Indonesia offers great diving potential within region

Indonesia offers great diving potential within region

Pariama Hutasoit, Contributor, Tulamben, north Bali

In the eyes of a professional diver, Indonesia is pure heaven for
diving and other marine sports.

"The country, with its thousands of islands, has extraordinary
marine assets and underwater potential," said vice president of
sales, marketing and distribution for PADI Asia-Pacific Region
Claus C. Nimb. PADI is one of the world's largest dive training
institutions, with dive centers worldwide.

"It is incredible that Indonesia has abundant potential for
diving, but has yet to develop it," Nimb said.

As compared with Thailand, he said, Indonesia is far richer.
"Thailand has only 21,000 kilometers of coast, yet the country's
diving industry has developed as one of the world's dive
centers," he said.

Similarly, Malaysia is now concentrating on its marine sports
and diving industry in the formerly disputed islands of Sipadan
and Ligitan, Sabah.

"Thailand's diving industry is five times the size of
Indonesia's. Malaysia is also fast developing its marine tourism,
including diving," Nimb said.

In Thailand, PADI Asia-Pacific has issued 45,000 to 50,000
professional diving certificates, excluding those obtained by
foreign tourists in that country. In Indonesia, on the other
hand, only 18,000 certificates are issued annually, comparable
with the total issued at just one diving destination, Phuket,
Thailand, he said.

Around 75 percent of the 18,000 certificates were issued in
Bali and Lombok islands. According to the respected magazine
Rodale's Scuba Diving, Bali ranks as the fourth-best diving site
in the world.

Malaysia, Nimb said, developed its diving industry from
scratch. Citing an example, he said 10 years ago there were only
a few dive operators in Sipadan and Ligitan islands in Sabah,
Malaysia's foremost diving centers. "At present, there are so
many professional dive operators on these two islands," he said.

The story behind the success in developing dive sites in Sabah
lies mostly in supporting facilities, including cultural and
natural attractions, plus well-equipped infrastructure.

Bali, he said, already possessed a rich culture and
traditions, in addition to its excellent natural resources.

"This would represent value-added potential for a diving
center anywhere in the world," he explained. There are always
occasions when divers are not able to dive due to the weather or
for other reasons.

"We are passionate to train more people as professional divers
and dive instructors here in Bali and Lombok ," Nimb said.

In addition to Bali and Lombok islands, Indonesia still has
many beautiful dive sites, such as Tulamben in north Bali,
Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi and Togian island, Central Sulawesi.

Other dive sites in eastern Indonesia are Komodo island in
West Nusa Tenggara; Riung, Flores and Alor island, East Nusa
Tenggara; Padaido near Biak and Raja Empat, both in Papua.

According to Nimb, Indonesia will reap tremendous profit if
the country develops and manages its diving industry in a proper
way. Growth in the diving industry is set to average 40 percent
per year.

Every year, PADI Asia-Pacific issues around 200,000 diving
certificates for divers in the region, and 1 million certificates
worldwide. The company's Asia-Pacific region has about 15,000
members including divers, instructors and resorts.

Other international dive training institutions, such as ADS,
NAUI and CMAS also issue diving certificates. It is estimated
that there are 18 million active and professional divers around
the world.

Financially, most divers are likely to spend a lot of money at
each diving destination. PADI reckons that each diver spends
about US$2,500 per trip.

Cipto Aji Gunawan from Aquapro dive center, Bali, said that
each diver in Bali would spend about $100 per day, with average
stays of four days to five days per trip.

Promotional activities and campaigning must be started
aggressively. "The construction of basic infrastructure is also
necessary," Cipto added.

Nimb, however, realized that Indonesia, including Bali and
Lombok, now faces difficult times.

"The ongoing economic crisis, plus unfavorable social and
political conditions, have hampered the domestic diving
industry."