Dive Industry Statistics | Market Data
Scuba Diving Equipment Market Size 2021–2025
The global recreational scuba diving equipment market size was valued at $1.95 billion in 2019 and is forecasted to reach this level again in 2023, post-pandemic recession.
Darcy Kieran is the author of the reference book “Scuba Diving Industry Market Size & Statistics.”
In the face of a growing number of scammers offering expensive fake dive industry market studies online, the Business of Diving Institute is clarifying the current status of the scuba diving gear industry.
With a steady decline in the scuba diving participation rate (-4.6% average annual decline over the last 5 years), the recreational scuba diving equipment market was facing downward pressure even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
A final SFIA report on dive gear sales during the pandemic year of 2020 indicates a drop of 20% at wholesale.
In an analysis of the impact of the pandemic on the dive industry, the Business of Diving Institute concluded that 20% of retail dive shops would be permanently closed by the end of the pandemic.
In a recent study on the size of the scuba diving industry, the Business of Diving Institute evaluated the annual scuba diving equipment market at $1.95 billion, in 2019, at retail value to scuba diving consumers.
Since the scuba diving industry as a whole is highly dependent on international travel to tropical destinations, the speed at which the travel industry will get back on track after the COVID-19 pandemic will have a direct impact on dive gear sales worldwide.
The global recreational scuba diving equipment market size was valued at $1.95 billion in 2019 and is forecasted to reach this level again in 2023, post-pandemic recession.
A forecast on international tourism by Oxford Economics predicted that “tourism won’t reach 2019 levels again until 2024”. In November 2020, the USA Travel Association (USTA) forecasted a “37.5% increase in travel spending in 2021, followed by a 14.2% increase in 2022. But it won’t be until a predicted 7.4% increase in 2023 that the travel industry can consider itself recovered”.
Will it be 2023 or 2024? Or 2025? Governments' ability to keep new COVID-19 variants under control will be crucial for the 2023 recovery scenario to materialize itself.
A new wave of travel restrictions due to a resurgence of COVID-19 fueled by variants would push the date for a full recovery in worldwide scuba diving equipment sales to 2024 or 2025. Perhaps these variants should be labeled COVID-21 but that is a different topic!
By distribution channel, the global diving equipment market is classified into specialty stores, big-box retailers, and online. Traditionally, specialty stores have been the leading suppliers of dive gear in what is a niche market. Post-pandemic, online retailing will pick up a significant part of market shares to compensate for the closure of local dive shops. Well-established dive specialty retailers that weathered the pandemic will also increase their market shares.
The key dive gear product segments are:
- Scuba Unit
- Fins, Masks, Snorkels
- Dive Suits
- Non-Essentials
Scuba diving equipment in the “scuba unit” segment includes:
- BCDs (vests)
- Regulators
- Computers & Gauges
- Rebreathers
Dive gear in the “non-essential” segment includes:
- Photo & Video Equipment
- Bags & Luggage
- Apparel
- Dive Accessories
Some scuba diving equipment product segments will rebound faster and better than others, considering the pre-pandemic trend toward traveling light and a relative increase in scuba diving participation by casual divers who may do only a day or two of scuba diving during a week-long vacation.
The three scuba diving equipment segments expected to grow faster than the rest of the dive gear market are:
- Computers
- Dive Suits
- Accessories
The global scuba diving gear market analysis by the Business of Diving Institute is segmented by region:
- North America (main market: USA)
- Europe (main markets: Italy, France, Germany, UK, Spain)
- Rest of the World (main market: Japan)
The scuba diving equipment market size is only a component of the dive industry, which includes:
- Scuba Diving Gear
- Dive Training
- Dive Trips & Travel
- Other Services
“Other services” are primarily:
- Rental dive equipment
- Repair & maintenance
- Fill station operations
Major scuba diving gear suppliers include dive manufacturers like Johnson Outdoors (Scubapro), Aqua Lung, Mares, Poseidon, Beuchat, and Shearwater; plus the in-house brands of big-box retailers like Decathlon.
Also from Darcy Kieran:
- Handbook: Your Career and/or Life as a Scuba Diving Instructor: How to Make a Good Living Out of Your Passion for Scuba Diving.
- Logbook: Advanced Scuba Diving Logbook with Checklists for certified scuba divers, divemasters & dive instructors.
- Handbook: Advanced Guide to SPF Scuba Diving for Scuba Divers, Divemasters & Dive Instructors: Develop Better Scuba Diving Skills, Dive Safer, Save Money & Have More Fun!
- Handbook: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide To Scuba Diving: How to Increase Safety, Save Money & Have More Fun!
- Logbook: STARTER Scuba Diving Logbook with Checklists while getting your open water diver certification!
- Reference book: Scuba Diving Industry Market Reports, Data & Statistics.
Side note: During your surface intervals, have a look at my novels with a scuba diving twist, starting with “Mystery of The Blue Dragon” and “Shadows on Ocean Drive.”
You could help the dive industry by taking part in ongoing dive industry surveys. You will also find results from our past scuba diving market studies here.
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What now? Have a look at the complete Scubanomics Table of Contents.
