• 42 years old, Dutch

• Worked in Statia in 2008 and came back on 2010

• PADI course director

• Co-owner of Scubaqua and Dive Statia dive centers

Mike HarterinkMike Harterink

• 43 years old, Swiss

• Bachelor Degree in Hospitality Management with a specialization in marketing

• Arrived in 2006 in Statia

• CMAS & PADI dive instructor

• Co-owner of Scubaqua and Dive Statia dive centers

Ingrid WaltherIngrid Walther

WHAT IS DIVING?

•Dive industry

•Why diving?

•Certification levels

•Job opportunities

DIVERS COMING TO STATIA

•Where are they coming from?

•How are the revenues spread on the island?

•What about the future?

Dive industry

• Dive industry

• Why diving?

• Certification levels

• Job opportunities

What is diving?What is diving?

Dive industry

• Worldwide business

• Professional diving started more than 100 years ago

• Leisure diving exists since 1950

• Nowadays it is one the most important branch of tourism

Dive industryDive industry

Why diving?Why diving?• Diving is fun!

• Mankind always wanted to explore new worlds…

• We know more about the moon than the ocean…

• You see more life on 1 square meter of coral reef than in 1 hour of walk in the forest

Why diving?Why diving?• Diving = meet new people

• Diving = travelling

• Diving = additional knowledge

• Diving = awareness of nature

• Diving = keeps you fit…

Underwater beauties

Fauna & Flora

Fauna & Flora

Wrecks

Historical dives

Certification agenciesCertification agencies

Certification levelsCertification levels

Job opportunitiesJob opportunities• Captain, compressor man

• Divemaster

• Dive instructor

Dive industry

• Where are they coming from?

• How are the revenues spread on the island?

• What about the future?

Divers coming to StatiaDivers coming to Statia

FranceFrance SwitzerlandSwitzerland

The NetherlandsThe Netherlands

GermanyGermanyBelgiumBelgium

United KindgomUnited Kindgom

• Europe

• USA & Canada

• St. Maarten, Guadeloupe, Martinique

How are revenues spread on the island?Diver (or tour operator)

Scubaqua

Hotel Restaurants Car/scooter rental

Taxi

Shops

Tax officeHarbor office Gasoline company

Airline company

Stenapa

1 diver on the island, his expenses for 1 week

Diver (or tour operator)

Scubaqua

Hotel Restaurants Car/scooter rental

Taxi

Shops

Tax officeHarbor office Gasoline company

Airline company

Stenapa

$1’300$1’300

$30$30 $500$500$15-30$15-30

$630$630

$10$10

$500$500 $175$175$70$70

$15$15 $80$80

$190$190

+/- $2’135+/- $2’135without international flight without international flight

1 1 diver on the island, his expenses for 1 weekdiver on the island, his expenses for 1 week

1’200 divers per year1’200 divers per year$2’562’000 per year$2’562’000 per year

$3’000’000 per year$3’000’000 per year

What about the future?

Future• Increase of promotion

• More hotels to be built: more jobs!

• Additional airlines coming to Statia

Future

• Increase of dive tourism on the island makes the dive industry more sustainable for all!