Managing recreational scuba experiences: exploring business challenges for New South Wales dive tourism managers

As tourists increasingly seek nature-based tourism experiences, the tourism operator is confronted with various challenges. For managers of New South Wales (NSW) recreational scuba operations challenges include ensuring access to high-quality environmental resources, improving market share, and satisfying business targets for the products and experiences they make available. This work explores the management challenges presented to some of these operators within regional NSW. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using a questionnaire and face-to-face structured interview format. From a random sample of 20 regional NSW dive tourism operators, 15 respondents agreed to participate, with 11 finally participating. Managers responded to questions concerning their roles and discussed current issues for managers within the NSW recreational dive industry. Overall, findings indicate these managers regularly use skills associated with Mentor and Monitor roles in managing their business, whereas skills associated with Broker and Facilitator roles are required, but are less utilized. A view exists that the NSW scuba industry has reached maturity with managers constrained by a need to innovate in the current industry environment.