantastic opportunity to bring new people into scuba diving and more people to sell dive courses, holidays and equipment to, others are already concerned about the fact that they will have to fork out for an additional two days-worth of wages, hotel accommodation and meals for their staff. Having to be at the show for a couple of weekdays in addition to the weekend also means that their staff aren’t at work doing their normal everyday jobs, which some fear could also have a detrimental effect on their business.

One thing that cannot be denied though is this: the Dive Show Group have listened to exhibitors and are trying to do something to reinvigorate LIDS. OK, so this year’s experiment wasn’t exactly a resounding success, but they’ve learned from it and have made some changes which could deliver on a question they are frequently asked by people within the dive industry: “What are you going to do to get new people interested in diving?”

So will this new strategy save LIDS? Only time will tell.

What do you think about LIDS? Is it worth saving or should it be left to die? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or in the Scubaverse Forum.

 

Blogs

The BiG Scuba Podcast Episode 173: DEEP – Making Humans Aquatic

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Gemma and Ian visited DEEP and were hosted by Phil Short, Research Diving, Training Lead, and were given a tour of the facility at Avonmouth and then over to the Campus at Tidenham.

DEEP is evolving how humans access, explore and inhabit underwater environments. Through flexible, modular and mobile subsea habitats that allow humans to live undersea up to 200m for up to 28 days, work-class submarines, and advanced human performance research, DEEP completely transforms what we are capable of underwater and how we conduct undersea science and research.

www.deep.com

You can listen to Episode 173 of the BiG Scuba Podcast here.

We hope you have enjoyed this episode of The BiG Scuba Podcast.  Please give us ★★★★★, leave a review, and tell your friends about us as each share and like makes a difference.   Contact Gemma and Ian with your messages, ideas and feedback via The BiG Scuba Bat Phone    +44 7810 005924   or use our social media platforms.   To keep up to date with the latest news, follow us:

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We are on Facebook                      @thebigscuba

We are in LinkedIn                          https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian%F0%9F%A6%88-last-325b101b7/

The BiG Scuba Website                  www.thebigscuba.com

Amazon Store :                                https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/thebigscuba

Visit   https://www.patreon.com/thebigscubapodcast and subscribe – Super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.

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Blogs

The BiG Scuba Podcast Episode 172: Dr. Joseph Dituri

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Joseph Dituri

Gemma and Ian chat to Dr. Joseph Dituri. Dr. Jospeh Dituri lived undersea for 100 Days in a mission combining education, ocean conservation research, and the study of the physiological and psychological effects of compression on the human body.  

Dituri enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1985. He served continuously on active service upon various ships and shore stations where he was involved in every aspect of diving and special operations work from saturation diving and deep submergence to submersible design and clearance diving. Now that he is retired from 28 years of active service to the United States, he is the president of the International Board of Undersea Medicine. He also volunteers his time as the CEO of the Association for Marine Exploration. He is an invited speaker on motivational, sea and space related topics.

Fuelled by his passion for exploration, discovery, adventure, and making the greatest possible positive contribution to the world, he is fighting for change in a big way and with great enthusiasm.

You can listen to Episode 172 of the BiG Scuba Podcast here.

www.drdeepsea.com

We hope you have enjoyed this episode of The BiG Scuba Podcast.  Please give us ★★★★★, leave a review, and tell your friends about us as each share and like makes a difference.   Contact Gemma and Ian with your messages, ideas and feedback via The BiG Scuba Bat Phone    +44 7810 005924   or use our social media platforms.   To keep up to date with the latest news, follow us:

We are on Instagram                     @thebigscuba  

We are on Facebook                      @thebigscuba  

We are in LinkedIn                          https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian%F0%9F%A6%88-last-325b101b7/

The BiG Scuba Website                  www.thebigscuba.com

Amazon Store :                                https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/thebigscuba

Visit   https://www.patreon.com/thebigscubapodcast and subscribe – Super quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you.

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