| I have been Scuba diving since 1993 and professionally | | | | followed by 2 fun dives off a boat. However even |
| since 1995. In these years I have seen a change in the | | | | though the schedule was now longer then 4 days it |
| Scuba diving industry and particularly the learn to dive | | | | gave greater value to the client in the eyes of the dive |
| concept. Once upon a time the adventure sports | | | | operator. But certifications on weekends away still |
| people enjoyed would be skiing, scuba diving or sailing. | | | | dropped as people did not want to spend two |
| They were often considered extreme sports requiring | | | | weekends diving or spend a weekend in a bunkhouse. |
| experience and training that would be in some cases | | | | In 2001 the option of completing the scuba diving |
| vigorous. With 'Sea Hunt' on television and Jacques | | | | course in Sydney without the weekend away was |
| Cousteau exploring the deep blue, many baby | | | | standard. |
| boomers grew up with the idea that breathing under | | | | Now if you do not offer something different how do |
| water was an adventure with many vowing to do it | | | | you distinguish yourself from your competition? Well |
| before they die. | | | | advertising and price. So this begins the price decline in |
| With the introduction of other extreme sports from | | | | learn to dive courses, which led to dive courses selling |
| abseiling to white water rafting there was a bit of | | | | for $199 & $149 or bring a friend and get 2 for the |
| competition for the adventure dollar. Introduce the next | | | | price of one. This led to the major players such as Pro |
| generation Y or X with the need for instant | | | | Dive delivering more certifications but not making any |
| gratification and the idea of completing a 4 day course | | | | money on the course, and having to use gear sales |
| learn to dive course just to go under the water | | | | and dive trips to maintain profits. Followed was a |
| suddenly lost its appeal. You could get more bang for | | | | spiralling price war, starving the smaller players. As a |
| your buck doing a tandem skydive in a couple of hours | | | | result the ability to retain customers was lost due to |
| albeit for the same cost of doing a scuba dive course. | | | | the focus on Learn to dive course. |
| This had an effect on the number of people learning to | | | | In 2006, with the introduction of the PADI DVD, |
| scuba dive. When "JAWS" hit the big screen the single | | | | prescriptive teaching gave the option of running a |
| biggest drop in dive certifications. Since then we have | | | | competitively priced course on a schedule that would |
| had tsunamis, global warming, 9/11, and any other | | | | suit more people. The 2 day learn to dive course was |
| number of incidents that have all reduced the uptake | | | | born. This schedule has proved to be a winner for |
| of scuba diving or the decline in certifications | | | | both the client and dive operator. It does require more |
| worldwide. | | | | administration and a stricter booking policy but with the |
| Let's look at what happened to the PADI Learn to dive | | | | bugs ironed out this schedule has improved |
| course where the learner diver typically begins. | | | | certifications from learn to dive courses through to |
| In the 80s, the learn to dive course in Sydney, Australia | | | | continued education courses. It has a competitive |
| was around AUD $495 for 4 days + the cost of the | | | | advantage for the dive operator that fulfills all the |
| gear you needed to get going. The schedule would | | | | necessary requirements. |
| have you spend a day in the classroom and | | | | Last year 2007 Pro Dive Drummoyne had significant |
| sometimes additional nights, a day in the pool, and 2 | | | | increases in certifications and has gone against the |
| days in the ocean to complete 4 dives. | | | | trend of the dive industry by being one of the only dive |
| After a while dive centres started condensing the | | | | centres in Sydney to do so. This has been made |
| course down to a shorter period. In 1996, I had the first | | | | possible through fine tuning the tools from PADI and |
| 3 day scheduled course theory - Thursday night | | | | putting a system that leads to a safe fun and timely |
| theory, Saturday in the pool for skills, a bit more theory | | | | certification course. As the first dive operator to offer |
| Saturday afternoon followed by 2 days in the ocean | | | | the program I am now convinced that this is the way |
| dives. Did this help with certifications? Well yes it did | | | | forward to compete with adventure sports and the |
| but in an effort to increase value we would take the | | | | changing nature of the customer where time is money. |
| clients away on a dive trip for the final 2 dives | | | | |