Diving South Caicos? Is it any good?

[Jake 10]

thank you @KathyV for the detail and great information

 

[Damselfish]

I wonder if they will follow their pattern and rename it to South Caicos Beach Resort? Seeing as it probably doesn't have that much name recognition now anyway?

 

[drrich2]

“We are losing millions in our Cayman operations and we certainly will not have a chance to stay in business if we don’t look to operate elsewhere.”

Tibbetts said being in more than one location would give his business the versatility to survive future potential shocks to the industry.

And this...is powerful. It's easy to unconsciously fall into thinking of this pandemic as a 'one off' thing. Some predicted a pandemic would come for years, and it's likely another will eventually. I've wondered about the cruise ship industry, which I was told lost around 20 billion dollars in 2020 alone and was basically shut down in the U.S. (a large portion of the worldwide cruising market) for over 15 months. The big names seem to be weathering this pandemic...but how will they financially catch up and be ready for the next one? Royal Caribbean's moving their ship Adventure of the Seas to Nassau, Bahamas, to evade CDC control was a blip in the cruise market...but perhaps a sign of things to come?

Similarly, businesses like this one read the writing on the wall as 'Diversify or die.'

I wonder if other dive op.s large enough to diversify (as Buddy Dive tried to do years ago in Dominica) are looking around to see what sites with good diving have more 'liberal' pandemic era tourism policies? And whether this will put more obscure dive destinations (like South Caicos) on the map?

If so, wonder which look viable? We live in interesting times.

 

[Redfoot]

Thanks @KathyV for the article, I received the email from Reef Divers and thought it was really cool.

I love T & C, and have been to other out islands, but not South Caicos. I know there is Sail Rock resort, which is very classy, but diving has usually been a second thought (and expensive) from what I have seen and read.

I especially like the idea about how they will allow guests to use their credits from bookings to go here- this gives people an option to enjoy a vacation they have already paid for, even if it is not the original destination. I know people who are hesitant or unable to take trips, because their funds are tied up in another booking.

I have been to T & C twice in the past 12 months and both times the COVID protocols and entry were very easy to navigate. The flight to South Caicos from Provo is only around 20 mins, very convenient if you can get a direct flight from your hometown to Provo- Toes in the sand by lunchtime!

 

[KathyV]

And this...is powerful. It's easy to unconsciously fall into thinking of this pandemic as a 'one off' thing. Some predicted a pandemic would come for years, and it's likely another will eventually. I've wondered about the cruise ship industry, which I was told lost around 20 billion dollars in 2020 alone and was basically shut down in the U.S. (a large portion of the worldwide cruising market) for over 15 months. The big names seem to be weathering this pandemic...but how will they financially catch up and be ready for the next one? Royal Caribbean's moving their ship Adventure of the Seas to Nassau, Bahamas, to evade CDC control was a blip in the cruise market...but perhaps a sign of things to come?

Similarly, businesses like this one read the writing on the wall as 'Diversify or die.'

I wonder if other dive op.s large enough to diversify (as Buddy Dive tried to do years ago in Dominica) are looking around to see what sites with good diving have more 'liberal' pandemic era tourism policies? And whether this will put more obscure dive destinations (like South Caicos) on the map?

If so, wonder which look viable? We live in interesting times.

And it is not just the threat of another pandemic that the dive industry leaders must be thinking about. Both the Cayman islands (and the Turks & Caicos and many other Caribbean islands, including Bonaire) have been hit hard by hurricanes and tropical storms over the years. Plus we keep hearing about global warming and the potential impact on coral reefs. Maybe they are just trying to avoid putting all their eggs into one basket no matter what the future holds.

Many customers of the dive travel industry are getting older, myself included, so maybe that's another reason to diversify. This new South Caicos resort has a big beach with is missing from the other Reef Divers properties and it seems like they offer a good selection of non-scuba watersports. Maybe they are also hoping to attract a younger group of customers with broader interests, who knows?

On the other hand, Habitat tried to diversify years ago. We actually stayed at Habitat Curacao for one vacation. It was a nice resort with very good diving, but it didn't last long before Habitat pulled out but I don't know why.

Outside of the vacation and dive industries, what about the impact of the pandemic on so many other businesses and industries? People have proven that they can work effectively from home so do companies really need to lease/maintain/pay taxes on big, expensive office buildings?

I worked downtown in the big city for many years back when the commuter trains were packed and the train station parking lots were full. Now there only a few cars whenever I drive by the train station. And lot of restaurants, shopping, and other businesses and staff depended on all of those commuters to spend money but now that clientele seems to be dwindling. Plus we've all gotten pretty comfortable with online shopping over the last year, so will we still need so many physical store buildings and sales staff?

We will have to wait and see but I agree that we live in interesting (and uncertain) times and we are likely to see more changes ahead!

 

[Jcp2]

What is the logical answer for business owners who also have a significant interest in real estate close to their businesses? Back to the office you go!

 

[Damselfish]

On the other hand, Habitat tried to diversify years ago. We actually stayed at Habitat Curacao for one vacation. It was a nice resort with very good diving, but it didn't last long before Habitat pulled out but I don't know why.

We stayed there many times, first time when it had barely opened. They actually lasted a lot of years. I think their problem was failure to reinvest in the place. What started basic but nice enough, got dumpier and dumpier with time. I don't know if they didn't have the money to refresh and fix things, or just preferred to milk what they could get out of it before it got sold.

 

[KathyV]

And this...is powerful. It's easy to unconsciously fall into thinking of this pandemic as a 'one off' thing. Some predicted a pandemic would come for years, and it's likely another will eventually. I've wondered about the cruise ship industry, which I was told lost around 20 billion dollars in 2020 alone and was basically shut down in the U.S. (a large portion of the worldwide cruising market) for over 15 months. The big names seem to be weathering this pandemic...but how will they financially catch up and be ready for the next one? Royal Caribbean's moving their ship Adventure of the Seas to Nassau, Bahamas, to evade CDC control was a blip in the cruise market...but perhaps a sign of things to come?

Similarly, businesses like this one read the writing on the wall as 'Diversify or die.'

I wonder if other dive op.s large enough to diversify (as Buddy Dive tried to do years ago in Dominica) are looking around to see what sites with good diving have more 'liberal' pandemic era tourism policies? And whether this will put more obscure dive destinations (like South Caicos) on the map?

If so, wonder which look viable? We live in interesting times.

I thought that this quote in the article was very interesting!

"...He (Michael Tibbetts) said he had sold land in Cayman and shelved plans to expand his resorts here in order to focus on the Turks and Caicos project..."

In Feb 2019 Michael Tibbetts announced plans to expand both their Brac and Little Cayman resorts - see the link below.

They were planning to add 16 new seafront rooms to each resort. They already had construction drawings done showing the proposed expansions plans, see this link:

It sounds like those plans are now shelved while they invest in diversifying to the T&Cs.

If you think about it, the T&Cs are a good fit for the Clearly Cayman/Reef Divers company. They are both British islands with easy access from the US and Canada. Both countries have large, developed touristy centers with major airports along with small, remote, but easily accessible out-islands that may be attractive to dive vacationers. And both countries are known for their good diving opportunities.

 

[drrich2]

People have proven that they can work effectively from home so do companies really need to lease/maintain/pay taxes on big, expensive office buildings?

What is the logical answer for business owners who also have a significant interest in real estate close to their businesses? Back to the office you go!

And there's more to it. It's jumping to conclusions to think some 'knowledge worker' types performing capably temporarily during the pandemic means work-from-home is equal to office work on a permanent basis. Putting people in an office...

1.) Removes distractions from home.
2.) Creates a level of monitoring that's natural and less offensive. If you want to 'watch' or 'check on' an employee at home, what do you do...install surveillance equipment in the home? A 'house arrest' ankle bracelet so you know he doesn't leave the home office outside lunch?
3.) Creates an in-person social network with spontaneous collaboration opportunities.
4.) Provides a social structure to encourage a work focus. The pandemic tested people who've been conditioned long-term in traditional office settings to short-term work-from-home employment. It did not reveal the long-term effects of having people who've never worked in offices and only worked from home.

People can work productively from home long-term, much like they can 'eat right,' get plenty of exercise, and remain lean and fit long-term. Uh-oh...

 

[KathyV]

And there's more to it. It's jumping to conclusions to think some 'knowledge worker' types performing capably temporarily during the pandemic means work-from-home is equal to office work on a permanent basis. Putting people in an office...

1.) Removes distractions from home.
2.) Creates a level of monitoring that's natural and less offensive. If you want to 'watch' or 'check on' an employee at home, what do you do...install surveillance equipment in the home? A 'house arrest' ankle bracelet so you know he doesn't leave the home office outside lunch?
3.) Creates an in-person social network with spontaneous collaboration opportunities.
4.) Provides a social structure to encourage a work focus. The pandemic tested people who've been conditioned long-term in traditional office settings to short-term work-from-home employment. It did not reveal the long-term effects of having people who've never worked in offices and only worked from home.

People can work productively from home long-term, much like they can 'eat right,' get plenty of exercise, and remain lean and fit long-term. Uh-oh...

All good points, but I see the possibility of some changes ahead because maintaining office buildings is expensive and commuting is time-consuming and costly.

IMO the bottom line is that if an employee fails to meet goals and deadlines or produce quality work, then his/her longevity with the company is endangered, whether he works from home or in an office. And many of us have probably known rather mediocre employees "that just did enough to get by" no matter where their working location.

My nephew's company had 2 locations downtown in the city. They've gotten rid of one location and he is now working from home all of the time. He will on occasion have to travel into the city for big meetings at the remaining office.

I retired just before the pandemic began but my former employer owns my old office building which is near the airport. The CEO and Board have announced that all employees will now be working remotely and that the building is being remodeled and refitted for a new purpose.

I liked the camaraderie, friendships, and interactions that occurred when sharing a space with co-workers, but I hated the commute - so we shall see what future holds!