PADI® Dive Centers and Resorts navigated through 2020 with resounding tenacity and grit. The start of the New Year brings opportunity to reflect on learnings from the past year and find inspiration from PADI Members’ adaptability, innovation and resilience.
“Ironically, 2020 gives us a lot of reasons to be optimistic about 2021,” says Drew Richardson, President and CEO of PADI Worldwide. “The best strategies for PADI Members to prevail over COVID vary widely based on a range of factors. The vast majority of PADI members have taken impressive steps to face their unique challenges head on and build the foundation for their recovery. These efforts are worthy of recognition and provide a bedrock of confidence for the future. I firmly believe this mindset will continue to fuel how the dive industry reimagines the art of the possible to both survive and thrive past the pandemic.”
Here are just a few examples of PADI Members’ fortitude and spirit throughout the unprecedented hardships of 2020:
Adaptability
Making sure customers felt safe was a top priority for Divers Incorporated, a PADI Five Star Instructor Development Center in Michigan, USA. They raised a platform at the local quarry and taught courses there, outside, adhering to social distancing and other important health guidelines. For owner Rich Synowiec and his team, local diving has never been more important to survival. “We quickly shifted focus from what we don’t have to focusing on what we did have. Knowing we needed to be flexible and adapt, we kept to our schedule, taught people how to enjoy diving during the restrictions and kept diving,” said Synowiec.
Kappi Divers, a PADI Five Star Instructor Development Center in OT Weetzen, Germany, made the transition to PADI eLearning® to capture the “learn-from-home” market, which brought about new business. “I have followed all the many German PADI webinars this year with great interest,” said owner Peter Kappmeier. “Because of the guidance in those webinars, we have moved faster on to the PADI eLearning track this year and this is very well accepted by the customers during the COVID crisis. So, despite everything bad that the pandemic has caused, one positive side for us was the implementation of eLearning, which we will keep going forward with… PADI helped everyone understand that we need to stick together. Together we are strong!”
Innovation
A PADI business webinar gave Shanghai Unique Diving Club new insights and ideas on business opportunities along with marketing ideas. The PADI Five Star Instructor Development Center in Shanghai Municipality, China, used this information and leveraged their newly constructed pool, to start up a Freediving program and certify PADI Mermaids. “PADI China provides great support… As a result, our first instructor course has been fully booked with continuous enquiries for further courses,” said Zuo Liu.
Oceano Sub, a PADI Dive Resort in Sao Paulo, Brazil, took advantage of pro digital changes, and also took necessary COVID precautions and expanded operations, including a new boat. “Our business benefited from many PADI seminars, acquiring more know-how and preparing for the unknown territory. We expanded our digital offerings, online courses and courses packages,” said owner Junior Azevedo. As a result, they sold 40 percent more courses than in 2019.
Resilience
In Kona, Hawaii, USA, Jack’s Diving Locker used COVID relief funds to maintain day-use moorings that protect fragile reefs. Moreover, the PADI Five Star Instructor Development Center provided youth programming that got kids in the water and parents back to work. They kept their dive shop afloat by supporting their community and protecting ocean health. “Every day we’re trying to pull a new rabbit out of a hat. We have parents that literally been so grateful that they’ve been in tears,” said owners Jeff and Teri Leicher.
A number of PADI Members were among the Semporna Heroes group that organized local PADI Instructors to do a food drive in Semporna, Malaysia, helping local families who don’t have the means to support themselves. In exchange for food and supplies, the Semporna Heroes group asked the local community members to perform beach cleanups. This helped people in the local communities as well as the ocean – truly finding a better balance between humanity and ocean.
“PADI Members proudly share their stories of strength, innovation and tenacity like those above with me every day. The PADI culture embodies pride, resilience and positivity, and I am proud to serve with all of you,” says Richardson. “We look upward and forward to a brighter 2021, and keep positivity and hope as our guide posts each and every day.”
For more information about resources available for your business during these times, visit your Regional Resource Hub (PADI Americas | PADI Asia Pacific | PADI Europe, Middle East & Africa) or contact your PADI Regional Team.
