SUBEX Anniversaries!
SUBEX Sharm El Sheikh: 20-year anniversary - a review
What began with an expedition in 1971 on Sinai is now continued by SUBEX Red Sea Diving Center and supported by the guests. The entire SUBEX team thanks y ,ou for the loyalty and the common diving fun, and they look forward to the next twenty years!
Subex Sharm El Sheikh is 20 years!
On September 5, 2011, SUBEX Sharm El Sheikh celebrates its 20th anniversary!
The second SUBEX dive center in the Red Sea was SUBEX Sharm and opened six years after the "mother" dive center in Hurghada. They welcomed avid divers and snorkelers and brought them to the best diving and snorkeling sites around Sharm El Sheikh.When the SUBEX dive center in Sharm was still in its infancy, it looked quite different: Na'ama Bay was largely undeveloped and we took a jeep to explore the dive sites. Today, twenty years later, SUBEX dive center is represented in Sharm at three different locations, and guests are accommodated with comfortable mini buses to the diving excursions. Boat dives from the dive center boat "Beirut" are very popular. The daily rotation of dive sites includes the famous Ras Mohamed National Park, the popular Straits of Tiran and cozy local dive spots. The program is rounded out with special trips to the legendary wreck of the SS Thistlegorm, the famous Blue Hole, and the spectacular Canyon (both in Dahab). One of the most sought-after special trips is a visit to Ras Mohamed National Park from the shore as part of the "Ras Mohamed Relaxing Day". Pioneer spirit and joy for the underwater world led to the success of the company and laid the foundation for their other dive centers in El Quseir, Marsa Alam and Dahab.
We, the employees of SUBEX Sharm, want to take advantage of this special day to take a look back and dive with the guests as it was when it all began ...
Every certified diver who is checked in for at least a week, on this special day, receives a FEEL THE Dive for free.
What is FEEL THE DIVE? The finest way to dive in the truest sense, "first hand" experience: Only with swimwear, and even better just with a Lycra top, and fitted with with a backplate for a 12 L tank, a first and second stage, accompanied by a FEEL THE Dive Guide for the dive experience! Free from restrictive neoprene, octopus, BC, and dive computer, the dive is enjoyed up to a depth of twelve meters.
We are delighted to celebrate this day with you and the diving experience in its purest form!
Your SUBEX SSH team
25th anniversary of SUBEX in Hurghada
They all came, and from everywhere: Egyptian employees, as well as Europeans, the Jeep drivers, the boat captains, the dive center managers, the office mice, the tank fillers, the guides, the counter staff, the project officer, the instructor and management—by plane from Dahab and Sharm el Sheikh, by bus from El Quseir, and by taxis and motorcycle from the head office in Hurghada. 120 men and women who work with SUBEX in the Red Sea left the guest operation be guest operation for two half-days while they celebrated—and in the right place!
For the 25th anniversary of SUBEX Hurghada, there were several festivities in 2010:
The Dive Center Manager and Head Office staff were allowed to join Verena und Johann Vifian on September 6, 1985, as they arrived in Hurghada, to just go out on that day and enjoy the celebration, which was more of a private nature, with good food.
On December 26, 1985 the current manager and the personnel manager made the very first outing with guests to the offshore reefs in Hurghada. The 2nd Christmas Day, a quarter century ago, was also a wonderful time, and not too windy of a day, as Verena and Johann remember it.
The third and biggest event should take place on a date that is not already occupied by a holiday in SUBEX’s historic year of 2010—to be specific, on Decembet 11, 2010.
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Th employees did not trickle in gradually. No. At the stroke of noon, 40 staff members from Sharm got off the plane and found their way to their hotels to make themselves fresh and pretty. In the afternoon came the second round: With two large buses, a 70-strong team of men and women arrived from El Quseir. The combined Eco-bay and safari-trip power from the south went straight to the locations of the events.
For the mega SUBEX event, Bordiehns Restaurant was exactly the right choice of location. The traditional restaurant also celebrates its anniversary soon. For 20 years, the star chef Thomas has been conjuring delicious and unusual dishes for its guests in the city on the Red Sea. That evening he treated 120 SUBEX guests to Egyptian appetizers, soup, a choice of fish or meat with vegetables and rice, and strawberries and cream - or so plainly described by an amateur. A magician provoked stunned faces and loud laughter the entire evening.
There was not one particular highlight of the evening. There were two. 
Before the main course, when the stomachs were no longer growling and the first drinks had everyone amused, Johann invited the guests on a journey. For each year since 1985, he emphasized the most striking, lasting memories and milestones of SUBEX: The first outing, with guests signing the contract, SUBEX registered as the first Egyptian diving company, setting the first buoy, the founding of the now largest non-governmental organization HEPCA Egypt, establishing the base in Sharm, which provides the way for the next anniversary in 2011, when she is 20 years old next summer, and and and ... Participant giggled, learned, laughed and remembered. Many SUBEX employees have been employed for 17 years and are loyal to the company. For these and the other busy bees, managing director and owner Johann and his wife Verena wanted to do something good with a very special gift—the second highlight.
What does a manager give to his staff on the anniversary of the establishment? Preferably something that is of lasting significance, something in line with the corporate philosophy, and something each employee can identify with.
The announcement of the gift was met with enthusiasm. Everyone wanted to sign first. Above all, the Egyptians were happy about the gift to continue giving.
Of course we will talk to you later this year about the visits of children to Hurghada!
It was nearly midnight when the rewarding night ended. Full and satisfied, the men and women left either by bus to El Quseir, or to their rented hotels.
Everyone is looking forward to the 20-year anniversary of Sharm in 2011!
40-year company anniversary: SUBEX in El Quseir
More than 320 friends of SUBEX in festive party mood
The anniversary week won’t be forgotten in a hurry: The 4 – 11 December 2005 in El Quseir went with a bang, with some lovely memories to take home. More than 180 friends of SUBEX joined founders Walti Guggenbühl and René Galster as well as Johann Vifian, partner and managing director in Egypt, for a week-long celebration in which SUBEX indulged its guests in time-honoured fashion with a great programme of events and plenty of little surprises. Hosts Walti, René and Johann spared no cost or effort.
Meeting point Zurich airport: 144 Swiss SUBEX diving friends took off for Hurghada on board the privately chartered aircraft EDELWEISS from Swiss tour operator KUONI.
Arrival in Egypt – Hurghada Airport: Great atmosphere and summer temperatures awaited the guests, who arrived to a very hearty welcome from Johann and his SUBEX crew. Then it was on to El Quseir in 16 minibuses.
Once at the little Eastern paradise of “Sirena Beach” – the pick of Möven resorts - all guests were given an anniversary SUBEX T-shirt and baseball cap as a welcome gift. And knowing SUBEX, everyone knew there was more to come: the biggest present you can give a diver is, and will always be, a dive. The hosts had thought up something special, giving each anniversary guest 8 dives to arrange as desired. Everyone was able to choose between early morning dives, night dives, boat tours, private reef dives, jeep safaris and more.
Happily, lots of Walti, René and Johann’s “old” friends and “loyal” guests from the past 40 years came to El Quseir and 
made the anniversary week a real family get-together – the atmosphere was fantastic. And those looking for a bit of diversity besides the diving weren’t disappointed, either – Bedouin dinners, archaeological desert tours, city tour, talks and slide show on the underwater world were all on offer.
If that wasn’t enough, guests also had the chance to attend the international symposium on “environmental awareness and eco-friendly diving” held at the Mövenpick Hotel. SUBEX invited expert scientists from Europe and Egypt especially for the occasion. The result of the 3-day symposium set another milestone with the El Quseir Charter, which will be presented to the public for the first time on 21 January at the Düsseldorf trade fair BOOT.
The glitzy highlight “SUBEX Gala Evening”: You’d be amazed how divers manage to scrub up so nicely! If you were used to seeing them in wetsuits and diving gear, you’d have to do a double-take... With glitz, glamour and high heels, the ladies looked dazzling beside the smartly-dressed gentlemen.
The absolute highlight of the whole week was probably the SUBEX Gala Evening. “40 years of SUBEX” with THE ART OF DIVING went the motto, and we celebrated accordingly. A party with an international touch: guests from Europe and Egypt, SUBEX employees and guests of honour from the worlds of politics and science came along to celebrate and pay tribute to SUBEX and its founders.
At 5 pm, more than 300 guests were at the cocktail reception and enjoying seafood on the Seagulls Terrace. A candle-lit path lead the guests safely to the party location, a massive blue and white marquee in the Mövenpick complex.
Johann Vifian gave a festive start to proceedings, which besides the wonderful culinary delights involved lots of great international showbiz stars - making the gala evening simply unforgettable. The famous Swiss presenter and ventriloquist Kliby & Caroline kicked off the evening with great comedy, fast-paced jokes and plenty of charm. Then Phil Dexter “The Voice of Elvis” and “The Blues Brothers” got the audience going with some rock music. 
Flying in from Switzerland especially for the evening was Music Star contestant who represented Eurovision for Switzerland in 2006, Claudia D’Addio – simply known as “The Voice” in Switzerland. And what a voice! It tore everyone from their seat and ended up disrupting the evening programme somewhat with all the encores! And if any gentleman hadn't managed to enchant the lady beside him, Swiss magician “Sveroni” was able to do so instead. He made the whole audience catch their breath and ask “Just how does he do that?” One of the 5 best magicians in the world – and with good reason!
But SUBEX wouldn’t be SUBEX if we didn’t have anything to say about “the good old times” as well as the “new”. So the speeches given by the hosts especially for this evening were an absolute pleasure to listen to. Looking back, Walti Guggenbühl and René Galster told the story of their beginnings on Elba in 1965 and their first diving adventure with jeep and tent at the Red Sea. Johann Vifian took a look into the future presenting a world premier, the ‘SUBEX Air28’” Yet another milestone has been reached in SUBEX history, following the tradition of the last 4 decades.
After the final culinary highlight – dessert, of course - the Cologne band BOULEVARD and its atmospheric and pretty lead singer Songül Wiesmann captivated the audience with the song “SUBEX is Good”, a premiere for the recently produced CD “SUBEX – Sounds of Diving”. Making the atmosphere even more perfect was the moment all SUBEX employees walked onto the stage holding sparklers as a thank-you to hosts Walti, René, Johann and the audience. After a standing ovation and thunderous applause, the stage was opened to all and the party went with a swing until well into the early hours.
Last but not least, Gold SUBEX Members were in for a very special treat: “The Golden Night”. An evening excursion to the El Quseir desert was an awe-inspiring experience for about 20 Gold Member guests. Over a glass of champagne, they marvelled at the colourful rock formations in the soft gleam of the setting sun. And finally there was a 4-course meal created especially by Mövenpick head chef and base leader Michael Latschenberger.
Before packing the cases for the journey home, everyone was able to spend one final day recovering from the party in some beautiful warm sunshine. And so a wonderful, diverse and truly unforgettable week at SUBEX in El Quseir finally came to an end... But one thing’s for sure: the whole SUBEX crew is already looking forward to seeing you all again... very soon!
Hurghada, December 2005
Sabine Zilligen
SUBEX Red Sea
