Setup/buy a diving center

[cortesd]

Hi

please let me know if it is not the correct forum to post it.

My partner and myself are studying the possibility of acquire a diving center resort.

The place is still to be decided after we do deep research although first names are Cozumel, Phillipines, Bonaire...

I would like to hear from others who have done it or at least tried to do it in the past and sahre their experiences.


I have a couple of questions just to start.

- in order to own a diving center resort, is there any PADI licence needed?
- Which one do you think is not yet fully developed diving destination? I was thinking of Papua NG.

Thanks in advance and hope it is interesting for other fourm members!

CD

 

[Searcaigh]

Well I will pitch in with a few comments as I have been discussing this with a few people over the past couple of years, one of whom is a well off businessman with sufficient cash to invest in such a project.

I assume you are Spanish and you are looking at buying a dive resort outside of Spain

1. You need to know very thoroughly the laws of the country you are planning to buy in to if you are not a national of that country.

2. You will need instructors, DMs, boats, lots of equipment and a means of maintaining that equipment as well as other support staff = $$$$

3. PNG is a long way from anywhere except Australia ... have you been there?

4. PADI is not the only dive certification agency, you can be affiliated to others, but they do not issue a licence for you to operate, that would come most likely from within the country you operate from.

 

[Mustard Dave]

Searcaigh gives some good advice there. Wherever you go in the world, you will most likely have to jump through hoops to get a license to trade. You will need to be affiliated with one agency or another and it doesn't need to be PADI. PADI are undoubtedly the most recognised internationally so they are probably your best bet in most countries.

What sort of level are you trained to? You will obviously need instructor qualifications and a good knowledge of diving and the diving trade - running a dive business is not easy and competition is fierce. A lot of business will come via word of mouth from satisfied customers posting on dive forums, Trip Advisor etc, so you need to be seen as competent and offer great service. It is always good if you or your staff are multi-lingual.

 

[cortesd]

Well I will pitch in with a few comments as I have been discussing this with a few people over the past couple of years, one of whom is a well off businessman with sufficient cash to invest in such a project.

I assume you are Spanish and you are looking at buying a dive resort outside of Spain

1. You need to know very thoroughly the laws of the country you are planning to buy in to if you are not a national of that country.

2. You will need instructors, DMs, boats, lots of equipment and a means of maintaining that equipment as well as other support staff = $$$$

3. PNG is a long way from anywhere except Australia ... have you been there?

4. PADI is not the only dive certification agency, you can be affiliated to others, but they do not issue a licence for you to operate, that would come most likely from within the country you operate from.

Hi,

thanks for your reply.

Well assumed. I am spanish looking at buying outside Europe actually.

We are having a look at the laws on differetnt countries. Once we decide the final destination we´ll defintelly study the place, however since we are buying an already setup center, the main laws headaches should be sorted already. Or thats my thought.

The resports we´ve contacted already have staff. Although we are not sure how many of them we will be able to keep, we´ll defintely need Instructor, DMs, boats, etc

Never been in Papua NG. As you say is a diffcult destination to reach. However Anywhere in Asia is a long journey also from Westeren Europe for example.

You are totally right saying there is more after PADI, however I think in order to setup a diving center on a fluid diving tourism destination, you must join PADI.

thanks!
D

---------- Post added July 9th, 2013 at 05:53 PM ----------

Searcaigh gives some good advice there. Wherever you go in the world, you will most likely have to jump through hoops to get a license to trade. You will need to be affiliated with one agency or another and it doesn't need to be PADI. PADI are undoubtedly the most recognised internationally so they are probably your best bet in most countries.

What sort of level are you trained to? You will obviously need instructor qualifications and a good knowledge of diving and the diving trade - running a dive business is not easy and competition is fierce. A lot of business will come via word of mouth from satisfied customers posting on dive forums, Trip Advisor etc, so you need to be seen as competent and offer great service. It is always good if you or your staff are multi-lingual.

Hi

We´ll affiliate to PADi, however the resort we buy will be already.

I am not yet DM but it is in my plans already, also become Instructor. I have two instructor girlfriends that I used to help so I learnt a lot from them.

We are coming from online industry so we hope it helps us with the skills to get a business well promoted online. But yes, the reocgnision through top posting forums comes from customers opinions.

We´ll initially offer english and spanish, and will try to have someone skilled on any asian language and french if posisble.

 

[The Chairman]

Moved to our Business to Business section! If you can't see it, just PM NetDoc and ask for access.

 

[cortesd]

Thanks!

 

[supergaijin]

Pick your target clientel and develop a strategy to accomodate them. Eg. will you look for the European market? Asian? Experienced divers? Beginners? High end luxury? Backpackers? "If you don't know to which port you're sailing, no wind is favourable".

If you're taking over an established diving center, they'd normally have staff and the 'set-up' in place. However are they a failing company?- if so you'll need to to identify the reasons and be prepared to correct them.

Starting from scratch gives you freedom but you'll have to be prepared to make some expensive mistakes along the way.

The registration with PADI is actually pretty easy. Once you're legally registered in the country, you send them the neccessary paperwork, pay the money and you're in.

 

[cortesd]

Pick your target clientel and develop a strategy to accomodate them. Eg. will you look for the European market? Asian? Experienced divers? Beginners? High end luxury? Backpackers? "If you don't know to which port you're sailing, no wind is favourable".

If you're taking over an established diving center, they'd normally have staff and the 'set-up' in place. However are they a failing company?- if so you'll need to to identify the reasons and be prepared to correct them.

Starting from scratch gives you freedom but you'll have to be prepared to make some expensive mistakes along the way.

The registration with PADI is actually pretty easy. Once you're legally registered in the country, you send them the neccessary paperwork, pay the money and you're in.

Hi

we saw a few diving resport, from backpackers to luxury. We believe there are more backpackers than luxury divers travelling, and it is more into the scuba diving way of life.

If we llok for luxury we would need a high class resort, good staff, other activities/attractions for the guests, high class service and food, and we would end up not dedicating ourselves to a diving center business but to hospitality and restoration.

However I would like more opinions on this as I might be wrong

The idea is to take a established center which could be more expensive, unless as you say, we make expensive mistakes. Also would give us less headache and we could start making money from the first day.

 

[supergaijin]

we could start making money from the first day.

If you really think that... you're in for a shock!

 

[cortesd]

Lol, I might be wrong, and thats why I opened this thread, to know other´s opinion

I thought when you are acquiring a business which is already up and running for lets say 10 years, has a good reputation, it is based on a place with high natural diving tourism flow (Belize, Philippines) and you take over with the support of the owner during the first couple of months, and that could even have bookings for the rest of the year... you should be start having income since the first day.

let me know your thoughts on this please as I don´t have to be right here.