La piscine du salon de la plongée à Paris 2018
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While the BOOT show in Germany will open its doors this January 20, 2018 for a week dedicated entirely to the nautical world. It should attract more than 230.000 people. I offer you a feedback on its Parisian counterpart, the Paris dive show reserved exclusively for the underwater world.

Obviously, there was a lot of people last weekend in Paris for the twentieth anniversary of the dive show.

While the comments read on the web (feed back of experience) were not always positive. It must be recognized that the Paris dive event (which welcomed more than 400 exhibitors for more than 60.000 visitors) had assets .

Arrived Friday at 10:30. I was surprised by a half-hour wait to reach the entrance of this Paris dive show. Visited by many addicts to scuba diving, proof that we were many to want to discover this anniversary edition.

La foule pour rentrer au salon de Paris en 2018

Back on the positive and negative points of the Paris dive show

Good points for the Paris dive event

  • Numerous exhibitors in various sectors: diving equipment, travel, certification agencies, press, innovations, artists, exhibitions, …
  • Exhibitors placed by type of activity in the Paris dive event (it’s nice to find your way around)
  • Exhibitors who take the time (this was my experience)
  • A photo contest with a projection of the selected photos (they were magnificent)
  • Various conferences (which I did not have time to attend)
  • Various water activities with (it must be noted) dedicated volunteers. They took the necessary time (I had time to observe them)
  • Walkways that are generally large enough for the Friday crowd at the Paris dive show. (except for some strategic places that were jammed).
  • A nice buffet offered to visitors on Friday for the 20 years of the dive show … nice we were starving!
  • Exhibitors who offer aperitifs everywhere from 18h (this is tradition ;-))
  • Relatively clean toilets where you do not have to queue
  • Well organized lockers (fast)

Negative points of the Paris dive show.

  • A long queue to enter the Paris dive event.
  • A lot of people ; victim of its success, the show drains a considerable crowd
  • Very clearly, as far as I’m concerned. The real downside was the lack of places to eat and / or rest/sit/relax. There was of course “Paul” and the food truck. But between 11h and 14h, it was impossible to access it without losing a considerable time. And since there was no place to sit and relax, it did not make sense.
Les allées du salon de la plongée à Paris 2018

Suggestions

  • Give back a place where visitors can rest a moment. Have a drink or a snack, … the show is also a meeting point between people at the Paris dive
  • Enhance conferences
  • Given the increasing number of visitors to this scuba dive show. It might be interesting to imagine it over a full week
Les allées du salon de la plongée à Paris 2018

I left around 21:45, exhausted and having more than the desire to sit, I unfortunately did not have time to meet all the people I had planned to see, next year maybe ?.

However, I was able to discover destinations that I had never considered, meet professionals who offered services and / or equipment that I did not know yet, establish new relationships, …

An overall positive result for me with particular congratulations for the volunteers who carried out initiations and other water activities with a lot of patience and pleasure … and the promise of a purchase that will considerably increase my comfort as a diver…..

And you, how did you live this show?

Post a comment below to tell us about your experience 🤗

And most importantly, do not forget to be happy / happy

Helene