Building a Dive Retail Database in Alaska
by Gene Muchanski, Executive Director
Dive Industry Association, Inc.

Starting on Week 15 in 2020, Dive Industry Association is beginning a campaign to verify its Retail Dive Store database on the DIVE LOCAL Website. Every week we will focus on a new state. Alaska is the first one. The purpose of the listing is three-fold. We want to identify all Retail Dive Centers, worldwide, that are teaching diving, selling dive gear, taking people diving and keeping them active in the recreation. We want to bring more divers into our recreation. Finally, we want to create an active local dive community in the State of Alaska.

The Dive Stores in Alaska are part of the Northwest Diving Community of the United States. Dive Stores are, in our opinion, the heartbeat of our recreation and usually the first contact with the general public. Dive Retailers are our Ambassadors of the Diving Industry.  They need and want our support.

Starting on April 1 (no joke) the Dive Industry Association will be mailing a post card to every Retail Dive Center in the United States to verify their mailing address. Every week we will pick a new state to focus on. During Week 15 we will list every Alaska Dive Store in our NW Dive Stores Directory on www.divelocal.org/north-west-us/dive-stores/ To prevent email address farming, we will only publish the stores name and their city & state.

If a local Retailer would like us to publish their website address they only need to mail one of their business cards to Dive Industry Association, 2294 Botanica Circle, West Melbourne, FL 32904.

The Dive Industry Association is promoting and supporting Retail Dive Centers through its Dive Industry Retailers Association. All Retail Dive Centers are invited to join an association that promotes dive stores regardless of their equipment or training agency preference. A united retail dive organization is the first step to growing a healthy industry.

Manufacturers, Training Agencies, and Travel Companies can participate in our direct mail marketing campaigns by becoming a Premier Member of the Dive Industry Association.  Annual Dues are $500.  Our goal is to identify and verify Retail Dive Centers (worldwide) and their direct mail and email addresses through the year.  At least four (4) direct mail campaigns can be scheduled depending on Premier Membership enrollment.  Premier Members receive retail stores full contact data along with periodic updates.

For more information contact: Gene Muchanski, Executive Director, Dive Industry Association, 2294 Botanica Circle, West Melbourne, FL 32904. email: gene@diveindustry.net Web: www.diveindustry.net