Sep 10, 2009

THE BIGGEST DIVE SHOW IN MALAYSIA!!!

MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL DIVE EXPO 2009 (MIDE 2009)

MIDE 2009 is back again for the 4th consecutive year, to promote Malaysia as world-standard for diving destination, water sports, and outdoor travel adventure within regionally and internationally following the success of MIDE 2008.

MIDE 2009 is the one and only dive expo for Malaysia organized yearly to constitute in aiming to boost the diving industry and to focused on targeted visitors to explore the industry to exchange ideas and share opinion through trade of products and services and further to promote a wide range of international brands in Malaysia ……. says Mr Thayalan Kennedy, Director of AsiaEvents Exsic Sdn Bhd.

For this year MIDE 2009 is expecting more than 10,000 visitors with 155 booths being set up and 120 exhibitors with 70% of foreign participation and 30% local participation to showcase their products.

Visitors can expect for Best Bargains of products ranging from Diving Gears, Dive Equipments, Wetsuits, Packages for Dive Destination, Diving Courses during the 3 days exhibition.

MIDE’s ‘Through The Lens’ International Underwater Photography Competition has attracted more than 1,285 photographers from 21 countries with 8791 underwater pictures have been received for the competition. Selected Winners will be attending MIDE 2009 to receive their prizes. All winner’s photographs will be displayed during MIDE 2009 at Hall 3, PWTC.

Visitors wanting to get brief taste of what it is like to be underwater can go for a dip into Scuba Pool Try-outs which will be at the main entrance of PWTC, Kuala Lumpur.

For the 3 days exhibition, MIDE 2009 will be conducting Workshops on Underwater Photography and Videography, Demonstration of Outdoor Water Sports Equipments, Talks on Conservation, Training Program, Marine Feature Documentaries, Children’s Underwater Coloring Contest, Wetsuit Fashion Show and Stage Demo Activities.

MIDE is inviting all Divers to sign up at MIDE Diver’s Community Column TO MEET & COMMUNICATE WITH FRIENDS IN DIVING, TO NETWORK IN DIVING BUSINESS, TO SEEK CONTACTS, TO SHARE DIVING EXPERIENCE & ADVENTURE, TO EXCHANGE IDEAS AND SHARE OPINIONS

Malaysia International Dive Expo 2009 – July scuba event in southeast Asia

Scuba enthusiasts will gather in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from July 3–5, 2009 for the fourth annual Malaysia International Dive Expo (MIDE). The event is the largest dive show in Malaysia. Organizers expect more than 10,000 visitors for the three-day event, which will feature approximately 155 booths and 120 exhibitors.

MIDE will feature a variety of programs and activities including:
• Product demonstrations at the MIDE Demo Pool located at the entrance of the Putra World Trade Center.
• Children’s underwater coloring contest.
• Workshops and training programs on a variety of diving topics such as choosing and maintaining dive equipment and selecting dive destinations. Photographic topics include how to shoot macros and shooting with a strobeless compact digital.
• Seminars on a variety of topics ranging from marine conservation, marine species and diving rescue to photography and technical topics.
• “Through the Lens” underwater photography competition: Over 1,000 photographers from around the world compete for prizes in six categories: macro, wide-angle, portfolio, young underwater photographer, underwater art and underwater Malaysia. Prizes include scuba gear, photography equipment and trips to southeast Asia.

The Malaysia International Dive Expo 2009 is endorsed and supported by Tourism Malaysia, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL), Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Eraman Duty Free, Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM), National Art Gallery Malaysia, Maritime Malaysia, Sabah Tourism Board, Malaysian Amateur Radio Emergency Services (MARES) and Tioman Mega Dive.

Admission to the expo is free. Special room rates including buffet breakfasts, service charges and taxes are available at the Best Western Premier Seri Pacific Kuala Lumpur hotel. A room reservation form is available on the MIDE website. Attendees should plan on staying in Malaysia after MIDE to participate in some actual scuba diving amongst the South China Sea’s many reefs.

SDAA AT MIDE’ 09

The 2009 Malaysian International Dive Expo (MIDE), held 3-5 July in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, proved to be an important event not just for the region but for the Asian Geographic family. By far the biggest and most successful dive show in Asia, nearly 7,000 people came to view over 100 exhibitors comprising dive shops, operators, resorts, equipment manufacturers, and media. Asian Diver was relaunched with its new editorial facelift, and the German edition of the SDAA e-magazine was introduced as well.

Strategically placed by the entrance, SDAA’s large, spacious booth welcomed new subscribers who bought T-shirts by Hydro Sapiens and waited with bated breath to see if they’d be one of the lucky winners in the raffle draw at the end of each day. Subscribers could also choose to have their faces placed on either SDAA or Asian Diver magazine covers as souvenirs.

For more on next year’s show, visit mide.com.my

MIDE SHOW 09

Early last month we attended the annual Malaysian International Dive Expo in Kuala Lumpur… what a great event! At the risk of offending OzTek it’s a great pity we don’t have a dive show like this in Australia! Approx 8,000 visitors.

Dive shop booths packed, selling great bargains, dive travel operators from all over the Asia Pacific region promoting great dive travel options; u/w imaging products, digital still and video, lighting-everything for underwater photographers at competitive prices. Lots of young divers full of enthusiasm and loving their diving. Sport diving Magazine signed up over 300 new subscribers, the majority for a 2 year period!

As I said, a great show, a shame that Australia can’t put on a dive and travel show to match the Malaysians!

Sep 9, 2009

MIDE 2009

Malaysia International Dive Expo keeps expanding. The 2009 edition saw a strong and lively attendance. Reviewing dive shows has never come easy to me. Such a big part of the experience is about being there and capturing the ambience and dynamics without just rubbing it in that you missed the party has always been quite a challenge. But this is the rare pleasant exception from the rule.

MIDE is one of the young and rising dive expos on the planet, and the way things have been going lately, it is becoming one of the biggest, dive expos in region. Certainly, it is already a force to be reckoned with. As an international exhibitor who, as one of the very few media doing so, tour the United States, Europe and Asia dive expos, we call tell the difference. This is where we have to go to find the new dynamics in the field. It is encouraging to witness the youthfulness and enthusiasm o f the local dive community and see how new markets are developing before our very eyes. I am only half-heartedly sorry to acknowledge that by comparison they make the US expos stand out like grumpy retires.

But mostly, I feel encouraged by taking part and hope that the rest of world will watch and learn. I have to hand it to the organizer for the manner in which they have somehow managed to draw in the general public whole families at a time and especially for giving so much attention to the children. The kids were captivated and an enthusiastic audience. MIDE isn’t a show where new innovations get presented first – that role still falls almost exclusively to DEMA in the United States – nor can it boast having a stellar range of speakers. But more presentations will be added next year and admission is still free. I think the show is vastly under-appreciated by the international diving community, in particular the big brands and manufacturers who seem to be missing out on a very opportune moment to get a foot in the door.

As far as we are concerned, we have already booked our space for next year where the show is projected to grow well past 200 exhibitors.