The world’s largest scuba diving training organization, PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) seeks adventure lovers in India to explore scuba diving as the next big travel genre. According to a CNN Money report, India has registered its fastest economic growth in the last quarter of 2017 standing strong at 7.2%, which was an incremental jump from 6.5% recorded in the previous quarter. Given the rapid economic growth and increase in outbound tourism among Indian nationals, PADI members would like to take this opportunity to offer services to Indian diving enthusiasts.As the diving industry witnesses a sharp rise in India, there is a growing need for organizations and its members to have the necessary tools and knowledge to respond to this demand. Keeping this in mind, PADI is all set to build a strong network of diving institutes with products, processes and services as per international standards. PADI aims to provide significant tools to diving businesses and tackle the challenges & opportunities in this service sector through service standardization.Commenting on this growing trend is Robert J. Scammell, Regional Training Consultant, PADI, “The diving industry has witnessed a y-o-y growth in India. With a growth rate of 8–10%, India is ranked as one of the top emerging markets in the globe for scuba diving. The largest growth has been seen in outbound tourism with travel enthusiasts seeking to experience the best of scuba internationally. As per a recent study undertaken by our dive centers, Thailand has reported an increase of Indian dive enthusiasts from 1 million in 1916 to 1.4 million in 2017, Indonesia on the other hand witnessed a growth of 190% last year.
Considering the scuba craze and the number of travel enthusiasts in the country, we see immense scope for the industry to grow further.”Barefoot Scuba is one of the first diving institutes to have partnered with PADI in India and offers scuba diving workshops which are at par with international standards.Adding to Mr. Scammell’s observation, Mr. Samit Sawhny Managing Director, Barefoot Resorts stated, “We have seen a sharp rise of Andaman Islanders and travelers participating in scuba diving. In addition to diving, which is the main draw for an adventure tourist in Andaman Islands, ancillary watersports activities such as surfing, stand-up paddling, kayaking and snorkeling are also gaining popularity. This growth has consolidated Havelock Island as not just the Scuba Diving capital of India but also the watersports capital of India. It gives us immense pleasure to associate with PADI and deliver training programs that are PADI certified. We are making it easier for people to access the sport by opening city-based training centers, initially in Bangalore and Chennai, to teach the basics in our clients’ hometown and save them time and money while on holiday.”Barefoot Holidays, a Coffee Day associate has designed unique travel packages that allows one to experience the deep blue waters of Andamans in all its glory. Barefoot offers PADI Discover Scuba Dive course for first-timers and even non-swimmers can confidently explore the world class underwater and marine ecosystem at Andamans. Barefoot at Havelock also extends its support to keep the environment clean through ecological development and environmentally friendly practices.
About Barefoot Holidays:
Barefoot Holiday is the top destination management company (DMC) offering end to end service in the Andamans. Started in 2002 when Andamans was just opening up to tourism, they have seen the Island grow to becoming one of the top destinations in the country. This experience helps them advise and design custom packages for all customers. From Island hopping, experiencing indigenous cultures, adventure activities, leisure trips to luxury, they have you covered. With a dedicated team on site, they ensure that all promises are delivered.