I’ve been receiving many emails and have seen advertisements for PADI’s Go Pro program. Basically, PADI is encouraging more and more people to become Divemasters or move up to Open Water Scuba Instructors. There might even be some kind of reward for instructors and stores to certify more dive professionals. Is this program beneficial to the diving industry or is it doing more harm than good? I feel that this program may be the final nail in the coffin for the diving industry.

PADI’s Motives I believe that PADI's motives for this type of program are completely financial. Let me explain. PADI members are Divemasters and instructors, not people who were certified through PADI. Every year, to remain a member of PADI, Divemasters and instructors have to pay annual dues. With the down turn in our economy, there are fewer and fewer people taking diving classes. Thus, PADI is not selling more student manuals, DVDs, etc. So, to try and offset this loss, PADI is trying to increase it's membership in order to collect more annual dues.

Supply and Demand

The reason why this type of program could be the downfall of the diving industry is simply due to supply and demand. It all evolves around price equilibrium. Let me explain. In a pure capitalistic environment, the price of goods is determined when the demand for a product or service is equal to the supply of that product or service.

When the demand for a product goes up and the supply for that product decreases, then the price will go up. The inverse is also true. When the supply for a product goes up and the demand decreases, then the price goes down. The price equilibrium is the point where the market determines the prices (i.e. the supply and demand curves meet). In the picture, the price equilibrium is labeled as point B where the lines intersect. The categories (i.e. x and y axis) in the chart are quantity and price of the product or service in question.

How is “Go Pro” Involved in This?

It’s rather simple. If there are more instructors in the diving industry, this increases the supply for diving classes. If the demand for scuba diving classes stays the same or continues to decrease, then the price equilibrium for scuba diving classes will fall. Which means the prices for classes will decrease. When this happens, it becomes much more difficult for scuba diving stores and instructors to stay in business if they have to drop the prices of the classes they are offering. When prices drop on products and services it can also lower the perceived value of the product or service in question. Therefore, making it more difficult to increase the price when people have become accustom to a lower price and don’t know the value of the class they are taking.

Summary

I’m not against people becoming Divemasters or instructors. PADI feels that almost everyone can become a dive pro, but is this feeling more driven by financial reasons? Becoming a dive professional is not for everybody. Being a Divemaster or instructor comes with a large responsibility and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. The Go Pro promotion that PADI is pushing can have a detrimental impact on the business of diving education.

Are you a dive store or instructor participating in this program? What are your feelings?

Dive Safe,
Duane
Precision Diving