How has the internet affected diving? Good/bad or both?

[Colliam7]

Eric's post prompts a number of thoughts, one of which is that I am not really sure I know what impact the internet has had on diving. I have a definite impression that the effects are a mixed bag. I have a personal opinion that the effects are, overall, more positive than negative but that is just what I said - my opinion.

On one hand, I now have LOTS of information about diving - gear, destinations, marine ecology, etc. - available at my (key-stroking) fingertips. I really don't need to go to a dive club meeting to have good discussions with other divers. Potentially, that availability could contribute to a degree of isolation. On the other hand, the internet has allowed our dive club to move from a) reliance on local speakers because of b) the expense of paying travel costs to bring out-of-town speakers to our club, to c) now having 'live' (or at least real time, interactive) presentations at club meetings in Raleigh, made by speakers sitting in Houston, or Boston, or Wilmington, etc. The quality of club programming has been substantially expanded as a result of the internet, and meeting attendance has actually increased. So, the internet has promoted more, rather than less, interaction.

On one hand, I am able to research dive 'products' far more easily, and quickly, using the internet. It isn't a matter of not dealing with 'BS' - there is plenty of BS on the net, in fact it is more sophisticated, and beguiling, BS than what is available locally. But, I can find out more about what may be available, much more readily than I could in the 'analog' days. I can then order what I want, either online or through a LDS in many cases, because I learned about it on the net. On the other hand, the economics of the industry have changed enough as a result of online sales to limit LDS resources - there are fewer shops in business than before - dive shop closures far outnumber shop openings. This is certainly not a business trend that is limited to diving. It is true of many aspects of retail sales. But, if the dive shops that have survived have done so by being more responsive to customers, and/or offering better pricing, etc., then I potentially have better, even if not more numerous, local resources as a result of the internet.

I am not able to draw any meaningful conclusions regarding the effect of the internet, per se, on the number of divers and the overall volume of diving. Notwithstanding some comments in this thread, there is a reasonable body of data to suggest that scuba diving has not been a 'growth' sport for the past decade. Overall annual certification numbers have remained essentially the same, and there is concern about an 'aging' diver population, suggesting that there are fewer younger, newer divers coming into the sport, etc. Perhaps, there are numerical indicators other than certifications that could/should be used, but it is not at all clear what those might be. Anecdotal statements about 'overcrowded' dive destinations are just that - anecdotal. Is the plateau in certifications - as one indicator of dive activity - a result of the internet? Is it possible that internet availability of information about MANY recreational possibilities has increased the competition for discretionary spending resources? One comment that has been made by dive agencies, and dive business consultants about the health of diving is that it is feeling the effects of a growing 'one and done' mentality that seems to be developing among younger segments of the population. They may pursue dive certification and a week of diving, for example as a vacation activity, after which they are 'done', and then move on to their next recreational adventure. To what extent has the advent of the internet contributed to that social change?

Yes, diving as a recreational activity is directly affected by 'the economy'. In times of economic downturn, gear sales suffer, travel suffers, etc. We happen to be, at least in the US, in a period of economic upturn at the moment, and that will potentially favor more interest in diving. Of course, it will also favor more interest in other recreational activities as well. I don't know that the advent of the internet has changed that.

 

[markmud]

Hi Dennis,

You nailed it with this one: How has the internet affected diving? Good/bad or both?

Hi Colliam,

I hope your point comes to fruition below:

Yes, diving as a recreational activity is directly affected by 'the economy'. In times of economic downturn, gear sales suffer, travel suffers, etc. We happen to be, at least in the US, in a period of economic upturn at the moment, and that will potentially favor more interest in diving. Of course, it will also favor more interest in other recreational activities as well. I don't know that the advent of the internet has changed that.

dive on,
m

 

[KenGordon]

The internet is responsible for a significant quantity of co2 see Infographic: The Carbon Footprint of the Internet – Climate Care

People using it to research far flung holidays and then flying to those destinations to go diving are responsible for more co2.

Soon climate change will destroy a lot of the stuff people like to see while diving.

Back to the original question. It was perfectly easy to go diving in (to me) exotic locations before the internet. Magazine articles talks about places, travel agents could sell you flights. You could phone people up and ask questions. It was not the dark ages. The core training today is very similar to how it was 25 years ago.

What has changed is the ability to talk to random people from all over the world. This has ups and downs.

 

[CT-Rich]

Back to the original question. It was perfectly easy to go diving in (to me) exotic locations before the internet. Magazine articles talks about places, travel agents could sell you flights. You could phone people up and ask questions. It was not the dark ages. The core training today is very similar to how it was 25 years ago.

What the hell is a travel agent? Was that ever a thing? People that would book everything over a telephone while sitting at a desk, tethered by a string of wires? And they get PAID to do what what I can for myself while pooping or driving to work?

 

[Joneill]

The internet is responsible for a significant quantity of co2 see Infographic: The Carbon Footprint of the Internet – Climate Care

People using it to research far flung holidays and then flying to those destinations to go diving are responsible for more co2.

Soon climate change will destroy a lot of the stuff people like to see while diving.

Thanks for the heads up - you've proven the value of the internet! I better hurry up and book some trips to see this stuff before that happens or the powers that be put crazy rules in place to limit my freedom to travel.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

ECONOMY, And I hope we see the return to diving along with the improvement in the economy.

I also think the younger generation is more mentally oriented than physical.
When I was a kid we played out front with other neighbor kids and built forts. Now they play video games and their mom won’t let them play out front because they might get stolen.

 

[KenGordon]

Thanks for the heads up - you've proven the value of the internet! I better hurry up and book some trips to see this stuff before that happens or the powers that be put crazy rules in place to limit my freedom to travel.

It is good to see you are taking the future seriously.

The crazy rules are the ones that are letting the poles melt and the oceans die.

What the hell is a travel agent? Was that ever a thing? People that would book everything over a telephone while sitting at a desk, tethered by a string of wires? And they get PAID to do what what I can for myself while pooping or driving to work?

Actually, the last time I left Europe to go diving I used a travel agent. He knew the places to stay, the time really required to make connections and whether the various dive ops would be likely to suit us. The arrangements were complicated but we had a great time.

Of course the emissions were about the same as a year using a big SUV, so not all good.

 

[Joneill]

It is good to see you are taking the future seriously.

The crazy rules are the ones that are letting the poles melt and the oceans die.

Actually, the last time I left Europe to go diving I used a travel agent. He knew the places to stay, the time really required to make connections and whether the various dive ops would be likely to suit us. The arrangements were complicated but we had a great time.

Of course the emissions were about the same as a year using a big SUV, so not all good.

Actually, I do take it seriously and have made heavy $ investments in the energy efficiency/independence of my home and my personal transportation. Professionally, I lead sustainability initiatives for one of the largest Consumer Healthcare Companies in the World.

But I don't believe in living the rest of my life hiding in my own little area. I intend on traveling to see many of the wonderful places on the planet.

BTW - You’ve also now proven one negative of the internet: some folks make snap judgements about people when they don’t have a real clue about them at all.

 

[drbill]

It has brought us ScubaBoard which has greatly broadened our connections

 

[NAM001]

that theory is completely false. The internet drives scuba to insane heights now. Everywhere you want to dive even at the ends of the earth it is overcrowded.

pescador island on cebu? packed like a mofo. Coron wrecks ditto. raja ampat new dive liveaboards every year..... your theory is almost insane in the face of reality.

Cebu scuba is outgrowing what diveshops can do and new hotels new business is accelerating this. Cebu over the next couple years will likely need to double the amount of scuba dive shops to keep up with demand from korea, japan, usa, germany, all of europe etc.

There is no stalling of scuba in destinations like the philippines, indonesia, mexico, etc etc

people learn about cenotes, wrecks, tech courses, you name it. twenty years ago coron wreck diving was not a one off site it was like travelling to the himalayas. Now its nonstop business and endless customers.

There may be much turnover in customers as many just dive for 2 or 3 years and quit but the worlds population grows and advertising now reaches everywhere and brings scuba customer anywhere there is water.

stalling? Far from it. Dive shops may be losing tons of business to online stores like liesurepro scubatoys etc etc but dive destinations are becoming saturated.


and yes diving is far safer now. in the old days you would borrow or rent gear and go off on your own with a friend and hopefully not die. I did my first scuba dive with no knowledge near san francisco in 1985 with another guy my age and we could have both EASILY died. Luckily I lost a weight belt otherwise I or both of us could have been injured or died. no scube training no nothing just had access to gear and went to try to scuba dive. with no knowledge of what the heck we were trying to do.

if we had the internet back then that would have never happened.

the internet saves lives regarding scuba no doubt at all.

There is no doubt that internet is a major advertising media and it is free which magnafies the exposure effect even more. Just as FB does regarding dive sites and discussions. The flip side is that the internet is also a major learning media that replaces many of the functions only provided by instructors in the past.