Travel Agent Dive Specialist - March 31, 2008 - (Page DS3) qualifying potential dive clients Malaysia diver is responsible for a safe dive profile. Because liveaboards ply the waters for dive sites between islands or off a mainland, they rarely dock during a cruise. With this proviso, liveaboards are not well suited for non-diving companions or families unless all members are enthusiastic divers. Because of the time spent on the water, this is also not the best choice for divers who may be prone to seasickness. Thankfully, there is no shortage of diveoriented lodgings or resorts with easy access to dive site and facilities — no matter where in the world your scuba and snorkeling clients choose to enjoy their favorite sport. Existing Clients: Finding divers among your database is easy. Let these specialized travelers know about your new expertise and help them plan their trip. Local Scuba Dive Classes: Go straight to the source for new students: those completing their classroom and pool training at home and who want to travel to take their actual certification tests as an Open Water Referral. There may also be a number of new divers who want to complete the entire open water certification while on vacationn, which can be done in as little as three days. Tourism Corporation Bonaire Just Want a Taste: Not every diver wants to spend his or her entire trip under water. You might have a prospect who just wants to dive once during their entire trip and when told about the great diving opportunities in a given locale, might close the sale because of this fact. Resort courses take only a couple of hours to learn the basics without the commitment of a complete certification program. The Kids: Snorkeling is a great activity for any age to enjoy. SASY — Supplied Air Snorkeling for Youth — allows for an introduction to the world below the sea. Kids between the ages of 8 and 12 can participate in the PADI Bubblemaker or the Scuba Rangers programs, which introduces them to scuba under an instructor’s guidance. And remember, it won’t be long before these kids become adult consumers traveling on their own and looking for a certification course or other dive programs. Asking Dive Questions If you talk the talk and walk the walk, you can navigate the art of selling recreational dive travel. With hundreds of superb dive destinations at your fingertips ask questions to find out what clients are looking for in a dive vacation. • What is the dive experience level of the client? • Do they want to focus on diving or combine it with other attractions and activities? • Are they traveling with non-diving companions? • Do they enjoy walls, reefs or wreck diving? • Would they prefer shore or boat dives? Scuba Certification Any client who would like to dive will need to be certified. An agency certification card (C-Card) proves that the diver has successfully completed dive training and is the ticket to rent air tanks or obtain air fills. No client can dive without a C-card. Once certified the card DIVE INSURANCE does not expire and is recogBecause scuba diving is often considered an extreme nized around the world. sport, agents can recommend dive insurance, which For certification training covers specific dive emergencies while traveling. DAN clients can contact a local dive (Divers Alert Network) accident insurance is recogshop for details on courses. nized worldwide and covers a variety of diver injury Some of the larger and better needs including emergency medical evacuation, recomknown training agencies are: pression chamber assistance and a medical hotline for • NAUI (National Association dive-related emergencies, www.diveralertnetwork.org. of Underwater Instructors), www.naui.org • PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), www.padi.com • SSI (Scuba Schools International), www.dive-SSI.com. Dive training has three components, a series of classroom sessions, pool training and a qualifying dive in open water. If the diver lives in a cold climate they can get a referral from their instructor to take the open water dive, perhaps on vacation, from a qualified instructor in a warmer place. The only exception to diving without certification is a discover scuba course, often offered through a resort or dive shop. This introductory dive session, taught by a dive instructor, allows students to try diving in the pool or ocean. After a short introduction to scuba gear and breathing instructions, one can try diving with the instructor. This session offers no certification for future diving. — Lorry Heverly A TRAVEL AGENT UNIVERSITY PROGRAM DIVE SPECIALIST 3 http://www.padi.com http://www.dive-SSI.com http://www.diveralertnetwork.org http://www.naui.org
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