Blue Ocean Diving Welcomes Lifting of Travel Restrictions for its 20th Anniversary Year
Added: (Fri Jan 28 2022)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Blue Ocean Diving, whose Scubaholics Dive Club is the largest diving club in the South-East with more than 7,500 members, has been running UK and worldwide dive holidays for almost 20 years.
Like many other businesses worldwide, they are welcoming the lifting of the COVID travel restrictions that have impacted the dive industry significantly.
Travel and tourism has been one of the worst affected sectors struck by the COVID-19 pandemic. So devastating has the impact been, that the annual Economic Impact Report from the World Travel & Tourism Council’s states that the UK’s travel and tourism GDP has fallen by 62%, from £238 billion in 2019 to £90 billion within the space of 12 months.
The scuba diving industry has been hit particularly hard with businesses being affected by various country lockdowns, continuously changing travel restrictions and COVID testing requirements.
Blue Ocean Diving, based in Maidstone, Kent, has recently celebrated its 19th anniversary. As it moves towards its 20th birthday, Blue Ocean Diving is looking forward to re-establishing its popular and much-loved dive trips for both new and experienced divers to enjoy.
For almost two decades the dive centre and its associated Scubaholics Dive Club has provided premier training for students at every level of diving, from beginner to Technical Master Instructor. Blue Ocean Diving’s consistently high standards of teaching has earned it the prestigious achievement as a PADI 5-star Instructor Development Centre, with an exceptional and greatly respected reputation all over the world.
Whilst looking forward to putting the pandemic behind them, Blue Ocean Diving has been fortunate to have weathered the COVID storm. Despite the obvious restrictions and limitations placed upon the travel industry over the last two years, Blue Ocean Diving was determined to continue running successful international dive trips worldwide.
As of 4am on February 11, holiday makers that are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to take any COVID-19 tests for return to the UK, and Day 2 tests will not be necessary.
Blue Ocean Diving is now revealing the details of its dive trips for 2022. Both new and qualified scuba divers can explore a range of diving opportunities and experiences including diving with seals in the Farnes, exploring the wreck of the Zenobia off the coast of Cyprus, to taking their very first scuba diving qualification while exploring the warm waters of the Red Sea and its glorious wildlife.
Blue Ocean Diving founder and one of the first PADI Course Directors to be awarded the prestigious platinum rating in 2006, Ryby Stonehouse, has welcomed the lifting of the UK’s travel restrictions.
“We wanted to prove to our members and customers that although travel was, without a doubt, more difficult, it was by no means impossible. By showing that we could not only to continue to run and enjoy our scuba diving holidays, we could also deal with any adaptations or changes to requirements at any short notice.
“Throughout the pandemic and with all its disruption, not a single customer has lost a single penny due to enforced cancellation or rescheduling.”
With this assurance and confidence in their past handling of the pandemic, Blue Ocean Diving is excited about the future, especially now that restrictions worldwide are gradually lifting.
“To be able to once again introduce and encourage people’s love of scuba diving in warmer climates is life-changing in so many ways.
“Not only do you have the opportunity to discover a whole new underwater world, but the social togetherness and support of the diving community creates another family network for people.
“After the levels of isolation many of us have experienced, we look forward to bringing our dive family back together again and travelling together once more.”
About Blue Ocean Diving and Scubaholics Dive Club:
Blue Ocean Diving was founded in January 2003 by PADI Course Director, Ryby Stonehouse.
Based in Maidstone, Kent, it has since established itself as the UK’s premier dive centre providing quality training for students at every level of diving, from beginner to Technical Master Instructor.
Blue Ocean Diving’s consistently high standards of teaching has earned it the prestigious achievement as a PADI 5-star Instructor Development Centre with an exceptional and greatly respected reputation all over the world.
Blue Ocean Diving regularly runs trips both in the UK and abroad for new and experienced divers, with Ryby Stonehouse organising and overseeing all trips, both domestic and worldwide, personally.
Blue Ocean Diving is the home of the Scubaholics Dive Club which, with more than 7,500 members, is the largest scuba diving club in the South East.
Visit www.blueoceandiving.co.uk for more information on our scuba diving courses, instructor training or dive trips and holidays. You can also contact us via email at scuba@blueoceandiving.co.uk or by phone on 01622 212 022 or by visiting us at:
Blue Ocean Diving
West Park Road
Maidstone
Kent
ME15 7AF
www.blueoceandiving.co.uk
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About Ryby Stonehouse:
Ryby Stonehouse’s diving experience began in 1984 with his first dive. Ten years later he qualified as a Divemaster before becoming a qualified Diving Instructor in 1997.
In 2001 Ryby earned his place through a competitive application process examining his experience and training goals, in order to achieve recreational scuba diving’s highest and most respected rating of PADI Course Director. Within five years he was one of the first PADI Course Directors to be awarded the prestigious platinum rating.
In the following years, Ryby Stonehouse continued to add to his scuba diving experience and achievements, qualifying as a Tec Instructor Trainer in 2004. He then qualified as a Rebreather Instructor, becoming the first PADI Instructor to instruct students on the Hollis Prism2 Rebreather.
Ryby’s list of firsts continued, as he became established as the very first UK Instructor Trainer in the new PADI Sidemount Course in 2008, introducing it to the UK.
With experience of running successful dive tours since 1997, Ryby has taught students, and organised and guided trips worldwide including the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, African, and South East Asia and the Pacific.
Since 1997, he has completed well over 10,000 dives, certified more than 1800 individual students, and issued over 2000 instructor-level certificates.
Oh, and he also makes a mean spaghetti bolognese!
Ryby Stonehouse is available for interviews, articles, guest posts or comments.
Please contact Tania at press@blueoceandiving.co.uk with any enquiries or requests for further information.