Niche Markets

Reef Ministries offers New Leader Program

Reef Ministries offers New Leader Program

(DIve Travel Business News - May 2, 2012) -- Reef Ministries, a ministry dedicated to showcasing the underwater world as the handiwork of God, is announcing its new program for Christian instructors and divemasters called Reef Ministries Leader.  Reef Ministries Leaders are dive professionals who have a strong faith and a desire to combine that faith with their professional diving activities.  

“We have seen tremendous interest from church groups, ministries, youth groups, homeschoolers, and Christian schools for scuba and snorkeling services offered by Christian dive professionals” states Tec Clark, director of Reef Ministries “so, the Reef Ministries Board of Directors voted to expand the ministry internationally by creating this new program.” 

PADI approves brand new ScubaFit® Diver Distinctive Specialty Course

(Dive Travel Business News - May 3, 2012) -- Dive and fitness instructors alike can now become certified to teach fitness to divers.  The Padi ScubaFit® course was developed by Gretchen M. Ashton, a certified fitness trainer and Stephen Mendel, a multi agency scuba instructor.

The PADI ScubaFit® Diver Distinctive Specialty Course offers new opportunities for instructors and dive shop owners to improve the health, performance and safety of their diving clients and increase diving participation.  Divers who are fit are much more likely to enjoy their diving experience and to dive more often. ScubaFit's first three students have successfully completed the course, and more classes are filling now.  read more »

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort offers Paws for a Vacation Program

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort offers Paws for a Vacation Program

(Dive Travel Business News - May 1, 2012) --  Popular Dive Hotel in St Thomas USVI, the Bolongo Bay Beach Resort has partnered with the Humane Society of St. Thomas for an island pet adoption program. Guests who “Paws for Vacation” and adopt a cat or dog from the Humane Society of St. Thomas will receive a 30% discount on the room-only plan in both Oceanview and Beachfront rooms, located just steps from the sand.

Available CATS and DOGS can be viewed at the Humane Society of St. Thomas website. On the first day of the guest's vacation, the resort also provides complimentary roundtrip taxi to the Humane Society of St. Thomas to meet the new furry family member and begin the adoption process. The process typically takes three business days. read more »

Survey Says: Growing Consumer Dissatisfaction with OTA's, Supplier Websites.

Survey Says: Growing Consumer Dissatisfaction with OTA's, Supplier Websites.

(Dive Travel Business News - April 9, 2012) --  Of the more than 2,000 business and leisure travelers surveyed by the IBM Institute for Business Value and its research partner, Frost & Sullivan in their report entitled "Travel 2020: The Distribution Dilemma," researchers said that while most travelers see value as most important in travel, less than half of leisure and business travelers believe they're getting a fair value for their travel dollar when they book online. The report's authors determined the underlying dissatisfaction with most online travel intermediaries - Online Travel Agencies and Online Supplier Booking Engines - is based on their focus on price instead of value. read more »

Aggressor Lauches First Ever Wellness Cruise.

Aggressor Lauches First Ever Wellness Cruise.

(Dive Travel Business News - April 3, 2012) -- Dr. Craig Cook, Medical Editor for Sport Diver Magazine, will be host of a health oriented “Wellness Cruise” aboard the Turks & Caicos Aggressor II October 6 - 13, 2012.  Dr. Cook will be presenting short, fun and informative preventative health education that has the most impact on a diver’s health.  Sessions each day will include diving medicine, along with diving “pearls of wisdom” and techniques that will have guests on their way to a healthier diving lifestyle.

During the week-long dive cruise, participants will learn the secrets of healthy living that can keep them diving well into their 80’s.  They'll receive tips on extending their bottom time through health awareness, while exploring the pristine walls surrounding the Turks and Caicos Islands including Providenciales, West Caicos and French Caye.  read more »

Rebreather Forum 3 to be held May 18-20, 2012

Rebreather Forum 3

(Dive Travel Business News - March 19, 2012) -- Experts from around the world are gathering in Orlando, Florida on May 18-20, 2012 to examine the state of rebreather use and to develop protocols and recommendations to improve user safety. Co-sponsored in part by DAN, PADI and the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS), the Rebreather Forum 3 is a three-day program featuring rebreather specialists, experts, manufacturers, training and education leaders, scientists and dive safety researchers.

Over the course of the three-day program, participants will have the chance to hear presentations on topics such as the state of recreational rebreather technology, a review of the available data for accident analysis, a review of the training and operational protocols, and an examination of the considerations for conducting extreme exposure dives. read more »

Survey Finds World's Worst Tourists.

Americans Rate Themselves the World's Worst Tourists.

(Dive Travel Business News - March 22, 2012) — Tired of the "ugly American" stereotype of U.S. travelers abroad? A new LivingSocial survey conducted among more than 5,600 respondents in five countries by Mandala Research discovered that Americans believe they are the world’s worst tourists. The survey found that Americans, Canadians and Australians all gave U.S. tourists that dubious distinction, while the Irish identified their British neighbors as the worst, and the British called out the Germans for bad travel behavior.

Despite these self-doubts, respondents dismissed another common misperception: that most Americans have never traveled abroad. The survey found that 78 percent of Americans have visited at least one foreign country, 61 percent have visited multiple countries, and 36 percent have traveled to four or more foreign destinations. The average number of countries visited was more than four. read more »

Aggressor Family Weeks 2012

Aggressor Family Weeks 2012

(Dive Travel Business News - February 26, 2012) -- Aggressor Fleet has announced its Family Week charter schedule for Summer 2012.  This year's four family week charter destinations include Utila, Honduras, Belize, Cayman and Turks & Caicos.  These fun filled weeks are hosted by world-renowned artist, Rogest or Aggressor & Dancer Fleet President and founder of Ocean’s For Youth, Wayne Hasson.   read more »

WW II Ship to Become Artificial Reef Off Florida's West Coast.

WW II Ship to Become Artificial Reef Off Florida's West Coast.

(Dive Travel Business News - February 24, 2012) -- A World War II ship will soon be 100 feet below the Gulf near Fort Myers Beach. Last week, Lee County Commissioners voted to move forward with a plan to sink the 165-foot  USS Mohawk as an artificial reef on the west coast of Florida.

Environmental Specialists from Lee County will be in Key West within the next couple of weeks to inspect the Coast Guard cutter Mohawk to inspect the vessel, conduct a stability analysis and determine what wires and other hazardous materials need to be removed and ready to be moved to the deeper waters off the west coast of Florida.  The plan is to sink the Mohawk in 60 to 90 feet of water 13 miles off Sanibel Island. 

The Mohawk is currently a floating museum docked along the East Quay Wall at the Truman Waterfront and operated by the nonprofit Miami-Dade Historic Maritime Museum Inc. The nonprofit is giving Lee County the Mohawk for free. The nonprofit's other ship, the Ingham, will remain in the same location. read more »

A Coral Reef Designed for Valentine's Day

A Coral Reef Designed for Valentine's Day

(Dive Travel Business News - Feb 14, 2012) -- The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system (and it's largest living structure ), comprising nearly 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands off the eastern coast of Australia. One of these thousands of reefs is Heart Reef, so named for its shape. It is located in the Whitsunday Islands and must be viewed from the air as the area is protected and snorkelers and scuba divers are not allowed to enter.

Located in Hardy Reef, Heart Reef is a stunning composition of coral that has naturally formed into the shape of a heart. Many tour companies will combine a scenic helicopter or seaplane flight over Heart Reef with other breathtaking spots in the Whitsundays. read more »