Huge demand for scuba diving courses in Qatar

Scuba diving courses are in high demand in Qatar as more and more people especially Qataris engage in recreational diving, a scuba diving instructor has said.
“Like in many parts of the world, more people in Qatar especially young Qataris are becoming interested  in scuba diving and in exploring Qatar’s marine life. Most Qataris in general have a penchant for scuba diving because Qatar is a peninsula,” Khaled Zaki, diving master instructor and marine enthusiast, told The Peninsula yesterday.
“Since Qatar is surrounded by water, each house contains something related to the sea such as a speedboat, fishing rods, fishing nets and snorkeling equipment. Qataris have a strong relation to the sea. They love the water so they like scuba diving,” said Zaki.
Zaki has been into scuba diving for 25 years, a decade of which have been spend in Qatar teaching scuba diving enthusiasts. “I’ve been in Qatar since year 2000 diving almost every day and certifying more than 3,500 Qataris to be scuba divers,” he said.
He said scuba diving is booming and is becoming a trend around the world. “Many people want to scuba dive because it has become very easy and affordable and safe compared to other sports,” he observed.
The country has a wealth of excellent diving sites which adds to the appeal of the recreational diving, according to Zaki.
“Qatar has lots of diving and snorkeling sites, the best of which I would say are the Inland Sea southwest of Qatar, Mesaieed area, Shamal, and Dukhan.  Qatar’s diving sites are abundant in both natural and artificial reefs,” he said.
Apart from teaching diving, Zaki is also into underwater photography. Just last year, he claimed the top prize in Croatia-based Underwater Photo Marathon in which hundreds of people took part.
“After diving for many years, you get bored so you have to add fun to the fun. Diving in itself is fun but I find photography as both fun and important because  I bring whatever I see deep in the sea to people who cannot dive, as well as spark a kind of awareness about how beautiful underwater life is,” he said.
Zaki’s breathtaking photos of marine organisms in Qatar are featured in commemorative postage stamps released by Qatar Postal Company (Q-Post) on the occasion of Qatar Environment Day which falls on Monday.
“If I show these photos to other people, they won’t believe they were taken in Qatar. These photos raise people’s consciousness on the importance of marine life and makes them more connected to the environment they are living in,” he said.