Does a new dive shop need to be PADI certified?

[KB2013]

Hi all,

Does a newly opened dive shop require some kind of "blessing" from PADI, NAUI, etc? I know it's beneficial to be backed by a training agency but is it absolutely necessary to run a shop and day tours?

Setting up a small dive shop in Sri Lanka where all the proceeds from the shop go back to the charity to sustain the occupational diving & training center for local village youth. Right now $1000 to have PADI's blessing is a bit pricey for us but if we have to do it...we have to do it.

Thanks for any help out there!

 

[DivemasterDennis]

No requirement to be certified or affiliated, unless of course you offer trraining and then you need to certify under the umbrella of a recognized certifying agency. Other aspects of a business operation are made easier through such affiliation, including obtaining liability insurance for the operation and its employees, as well as obtaining training materials. Marketing collectives or coops are also of value. But again, if you just want to take people diving, have some equipment, are not going to do any training and don't care about liability, go ahead and hang up a shingle on a tree somewhere.
DivemasterDennis

 

[wedivebc]

I once paid to have PADI "bless" my dive shop. For what I got out of it the money would have been more of a blessing. I moved over to SDI/TDI but even then the only reason I got my facility affiliated with an agency is because it is a requirement of SDI that instructors teach for an established (blessed) shop. Since PADI allows independent instructors you have no requirement to belong anywhere. If you are in a competetive market then you probably should though as it's like buying mob protection but in a small market don't worry about it.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

No you don't need to be. There are benefits to it which depend on the agency affiliation (reduced prices for course materials, getting your business listed on the agency website, etc.), but it's not necessary.

I know of some shops that have no agency affiliation. They hire independent instructors to teach their classes, and the affiliation is with the instructor and not the shop.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[wedivebc]

. But again, if you just want to take people diving, have some equipment, are not going to do any training and don't care about liability, go ahead and hang up a shingle on a tree somewhere.
DivemasterDennis

An instructor can buy insurance and certify divers through PADI and many other agencies without the facility endorsement.

 

[DevonDiver]

No more so than a burger joint needs to be a McDonalds...

 

[kmurray719]

No requirement to be certified or affiliated, unless of course you offer trraining and then you need to certify under the umbrella of a recognized certifying agency. Other aspects of a business operation are made easier through such affiliation, including obtaining liability insurance for the operation and its employees, as well as obtaining training materials. Marketing collectives or coops are also of value. But again, if you just want to take people diving, have some equipment, are not going to do any training and don't care about liability, go ahead and hang up a shingle on a tree somewhere.
DivemasterDennis

That's not accurate. You can teach without any affiliation with a recognized agency. There are no scuba police that are going to come arrest you for teaching courses without agency affiliation. We have a guy up here who started his own agency and trains divers and has no affiliation with any agency. Whether you can get insurance or your "certifications" will be recognized by shops or charters is another matter entirely.

 

[faze]

You need to think about the marketing/promotion angel. Having just invested in a dice centre in Spain having the PADI association is important for us in terms of promoting - the PADI livery speaks far more to (especially) non divers than our own branding.

 

[KB2013]

Thank you all so much for your sound advice! Very much appreciated as our small NGO income generation project moves forward. Thanks again!

 

[Goodtime Adventures]

A bit late to the reply party, so your question has been mainly answered, but there are a few extra things to consider....

Things you know:
No centre affiliation needed - instructors can self certify
Training materials will cost more than if you become a PADI centre

Things you may not know:
Marketing (as mentioned by faze) - without PADI store affiliation you are not permitted to use PADI logo on your internet site or merchandise (tshirts etc), or use PADI advertising materials in store.
Problems with online learning courses and emanuals - its not possible purchase epics or emanuals with a store number to attribute them to.
Finding staff - no PADI store affiliation means you are unable to advertise for staff on the PADI jobs board online

So it really comes down to whether the cons outweigh the pro's for the size of your operation and business model.

Good luck with your business