UK charity the Reef-World Foundation, which administers the Green Fins code of conduct for international dive operators, has formed two new partnerships. One is with the US-based Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) to boost support for eco-conscious travel companies, and the other with a software provider called Diversdesk.
Established in 1990, ATTA claims to be the world’s biggest network of adventure travel leaders, comprising some 30,000 “individual guides, tour operators, lodges, travel advisors, tourism boards, destination marketing and management organisations, outdoor educators, gear companies and travel media”.
Reef-World and ATTA plan to collaborate to raise sustainability awareness among the association’s global membership through Green Fins training opportunities, including offering a 10% discount on the online Green Fins Dive Guide and Green Fins Diver e-courses.
These programmes for dive professionals and recreational divers are self-paced and modular, says Reef-World, providing information and practical tools to help trainees build on existing skills to minimise their environmental impact and protect coral reefs.
“The ATTA community shares a deep commitment to sustainability across all facets of adventure travel,” says the association’s CEO Shannon Stowell. “This collaboration with Reef-World provides our members with globally recognised tools, training and real-world solutions to take measurable action in protecting one of the planet’s most precious ecosystems.”
Protection in the office
Meanwhile Reef-World says its other new partnership will offer Green Fins dive operators a 10% discount on the price of a Diversdesk paperless bookings-management system, with the software provider making an unspecified donation to the foundation for every new sign-up.
The core offering of Diversdesk, a Netherlands and Indonesia (Bali)-based company, is claimed to simplify dive-centre administration.
“This partnership with Diversdesk provides a practical way for our Green Fins members to operate more sustainably,” says Reef-World operations director JJ Harvey.
“By offering a paperless solution, we’re addressing a key area where dive-centres can reduce their environmental impact. We encourage all Green Fins members to take advantage of this partnership to strengthen their commitment to conservation.”
Reef-World has worked with governments, communities and the private sector for more than 20 years to protect coral reefs by reducing local environmental threats, with Green Fins the only internationally recognised set of environmental standards for diving and snorkelling.
