What Scuba Cancun does

Scuba Cancun is a privately held, family-run PADI 5 Star Dive Center founded in 1980 by Captain Luis Hurtado and headquartered in Cancun's Hotel Zone at Kukulcán Boulevard Km 5, Mexico. The company operates dive activities across Cancun, Cozumel, and the Riviera Maya using a captive fleet of 38-54 foot diesel-powered boats equipped with fishfinders, GPS, Penn reels, downriggers, fighting chairs, and emergency equipment, supplemented by professional underwater photography services. Its offering spans guided reef, cenote cavern, night, and wreck dives (including three 1940s-era navy shipwrecks at 85-90 feet), PADI certification and specialty courses (Open Water $498, Advanced $399, Cavern Diver $595, plus Refreshers), MUSA underwater museum dives, seasonal whale shark snorkel tours (June-September), Isla Contoy national park excursions, and Bertram-based deep-sea fishing charters (4-8 hours at $730-$926).

The business model is direct-to-consumer, transacted primarily through the company's e-commerce storefront at scubacancun.com.mx with optional hotel pickup/drop-off integrations across Cancun and Playa del Carmen hotels, supplemented by walk-in sales at the Hotel Zone dive shop. Eight revenue streams are run on a pay-as-you-go unit-pricing model, with bundles (Passport A-E at $225-$492) layering multi-day, multi-site itineraries onto per-dive pricing. Customer segments are horizontal and persona-based: tourists/vacationers, beginner divers, certified diver enthusiasts, families with children, and photography enthusiasts. Distribution also taps the global PADI ecosystem as a 5 Star channel partner and participates in industry events (PADI Women's Dive Day, Oceans Festival with Delphinus) plus community programs anchored by a hyperbaric chamber partnership and Thomas Hurtado's role as Chief of the Cancun Fire Department. Operations have 21 employees, no disclosed external investors, and the Hurtado family retains full ownership.

Name

Scuba Cancun

Legal name

Scuba Cancun

Website

https://scubacancun.com.mx

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Scuba Cancun is a family-run PADI 5 Star Dive Center founded in 1980 in Cancun, Mexico, providing guided scuba diving, PADI certification courses, snorkeling, whale shark tours, and deep-sea fishing charters to tourists across Cancun, Cozumel, and the Riviera Maya.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Diving Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Tour Operators (561520)

akta.pro primary industry

Scuba Diving & Freediving Centers (Training, Guided Dives) (THAAAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dive Centers & Scuba Training (PADI/SSI, certifications) (THAAAIAA), Diving Experiences (Scuba Dives, Dive Trips, PADI/SSI Courses) (THAJAJAD), Snorkeling Tours & Reef Experiences (THAJAJAE), Dive & Snorkel Equipment Rental, Retail & Boat Services (compressors, gear hire) (THAAAIAL)

Keywords

• Scuba diving tours
• PADI certification courses
• Snorkeling excursions
• Deep sea fishing charters
• Underwater museum diving

Headquarters

HQ city

Cancún

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Diving Tours: One and two-tank diving experiences in Cancun, Cozumel, and Riviera Maya with certified PADI instructors. Includes dives to reefs, cenotes, and shipwrecks.
2. PADI Certification Courses: PADI Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water, and specialty certifications. Courses include pool training, academic instruction, and ocean dives.
3. Snorkeling Tours: Various snorkeling experiences including cavern snorkeling, Cozumel snorkeling, and museum snorkeling at MUSA.
4. Deep Sea Fishing Charters: Deep sea fishing charters on Bertram 38ft boats with captains having 20+ years experience. Includes equipment, bait, drinks, and fishing license.
5. Whale Shark Adventure: Seasonal eco-tour (June-September) to swim with whale sharks. Includes transportation, bilingual guide (biologist or naturist), meals and snorkel gear.
6. Photo and Video Packages: Professional photographers capture underwater moments. Packages include 25 photos and 2 videos, priced per person or group.
7. Dive Packages: Multi-day passport packages combining dives in Cancun, Cozumel, and cenotes at discounted rates compared to individual bookings.
8. Equipment Rental: Wetsuit rental at $8-10 USD. Equipment packages available for certified divers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Scuba Cancun operates a PADI 5 Star Dive Center in Cancún, Mexico, selling guided scuba diving tours, PADI certification and specialty courses, snorkeling excursions, deep sea fishing charters, seasonal whale shark encounters, and Isla Contoy tours across Cancun, Cozumel, and Riviera Maya. Bookings are taken directly through its website and on-site dive shop, with optional hotel pickup and equipment rental.

Product overview

Scuba Cancun is a family-run PADI 5 Star Dive Center offering over 43 years of diving experience in Cancun, Cozumel, and Riviera Maya. The company provides a comprehensive portfolio of scuba diving services including guided dives for certified divers (1-tank, 2-tank, night, cavern, and Cozumel dives), PADI certification programs (Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Scuba Diver), and specialty courses (Boat, Cavern, Deep, Drift, Night, Nitrox, Wreck, Search & Recovery, Naturalist, Navigator). Non-certified beginners are served through Discover Scuba Diving, PADI Bubble Maker, and demo experiences. The company also offers snorkeling tours (cavern, Cozumel, MUSA museum), whale shark adventures (seasonal June-September), Isla Contoy national park tours, deep sea fishing charters, and professional photo/video packages. Dive packages combining multiple destinations and activities are available under the Passport series (A through E).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scuba Diving Tours Scuba diving excursions for certified divers, including 1-tank and 2-tank reef dives in Cancun, night dives, cavern dives, and Cozumel dives, operated with PADI-certified instructors.
• PADI Certification Programs PADI-certified diving courses including Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, and Scuba Diver certification programs for adults and travelers seeking formal dive certification.
• PADI Speciality Courses Advanced PADI specialty courses including Boat Diver, Cavern Diver, Deep Diver, Drift Diver, Night Diver, Nitrox Diver, Wreck Diver, Search and Recovery, Naturalist, and Navigator for certified divers.
• Diving Packages (Passport A-E) Multi-day dive packages combining dives in Cancun, Cozumel, and cenotes with varying configurations of 1-tank and 2-tank dives, priced per package (Passport A $365, B $492, D $379, E $225).
• Snorkeling Tours Snorkeling excursions including cavern snorkeling, Cozumel snorkeling, and snorkeling at MUSA underwater museum, designed for non-divers and vacationers.
• Cancun Underwater Museum of Art (MUSA) Dives and Snorkeling Diving and snorkeling tours at the MUSA underwater sculpture museum with sculptures by Jason deCaires Taylor, offered to Beginner Divers, Certified Divers, and Snorkelers at differentiated price points.
• Whale Shark Adventure Seasonal eco-tour (June–September) to snorkel with whale sharks in their natural habitat near Holbox and Contoy, including transportation, bilingual biologist/naturist guide, meals, and snorkel gear.
• Isla Contoy Tour Tour to Isla Contoy National Park including snorkeling, island exploration, breakfast, lunch, and open bar, with optional hotel transportation from Cancun.
• Deep Sea Fishing Charters Deep sea fishing charters on Bertram 38 ft boats equipped with fishfinder, GPS, Penn reels, down and out riggers, and fighting chairs, offered in 4-hour ($730), 6-hour ($830), and 8-hour ($926) packages with equipment, bait, drinks, and fishing license.
• Photo and Video Packages Professional photography and video capture during tours, delivering 25 photos and 2 videos, with pricing tiers for singles ($50), couples ($70), and four-person groups ($100).
• Beginner Diving Programs Introductory diving experiences for non-certified guests including Discover Scuba Diving (1 pool dive and 2 reef dives with theory and pool practice), PADI Bubble Maker for kids 8–11 ($65), and Scuba Diving Demo experiences.
• PADI Refresher Courses Refresher courses for certified divers, including the PADI Refresher Course and PADI Refresher Express, to update diving skills after periods of inactivity.

Quantifiable outcome

• PADI certification completion in 2-3 days
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cancun Fire DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScuba Cancun provides water rescue training courses with international standards for firefighters. Thomas Hurtado, General Manager of Scuba Cancun, has been twice appointed Chief of the Cancun Fire Department. The company procures donations of vehicles and equipment from fire departments worldwide, networking with the private sector and foundations for equipment maintenance and renewal.
• Delphinus (Oceans Festival)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScuba Cancun participates in the beach cleaning of Isla Contoy program as part of the 3rd Oceans Festival organized by Delphinus company every June. The last event gathered over 100 volunteers and collected more than 794 lbs of waste from the island.
• Nautical Associates of Isla Mujeres and CancuncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScuba Cancun along with Nautical Associates supported the MUSA (Museo Subacuático de Arte) underwater sculpture museum project to provide divers with an alternate dive site focused on artificial reef creation. Jason deCaires Taylor's sculptures are made of special cement that welcomes microscopic organisms.
• Hiperbaric Chamber (Cancun)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScuba Cancun purchased and brought the hiperbaric chamber to Cancun and currently maintains a partnership stake in the chamber. This provides critical emergency medical support for diving-related injuries.
• PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPADI 5 Star Dive Center status since at least 1983 (35 years as of 2018). Authorized to offer all PADI certification courses including Open Water, Advanced, and specialty courses. Access to PADI's elearning platform and marketing resources.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Xcaret / Grupo Xcaret: Mexican eco-park conglomerate operating Xcaret, Xel-Há, and Xenotes with on-site snorkeling, diving, and cenote activities. A broader incumbent that bundles water activities into larger destination experiences, partially overlapping with Scuba Cancun's cenote and reef offerings.

Direct peers

• Pro Dive International: International PADI-affiliated dive operator with strong presence in Cozumel and Mexico, offering guided dives and certification courses. Competes head-to-head for multi-day dive packages and certified-diver bookings in the Riviera Maya.
• Aquaworld Cancun: Largest multi-activity water sports operator in Cancun's Hotel Zone, offering scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, and jet ski tours. Direct competitor for tourist diving and snorkeling bookings in the same primary geography.
• Manta Divers: Cozumel-based PADI 5 Star dive operator offering reef, wreck, and drift dives plus certification courses. Competes directly with Scuba Cancun for Cozumel dive bookings and PADI certifications.
• Blue XTreme Diving: Playa del Carmen-based PADI dive center offering cenote, cavern, and Cozumel dive trips plus certifications. Competes for the same Riviera Maya tourist segments, particularly cenote experiences.
• Aldora Divers: Cozumel dive operator specializing in small-group reef and drift dives. Direct peer competing for advanced certified divers seeking Cozumel experiences.
• Dive Aventuras: Akumal-based dive operator offering cenote cavern dives, reef diving, and PADI certifications in the Riviera Maya. Direct competitor for cenote/cave diving experiences and beginner certifications.
• Dive Palancar: Cozumel-based dive shop offering Palancar and Santa Rosa wall dives plus certifications. Competes for the same Cozumel dive trip segment.
• Cozumel Dive School: Long-established Cozumel dive operator offering PADI courses and guided dives. Comparable heritage operator competing for certified divers and certification students in the same regional market.

Others

• Delphinus: Mexican marine park and dolphin interaction operator that partners with Scuba Cancun on the Oceans Festival. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor, with overlapping customer base in Cancun's marine tourism segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scuba-cancun

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Scuba Cancun