Dive Friends Bonaire has been a leading force in Bonaire’s diving industry for many years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company acquired several dive operations across the island, ultimately growing to approximately 70% market share within Bonaire’s diving industry.
This rapid expansion also created new challenges. With the business growing from a single dive operation into a multi-location organization with seven dive shops, three retail stores, and a team of approximately 70 employees, the existing marketing structure was no longer aligned with the scale of the company.
After several years of working with freelancers and part-time marketers, the organization recognized the need to build a dedicated marketing department capable of supporting future growth. In November 2024, I joined Dive Friends Bonaire with the goal of assessing the current marketing ecosystem, defining a new strategic direction, and building the foundation for long-term growth.
As Marketing Director and a member of the leadership team, I oversee the strategic marketing direction for Dive Friends Bonaire and its affiliated retail brands, including REEF, ARENA, and The Beach Shop.
My role extends beyond campaign execution, focusing on building the systems, partnerships, and processes required for sustainable growth. I lead annual marketing planning and budgeting, manage internal and external stakeholders, develop new products and go-to-market strategies, and oversee brand development across tourism and retail.
Key initiatives include the rebranding and relaunch of ARENA and The Beach Shop, development of white-label dive concepts with accommodation partners, strategic partnership development, and representing the company at international dive and tourism trade shows.
My first priority was conducting a comprehensive assessment of the organization's marketing ecosystem. This included reviewing strategy, budgets, channels, agencies, advertising performance, OTA relationships, partnerships, customer journeys, and brand consistency across all seven Dive Friends locations.
Based on these insights, I developed a new marketing strategy focused on sustainable growth. This included reallocating existing budgets, restructuring partnerships, expanding the team, improving internal processes, and creating a more integrated approach across all brands and customer touchpoints.
The goal was not only to improve marketing performance, but to establish a scalable marketing foundation capable of supporting the company's continued expansion.
Some measurable results we have accomplished between 2024 and 2026.
When the Avelo System entered the market, it introduced a completely new approach to recreational diving. As the first dive operator in the world offering Avelo training and equipment rental, Dive Friends found itself at the forefront of diving innovation.
With no established playbook, the challenge was to understand the target audience, identify market opportunities, and determine how to position this new experience within Bonaire’s tourism landscape.
Based on these insights, I developed the Avelo Experience: an all-inclusive week combining innovative diving technology, premium service, and the unique underwater environment of Bonaire.
Read more about The Avelo Experience here.
Our partnership with Delfins Beach Resort, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, has become a valuable collaboration focused on creating exceptional guest experiences.
Throughout 2025 and into 2026, we strengthened this relationship by developing tailored diving packages specifically designed for Delfins guests. These experiences introduced elevated service levels and concierge-style diving activities aligned with the expectations of the North American market.
The partnership demonstrates how strategic collaboration between hospitality and diving can create additional value for both brands while enhancing the overall visitor experience on Bonaire.
One of the key challenges identified was an inconsistent visual identity across channels, caused by a lack of centralized marketing direction. Content varied significantly in quality, style, and purpose, resulting in fragmented brand communication.
The strategy was not to eliminate authentic content, but to create a clear framework for when and how different content types should be used. For organic channels, authentic user-generated content remains highly valuable in diving, allowing audiences to experience Bonaire’s underwater world virtually.
For paid advertising, websites, and partner channels, higher-quality visual storytelling was introduced to strengthen brand perception, improve communication, and better showcase the diving experience.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Beyond marketing, I contributed to broader organizational improvements focused on scalability, efficiency, and future growth:
- Conducted a website, analytics, and tracking audit, implementing key optimizations.
- Mapped the customer journey and adjusted marketing touchpoints accordingly.
- Developed reporting structures and systems to improve business intelligence and decision-making.
- Helped redefine company culture and translate it into tangible initiatives.
- Optimized operational processes that had remained unchanged despite organizational growth.
- Contributed to company-wide restructuring to better align teams, responsibilities, and future objectives.
These initiatives extended beyond traditional marketing responsibilities and contributed to the broader transformation of Dive Friends Bonaire into a more structured, scalable, and future-focused organization.
With a network of more than 15 accommodation, transportation, and travel partners, we identified an opportunity to redefine our partner proposition and expand our reach.
Through market research, industry events, and conversations with tourism partners, we identified a growing trend: more travelers were choosing private accommodations through platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO, and local rental providers instead of traditional resorts.
This revealed an underserved audience within the diving market. By developing partnerships with smaller accommodations and vacation rental providers, we created new distribution channels and strengthened our ability to reach independent travelers looking for premium diving experiences.