CHAMBER OF DIVING & WATERSPORTS - EGYPT
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[b] New exams for dive professionals [/b]
Dive guides and instructors across Egypt are sitting tougher exams as part of a new drive by the CDWS to ensure professionals meet minimum scuba knowledge standards required. All diving professionals who wish to renew their or begin CDWS membership and obtain the required card must complete and achieve the minimum 80 per cent pass rate.
Developed by the CDWS technical committee with the support of dive training agency course directors, the exams consist of 75 questions covering knowledge of: leadership, physics, physiology, first aid and emergency, equipment and environmental awareness. There is nothing in the exam which is not covered in recognised Divemaster professional courses. Exam papers are available in Arabic, English, Italian, German and Russian.
Those candidates applying for cards as snorkel guides or snorkel instructors will take a separate exam which will be available in English and Arabic.
The administration charge to take the exam is 50LE. Results will be posted on the www.cdws.travel website within 48 hours of the exam along with the date staff can collect their CDWS cards. For more information email sinai.membership@cdws.travel.
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[b] Show success[/b]
The CDWS stand in the Red Sea Zone of the UK Dive 09 show held at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre attracted huge crowds of British divers looking for information and prices for diving holidays in Egypt on 24 and 25 October. Congratulations to Russell Wagstaff from Oxfordshire in the UK who was named winner of the show prize donated by Sea Queen Fleet. He wins a Sea Queen liveboard trip for two in the northern Red Sea worth 700 Euros.
The CDWS official member magazine BLUE was also specially printed for DIVE 09 and was given an enthusiastic response by show visitors who picked up their free copy. Issue Four will be in print for both the Boot Show in Germany and the Moscow show in Russia. A selection of features will be translated for each country. For more information about BLUE, see the CDWS website www.cdws.travel/blue-magazine.aspx
CDWS also exhibited at this year’s World Travel Market (WTM) show in the UK to help raise the profile of diving in the Red Sea and the moves being made to improve safety and service standards. The WTM in London on 9 to 12 November also saw the announcement of this year’s winners in the Virgin Holiday Responsible Tourism Awards. Sharm el Sheikh-based dive centre Camel Dive Club and Hotel was Highly Commended in the Marine Environment category in the 2009 awards to recognize achievements in eco-friendly tourism throughout the world. Camel’s entry in the Best in a Marine Environment category focused on its activities to inform and educate visitors to Sharm El Sheikh on how to minimise its impact on the Red Sea’s sensitive marine environment, and actions to reduce the environmental impact of its hotel and diving operations. Camel was selected from more than 150 entries by a panel of 13 judges chaired by Dr Harold Goodwin, professor of Responsible Tourism Management at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. New Zealand tour company Whale Watch Kaikoura was named the Best in a Marine Environment and the overall winner of the awards. For more information about the Responsible Tourism Awards see www.responsibletravelawards.com.
[b] Show spaces still available [/b]
In 2010 CDWS will be exhibiting at the following shows: Salon de la Plongee (Paris, January), Boot (Dusseldorf, January), Golden Dolphin (Moscow, February), LIDS (London, March) and MIDE (Malaysia, July). Any CDWS members wishing to join one of these shows should email Mary Gleeson at board.marketing@cdws.travel.
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[b]Stop Press Red Sea[/b]
CDWS continues to help raise the profile of diving and watersports by hosting diving journalists from around the world, including those from Diver and DIVE (UK), Dkykking (Norway), Duik Magazine and Duiken (Holland), Taucher.net and Unterwasser (Germany), Scubaportal.it (Italy) and Pglubina (Russia). Showing the press the best the Red Sea has to offer, CDWS member operations have also demonstrated the high standards to which the industry in Egypt must follow. A number of reporters have been given complete access to the auditing process by following CDWS auditors working in Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh throughout the last year. CDWS also provides destination reports and coverage to the press throughout Egypt and Russia to increase awareness. This also highlights the work being done on an environmental awareness and skill development level. For more information email charlotte.boan@cdws.travel.
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[b]Diver Awards[/b]
Readers of UK Diver magazine have started to vote for their favourite dive operations destinations and equipment manufacturers for its 2010 industry awards. Red Sea operations continue to feature highly in these awards, with Egypt picking up Destination of the Year in 2009 and Sharm el Sheikh’s Red Sea Diving College being named Dive Centre of the Year for the third year running. Why not encourage your guests to vote for your operation? All those who vote have the chance to win a pair of Sea Doo underwater scooters worth £1,000.
Guests of diving centres can vote online for their favourite centre and diving destination at www.divernet.com.
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[b]CDWS member news: send us your stories[/b]
Have you seen or been involved in an important diving or watersports event? Is something significant happening where your centre or operation is based which other CDWS members, BLUE magazine or the diving press would be interested to hear about?
Email your stories to charlotte.boan@cdws.travel blue@cdws.travel
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Sharm el Sheikh, South Sinai Branch
Tel: +20 69 3666 448 / +20 69 3666 449
Fax: +2 (069) 366 63 24
Email: sinai.office@cdws.travel |
Hurghada, Red Sea Branch
Tel: +2 (065) 346 25 63 / +2 (065) 346 25 64
Fax: +2 (065) 346 25 62
Email: redsea.office@cdws.travel |
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