For divers who favour long-haul destinations for their main diving holiday, Gozo is ideal for an out-of-season break nearer home.
Regal Diving Holidays marketing director Maggie Trelford said: “Gozo has become popular for short breaks, spending four nights in resort and three days’ diving.
“For people who can’t get away for seven nights to the Red Sea, it is a good alternative.”
Regal offers a mix of shore-based and boat dives. Customers are based at Divers Lodge in Xewkija village, where four nights’ half-board start at £349 and seven nights lead in at £479.
Although there is not a huge amount of marine life compared with the Red Sea, the topography is spectacular, with stunning walls, caves, tunnels and arches. The water is also very clear, with negligible tidal current.
Malta specialist Belleair also features diving. General manager Martin Zahra said: “Diving is consistently popular with visitors, mainly due to the wide variety of dive sites that ensure high repeat business.
“Many people start with a novice taster dive on their summer holiday. They return the next year to complete a full diving course in Malta before progressing to Gozo.
“Others who book have completed a basic UK course and travel to Malta in a group for their first open-sea experience,” he added.
Belleair’s year-round diving programme uses two local dive schools – Diveshack in Malta and Calypso in Gozo. Clients range from rank beginner to Professional Association of Diving Instructors and British Sub Aqua Club qualified divers.
“The Maltese diving centres are fullyaccredited and regularly inspected. They invest heavily in equipment and instruction,” said Zahra. “Calypso is our dominant supplier.”
According to Zahra, the average age of divers is increasing, he said. “Older people are trying diving and sticking with it. People don’t grow tired of diving like they do windsurfing.”
Belleair’s offer includes the five-day BSAC Ocean Diver course for £201 in Malta, £260 in Gozo; the two/three-day PADI Advanced Open-Water Diver course costs £108 in Malta and £118 in Gozo. Sunspot tailor-makes diving arrangements, working with Maltaqua in Malta and Moby Dives in Gozo. The full range of PADI and BSAC courses with equipment hire is available.
Marketing director Nick Bugeja said the operator shelved plans to launch its first Malta/Gozo diving brochure last year. It now aims to launch it in time for winter 2000/01.
The dedicated programme will offer complete diving holidays, rather than featuring diving as a pre-bookable add-on.
“The short flying time, clear and safe waters and quality of the tuition keep Malta and Gozo popular with divers,” he said.
Moby Dives, based at Xlendi in Gozo, also offers diving tuition for disabled people. It has two classrooms for audio-visual presentations and an indoor pool.
Gozo Holidays offers diving tuition by St Andrews Divers Cove in Gozo, from £18 for a 2hr beginner’s dive. Boat dives, cave dives and night dives are all bookable through the operator.