OCTOBER 2009
The Magazine for DestinationTravel Specialists
Scuba Diving Travel
速
Dive
The Time Is Right for This Niche Profit Center
Caribbean
Dominican Republic The Caribbean Destination for Championship Golf
DIVE
Scuba Diving Travel – The Time is Right for this Niche Profit Center
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hy Scuba Diving Travel? Scuba diving is an attractive niche opportunity for the travel professional, especially in these economic times. There is evidence that operators focusing on recreational scuba diving may be better able to ride out much of the economic storm, when compared to resorts in the same location, focusing on other activities. Such an assumption stands to reason; research shows that the most active diving customers are affluent adults with an affinity for travel. According to the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA), the most active divers have the money and the time to spend on recreational activities; some 78% travel internationally to dive within the first 12 months after they receive certification. These potential travel customers are “empty nesters,” with the desire to travel even under the current economic circumstances. While the number of “certified” divers is relatively small there are about 2 to 3 million certified divers in the US (more internationally) - these small numbers mask an interesting fact; not all dive travelers are certified divers! Many travelers today participate in short and safe “discover diving” activities as part of their travel package to the Caribbean, Hawaii, Asia, or the South Pacific. Travel professionals with customers who are not “certified” divers can easily contact a professional dive operator in the destination resort and arrange “discover diving” (or a “resort course”). Under the guidance of a diving professional, with just a couple of hours of easy instruction, travelers to these beautiful destinations can enjoy seeing the underwater sights while accompanied by a professional who helps them have a safe and comfortable experience. Although many travelers do eventually become certified divers and enjoy greater freedom in their diving vacation activities, “discover diving” experiences are so attractive and fun that millions (yes, millions) of travelers repeat them, year after year all over the world, never actually participating in a full “certification” program. Such travelers create a higher market potential for the travel professional, expanding the already stable and resilient diving travel market to those that live and work in geographic areas which do not immediately evoke the idea of learning to scuba dive. Travelers can take a complete certification course while on vacation, since it only takes a few days to learn. But for those travelers wishing to learn before going on vacation, travel professionals can easily connect to retail dive centers almost anywhere in the US, and even encourage their customers to learn more and at their convenience through an online div-
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Research shows that the most active diving customers are affluent adults with an affinity for travel.
ing certification course. Retail dive centers in the US and diving resorts around the world can easily be located using www.BeADiver.com, a website sponsored by DEMA. The retail store locator is easily accessed by typing in the traveler’s US zip code.
What Does it Take for a Travel Agent to Sell Dive Travel? Recreational scuba diving offers many opportunities to satisfy the savvy travel customer and for many travel professionals it is a niche that can help their business. Dive travel is commissionable and often offers incentives much higher than the standard Travel Agent commission. To be successful in dive travel, travel professionals must be able to intelligently discuss diving with their customers and explain how diving can be part, or central to their travel experience. The best first step is to become familiar with diving by trying it yourself! For the first time, DEMA Show, the largest trade-only diving and watersports show in the world, is offering opportunities for travel professionals to learn more about being a diving specialist. Travel professionals will be able to try diving at the show ABSOLUTELY FREE in the warm comfortable Be A Diver Pool, and can even register to win a free diver certification course from their local DEMA Member Retail Store. DEMA Show will be held November 4-7 in Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, and will attract Government Ministries of Tourism from all over the Caribbean and the World. Mark your calendars and visit our website for more details.
DEMA, www.demashow.com www.travvelw worldnew ws.com • Travel World News
DIVE FLAMBOYANT HOTELS & VILLAS IN GRENADA IS A DIVER’S HAVEN
available by calling hotel reservation. Flamboyant Hotels welcomes children year-round, and babysitters are available. Flamboyant Hotels & Villas, 866-978-8013, flambo@spiceisleflambo@spiceisle.com, www.flamboyant.com
WORLD DIVE ADVENTURES LOCATES VALUE-ADDED DEALS FOR DIVERS
Less than 10 minutes from the airport in Grenada, Flamboyant Hotels sits on the most picturesque spot on the island—Grand Anse Beach, consisting of two and a half miles of pure white sand. Second-to-none ocean views with a panoramic backdrop of tiered mountains are visible from each room, apartment and villa. Flamboyand Hotels & Villas has a state of the art on-property scuba dive facility right on the beach. Next to the dive shop is a late-night Owl Bar (open until 3 a.m.), and there is a disco club within walking distance. Other features include a pool, games room, beachside terrace restaurant and gym. Currently, Flamboyant Hotels is offering discounted Grenada air on Air Jamaica out of JFK, and a special sale price of $43 per person per night, including daily Continental breakfast (exclusive of 18-percent taxes). All rooms are spacious; some offer full kitchens or kitchenettes. Booking must be made by November 20, 2009, for stays through December 15, 2009. Those making a reservation need to cite the code JM43. The special price is based on double occupancy, with a minimum of two per room. The offer is subject to change without notice and is not combinable with other offers. Other rules and restrictions are
Travel World News • www.travelworldnews.com
World Dive Adventures has observed that—in this economy more than before—resorts, dive shops, and their destination are issuing specials to get divers attention. Years ago to earn a comp spot on a group trip, a minimum of 10 divers was the requirement, and although that has not entirely changed, deals can now be found that have a minimum of three divers to get the fourth free. Under 10 divers, there’s definitely a group available that will earn one going free. Whether a dive shop, dive club or an individual who wants to travel with dive buddies, World Dive Adventures can set up trips that will get divers back in the water. World Dive Adventures has been a dive tour operator for almost 20 years and is still operating strongly with the worldwide resorts and dive shops represented. Trips are customizable—whether it be liveaboards, shore diving only, three boat dives daily, whale shark or humpback whale trips, wrecks, reefs and more. World Dive Adventures’ air department can arrange everything including the airfare if desired. World Dive Adventures is the U.S. reservations office for Africa Tour Inc. based in South Africa and has been compiling scuba and bush safaris throughout Africa since 2002. Africa Tour also promotes Special Interest Tours, which offers clients real-life experiences. The company currently works in the countries of South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, Egypt and Ethiopia. The U.S. office provides North American travelers with a toll-free 800 number and local contact in an EST time zone. World Dive Adventures, 800-433-DIVE (3483), diveres@worlddive.com, www.worlddive.com; Africa Tour Inc., 888-433-3483, info@africatourinc.com, www.africatour.co.za
OCTOBER 2009•
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The Republic of
COLORS For those occasions when there's a better show outside, you can always pause the movie inside. Discover shades of blue only Mother Nature could create while you seek pleasure through the wonder of the undiscovered, the adventure of the unfamiliar, the freshness of the unspoiled and the stimulation of the exotic. Come to the Dominican Republic and find your true colors.
Visit us at GoDominicanRepublic.com
DIVE
Sustainable and Spectacular: Caradonna Dive Adventures Presents a Worldwide Variety of Choices in Responsible Dive Tourism
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www.travvelw worldnew ws.com • Travel World News
JULIE MORGAN
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ow celebrating nearly 25 years in dive travel, Caradonna Dive Adventures, Inc., is the largest dive travel specialist in North America, offering packages to over 50 destinations worldwide. Agents looking for dive vacations close to home or in remote corners of the globe can easily find what they want with packages sourced by a knowledgeable sales staff (also divers!), who keep abreast of developments and deals in dive travel. Caradonna will arrange competitive airfares, hotel and dive packages, live-aboard Chance meetins with creatures like these delightful divers. dive cruises, land activities and tours, rental cars and more. or sheltered shallow water) and open water skills. Divers are Whether it’s a leisurely week of daily diving from the com- then ready to explore the marine world and hone skills with fort of an oceanfront dive resort or five-dives-a-day on a live- additional experience and advanced and/or specialty courses aboard dive yacht far from civilization, or even a learn-to-dive to expand their underwater horizons. vacation, Caradonna Dive Adventures supplies a wide Whether certified at home and ready to book a first dive trip range—learn-to-dive, advanced diving, shore diving, boat or preferring to spend a week getting certified abroad, diving, live-aboard diving, reef diving, drift diving, wall div- Caradonna sources turnkey dive vacations by working with ing, wreck diving, night diving—in addition to such special- reputable dive operators to assure client satisfaction and ties as underwater photography, technical diving, shark div- safety. ing, cage diving, pass diving, muck diving, cavern/cave diving, fish census dives, and clean-up dives. Protecting the Environment From the colorful Caribbean to exotic destinations in the An environmentally conscious company, Caradonna emPacific and Indian Oceans, outstanding dive destinations phasizes sustainable dive tourism and social responsibility. comprise their lineup: (in the Caribbean) Aruba, the Owned by highly-regarded TUI Travel, PLC, one of the Bahamas, Bermuda, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Curacao, world’s largest travel companies, Caradonna Dive Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Puerto Rico, Adventures shares its philosophy and mission statement to Saba/St. Eustatius, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & provide travel experiences enjoyable and beneficial for both the Grenadines, Tobago, Turks & Caicos, and Virgin Islands the traveler and host countries and communities. (U.S. & British). In Central America, packages are offered to Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama; and in Mexico Assurance there’s Baja, Cancun/Riviera Maya, and Cozumel. In the Caradonna Dive Adventures is the only USTOA-bonded Pacific, Caradonna offers Australia, Fiji, Galapagos, Hawaii, dive travel company in North America, ensuring security and Micronesia (Palau, Truk, Yap), Solomon Islands, Tahiti and value for their clients’ travel investments. With current ecoTonga. Exotic destinations include Indonesia, Malaysia, nomic stresses, it comforts agents to know that what their Papua New Guinea, Philippines, the Red Sea, Thailand, and clients have saved and spent on their trips-of-a-lifetime is Vanuatu. guaranteed up to $1-million—even considering the fiscal strength and reputation of Caradonna. Ease of Learning Caradonna Dive Adventures has just launched the world’s Not a singles’ sport anymore, diving can be enjoyed and first DIVE booking engine on its website, where one can seshared by the entire family. Dive certification courses are of- lect not only airfare and hotel but also customized diving—24 fered for anyone 10 and older. And thanks to today’s technol- hours a day, seven days a week. ogy, dive certification courses can even be accessed online Caradonna Dive Adventures, 800-328-2288, and completed with two weekend sessions of confined (pool www.caradonna.com
DIVE SUNBREEZE HOTEL & SUNBREEZE SUITES A DIVERS PARADISE
Two Great Diver’s Resorts in the heart of Ambergris Caye, Belize, form a crescent that embraces the waterfront as well as its white sandy area, palm and tropical garden, overlooking the Barrier Reef. SunBreeze Hotel & SunBreeze Suites provide guests the comforts of home, conveniently located to all of the town’s daily activities. Home of Aqua Dives Belize—the Ultimate Dive Center and a Gold Palm PADI Dive Operator, Sunbreeze offers PADI instruction courses, private courses, introductory dives, referrals, local morning and afternoon dives, dives to the famous Blue Hole, Turneffe Elbow and daily snorkeling trips to a variety of sites including the phenomenal Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley. Sunbreeze has a special offer for DEMA for groups. With nine paid divers, the 10th diver gets room and dives free on any of the available dive packages. This special must be booked by December 31, 2009. Sunbreeze will be represented at DEMA at booth Belize Hotel Association–San Pedro. SunBreeze Hotel & SunBreeze Suites, sunbreezesuites@btl.net, www.sunbreeze.net
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SHARKS, DOLPHINS, WHALE SHARKS AND MANTAS RAY VISITING ALL WEST APARTMENTS & DIVING In 2009, All West Apartments & Diving guests had plenty to see underwater and above water. For the past few years, the crew of All West and its dive shop Ocean Encounters West have known that dolphin groups are swimming by in the morning hours and come back from the west coast in the early afternoon. But this year even the Ocean Encounters West and All West crew were surprised. More and more big fishes like sharks, whale sharks and now even mantas ray have been seen both above and below water. The dolphins and manta rays even loved the bay of All West and Ocean Encounters West. The manta rays stayed about 10 minutes in the bay right in front of the apartments. Alex Kempkens, a guest from Germany, took a video of it. But those manta rays are thieves! Before leaving the bay, the manta rays stole a fisherman boat; the event is pictured on the All West website. The small apartment complex is located in the small fishing village of “Westpunt,” at the west end of the island. Surrounded by the tropical hills, guests can watch spectacular sunsets and gaze at fantastic star-filled skies. All West Apartments & Diving is offering attractive packages for room, car and diving all year long. One week in a Studio for 2 persons including a car and non-limit diving starts at $542 per person. Diving at All West is possible round the clock, thanks to the dive shop on-site. The main dive shop Ocean Encounters West has the one-stop diving concept, which will take divers to all of Curaçao, from the Mushroom Forest and Watamula, to the Superior Producer, Tugboat, and the island of Klein Curaçao. Courses are offered from Discover Scuba Diver to Dive Instructor, Emergency First Response to Technical Diving, boat and shore diving every day. All West Apartments & Diving, Ocean Encounters West, www.allwestcuracao.com, www.oceanencounterswest.com
www.travvelw worldnew ws.com • Travel World News
DIVE AT KONA VILLAGE DIVERS ENJOY WORLD-CLASS DIVING
Kona Village, just over five hours by air from the West Coast, has a new five-night Dive Package that includes roundtrip airport transfers from Kona International Airport to Kona Village, three two-tank dives per person, use of a dive propulsion vehicle DPV with Turtle during one dive, unlimited shore dives (unescorted), and all gear including wet suits. The Kona Village dive boat pulls up right on the beach at Kona Village. No shipping of gear—Kona Village’s gear is ScubaPro and updated annually. Dive instructor Jimi Kilbride’s extensive experience includes that of expedition diver for the Cousteau Society. Kona Village’s comprehensive dive package begins at $350 per night per person in one of the resort’s private thatched-roof bungalows. These bungalows belie modern amenities within, but no televisions, telephones or radios disrupt the magical setting. The package is priced at $3,500 for two, plus tax and gratuities, for five nights, six days, of diving in one of the best places in the world—the Kohala Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. Rates also include flower lei greeting, daily breakfast, lunch and dinner served oceanfront, a twice-weekly aha‘aina (lu’au) dinner and show, in-room 100-percent Kona coffee and refrigerated beverages. The children’s program is offered daily (except portions of May and September) so little ones can create their own memories while mom or dad explore pristine reefs and underwater lava arches with Hale DayKona Village’s seasoned dive team. Pricing and inclusions are subject to change without notice, and the package is subject to availability. Certain restrictions may apply. “This dive package is ideal for divers who are experienced and have dived around the world,” shares Kona Village General Manager Ulrich Krauer, adding “The package is also well-suited to novice beginners still discovering the mesmerizing world beneath the ocean’s surface.” Kona Village, 800-367-5290, www.konavillage.com Travel World News • www.travelworldnews.com
HOTEL FLAMINGO COZUMEL OFFERS DEMA 2009 SPECIAL Hotel Flamingo has outlined a 2009 DEMA special offer where six divers pay, the seventh stays and dives for free, or nine divers pay, and the tenth and eleventh divers stay and dive for free. This offer is for seven nights’ accommodations, six days of two-tank boat dives, daily breakfast and is based on double occupancy. Travel may take place beginning November 28 and December 19, 2009, and January 2 through December 15, 2010. Bookings must be made by December 4, 2009. A deposit of $250 must be received by December 4, 2009, with final payment due 30 days prior to arrival. Ten-percent commission is paid to dive shops. Hotel Flamingo is a 22-room boutique hotel with tastefully decorated accommodations enhanced by a high level of guest services. The Hotel Flamingo’s Aqua Restaurant and Bar offers complimentary breakfast with all stays, and serves lunch along with cocktails throughout the day and into the evening. Live jazz is also available on Thursday and Friday nights. Scuba Diving, horseback riding, snorkeling, sailing, parasailing, fishing and tours of Mayan ruins are also available for booking through Hotel Flamingo’s English-speaking staff. Hotel Flamingo, 800-806-1601, info@hotelflamingo.com, www.hotelflamingo.com
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