Diveplanit Travel partners with Tourism & Events Queensland to Showcase the Great Barrier Reef at DEMA Show 2025
Orlando, Florida: Diveplanit Travel partnered with Tourism & Events Queensland (TEQ) this month to promote the Great Barrier Reef at the world’s largest dive industry expo, the DEMA Show in Orlando, Florida.
The event generated unprecedented interest in dive travel to Australia, with more than 100 attendees visiting the Diveplanit booth to discuss serious booking enquiries. Trip requests ranged from liveaboard charters on the Ribbon Reefs and Coral Sea to island stays and dive safaris across the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Interest came from solo divers through to groups of 20–30, with many also seeking extensions to other parts of Australia, including Sydney, South Australia, and Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef.
Thanks to funding support from TEQ, Diveplanit hosted two Master Reef Guides at this year’s event: Max Allen from Freedom Fast Cats in the Keppel Islands, and Elliot Peters from Heron Island. Max and Elliot joined Diveplanit co-founder Deborah Dickson-Smithto deliver a series of well-attended seminars throughout the show.
- Max Allen presented a comprehensive guide to the Southern Great Barrier Reef.
- Elliot Peters shared an insightful Reef Health Update.
Both presentations highlighted Queensland’s world-leading marine tourism management practices and the impact of citizen science initiatives such as Eye on the Reef and the Great Reef Census.
The Master Reef Guide Program, delivered by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) in partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) and the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators (AMPTO), is now recruiting its ninth cohort. Representing the pinnacle of reef interpretation and stewardship, the program develops exceptional guides who embody world-leading standards in marine education, visitor engagement, and cultural understanding. Master Reef Guides undertake comprehensive training in Reef ecology, biodiversity, and Indigenous cultural knowledge, equipping them to inspire others and champion the protection of the Great Barrier Reef.
“Having Master Reef Guides with us at DEMA Show has made a huge difference. These guys are master storytellers, sharing their knowledge—both at the booth and during seminars—with extraordinary clarity and passion,” said Deborah Dickson-Smith.
One of the highlights of Diveplanit’s DEMA presence was a major competition offering attendees the chance to win a trip to Australia, supported generously by Keppel Island Hideaway, Lady Elliot Island, Heron Island and Fiji Airways. Diveplanit also released a collection of Australian DEMA Show Group Specials featuring exclusive discounts, attractive tour leader allowances, and optional extensions to the Daintree Rainforest, Sydney, and nearby South Pacific dive destinations.
Diveplanit Travel’s collaboration with TEQ and the presence of Master Reef Guides helped deliver one of its most successful DEMA Shows to date, strengthening global interest in Queensland’s world-class dive experiences. The enthusiasm generated in Orlando underscores the Great Barrier Reef’s enduring appeal and signals strong demand for sustainable, story-rich marine tourism in Australia.
