Dive guide for agents targets buoyant sales

De-skilling diving by Teresa Machan

Dive guide for agents targets buoyant sales

New publication aims to demystify diving

With over six million people a year booking diving holidays, many with high disposable incomes, a diving holiday is a big-ticket booking, especially when groups or families are involved.

Regal Holidays operations director Andreas Elia said: “Agents can earn commission on both diving holiday packages and learn-to-dive courses.

“We take bookings from families, couples and single travellers of all ages. Agents should ensure they can sell diving holidays with confidence as commission can soon add up.”

The specialist nature of the diving product, coupled with unfamiliar terminology, however, can pose a huge selling barrier to agents – something the Red Sea Sports Club is hoping to change with the introduction of its step-by-step guide to selling scuba diving.

The guide is part of an awareness campaign to promote the sport to the trade.

Red Sea Sports Club UK representative Janice McDonald said: “The guide is designed to give agents the basic facts required to answer potential questions and queries from both novice and experienced divers with ease and confidence.”

The Red Sea sports Club complex is situated on Coral Beach, Eilat and is part of the Ambassador Hotel and Manta Dive Centre. In 1998 and 1999, the organisation qualified more divers than any other dive school in the world.

Hayes and Jarvis’ new-look Diving Worldwide brochure also has the travel agent in mind, with its user friendly language and terminology.

Diving product manager Robert Sanday is a big believer in grassroots training. “We are de-skilling diving, and trying to broaden its appeal to try and reach the untapped business.

“The average agent won’t necessarily know what a live-aboard is, for example, so we’ve made the brochure more user friendly.”

Hayes and Jarvis trains between 40 and 50 agents a year how to dive on educationals. Sanday said the operator is keen to get as many agents out diving as possible and is hoping to organise a learn-to-dive trip to the Red Sea next spring.

Scuba success: Hayes and Jarvis has made its new brochure more user friendly to make diving easier for agents to sell

Guide to selling

Scuba highlights

Learning to scuba dive: breaks down the training involved in a Professional Association of Diving Instructorsopen- water course.

dive equipment explained: glossary of dive equipment in a basic, layman’s format.

how to choose a dive centre: lists five important points to consider when helping your client choose where to go.

What’s included in a qualified dive package: helps with cost queries and advises on including diving in a fully inclusive tour.

Marketing: how to market scuba, plus tips on letting clients know you sell diving holidays.

Itineraries for learners

Ambassador, Eilat: a good base for learner divers

AQUATOURS:Jordan tailor-made specialist Aquatours is offering seven nights’ bed and breakfast at the Alcazar Hotel in Aquaba for £561 with shore-based learn to dive courses at an additional £199. The price for one week includes scheduled daily flights on Royal Jordanian Airlines and transfers.

Regal: the UKdive specialist has seven-night holidays from £299 per person staying at the Ambassador hotel in Hurghada, Egypt on a bed-and-breakfast basis.Learn-to-dive courses start at £165 per person.

Thomas cook holidays: the operator’s Signature Red Sea brochure has a lead-in price for the child-friendly Sonesta Club, Sharm el Sheikh, of £365 for seven nights between November 20 to December 23. Child prices start at £256. Diving packages in Sharm start at £145 for the advanced two-day Professional Association of Diving Instructors open-water course and £190 for beginners on the five-day open-water course.

discover red sea has launched into Eilat this season, using the luxury Ambassador Hotel. An on-site dive centre makes the hotel ideal for both families and divers. Lead-in price of £379 per person includes return flights from Gatwick, transfers and seven nights’ bed and breakfast.