Switching from PADI to SSI

[scubadada]

I'll answer for Malta in general.


In 2024, PADI announced to all Maltese centers: you're exclusively teaching PADI courses, or you leave the agency.

Now in 2025, this has resulted in lots of dive centers saying goodbye to PADI. SSI has done an amazing job by talking to all of these centers and giving them a better deal. Brand loyalty is important for many centers, but in the end the money talks.

At the same time, the centers that stayed with PADI, saw a big increase in courses, in general 10 to 15 times as many courses were booked through the adventure and travel app, compared to 2024. New divers are of course not brand-loyal, but people still walk in saying "I want to do my PADI" and that doesn't happen for other agencies.

Regrets? The PADI regional manager and territory director are still making promises without delivering any result. Nobody really has any grounds for regrets.

Operating PADI and SSI under one roof: simply not allowed anymore. Not in EMEA.

Hi @Miyaru

That's very interesting. A quick search yielded about twice as many SSI dive centers as PADI centers. There are quite a few dive centers in Malta! I wonder if that is true in other EMEA locations?

 

[JMarc]

I wonder if that is true in other EMEA locations?

In case it interests someone, here (South of France) the 6 shops in the area around me offer French certifications (FFESSM/CMAS or ANMP) and can also certify you for more international agencies (4 SSI, 2 PADI, I know of none which offer both). I think a push from PADI to make them drop the French agencies would make them drop PADI instead as part of their offer is certifications which by regulation are restricted to CMAS or French agencies.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I sounds like PADI is beginning to lose market share.
Cool!

 

[GDHLEWIS]

I'll answer for Malta in general.


In 2024, PADI announced to all Maltese centers: you're exclusively teaching PADI courses, or you leave the agency.

Now in 2025, this has resulted in lots of dive centers saying goodbye to PADI. SSI has done an amazing job by talking to all of these centers and giving them a better deal. Brand loyalty is important for many centers, but in the end the money talks.

At the same time, the centers that stayed with PADI, saw a big increase in courses, in general 10 to 15 times as many courses were booked through the adventure and travel app, compared to 2024. New divers are of course not brand-loyal, but people still walk in saying "I want to do my PADI" and that doesn't happen for other agencies.

Regrets? The PADI regional manager and territory director are still making promises without delivering any result. Nobody really has any grounds for regrets.

Operating PADI and SSI under one roof: simply not allowed anymore. Not in EMEA.

This was exactly the case in Qatar, I have no doubt other parts of the Middle east is the same. SSI is just not a thing here any more. Pitty

 

[Dive Lovers Tenerife]

Hello,
We are SSI dive center, before I choose diving agency I deeply checked SSI and PADI. I`m more than happy I choosed SSI. Very good service, contact, very modern aplication, very good support for dive center and instructors. All languages. On our region before was 80% Padi dive centers now is opposite. 80% are SSI Dive centers. All in one: recreational courses, technial, CCR. Instructors afters the courses earn points and can use them for yearly instructor Fee. Our instructors always use points and don`t pay yearly Fee for SSI is good benefit. For dive center is many benefits You pay for elearning after 30 days and you can cancel elearning if student dosen`t do the course and you have money back. Every year Free for dive center SSI flags,posters etc. Much more better prices for elearnings than Padi. Materials are really modern and often updated. here is my articale about diffrence between SSI and PADI in my opinion:

PADI vs SSI - DIVE LOVERS TENERIFE

PADI vs SSI diving course - which one to choose? In this article we will describe the differences between these two largest organizations.

diveloverstenerife.com

 

[pauldw]

I am curious about this relationship between SSI and manufacturers. Is SSI owned by manufacturers? What is the pressure or policy about promoting certain gear brands? Which brands? Is PADI doing something similar?

 

[tridacna]

I am curious about this relationship between SSI and manufacturers. Is SSI owned by manufacturers? What is the pressure or policy about promoting certain gear brands? Which brands? Is PADI doing something similar?

SSI is owned by Head who owns Mares (and now Aqualung too). So you are encouraged to purchase a tennis racquet in addition to Mares equip when you sign up for any SSI course.

 

[Landau]

My personal opinion is it would benefit all divers to have two (or more) large agencies competing for market share. Serious competition would drive them to improve their offerings, both to divers and to shops and instructors.

I don’t think an agency like RAID, whose website has been unable to show any RAID shops for months or maybe years, is serious competition and they do not drive PADI to improve. However SSI seems to have their act together and I hope they and PADI both drive each other to improve.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I always wondered about the relationship between the WRSTC and various agencies.
Is the WRSTC neutral politically and do they separate themselves from all the training agencies and remain neutral? , or is there a climate of good ol' boyism and favoritism, essentially corruption.
Are they in bed with any certain agency more than others? Is there pressure on the WRSTC from some agencies to discourage them to allow other agencies to be accepted into the WRSTC?
Are there any chairs on the BoD of the WRSTC held by any corporate members of any of the certification agencies?
Will we ever know any of this stuff?

 

[tursiops]

Is SSI actually gaining market share over PADI, or are they possibly expanding the market instead? If the latter, great! If the former, I'm not hopeful for the future.