theduckguru
Contributor
Kinda reminds one of old McDonolds signs listing the number of burgers served.
PADI is ready to celebrate its 20th million certification in 2011
- Thread starter DevonDiver
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Yes, I agree, but I think that those of us that do, more than make up for it.
Of those around me that are PADI certified, we must have on average 4 or 5 PADI certs.
Most of us have OW / AOW / Rescue / Nitrox / Deep. Some of us have taken 10 or 15 years to do this, other have more certs such as DM / Wreck and done it in less time. When I have been paired with an insta-buddy on a boat, they have generally been AOW at least.
I would suggest that the average number of certs per diver, certainly in the UK is going to be at least 2 simply because those that do continue, get so many. Even so, this makes a rough estimate of 10 million divers.
Surely PADI must have this number hidden away in their archives?
Jon
Let's see what I've got lurking.....
PADI Certs:
OW, AOW, PPB, Underwater naturalist (yes I was young and in love with diving... still am
) Rescue, Eanx, DM, AI, OWSI, Inst Specialties: Deep, Night, Eanx, DUP, Wreck
MSDT
IDC Staff
MI
Tec 40 Inst
18 All bought and Padi... I mean paid for certs. So I'd reckon PADI has a lot less than 10 million actual divers on their books
ThomasScherrer
Contributor
20mill x 120 to 500$ = alot of money
the cheapest cert is 120 $ (nitrox online)
and the OW and AOW is about 500 $
DM is 1000$
and Rescue is 500 $ too
some take the entry cert called scubadiver it is about 250 $ it is also ½ of the OW couse.
the cheapest cert is 120 $ (nitrox online)
and the OW and AOW is about 500 $
DM is 1000$
and Rescue is 500 $ too
some take the entry cert called scubadiver it is about 250 $ it is also ½ of the OW couse.
No, PADI doesn't get this money.
This is the dive shops price, and of this only 30 - 40$ goes to PADI for the cert. (actually less, the trade price is probably only 20$, with a 50% markup for the shop)
The rest is the books / DVD / pooltime / equipment rental / instructor pay and dive shop profit.
J
ThomasScherrer
Contributor
they still make really good books, all their material is tip top
I got it all, and is really happy about it.
I got it all, and is really happy about it.
OP
DevonDiver
N/A
Well, they get a lot of it. PADI makes about 30% of every course I teach - not counting my annual memberships etc... as an instructor
The price varies depending on region and the 'size' and 'status' of the dive centre. There are incentives for big purchasers (sausage factories) and members of IRRA. Upgrade membership to 5* and you get even more discounts.
I am in Asia Pacific region. I pay $80-145AUD for a crewpack (manual + pic). Coupled with the exchange rate from Oz at the moment, it's pretty crippling.
By the time I've paid boat costs, kit costs, my own transport etc... I'll make about 80$ from an OW course. From that I need to deduct my annual overheads, such as the PADI instructor fees, insurance, kit maintenance and replacement....
I never met a rich dive instructor. PADI have stupendous profits though....
Still... they do what they promised... bring cheap and available scuba to the masses..
In the UK the pic alone was £15 trade, RRP of £30 a couple of years ago. rest of EU is the same.
Good example is Nitrox; Course costs 90€, of which 45€ is the book, 40€ is the pic, both retail prices. The shop probably has a 50% markup on these, so padi probably gets only 25 + 20€. I don't know what kind of margins they have on the books etc at those prices, but it can't be more than 50%.
I am surprise you pay between 50-90 pounds (80-140Aus$) for your crewpack. Here, most of the crewpacks sell for between 60-100€ (50-85£) retail. Trade prices being a lot lower.
with such prices as you pay, you're right, it's crippling.
J
I don't have any specific numbers but I recall reading a couple of years ago that PADI controlled on the order of 75% of the sport-diver training market so the total number of certs from all agencies (assuming this is the question you were were really interested in) would be about 25 million.
I think this is something to celebrate. Obviously 20 (or 25) million is an arbitrary milestone but it's good once in a while to stop and look back. I think it's safe to say that PADI played a pivotal role in creating, promoting and popularizing the best hobby on this planet. The criticisms will always persist (tall trees catch a lot of wind) and some of those criticisms are justified and good because wisdom cannot be ignored (forever).
However, a measure of thanks is not misplaced either. A lot of good people put in a lot of good work and dedication, to reach this milestone. Thanks PADI!
R..
I agree with you, getting 20 million certifications is quite something.
I also don't think that they deserve all the "PADI bashing" that they get, because I don't think that they receive as much money as some people would like to think, and the money they get has to cover a large number of things. Remember, as well as writing the books, they did a lot of expensive actual research to make their original RDP tables. Same again with their Nitrox tables. Most other agencies at the time were using modified USN tables, and even now some still do use modified old tables.
Jon T - a happy PADI diver
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