News

Even before Cayman Airways launched its non-stop flight to Denver, Colorado this month, representatives of Cayman’s dive industry were knocking on dive shop doors in the region and promoting Cayman’s dive product.

“I’m really excited about this new route,” said Steve Broadbelt, co-owner of Ocean Frontiers, who braved 20-degree weather in Colorado in December to promote the new service. “It’s going to give our dive resorts and businesses a big boost because the feedback from the Colorado dive businesses was very positive. We will eventually see big visitor numbers from this route, and it’s not just Denver, but also the connectivity to the west.”

“There is definitely a lot of excitement,” said Sunset House’s Emma-Jane Fisher who just wrapped up a sales blitz in Colorado in partnership with Sarah-Jane Harlan of Red Sail Sports. “80% of the dive shops have Cayman in the books for 2019 and 2020.”

“It is wonderful!” said Steve Weaver owner of Weaver’s Dive & Travel Center in Boulder, Colorado. “This flight is going to make The Cayman Islands much more accessible from Denver than ever before. Having a non-stop flight is a game changer!”

The Denver region is a large and active dive market, 6th in the nation for certified divers. Colorado is home to first-rate dive stores, many with existing relationships to the Cayman Islands. The sales teams called on shops in Denver, Fort Collins, Boulder and Colorado Springs.

“A lot of people appreciated us being there to personally spread the word,” said Sarah-Jane Harlan, and Steve Weaver agrees.

“It is always great to have representatives from a destination come in for face to face meetings - helps build relationships and future business.”

Weaver has been bringing divers to Cayman for many years, and he was on the Cayman Airways inaugural flight to Grand Cayman. The new service, he says, will make Cayman, probably his favorite Caribbean dive destination, more accessible to his customers. Why does he keep coming back to Cayman with his dive groups?

“Mainly because of the great diving, but also because of Cayman’s lovely accommodations, catering to all budgets, and its great restaurants,” he said.

“This is a good customer dynamic for us,” says Southern Cross Club General Manager Jennifer Mills. “We see many travelers from the Denver area, and markets out West. Here, they can enjoy rustic small-island culture while doing some fantastic diving. That comes with beachfront bungalows, fine dining, fishing, biking and outstanding customer service. This air accessibility is great news for us!”

Cayman’s dive operators historically team up to promote the Cayman Islands to new and existing dive markets, often in cooperation with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism.  Everyone they met during the sales calls was excited about Cayman’s new accessibility.

Some guests from Denver, who flew in using the new route, have already stayed at Sunset House. They said that they love the convenience this non-stop service offers and the warm blue waters of Cayman.

The 4.5-hour non-stop flights run on Wednesdays and Saturdays until mid-August, and then start again in mid-December with a Saturday only flight. The Denver flight is part of a government plan to increase tourism from the West Coast. As this market is developed, Cayman’s dive operators plan to continue aggressively promoting Cayman’s dive product to new customers.