DIVING

DIVING

As holidaymakers increasingly opt for pre-bookable diving packages, agents should ensure they are confident in selling the product.

Diving on holiday is fast becoming a trendy activity for many UK visitors around the world. From Mexico to Mauritius and Barbados to Broome in Western Australia, operators are continually introducing new product to satisfy demand.

Longwood Holidays managing director Rafi Caplin summed up the current diving market when he said: “Active holidays are more popular than ever. People are looking to take up new sports such as diving rather than just lying by the pool or on the beach.”

Following a successful six months of bookings, Thomas Cook Holidays is expanding its dedicated Red Sea brochure, which made its debut in March.

Allocation is to be increased in the most popular resorts of Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh and product manager Tom Samuel said that Marsa Alam may be included as a pure diving destination.

“When the Red Sea brochure was launched, about 50% of customers booked a diving package prior to departure. Other customers added on a diving package once in resort. But over the summer, the number of people booking diving in advance has risen to 65%.”

Hayes and Jarvis releases its latest dedicated dive brochure this week, featuring new destinations such as the Virgin Islands. Product manager Robert Sanday said the operator is looking to increase dive bookings this year by 30% to 15,000.

The new brochure also offers free Professional Association of Dive Instructors open-water courses when clients book to stay at a Sandals resort.

JMC Holidays has expanded diving options in its winter 2000/01 programme, with the resort of Sharm El Sheikh making a debut in three winter brochures. It’s Wintersun, Tropical Shores and Select programmes all offer four and five-star luxury accommodation at five Red Sea hotels. JMC Airlines will operate weekly charter flight to Sharm El Sheikh from Gatwick.

The lead-in price for the resort is £269 per person for seven nights’ bed and breakfast at the Hotel Sanafir between January 11-17 next year.

Regal Holidays’ Worldwide programme has been expanded in its newly released brochure. It features the Pacific island of Truk in Micronesia for the first time.

In its first-edition 2000/01 brochure, Neilson will be offering year-round diving for the first time in the Caribbean, Turkey, Greece, Spain and Grenada.

The lead-in price for seven nights’ bed and breakfast at the Bitez Dive Club in Turkey is £385 per person twin share, departing Gatwick between May 7 and 14 next year. Included is equipment, boat transfers, other water sports and mountain biking.

Operators are keen to stress that with the right preparation, a diving holiday sale can be easier than some imagine.

Kuoni product manager Daniel Lemerle said: “There is more awareness of diving market and pre-bookable diving is more available in brochures. It’s no longer niche but is still a specialist market.”

Dive specialist Harlequin has recently launched a Web site to help promote its product. General manager Robert Ward said: “Agents need to be more clued up about the types of diving available if they want repeat business. After someone has done the open-water diving, they will be looking for more diverse adventure.”

Lemerle added: “Agents have access to the casual market, which is quite simple to sell to as dedicated divers will shop around. They should find out which operators pay commission and have a specialist team of consultants. An understanding of dive packages and products will give them confidence with bookings.”

&#42 Kuoni has teamed up with hosts of the Dive 2000 show to offer travel agents free tickets to the exhibition, which takes place at the Birmingham NEC on October 7-8. Attending the show will be operators and tourist boards representing the Red Sea, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Seychelles and Australia.

To receive up to four free tickets, fax Kuoni on 01306 741099 with the name and address of your agency stating one place where Kuoni offers pre-bookable diving.

Tickets are on a first-come-first-served basis.

Making a splash: operators are adding more worldwide dive product in order to cope with increasing demand