FROM THE PUBLISHER
THE POWER OF INFLUENCE: HOW OUR CIRCULATION SHAPES MILLIONS OF DIVERS WORLDWIDE
Yes, we dive. Just last week, I was in Curaçao, enjoying an incredible dive with Ocean Encounters. Afterward, my long-time dive buddy, Mark Young, asked, “ After all these years and thousands of dives, why do you still dive?” His question made me pause — why?
Scuba Diving Industry ™ Magazine: (Print: ISSN 2996- 1416, Digital: ISSN 2996-1424) Published monthly by Cline Group LLC, 1740 Airpark Lane, Plano, TX 75093. Printed copies are mailed within the USA to select dive retailers & advertisers. Subscriptions are free to dive pro- fessionals & distributed digitally to 165 countries. POST- MASTER send address changes to Scuba Diving Industry Magazine, 1740 Airpark Ln., Plano, TX 75093. Any part of this publication may be reproduced, as long as the source is quoted “Scuba Diving Industry Magazine.” For editorial re- quests, email william@williamcline.com or 972-267-6700. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Cline Group LLC or any of its affiliates. © 2025, all rights reserved by Cline Group LLC. Terry Cummins, Ph.D., Australia/Oceania Cathryn Castle Garcia, Azores, Portugal Cristian Dimitrius, Brazil Al Hornsby, Singapore Lisa Malachowsky, Phoenix, AZ Amos Nachoum, Pacific Grove, CA Dan Orr, Driggs, ID David Prichard & Lily Mak, Dallas, TX Peter Symes, Denmark Gil Zeimer, San Rafael, CA William Cline, Publisher Patty Cline, Associate Publisher Amber Wagenknecht, Executive Editor Betty Orr, Copy Editor Neal Watson, Sr., Editor-at-Large Britain Cline, Advertising Sales Manager Gavin Young, SE Asia Advertising Sales Walker Cline, Digital, Social & SEO Strategist Contributors: Wayne B. Brown, Augusta, GA Alex Brylske, Ph.D., Avon Park, FL Jeff Cinciripino, Rocky Hill, CT SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY™ MAGAZINE JANUARY 2025 VOL. 2, NO. 1
Like many of you, my passion for diving began early and has never faded. Most of us entered the professional side of this industry because of that passion. No matter where we dive — warm waters or cold — the experience remains the same: breathing… weightless… like an astronaut on Earth. That feel- ing, that connection, is why we do what we do. That’s exactly why this article kicks off the first issue of 2025. As dive retailers, instructors, and staff, your influence on new divers is profound and lifelong. Most of us remember
William & Mark Shore Diving in Curacao
our first instructor — their name, their face, their voice — because they were our first and most important influencer in the sport. Influencers play a massive role in purchasing decisions today. In the dive industry, that power belongs to you: dive store owners, instructors, and staff. New divers rely on you for guidance on gear, travel, education, and services. You shape their de- cisions, and that influence is worth investing in. Consider this: There are 966 dive stores in the U.S., each with an average mailing list of 2,500 customers — that’s 2.4 million divers influenced annually . Expand that globally, and Scuba Diving Industry Magazine connects with over 5,000 retailers in 165 countries, plus 12,000 more dive professionals worldwide. That’s millions of divers influenced by industry professionals like you. This reach makes our magazine unique. So, why should advertisers take notice? Influencer marketing isn’t just a social media trend — it’s a proven strategy used by the world’s biggest brands. In our industry, dive instructors and re- tailers are the true influencers. While social media influencers with 300,000 followers have impact, when it comes to driving equipment sales, travel bookings, and continuing education, nothing compares to the influence of local dive retailers and their staff. Supporting this magazine means reaching those key decision-makers — the professionals who directly guide divers on what to buy, where to travel, and how to continue their dive journey. In 2024, our advertisers recognized and leveraged this power, and we look forward to building on that momentum in 2025. If you’re a manufacturer, tourism board, liveaboard, training agency, or resort, you need to be in this magazine. Why? Because we are divers. I’m a diver, my staff are divers, and our writers are all dive professionals. This magazine is created by the industry, for the industry , ensuring every page speaks directly to the professionals shaping the future of diving. Here’s to another year of growth, influence, and passion for the dive industry. See you underwater.
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William Cline, Publisher
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