CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Jan. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Divi Dive Bonaire, Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino's PADI 5-Star SSI dive facility, is thrilled to welcome James Helliwell to the team as the new Dive Operations Manager starting January 2020. Helliwell is no stranger to the sea – he's been diving for the past 28 years and has 10 years of experience working in the diving industry.
Hailing from South Africa, Helliwell started diving nearly three decades ago and quickly fell in love with the sport and started diving all over the world, encountering all sorts of sea creatures, including sharks, seals, sea horses and a variety of fish species. Having visited Bonaire many times for diving holidays, Helliwell says the decision to take the helm at Divi Dive Bonaire was an easy one.
"I have been traveling to Bonaire as a holiday diver for years and know the island's dive sites very well. Of course, as with most, Bonaire found its way into my heart. Bonaire is voted the best shore diving destination in the world year after year, and I couldn't agree more," said Helliwell. "The ease of diving, the freedom of shore diving, the health of the reefscape and the variety of fish are far superior to any other location I have visited. But it is more than that; Bonaire is clean, beautiful and full of adventurous spirit and friendly people. So when my wife and I decided to move to the Caribbean, Bonaire was the logical choice for us."
Helliwell has a strong management and technical background having worked as a projects manager, small business owner, technical servicing manager, divemaster trainer, scuba technician and mechanical engineer. He was also an avid recreational and commercial fisherman and spent time building, repairing and refurbishing boats in Africa.
With over 13 PADI certifications and technical training in a variety of areas, Helliwell is the perfect fit for the job. At Divi Flamingo, he will be involved in all aspects of Divi Dive Bonaire's dive operation, including managing staff, training divers, overseeing maintenance, running the dive shop, enhancing customer service and working with individual divers and groups to ensure that a once in a lifetime dive holiday is truly the most perfect that it can be.
"We're excited to welcome James Helliwell to the team," said Celine Van Meer, Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino's General Manager. "He is a great leader with plenty of experience in the diving industry, plus he has great customer service skills and tons of knowledge, so we can't wait to see what fresh ideas and initiatives he comes up with to add even more excitement to our already vast list of offerings."
In addition, Divi Flamingo is wrapping up its highly-anticipated studio renovations. The popular rooms have been remodeled from top to bottom with new appliances, furnishings, bathroom fixtures and fittings, electronics and more. The outside of our studio buildings is also being refreshed with a sleek and modern look. Additional enhancements include enlarged living spaces that allow guests to eat in air-conditioned comfort around an indoor dining table and an open balcony that provides great views of Bonaire's stunning sunsets.
"It's been an award-winning year for Divi Dive Bonaire and Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino, with four awards between the two from Scuba Diving Magazine's 27th Annual 2020 Readers Choice Awards. Our resort and dive operation head into 2020 with new leadership, completely renovated studio units, improvements to the grounds throughout the resort and a new Executive Chef to enhance the culinary experience," said Marco Galaverna, Divi Resorts President & COO. "We continue to be 100% committed to focusing on green initiatives and working with the island of Bonaire to ensure we maintain its pristine environment."
About Divi Resorts
Divi Resorts is the vacation expert of the Caribbean, with a collection of seven premium resorts spanning the five stunning Caribbean islands of Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, St. Croix, and St. Maarten. For more information on Divi Resorts, call 1-800-367-3484 or visit http://www.diviresorts.com.
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