DIRA – Dive Industry Retailers Association
by Gene Muchanski, Executive Director
Dive Industry Association, Inc.

Over the years there have been a number of Retail Dive Associations.  The first ones were run by dive equipment manufactures (Aqualung Dealers Association) and then dive training agencies (NAUI, PADI, NASDS).  A number of them were organized by a group of local Retailers (Colorado Scuba Retailers Association) and  a few had a national or international focus to them (ADR – Association of Diving Retailers & SRA – Scuba Retailers Association).  The organizational structure and mission of the different associations varied as did their effectivness and overall success.  The one thing they had in common was a belief that the local Retail Dive Centers are the heart and soul of the diving industry.  This idea still holds true today.

With all that we have learned in the past 50+ years it is time for a strong, international, non-denominational Retail Dealer Network.  An Association that is comprised of professional retailers who specialize in scuba diving and related water sports.  An Organization formed to address the problems, issues and needs  that are relevant to the modern day Retail Dive Center, or as I like to call them, Scuba Diving Adventure Centers.  An Association that is open to all Professional Watersport Retail Stores regardless of their membership or affiliation with any Manufacturer, Training Agency or Travel Wholesaler.

The Dive Retailers Sector of the Dive Industry Association was set up to address issues specific to  professional Scuba Diving Adventure Centers.  We realize that dive businesses that teach diving, sell equipment, operate dive boats and sell adventure travel are on the front lines of the industry.  Without them, there would be no dive industry.

Our Association believes that your business succeeds or fails on what you do locally, and most all of the business you get is the business you captured yourself.  We know that having a strong Regional Dealer Network is an excellent way to increase sales and market share while establishing better relationships with other like-minded business.  We also understand that a strong National Dealer Network can work together to increase desire in the general public to take up swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving and related water sports and grow our recreation.  Only as an International Dealer Network will we ever have the economies of scale to elevate the professionalism of our industry and have a meaningful association that helps Retail Dive Centers to Start, Grow and Succeed.

Dive Industry Association and the Dive Industry Foundation are committed to growing our industry and working with Retail Dive Center owners to capture new markets and grow our industry.  Our annual Retail Dive Center Survey has become a “Retail Dive Center Profile.”  It’s the first step to understanding our economic state-of-the-industry.  We ask that all Dive Centers download this profile and send it back to us.  All responses are held in strict confidence and no individual answers will be shared with anyone.  We are looking for industry averages, ranges and trends.  A Summery “State of the Retail Industry”  will be shared with each respondent.

View our Retail Dive Center Survey