Actually the scuba tank in Juneau is open ( I talked to him last week) Monday to Friday the former owner is running it after the shop owner died in a scuba accident this summer
I'm the former owner - it's actually my former employee that is running it for now.
I'll tell you from my point of view -
1. The cost isn't much higher than anywhere else - Really
2. if you build it they will come - we have ~1,000,000 cruise passengers come ti Juneau each year. If you invest in something and want to work it, it's there. I know several successful tour operators.
3. Not in the least - That's hogwash
4. Advertising out of Alaska - The internet - Get a booth at DEMA, Magazines - Nope not true
5. Maybe, but it's not like we are broke and SBA loans aren't that hard to get. Remember, we haven't been hit with the economy being down like you all have.
The Nautilus is successful because it caters to a certain clientele. There are sightseeing charters running around here that don't mess with diving and charge a lot more than Nautilus does.
This is why I never got into the charter/tourism business.
1. I had a day job, my wife ran the store during the day as her job.
2. We have a family and my wife and I refused to give up family time to the store.
3. I wanted to cater to locals. Locals lose out enough to tourist, half our freaking town is boarded up in the winter. My business was about the locals.
4. Since it was for the most part just the 2 of us, we were busy enough without messing with tourist.
In reality, the business is there 1 Million people a year if 1% went diving that's a fair amount. You just need the $$$ to get started. Then out up a good website, advertise on scubaboard and boom you are rolling.
Just one other problem 95% haven't dove since certification 10 years ago and they have never seen a drysuit!