It is closed. Now what?

By Bill Doran

One of our staff writers, Ryan Vickers, was researching to create an article on aquariums that you can take people to scuba dive in. To his and my surprise, many have closed their programs! Interestingly, there has been a growth of deep scuba diving pools worldwide and a reduction of aquariums offering scuba experiences. This got me thinking…

Is this an opportunity?

Yes. For both the people who live near the aquarium and visitors/tourists.

In this article, I will present a few ideas that, if there is an aquarium in your area, you can use to make a presentation that you can make to them.

• Tap into the shared interest we all have. Underwater Life!
• They likely have a small budget. Offer them that your team can clean tanks (on scuba or other), and they allow you to have signage for your courses or trips at their facility.
• Wear each other’s shirts in both locations. It will promote your name in their facility and their name in yours.
• Perhaps you can provide/donate a bench with your advertising on it that people can use to rest at a popular viewing location in the aquarium.
• Gift shops can offer experiences. In their pool, in yours, dry sessions talking and presenting trip photos you have. Sales and profit for both you and the aquarium
• Together, you can run a fish identification course. Invitations can be sent to the list of contacts both you and the aquarium have.
• Cross-promoting each other’s events and experiences.
• Offer presentations to each other’s membership that would have shared interest. For example, you could make a presentation to their membership on a trip you made with photos, video and discussion.
• Using each other as resources. Are you taking people on a trip abroad? Then, take your group to the aquarium for an information session on the trip and give them a tour of the fish and fauna they can expect to see.
• Offer joint events or experiences and or an experience that promotes both of you.
• This is only a beginning to the possibilities that benefit everyone involved. As for you, anything that gets your name in front of their members and guests will undoubtedly benefit you.

 

Will this concept be of interest to your members and customers? Yes! A few years ago, at my dive centre, Ryan (yes, the one mentioned above) started an aquarium program for our divers. For us, it was a two-and-a-half-hour drive to the aquarium that needed a passport and crossing an international border. Guess what? There were limited spaces, and we often had a waiting list!

Check out your area and look for opportunities!