looking for info on scuba tourism history of Cozumel

[tom_n_tacoma]

Greetings divers!

I am a geographer from the University of Washington Tacoma campus and am conducting a study of scuba diving related tourism in Cozumel, Mexico. I am looking for information on the origin and development of that industry in Cozumel. If you or anyone you can think of have any ideas on where I might look for information or who I might speak with, I would greatly appreciate it. You can also private message me if you want.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[Christi]

Greetings divers!

I am a geographer from the University of Washington Tacoma campus and am conducting a study of scuba diving related tourism in Cozumel, Mexico. I am looking for information on the origin and development of that industry in Cozumel. If you or anyone you can think of have any ideas on where I might look for information or who I might speak with, I would greatly appreciate it. You can also private message me if you want.

Thanks,

Tom

You can e-mail me (not PM) with specific questions. If I don't know the answers, I will get them for you info@bluextseadiving.com

 

[sharky60]

I do know that the origin of the development of the dive industry on Coz started with one man's visit, Jacques Cousteau. Good luck with the research, will the paper be for public view when finished?

 

[Augustus]

First off the first mention of tourism on Cozumel that i know of goes back to a Holiday magazine article in may 1958 by John Humphreys. there were two articles published and I am not sure if what I quote is the second or not. But its a start. The bad news is the people who were here during the beginning of diving are dead. A couple of names. Ramon Zapata was one of the founders of Aqua Safari back in 66 or 67. His son is alive and has a shop in Chancanab park. I "believe Ramon was here more or less from the beginning of diving. another person is Bill Horn the owner of Aqua Safari. He purchased the shop from Dick tompkins who was one of the founders of Aqua Safari. Story goes Dick came here back in the early 60's and ended up diving with Ramon and loving it. Decided to start a dive shop. Last name is Julio Blanco one of the early (and still living) divers. Good luck. I would love to see this all documented.

 

[DennisS]

Try Pico through Dive Paradise, Jose M Castello

 

[betsyinczm]

Ramon Zapata, the son of the original friend Jacques Cousteau, may or may not still be working at Chankanaab......he was trading alternate months with his brother down there for a long time..........but if you don't find either of them there, Ramon is the guy who opened the cute little restaurant/coffee shop on the corner of calle 6 and 5th avenue north........he's a friend of mine and I bet he'd be full of info......not to mention that his mother lives nextdoor.....Betsy