RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif.,
June 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/
-- From Florida to Belgium,
thousands of divers around the world will take part in scuba diving
events held in celebration of the second-annual PADI (Professional
Association of Diving Instructors) Women's Dive Day, on
Saturday, July 16. In an effort to
narrow the gender gap, PADI Members, industry icons and
recreational divers – both male and female alike – will join forces
at more than 300 events scheduled in over 50 countries around
the globe.
"Last summer's inaugural Women's Dive Day proved to be a
historic day for diving and women overall. We are thrilled to
continue the celebration and the empowerment of women this year as
we seek to strengthen and grow the female diver community," says
Kristin Valette, chief marketing and
business development officer, PADI Worldwide. "Recent studies show
that woman account for only 35 percent of open water divers and
just 23 percent of divers in continuing education courses. By
coming together as an industry to celebrate women in diving, PADI
hopes to cultivate the female diver community, attract new women to
the sports of scuba diving and freediving, and motivate existing
female divers to get back in the water and continue their dive
training."
The 2015 launch of the organization's "Women in Diving" campaign
resulted in an increase in PADI certifications among females. While
female divers account for a disproportionate share of the dive
community, many women involved in the sport are launching and
participating in impactful initiatives to create further awareness
for diving and larger ocean conservation efforts. Among the
examples of individuals who are making a big impact on this sport
are ten notable female divers who are leading the 2014-2018 Sedna
Epic Expedition, which will translate its findings regarding the
issue of disappearing sea ice into educational and awareness
programs on climate change. Additionally, Jennifer Idol, another renowned female dive
enthusiast, recently became the first woman on record to dive all
50 states to showcase the need to protect local waters.
Here are just a few examples of PADI Women's Dive Day events
that give veteran divers and first-timers good reason to take the
plunge:
- Great Lakes, Michigan—Team Sedna will host a "Big 5
Dive Event" where they'll dive all five of the Great Lakes in 24
hours
- Kamuela, Hawaii—Enjoy a
deluxe dive boat experience complete with local foods, sparkling
beverages and a two-tank morning dive
- Lutwyche, Australia—Explore the underwater world
like never before with a night dive during high tide
- Juprelle, Belgium—All
women are invited to enjoy a free Discover Scuba® Diving
experience
- Davie, Florida—Learn
about marine conservation from a PADI Course Director and end the
day with a famous shark dive
- Larnaca, Cyprus—Advanced divers can explore the
Zenobia Wreck while new divers can enjoy the abundance of marine
sea life
- Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt—Embark on a female-only boat trip to
dive two extraordinary sites in the Red Sea
For more information on Women's Dive Day and to find an event
near you, visit padi.com/women-dive. While the focus of the event
is women and their accomplishments, anyone from all levels of
diving are encouraged to take part and dive together on the same
day. Get involved and raise awareness for women in diving through
#PADIWOMEN.
About PADI
Celebrating 50 years of growth and success,
PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) is the
world's largest recreational diver training organization. With more
than 6,300 dive centers and resorts and 136,000 PADI Professionals
worldwide dedicated to introducing new divers to the thrill of
scuba diving and enhancing the skills of experienced divers, PADI
is the way the world learns to dive. Having issued nearly 25
million certifications since inception, PADI makes underwater
exploration and adventure accessible to the public while
maintaining the highest industry standards for dive training,
safety and customer service. Committed to the conservation and
preservation of our ocean, with every diver certification issued
PADI also creates a growing number of ocean ambassadors to help
defend and preserve the marine environment for generations to come.
For more information, visit www.padi.com.
Contact: Paige
Thornley
Havas Formula
(619) 234-0345
padi@formulapr.com
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