Future aka New Normal

[Peter Bomberg]

My opinion, is as long as the place is clean, the staff is friendly and the food is good (flavorful and plentiful) then honestly all is good, of course the key is the diving.

I am going to burn in a special place, but ... We may be waiting a very long time for an affordable and generally available vaccine so I would not hold my breath, a vaccine costing 100 per dose is not a global solution! No business can survive running at 1/2 or lower capacity (they never have had the profit margin to do so) so lets be honest forget social distancing in the long run. Sure we can cancel mass events (read 5,000 or more) but the idea that planes will run at 1/3 capacity is never going to work in the long run.

So to your question I think it will take a long time to get back to normal, but I think normal will be very close to how it was in 2018, there will be some people that will avoid going back to normal but most (myself included) will happily get on a full flight to go for an amazing dive vacation at a price we can afford instead of seeing the prices increase by a factor of 3 or 4! or watching all of the great places vanish as they cant make ends meet.

Now I will go burn in .... but my 0.02 is if you were a great business before (ie one people wanted to visit) then dont change anything, sure allow people to spread out, allow them to wipe the handles and so on but dont change your business model.

 

[Indah]

For me, it's more about an insulation of the business model. I don't want it to be a race to the bottom price for dive businesses and then them complaining about it. I understand how daily tourists operations may struggle to comply, but i would like to see:

1) Dive operations to have proper insurance coverage and be registered licensed entities. You don't get a license if you don't have the proper business interruption insurance to protect your guests in the event of another covid. This may be escrow type of funding etc.
2) Mandetory/Clear policy around cancellation/reschedule as opposed to 'go speak to your own insurance' etc. (similar to the UK Atoll scheme)
3) DMs are paid properly, no more of this 'dependant on tips to survive' crap.
4) DM's are locals
5) an end to the 'do you honestly think that will really happen/do you honestly think people will pay more' excuse whenever anyone suggests improvements. Every country was the wild west until it wasn't....

Personally i'm happy to pay more for this. i'd also be happy to see a thinning of the heard if it means that there is more protection for all included.


i personally don't care about the meals etc. i don't think changes in any of that is going to make much of a difference to anyting.

Thanks for this input.
For point 1: I do not think this is yet possible in Indonesia. But I would be happy to stand corrected. For 2; our guests can pay when check out. For 3: I have been old that for example in most restaurants in the USA the employers depend on the tips. But our dive guides always receive a monthly salary with extra for overtime. They are never paid by dive. And we clearly ask our guests not to give personal tips. Tips are shared equally over all staff members. In Indonesia, by law, a dive guide can only be an Indonesian Citizen. Point 5 I do not understand what you mean, sorry.

 

[Luko]

In Indonesia, by law, a dive guide can only be an Indonesian Citizen.

Actually I've seen a lot of operations hiring bule instructors pretending there are not enough locals to certify their customers (check out Labuan Bajo, Gilis and some backpacker places in Bali too etc.) . some of them working for a season or two before carrying on their trip or coming home to mom and dad's.
Instead of the local guide you were expecting, they're what you get for a very unexperienced guide, mostly knowing more beer brands than correct names of critter species.

 

[Indah]

Actually I've seen a lot of operations hiring bule instructors pretending there are not enough locals to certify their customers (check out Labuan Bajo, Gilis and some backpacker places in Bali too etc.) . some of them working for a season or two before carrying on their trip or coming home to mom and dad's.
Instead of the local guide you were expecting, they're what you get for a very unexperienced guide, mostly knowing more beer brands than correct names of critter species.

Indeed a foreigner can be hired as an instructor. The company should already have one Indonesian instructor before they can get a permit for a foreigner. However, he/she is not allowed the function as a dive-guide.

 

[Darnold9999]

Have been on two liveaboards that used foreigners for guides. They were terrible, much prefer locals. I think they were “photographers” but they were used as guides.

 

[DownUnderwater Dan]

I would go as soon as I can, my work allowing.

I'm now waiting for Bali to open up, since it's the hub for many domestic flights to destinations I'm longing for until October (Alor, Komodo, etc.). after that I plan to go to the Phils at Xmas time.
I'll try to book a SIN-DPS flight that doesn't land DPS at 10PM, meaning 2hrs queuing at the immigration altogether with Emirates, Qatar or Lufthansa passengers.

The only places I should tend to avoid are cities like Kuta, downtown Manado or flocking with foreigners on tourist attractions, that's where I think the risk is. I don't think resorts will be overbooked, so I guess there will be plenty of space around.

I've already had bad cases of "sambal revenge" a few years ago so I tend to avoid warungs and won't pick into the small red hot plate on the side, therefore I wouldn't care much more about food if I can eat not too spicy and have clean water.
I have my table reserved every night in Tulamben and even on peak season there's enough space between the tables, the small size of the resort I know allow them leaving plenty of space for the guests. Once again I think selecting smaller resorts is key.

Divingwise I have my own dive gear, no problem with that, not afraid either with other divers on the dive boat : I either hire a private guide or stay at small resorts, hence lesser divers.

Lol...My last dive, was a night dive at Nusa Penida in February. I had dinner before the dive, but I ate too much "sambal matah". Dive was great until safety stop, my stomach started turning all that nice spicy, acidy stuff, & I threw up underwater for the very first time hahaha .Was my warmest ever dive too, 30°C for most of the dive

 

[Indah]

Have been on two liveaboards that used foreigners for guides. They were terrible, much prefer locals. I think they were “photographers” but they were used as guides.

I know it happens. But it is very clearly against the law. Tourists are not allowed to dive wihtout a qualified Indonesian citizen guiding them. The problem really only starts when an accident would happen.

 

[divenski]

I have a trip planned for mid-November and I sure hope we can go. Both LOB and land-based - Raja Ampat and Sulawesi. I agree that air travel is the most concerning - not just the flight to Jakarta, but the domestic flights as well. I'd consider doing those with an N-95 mask. I have a couple, and hopefully by then can get enough for all flights. Then there is transportation to the resort - so drivers who practice social distancing in their everyday lives. At the resort, I agree with Darnold9999 - people are going to be different in what they are comfortable with, so if you provide options for those who want to social distance, that would be good.

For LOB, I wonder if there might at some point be rapid tests that all guests could take before they board - it's hard to be very far apart on a boat. But then there is the concern about crew - though i guess if they are careful in ports, they are less likely to be infected. Maybe that kind of testing is impossible, but it would help people feel comfortable about being in close quarters with guests and crew for 7-12 days or more.

Medical evacuation plans to a good hospital if someone gets sick. Procedures (advertised) for keeping staff healthy and reassuring guests that staff are practicing social distancing in their everyday lives. Honestly and openness about whatever your situation is - don't try to hide anything.

I hope this is helpful. I am very concerned about not only my opportunity to continue diving in your wonderful country, but also the ability of dive operations to stay open, and to provide a financial incentive for locals to protect the ocean and the reefs.

 

[Rob669]

I am looking forward to coming back to Indonesia as soon as the airlines start flying again, assuming flight prices and diving as well do not skyrocket. I plan to head to Komodo to Scuba Junkie or somewhere similarly quiet and low key - and with local guides/local food. I expect for a while it's going to be like Egypt was after 9/11, which was a lot quieter and that suited me fine. As for the CV risk, I have absolutely no concern and I have been socially distancing for the last 20 years, as much as possible.

 

[Indah]

Sulawesi came out of lockdown yesterday, and Changi Airport is opening for transit passengers on June 2nd. I am traveling to Manado and Lembeh in September, and will be making my trip. I won't get a flu vaccine, so no chance of me getting a Covid flu vaccine.

Laurie, where did you find the news that Sulawesi "cam out of lockdown yesterday" ? In really think that is not correct. WE never had a "lock down" such as other countries, but you cannot even travel from on city to another city (40 kilometers) without restrictions and much paperwork yet.