Tairua Dive Company Under Fire

Over the past few months we have been receiving reports of a Tairua 5 Star Padi dive centre advertising Padi courses through the owner’s liquor outlet. This has come as a bit of a shock to a few folk saying that it is not appropriate to promote diving out of a liquor outlet. Things to take into consideration here is that this liquor outlet is supposedly a gift store as well with brochures about all sorts of activities. How bad is it really to advertise the dive courses and does this has any negative impact on the Padi branding?


These are questions that I have put forward to Ian Cumming of Padi. Ian’s response was that there is no concern as long as this outlet has a brochure stand that advertises other forms of activities both locally and nationally. However Padi would not like to see their logo in any form of signage on the outside or within the store. Even though this particular operator proclaims that this is the case there are quite a few of you that have told the Dive Planet team that the Padi logo is in the window as well as on a sandwich board outside the shop. As well as saying how the Padi logo is in the shop window as well as clearly visible within the premises.

The Dive Planet NZ team is awaiting photos that will highlight the concerns of the writers that have passed comment and judgement about this in their eyes an inappropriate marketing strategy.

Here are a few of the comments and viewpoints that we have received.

I think having a 5 star Padi operation promoted out of a liquor store gives the Padi brand a bad name or look promoting dive courses from a liquor outlet. What is the message we are sending out here?.....

Having a sign out the front of an alcohol store in Tairua with Padi 5 star resort is far from acceptable. Is this not like having the advertisement for a pub at a driving school?....

Hi Paul and Dive Planet, can you please shed some light of why padi dive courses are being promoted out of a booze shop when the operator has a perfectly good store elsewhere in Tairua. If people want to learn to dive they will look up a dive shop not look under wholesalers for booze. I find this quite bizarre and I would like to hear what they think about it…….

I look forward to reading your emails and viewpoints as I myself am a Padi taught diver and I have the utmost respect for the branding and the company’s policies. Padi is world renowned that commits their organisation to a great deal of positive incentives and projects globally.

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