One thing that has emerged recently is that most dive centres in San Pedro are struggling to keep their heads above water (sic). In the absence of more visitors, but with increasing competition and ever rising costs and taxes this is getting worse. Even the biggest and most successful operators are hurting. We (all of us) charge the same as up in Cozumel (round about US$30 per dive), yet they have much lower fuel and maintenance costs AND their boats don't usually go out even for local dives with fewer than 20 divers on board. I personally don't like that "cattle boat" style of diving, but there's no doubt it helps to pay the bills.

I think the present situation is untenable, but raised prices would merely encourage more visitors to avoid Belize and visit surrounding countries instead. What is to happen?

How much of a rate increase would be necessary for a dive operator to make a reasonable profit? I wouldn't avoid visiting someplace on the sole basis of dive rates.

I work in the dive industry in the states. It's not unusual to pay $60-70 for a two tank charter, no gear provided. Beautiful diving but cold water and gear intensive. I don't think it would be unheard of to charge similar rates for diving in Belize. When I'm planning a dive trip for my customers cost is of course a concern but more importantly is the destination. My store has a trip planned for AC next month. When planning this trip I asked my customers where they would like to go. Reputation more than cost helps me decide. In my experience, if you show people a good time cost becomes secondary (for most folks!)
So, I say, go ahead and raise your prices to stay competetive and be profitable. You may be surprised to see other shops follow suit.

Pedro 2:

I understand what you're going through, as I have a few friends who run dive shops in asia, but I can tell you that raising rates to Stateside prices will DEFINITElY hurt business ( at least for serious divers ).

The only dive that we can really be charged anything for is the blue hole... other than that the reef dives just aren't worth alot of money, when compared to dives in mexico, asia, and the middle east.

I think that offering a full gear 2 tank dive for 60-70 bucks would be the max you could charge.. but you never know.. some casual divers just want to get wet once a year and 80-100 bucks for a day of fun isn't out of the question.

I can tell you that if dive shops did raise their rates to that level, that I would still dive while in belize.. but I wouldn't choose to come here for the diving.. it would just be another "activity" ( like cave tubing or getting a massage )

As far as competition goes, like any other business, the strong will survive and all the newbies undercutting prices will eventually fall away ( or become the new biggies )

PS.. ISIS.. why don't you stick to diving in the states... it's people like you who bring stateside costs to 3rd world countries.....it's easy to tell them to raise their rates when you're not paying for it. Once they raise them to 80-100 for 2 dives.. next year, someone from manhattan will show up on the board telling them they should be charging 130 for 2 dives.. and so on and so on.

I know that you guys are in it to make money.. just remember.. pigs get fat, and hogs get slaughtered.

Ok.. 2 more days and I'll be feet wet.

Pedro

I like to both dive and snorkle and have done so throughout the world. Diving in Belize is very reasonable IMHO. I doubt a 10-15% price increase would be an issue with most tourists. It seems to me that most hotels/resorts have raised prices at a faster rate the dive operators have.

It would be an issue if all the major dive operators dont raise theirs. In the US price fixing and collusion is illegal, but its quite common (an legal) in some areas of the world. As a commerial attache I have seem some pretty wild schemes over time. If you would all get together and agree on a general price schedule that would still be somewhat compeditive with other areas in the region I feel it would not be a problem. I think you can achieve a small premium over mexico.

Raise prices OR cut costs??? That is the question. First off, the prices here are very reasonable. Everyone offers very nice dive packages for five days of diving. That is a good thing.
However, here’s how I read it. No one wants to go out before 9:00 as someone just might walk by and want to go. TOO BAD! Go at 8:00 and tell the straggler to come back at 9:30.
Then at 9:30 take who ever is there and two tanks for each. Let the early bird get a good deal on tank number 3 and save the gas from coming back to the dock all the time.

It is this coming back to the dock all the time that eats up the gas. I get Everette to take me and my guest up north with two tanks, and only if he gets a call that he has more divers ready to go at 11:00 do we come back. If not we dive spots that few do and have lunch at Rojos. I ALWAYS buy him lunch.
If there are more than 3 divers we take a boat captain. If not, there is a savings.
For the afternoon dives the same thinking could be used.

It seems to me that most shops here charge about the same – which is nice – you don’t need to shop for price – shop for personality.
This is the least expensive place I have ever dived. Monterey, California is $85.00 for two tank dive and you provide your own tank and weights as well as everything else. (and you freeze your face off)
Hawaii was US $100 for two tank dive ten years ago.
I went to Cozumel twice. There were so many divers in the water at the same time it was like a parade and with the ‘drift’ (AKA current) I could not stop and take pictures. Then we had to rinse and store all our own gear. Everyone I dive with here does that for me, even fixes little problems.
Take a look at the $$$ divers invest in equipment then want to go cheap on the operator. AND – so few seem to tip these days.

Thanks for bringing this up – it needs to be an open discussion – maybe even try some problem solving instead of name calling. (What a concept!)
:rolleyes:

[QUOTE]Originally posted by phillytodd:
[QB] Pedro 2:

PS.. ISIS.. why don't you stick to diving in the states... it's people like you who bring stateside costs to 3rd world countries.....it's easy to tell them to raise their rates when you're not paying for it. QUOTE]

Whoa! Phillytodd, what's with the hostility? People like me? Have we met? How do you figure that I don't pay for it. I plan group dive trips. If my trips aren't attractive or priced right they don't sell. This is how I make my living, commission and space on the trip. I would say I have a vested intrest in planning attractive vacations. Price is a big part of that. What I'm saying, as a consumer, is that an increase in dive package prices would not deter me from traveling to AC. If dive shops don't make enough to be profitable, they fold and go under. Then were would we be.

Pedro2 - Personally I would pay more however every shop would need to raise their price as well so one shop doesn't get more business than they can handle and everyone else is left in the cold.

I don't think $40 a tank would be outrageous considering gas and all the other operating costs. I work in the industry and understand alot of the hidden costs but does everyone else? A lot of time one gets what they pay for.

As far as other sports, diving is just as cheap if not cheaper. Come to Colorado and plunk down $80 for a lift ticket or $100 for a round of golf while on vacation and have a few beers in the ski lodge or clubhouse and experience what expensive is.

Just my two cents

isis.. I'm from philly ( we're naturally hostile until we get a few belikins in us )

I didn't mean anything personal by it, I've just had quite a few experiences with stateside diving tour operators who have thought nothing of price gouging their clients. (present company excluded of course )

I agree that diving could cost a bit more than it does now and it's not going to stop most from diving ( it wouldn't stop me )

My point in the thread is that I'm tired of seeing 3rd world countries with first world prices.. whether it's paying 3 bucks for a redstripe in jamaica, 100 bucks for a hotel room in costa rica, or 100 bucks for 2 dives in belize. it's just an affect that us Americans seem to bring wherever we go. Probably not much I can do about that other than suck it up and pay those prices when I'm at those places.

( nothing against these countries.. god knows I love 'em.. but as a traveller I expect to pay less for goods and services when travelling to a quieter, less developed country )..

don't even get me started on the hotel rooms..190 bucks a night!!!

Dear Isis:

Last I checked most places in SP charge $60-$70US for a two tank dive, so those prices are the same as in the states.

Pedro2, I dove with you in the past and enjoyed it very much. I agree with you that diving with 20 people in not much fun. When I dove with you in December 2004, out of five dives, there were no more than two other people on the boat. For me, it was great, but not to your bottom line. Maybe some of the smaller operators could get together and try to fill up one boat together instead of takeing out three or four boats. You could still use your own divemasters but at least you would only be paying fuel for one boat. Just a thought.