What the Next Generation of Divers Actually Values, and Why We Miss It

Let’s talk about the part that usually gets glossed over.

When dive shops struggle to attract and retain younger or next-gen divers, the assumption is often:

“They don’t have the money.”

“They don’t have the attention span.”

“They’re just not as committed.”

But the research tells a very different story.

Across industries—not just diving—younger consumers consistently show different value drivers, not lower interest.

Here’s what multiple studies actually show younger generations (Millennials and Gen Z) prioritize:

1. Experience over equipment

Research from McKinsey, Eventbrite, and Deloitte consistently shows that younger consumers value memorable experiences over owning things.

They’re far more likely to spend on:

• Travel

• Unique activities

• Community-driven experiences

Less motivated by:

• Status purchases

• Long upgrade ladders

• Gear accumulation as identity

Diving should be perfect for this.

But when marketing leads with:

“Here’s the gear you’ll need”

instead of

“Here’s the experience you’ll have”

…the emotional hook never sets.

2. Belonging before mastery

Multiple Gen Z and Millennial studies show that community and inclusion rank higher than expertise or hierarchy.

People want to know:

• “Will I feel welcome here?”

• “Are people like me already doing this?”

• “Is this social, or am I on my own?”

Many dive shops unintentionally emphasize:

• Technical credibility

• Certification status

• Insider language

That signals competence—but not always belonging.

And if you don’t feel like you belong early, you don’t stick around long enough to become “serious.”

3. Identity alignment matters

Younger generations strongly favor brands and communities that align with their:

• Values

• Lifestyle

• Social identity

This doesn’t mean politics.

It means:

• Representation

• Tone

• Accessibility

• Culture

If all the imagery, language, and storytelling suggest:

“This is for a very specific type of person”

…many potential divers self-select out before ever walking in the door.

Not because they couldn’t dive.

But because they didn’t see themselves there.

4. Casual doesn’t mean uncommitted

Here’s a big one the dive industry often misreads.

Research shows younger participants often enter hobbies casually first, then deepen over time if the pathway feels supportive and flexible.

The problem?

Diving often presents an all-or-nothing path:

Cert → buy gear → join trips → commit

For many younger consumers, that feels like a cliff, not a ramp.

So they:

• Try diving on vacation

• Love it

• Go home

• And never find a clear, welcoming next step

That’s not disinterest.

That’s friction.

So what does this mean for diving?

It means the issue isn’t:

“Young people don’t want to dive.”

It’s more often:

“The way we invite people in doesn’t match how they decide.”

And when an industry designs everything around insiders, newcomers don’t fail.

They just drift away.

In the next post, I’ll talk about what this means practically for dive shops—without blowing up their identity or abandoning their core divers.

Because this isn’t about changing who diving is for.

It’s about making sure the door is actually open.