Coraya Divers, described by PADI as one of the biggest dive operators in Egypt, has become the latest to join the diver training agency, which is currently celebrating its 60th year in business.
Coraya operates three Red Sea dive-centres in the Marsa Alam / Coraya Bay area and was formerly associated with the SSI training agency. At the start of the year it brought more than 140 instructors, between them said to average 5,000 diver certifications a year, into PADI’s global professional membership of more than 128,000.
“Looking back at Coraya’s 20-year success story, it is the story of a company that never stopped searching for areas of improvement,” said Coraya chairman Hans Heinz Dilthey.
“Following this strategy also for our future development, it was a logical step for us to offer our customers full access to the wide range of benefits that PADI is providing to its partners as the world’s most renowned and widely spread training organization. We are very excited to continue our growth strategy with such a powerful partner.”
Japan and China
“Leading dive operations like Coraya recognise the power of aligning with a brand that divers actively seek out, trust, and ask for,” commented PADI Worldwide chief brand & membership officer Kristin Valette Wirth.
She pointed to Diving Lounge Aqua Quest, another previously SSI-affilated operator, as an example of such companies. Already said to be one of the largest dive operators in Japan, it had she said doubled its certification growth and seen an increase in monthly overall sales of up to a 300% since rejoining PADI in mid-2025.
“Since returning to PADI, clear results have been confirmed in customer attraction, brand trust, support systems and business replicability,” said owner Jun Sawada, “I recognise PADI as both an educational organisation and an entity possessing systems that support shop operations.”
In China, meanwhile, LAS Diving was also said to have seen substantial growth since recently becoming a PADI Member, with a 150% increase in certifications since 2024.
The company was on track to become one of the most modern and influential dive-operators in the country, according to PADI, as it continued to expand its training facilities in Shanghai and Hangzhou,
Full-fledged
“PADI is more than just a training and certification organisation, it is a full-fledged platform that truly understands and supports the day-to-day operations of diving-centres,” said LAS Diving owner Meiyi Huang.
“PADI’s global brand influence and dedicated market support in China have delivered tangible benefits to our dive-centre,” she said.
“Whether it is boosting customer awareness, driving course conversions or sustaining the promotion of diving as a sport, these advantages have made our daily diving operations more streamlined and instilled us with greater confidence.”
According to the 2025 Dive Industry Study by Boston Consulting Group, PADI dive-centres and resorts are the most recognised and respected globally and also the most successful. The average PADI Member was reported to earn US $186,000 more in 2024 than unaffiliated companies. Membership can be arranged through PADI Regional Offices.
