Photo caption: Ian Hartas, Manager, Ao Nang Divers receives the award on behalf of Ao Nang Divers

To ensure maximum participation by its members, PADI Asia Pacific participated in the 12^th Asia Dive Expo (ADEX), a premier international dive exhibition in Asia, hosted at Suntec, Singapore, April 21-23, 2006. Its second ‘Member Social’ and second annual PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards for 2006 were both organised in conjunction with Asia Dive Expo (ADEX) 2006.

PADI Asia Pacific repeated its winning formula and created a highly successful PADI Dive Pavilion with a total floor space of 180 sqm, the largest exhibit at Asia Dive Expo.

The PADI Diving Society was successfully launched at ADEX 2005 in Bangkok, Thailand and is celebrating its first year in Asia Pacific region. With over 200,000 Society members worldwide and growing, the PADI Diving Society is a key element of the PADI Pavilion, providing essential information to the diving community and anyone with an interest in the aquatic world.

PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards
At the end of 2004, PADI Asia Pacific undertook the initiative to build a more rewarding and recognition-based benefit programme for PADI Members by launching the PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards. The prestigious awards recognise excellence and innovation in the dive industry.

Following the overwhelming success of the inaugural PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards launched at ADEX 2005 hosted in Bangkok, the second annual PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards programme culminated in a Gala Member Awards Dinner with winners announced on the evening of April 22, 2006. The awards are for the Asia Pacific with only one winner per category. A panel of key industry stakeholders met to judge the finalists in each category.

Designed to recognise members’ contribution towards industry success, the PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards provide both individual and International Resort and Retailers Association (IRRA) Members the opportunity to present themselves within the relevant award categories, which are:

• Outstanding (Dive Centre / Resort) Business Award
  recognizes outstanding business performance, initiatives and achievements across all areas of business operation
  
  
• Instructor Development Award
  Celebrates outstanding achievements and commitment to PADI's Instructor Development
  
  
• Tourism Award
  recognizes excellence in the planning of tourism infrastructure and/or services with a focus on entrepreneurial vision and integration with the environment
  
  
• Young Achiever in Diving Award
  recognizes a young achiever's contribution to the development of a vibrant diving industry through their local Dive Centre/Resort
  
  
• Project AWARE Marine Environmental Award
  recognizes outstanding ecological achievements with a focus on fostering environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation
  
  
• Diver Training Award
  recognizes the outstanding achievements and professionalism in relation to raising the standards in the field of Diver Training
  
  
• Diving for Tomorrow Innovation Award
  recognizes and celebrates innovation within the diving industry, whether large or small, and to inspire others

PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards — Tourism Award category
Ao Nang Divers, representing Thailand, was winner of the Tourism Award for the Asia Pacific region.

The award recognises excellence in the planning of tourism infrastructure and/or services with a focus on entrepreneurial vision and integration with the environment.

Ao Nang Divers, a five-star-PADI Diving School in Ao Nang bay, offers dive certification courses.

The only diving school in Ao Nang with its own swimming pool, located 20 metres from the diving school, beginners experience their first dive in an exclusive swimming pool.

Competent and very professional dive instructors teach all PADI-diving courses, from the "Open Water Diver" to the "Assistant Instructor", as well as many specialty courses. For younger divers of eight years and above, the diving school now offers the "Bubble Maker" programme, as well as the "Junior Open Water" for those of 10 years and over. The newly-launched "SCUBA Diver" Programme only requires two days to complete. Programmes are offered in several international languages.

The fact that the diving school is fully integrated into the Krabi Seaview Resort is an added plus.

In addition to dive certification courses, Ao Nang Divers also offers daily diving trips (on long-tail boats) and multi-day trips to popular dive sites dotted around the Andaman Sea.

The 25-metre dive ship, Petchmanee, makes daily trips to the most beautiful dive sites in the region all year round. For example, trips to the well-known Shark Point, the Anemone Reef, the 80-metre wreck "King Cruiser" and other dive sites around the Phi Phi Islands. Different trips are also well-suited for snorkellers.

Depending on the season and demand, multi-day (two to seven-day) trips to popular dive sites such as Hin Daeng/Hin Muang, as well as those at Similan/Surin/Richelieu Rock and the Burma Banks are also offered.

Ao Nang Divers Dive Courses
www.aonang-divers.com/English/divecourses.html
Please click to view

Contact information:
Krabi Seaview Resort and
Ao Nang Divers S-18834

Company: Andaman PGH Ltd.
143 Moo 2, Ao Nang
Krabi 81000 Thailand

Web sites:
www.krabi-seaview.com (resort)
www.aonang-divers.com (diving)

promotion-video:
http://www.krabi-seaview.com/video/index.html

PADI Asia Pacific Marketing
E-mail: marketing@padi.com.au
Tel: + 61 2 9454 2816

For further information visit your PADI Dive Centre/Resort or visit padi.com