Scuba Diving Expos in Malaysia
Over the years, the Malaysia International Dive Exhibition or MIDE has only been held mid-year in Kuala Lumpur. This was the only Malaysian scuba diving expo to be held for years. As of 2018, another international player has emerged to bring the popular Dive Resort Travel Expo to Malaysia.
This has widened the branding and awareness for scuba diving as a recreational sport, enhancing tourism in Malaysia and the region. Consumers and scuba divers now have more options, with two world-class scuba diving expos in Malaysia.
Malaysia Scuba Diving Exhibitions
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| At one of the Malaysian dive expos in Kuala Lumpur. |
With the announcement of DRT Malaysia in early February 2018, many scuba divers are excited to attend this event, as all this time, there has only been one event happening in Malaysia.
When choices are offered, it tends to keep the game up for the exhibition organizers, and many are waiting to see what DRT has to offer. While MIDE happens around mid-year, DRT was creative to capture the market earlier in the year.
This is also seen as a positive move as many divers plan their dive trips early to save on expensive flight tickets, better promotions, etc. The Chinese New Year 2018 celebrations also occur on 16th February, roughly two weeks after the dive expo.
Dive expos like the one below also host business-to-business (B2B) sessions. At the last expo in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) hosted a group of international buyers for the B2B sessions.
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| DRT Show in Malaysia. |
1. Dive Resort Travel Expo Malaysia (DRT Malaysia)
As DRT has a strong presence around Asia, namely in China, the dive expo is also found in other countries. DRT is also supported by diving training agencies such as the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), the Diving Instructor World Association (DIWA), and the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD).
The first show was held in Hong Kong in 2010, 18 years ago, and since then, it has been to the Philippines, Shanghai, Beijing, Taiwan, and Singapore. It is now Asia’s most famous dive, resort, and travel show, hosting seven expos a year.
Almost 1000 exhibitors participate in 50 countries worldwide, and each show accommodates around 1300 booths. DRT also has a database of nearly 100,000 registered members from around the region.
As this is the first time that the event will take place in Malaysia, many are curious about what is being offered here. There should be different exhibitors from other Asian countries, making this something to look forward to.
Some of the key elements that take place at the DRT Show in Malaysia are;
- Save Our Ocean Project
- Live Judging for Asia Pacific Underwater Photo Challenge (UWPC)
- 100 Star Underwater Photo Gallery
- Scuba Diving Seminar
- Freediving Seminar
- Underwater Photography Seminar
- Underwater Videography Seminar
- Dive Destination Seminar
- Marine Conservation Seminar
- Lucky Draw
- Kids Zone
When is DRT Expo Malaysia
Date: February
Venue: PWTC (Putra World Trade Center), Kuala Lumpur
Time: Fri/Sat: 11.00 AM to 8.00 PM, Sun: 11.00 AM to 6.00 PM
Website: http://www.malaysiadiveexpo.com/
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| What MIDE Malaysia looks like. |
2. MIDE (Malaysia International Dive Expo)
The Malaysia International Dive Expo will take place in early May, slightly earlier this year, due to the Hari Raya holidays, which fall on 14th June 2018. A month before that, Muslims will observe the fasting period, which starts on 13th May; hence, the dive expo is in the first week of May.
MIDE is the pioneer scuba diving expo that has been running for `12 years, and 2018 will be the 13th year for this diving expo here in Malaysia. Most scuba divers in Malaysia have visited MIDE at least once before.
This dive expo provides all the latest news in the diving industry, hosts seminars and talks by various diving industry professionals, hosts underwater photography contests and galleries, offers retail diving equipment promotions, and more.
MIDE 2017 had 12,166 visitors over three days. Of that number, 1,777 were non-divers. The expo was also in conjunction with the ‘Be A Diver’ program, in which non-divers were invited to try scuba diving at a mobile pool.
The three-day dive expo generated a total revenue of RM8.2 million, which is a very healthy number considering that scuba diving is a niche hobby and sport.
When is MIDE
Date: May
Venue: PWTC (Putra World Trade Center), Kuala Lumpur
Time: 10.00 AM to 7.00 PM
Website: https://mide.com.my/
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| Dive expos in Malaysia attract many foreign dive operators to participate. |
Why do scuba divers visit dive expos in Malaysia?
There are several reasons why Malaysians visit these dive expos, and they are listed below in no order.
- Information – The main reason is to get updated on the latest trends, news, and products for scuba diving. It does not matter if you are a beginner, experienced or even a technical diver. There is a lot of information available for all levels of diversity. During these die expos, one of the highlights is the many seminars conducted by various dive experts. This is one way of sharing information about products, destinations and even marine conservation. At any expo, at least 10 to 20 speakers will conduct this over three days.
- Tourism – As this underwater sport has grown tremendously in Malaysia and around the region, more people are getting into scuba diving as a leisure hobby. This allows people to visit destinations that cater to diving, as there are many beautiful places in Asia for this. Tourism is one of the biggest travel factors, so several tourism boards from around Asia will participate in the dive expos in Malaysia. You can expect to see tourism boards from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia participating, providing diving information for their countries. If you plan to make that epic dive trip to Raja Ampat, you should attend these expos as you can get first-hand information about the destinations.
- Scuba Diving Products—Dive expos have consistently created a consumer myth that diving equipment is at its cheapest during this time, and many will hold back from buying any equipment until the expo. At some point, it has become a fact that retailers and suppliers offer massive savings, promotions, and discounts on diving equipment, dive packages, and even courses for photography or other levels of diving. Many consumers will refrain from buying equipment and wait for the dive expos to see if new products or promotions are offered.
- Underwater Photography – For the underwater photography category, this is also the best time for consumers to browse the many different brands and accessories. Reputable distributors and brands are prominent here, and accessories are explained in detail, providing tips and tricks. This is also the best time for brands to showcase their new products and accessories to consumers, and if you are lucky, you could walk away with some items at discounted prices.
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| Some of the brands that participate at the dive expos. |
For any scuba diver, these are the two largest diving expos held in Malaysia, and it is recommended that you visit them. State tourism boards around Malaysia may have organized smaller ones, but those are state-specific and cater to the local industries.
DRT Malaysia will be the talk of scuba diving at the beginning of 2018, as this is the first time this expo is happening in Malaysia. As a diver, I highly recommend visiting this expo because it has received a very positive response from other Asian countries.
About the Writer
My scuba diving has taken me around the world and to some of Malaysia’s most beautiful dive sites. As a Malaysian, I am proud to say we have some world-class dive sites everyone should notice.
One of my favourite dives was also in the Far East of Indonesia in September 2017, where I explored the remote Alor Island on the far east of Flores. If you want to explore this part of Indonesia, you can read about my Alor Island dive trip report.
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| That is me diving at Alor Island, East Nusa Tenggara. |
During my two-week expedition, I also went on the Komodo Island live on board to dive at some of the best spots here. This was indeed an experience that is recommended for any diver.
My final stop was Raja Ampat in West Papua, where I spent five days. I saw beautiful landscapes, did some bird watching, and, of course, did the main event: diving at one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Conclusion
If you want to explore other parts of Asia for diving, any dive expos in Malaysia are worth visiting. Here, you will find all the information you need for your trip. As for me, I will be there and hope to see you at the next Malaysia dive expo.
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