Put clients on course for a splashing time

Put clients on course for a splashing time

Earn more commission from the scuba boom

Taking the plunge into the world of diving can be a daunting experience for many people and customers will often look to agents for advice on how to prepare for a diving holiday.

So it is up to agents to get to grips with what’s on offer when it comes to training for people looking to do some diving on their holidays.

There is little point in signing your client up for a wreck-diving course if their only experience of underwater life has been in a rock pool on Scarborough beach.

In this Travel Weekly guide, we take a closer look at dive courses, qualifications and pre-bookable, commissionable extras. Choosing the correct dive training organisation is often the first stumbling block to overcome as there are several in operation around the world.

The most popular for the UK market is the Professional Association of Dive Instructors and the British Sub-Aqua Club.

Deciding on one is a matter of personal choice.

BSAC uses amateur qualified divers to train learners and although less available worldwide, has more of a club structure in place in the UK.

PADI is perhaps the world’s most recognised dive training organisation.

It uses professional scuba diving instructors to train learners throughout 4,300 centres and resorts in over 175 countries.

The next step

The most popular dive programme in the world is the PADI open-water diver course which can be earned after completingfive pool dives, four open-water divesand several classroom-based theory sessions.

Once the open-water course has been completed, the new diver has the freedom to dive with a ‘buddy’, independent of a professional.

Virtually anyone who is in good health, reasonably fit and comfortable in the water can earn the certification which is recognised worldwide.

The BSAC equivalent is the club diver qualification which concentrates on providing divers with the skills needed for open-water diving through theory, swimming pool and sheltered water training sessions.

First-timers

For first-timers, PADIhas devised a Scuba Diver course designed as a quick and easy programme for those who don’t have the time to take a regular dive course. Open to anyone aged over 15 years, the scheme is a pre-entry level certification perfect for holidaymakers or those who only plan to dive a couple of times a year with supervision from a higher qualified diver. In fact, many people take this course while still in the UK to prepare before going on holiday.

The course lasts for two to three days and restricts the diver to depths of 12 metres.

More advanced diving

Once clients have achieved the open water/club diver certification from PADI/BSAC, it is highly likely that they will be back for more so it is important to know where divers can go from here.

The BSAC’s next step is the sports diver qualification which builds on the skills learned at club diver level.

Once this has been achieved, divers are ready to dive with other sports divers without needing supervision.

For PADI divers there is either the adventure diver course, which after completing a series of specialist dives can contribute to the advanced open-water certificate, or divers can go straight to the Advanced Open Water certificate.

On completion of the course, clients will be able to take part in more involved diving activities up to a maximum recommended depth limit of 30 metres.

The programme will fine-tune the skills learned on previous courses and allow divers to take part in five adventure dives covering areas such as boat diving, underwater photography, dry-suit diving, underwater naturalism and search and recovery.

Serious stuff

The first step for serious divers towards leadership level is the PADI divemaster qualification which follows the rescue diver rating.

Many divemasters go on to become instructors after learning how to organise, conduct and supervise recreational dive activities during their two-week training.

Divers must be an advanced open-water diver, PADI rescue diver (or equivalent), have logged a minimum of 80 open-water dives with experience in night, deep and navigation diving prior to certification.

Once qualified, some of the world’s best sites await including Truk Lagoon in Micronesia, Andros in the Bahamas and Marine Park Island in the Red Sea.

Qualified divers can teach and certify PADIskin divers in snorkelling techniques, act as certified assistants to PADIinstructors and enrol on the PADIinstructor level training.

For BSAC members the next level is dive leader.

Commissionable extras

pre-bookable options

Insurance: it is important to check the level of cover on insurance policies as many have limits that may restrict the flexibility of a divingholiday. Today’s diving styles and specialities mean that divers will not want to be tied down bylimited-depth clauses, usually 30 metres but often just 18 metres. Check what the operator’spolicy covers – Kuoni for example is unique inoffering a no-divingguarantee through both illness and bad weather – and if there are any doubts, investigate what the client needs and checkdifferent policies. Harlequin Worldwide Travel offers insurance ranging from £51.58 for nine days and £85.97 for 24 days cover. Commission levels are around 10%.

Dive packages: try to avoid limiting dive packages to just six days – there are many longer alternatives that can net morecommission. Someoperators tailor-make diving packages and this can be a good way to increase the amount of diving the client does. Check what isavailable in the resort, does the dive package come with equipment or is it just tanks and weights? Pre-booking dive courses are again a good way of getting more commission with theaverage cost of the PADIopen-water course around £170-£250, depending on what’s included and where it is. Commission levels are usually around 10%.

Equipment: weight allowances on aircraft mean clients may not be able to take all of their equipment on board, sosuggest they hire equipment in resort. This can not only earn more commission but also make it easier for the client once they arrive. Usually, an equipment package costs £60, including mask, fins, snorkel, regulator, buoyancy control device, depth/pressure gauge and possibly a dive computer and wetsuit. Commission levels vary but are usually around 10%.

Excursions: popular with divers particularly on the last day of the holiday when gear needs to be dried and safety means that divers should not fly for at least 24 hours after their last dive. Many operators offer pre-bookable day trips such as Kuoni’s St Catherine’s Monastery excursion in Egypt for an extra £32 each.

Learning curve:the PADIScuba Diver course is ideal for those who only want to dive once or twice a year