The ‘mermaid’ making course is highly sought after in China

With a beautiful shape, mermaid diving is being explored by many Chinese people who love the ocean, leading to the demand for courses and training.
In recent years, mermaid diving has become increasingly standardized worldwide. “Mermaid” training schools have sprung up everywhere from Singapore, the US to China, according to CNN.

“Mermaid diving is developing very quickly in China,” said Mr. Yan Lou, president of PADI (Association of Professional Diving Instructors) in the country of billions of people. On April 28, more than 100 “mermaids” appeared at the Ambassador Lagoonkhu hotel aquarium at Atlantis Sanya resort (China). This activity aims to break the Guinness record for the largest mermaid diving show in the world, on the occasion of the resort’s 3rd anniversary. After this activity, PADI launched 4 mermaid diving courses from basic to advanced. These courses are all very popular in China. “After admiring the beautiful images of the mermaids, the audience seemed to immediately want to take the course. Within four months of its launch, mermaid courses accounted for 30% of local certifications in China,” said Lou. The mermaid diving performance at Atlantis Sanya set a Guinness record. Photo: CNN. Corinna Davids, the head of development for mermaid dive courses offered by SSI (Diving Society International), also confirms this trend. “There is a huge demand for mermaid diving lessons in China. The sport has grown exponentially since we started rolling out in 2017,” she said. SSI has offered independent mermaid diving courses at more than 3,000 locations worldwide. “We now have more than 1,000 mermaid trainers in China and the sport is growing rapidly. This sport is also a bridge to help scuba diving and freediving become more known in this country,” added Davids. Attraction from the ocean Similar to freediving, the “mermaids” do not use any oxygen or support equipment other than a fishtail. “Wearing a fishtail restricts leg movement, making diving more difficult. Divers must use their belly and waist to move. This requires a long time of practice to be able to move smoothly and gracefully like a real mermaid”, said Dada Li, one of the pioneers in mermaid diving and also the PADI representative at China, said. China is a very potential market for mermaid diving. Photo: Xinhua. In 2015, Li completed an international course in freediving instruction and became the first female freediving instructor in China. In the same year, she established a professional team of mermaid divers to perform at aquariums and underwater events in China. Thanks to their meticulousness and skillful technique, the mermaids make the audience admire. The spread on social networks also helps these professions begin to become more widely known. China is also home to some of the youngest divers in the world. In addition, women in this country make up the largest proportion of divers in the world (nearly 50%). The mermaid diving show is loved by many people because of its beauty. Photo: Werner Lau. “Mermaid diving is often seen as an activity for children or women. However, we can guarantee that this is the right sport for everyone. My husband loves it too,” Davids said. Compared to freediving or scuba diving courses, mermaid diving focuses on fun, safety and enjoyment of life. This subject is for those who are not afraid to go into the water and have a love for the ocean. “As a freedom-loving person, I feel like I’ve turned into a real mermaid when diving, able to go anywhere I want,” Li said.