BUSINESS EDU 2025 Dive Travel Trends – What Dive Retailers Need to Know to Stay Ahead – by William Cline, Publisher, & President for 35 years of Cline Group, a marketing, research and advertising consultancy specializing the scuba diving industry.
As we move into the heart of 2025, it's clear the dive industry is navigating a unique travel climate - one shaped by economic pressure, shifting consumer priorities, and global perceptions around interna- tional travel. While our Q1 2025 Global Diving Industry Survey at Cline Group showed a dip in certifications and revenues, it also revealed something deeper: a call to adapt. But here’s the good news - we’ve been here before. The dive industry has survived hurricanes, recessions, pandemics, and political turbulence. We’re a resilient, innovative bunch. And in today’s changing landscape, that resilience is our greatest asset. Let’s explore what’s happening in the broader travel mar- ket, what the numbers say, and what you can do to not just survive - but thrive - through the months ahead. Travel Trends That Are Reshaping the Dive Market The broader U.S. travel industry is evolving in ways that directly affect local dive shops, tropical resorts, and training centers. More People Staying Close to Home: According to ▪ the U.S. Travel Association, domestic leisure travel spending is projected to rise 3.9% in 2025, surpassing $1 trillion. Americans are staying closer to home - and spending more when they do (US Travel Association, 2025). Shorter Trips, Tighter Schedules: A recent Wall ▪
ternational visitor spending in the U.S. this year - a 7% decline from 2024 levels (WTTC, 2025). Economic Sentiment is Soft: Tariffs, inflation, and ▪ political tensions are influencing how - and where - Americans travel. Deloitte research shows many con- sumers are opting out of big-ticket vacations in favor of local, experience-rich alternatives. How the Dive Industry is Feeling It Our Cline Group Q1 2025 Diving Industry Survey con- firmed these headwinds (see page 20): U.S. dive retailers issued an estimated 11,040 new cer- ▪ tifications in Q1 2025 - up slightly from the 10,290 es- timated in Q1 2024 However, tropical operators saw certification averages ▪ fall from 26.5 per location in Q1 2024 to just 12.7 in Q1 2025 While quarter-to-quarter comparisons often show short- term volatility, year-over-year numbers paint a more reliable picture. These modest certification gains among U.S. retail- ers suggest localized strength, even as tropical destinations lag - likely a reflection of increased domestic travel and shorter trip durations. According to Grand View Research, the U.S. dive tourism market is expected to nearly double by 2030, growing at a 9.9% CAGR (compound annual growth rate). Dive Travel, According to the Experts In a recent interview on our Marketing Minutes podcast, Cheryl Patterson shared critical insights into how dive shops
Street Journal re- port noted that 41% of U.S. travel- ers now prefer trips lasting three nights or fewer, up from 37% the year prior (WSJ, 2025). For dive retailers, this reinforces the need for flexible, fast- turnaround programs.
can pivot their ap- proach to selling travel in uncertain times.
“We're not in the business of selling training, equipment, or even trips. We're selling adventure, lifestyle, and dreams,” said Pat- terson. “Think back to why you became a diver - it wasn’t for a regulator. It was to live that Nat Geo moment or Blue Planet scene.”
International Spend is Slipping: The World Travel ▪ & Tourism Council expects a $12.5 billion drop in in-
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