Post,Author,Content
"Δημόσια Διαβούλευση για την Εθνική Στρατηγική Ανάπτυξης του Καταδυτικού Τουρισμού στην Κύπρο",info@dive-technician.com,"Public Consultation Response
National Strategy for the Development of Diving Tourism in Cyprus
Submitted by: ASSET – Accreditation Scheme for Service Engineers and Technicians

I welcome the Deputy Ministry of Tourism’s initiative to develop a National Strategy for the Development of Diving Tourism in Cyprus. Cyprus has significant potential as a diving destination, and the development of dive sites, infrastructure, promotion, environmental protection and operational standards is an important step forward for the sector.

I would like to respectfully suggest that the final Strategy and Implementation Plan include a specific technical safety and competence workstream for the diving industry.

While diving tourism is often viewed from the perspective of dive sites, visitor experience, marketing, environmental protection and dive-centre operations, the safe delivery of diving activities also depends heavily on the technical systems behind the service. These include diving cylinders, valves, compressors, breathing-air quality, oxygen-service equipment, gas blending, emergency oxygen systems, servicing records and the competence of technicians and staff responsible for this equipment.

ISO 24803:2017 is an important standard for recreational diving service providers. However, it should be supported by a broader technical safety framework covering the equipment and breathing-gas systems used by dive centres. This is particularly important where dive centres provide rental equipment, fill cylinders, operate compressors, provide nitrox or oxygen-enriched gas mixtures, or maintain emergency oxygen equipment.

I therefore recommend that the Implementation Plan includes a section titled:

“Technical Safety and Competence Framework for Diving Tourism”

This framework could include the following actions:

1. Establish minimum expectations for dive-centre equipment servicing records, cylinder records, compressor maintenance records and breathing-air quality records. This is

2. Encourage or require appropriate competence training for persons involved in compressor operation, breathing-air production, oxygen cleaning, gas blending, cylinder inspection awareness and equipment maintenance.

3. Include periodic refresher training or CPD for dive-centre technical staff, instructors and operators responsible for safety-critical equipment.

4. Promote recognised European, British and International Standards relevant to the diving sector, including standards covering recreational diving service providers, breathing-gas quality, cylinder safety, cylinder inspection and testing, gas blending, oxygen service and environmental best practice.

5. Include emergency oxygen equipment checks as part of dive-centre safety readiness, including oxygen cylinder status, regulator function, mask availability, signage, emergency numbers and documented inspection.

6. Create a technical consultation group involving dive centres, instructors, compressor operators, cylinder inspectors, service technicians, training providers, competent authorities and relevant standards bodies.

7. Consider financial support or training incentives to help dive centres and staff achieve recognised technical competence, especially where this supports national licensing, ISO compliance and improved visitor safety.

ASSET would be willing to contribute technical knowledge to any working group or consultation process relating to diving equipment safety, compressor operation, breathing-air quality, cylinder inspection, oxygen service, gas blending and technician competence.

The purpose of this suggestion is not to duplicate ISO 24803 or to replace the role of the Deputy Ministry or any competent authority. Rather, it is to ensure that the development of diving tourism in Cyprus is supported by the technical safety systems needed to protect divers, support dive-centre operators and strengthen Cyprus’ reputation as a safe, professional and standards-based diving destination.

A successful national diving tourism strategy should include not only dive-site development and promotion, but also the technical competence required to ensure that the equipment, cylinders, compressors and breathing gases used by visiting divers are safe, properly maintained and appropriately documented."