JUNE IS 'LEARN TO DIVE MONTH' IN GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE

Travelers Can Book Certification for the Month of June, and Receive a Free Graduation Dive and Free Hotel Night or Special Hotel Deals

Looking to get more out of your vacation? Want to explore the wonders of the ocean from beneath the sea? Want to look a parrot fish in the eye?

Take the plunge. Greater Fort Lauderdale is making it easier than ever to learn to Scuba dive during the destination's new official "Learn to Dive Month" this June. Surf temperatures are perfect, the water is calm and special dive packages offering a free graduation dive along with a free hotel night or special hotel rate make it easy and affordable to get certified.

How easy is it to learn to Scuba dive? "A vacation of three days in Greater Fort Lauderdale plus some online study in advance will do it. And, throughout June's 'Learn to Dive Month,' newcomers to the sport will enjoy extra-value savings with a free graduation dive as well hotel deals and special offers," said Nicki E. Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. "With a free dive and a free hotel room, there is no need to delay."

"Learn to Dive Month" is a snap to book with simple one-stop shopping to get visitors trained, suited up and certified in an easy and safe program. Those interested in learning to Scuba dive can log on to www.sunny.org/learntodive where they can link through the local dive shops to PADI or SDI to register to take the online technical training necessary, and can also link to dive packages including hotel stays in Greater Fort Lauderdale. Participants can go through instruction to dive in a few effortless steps:

• Begin the pre-certification process online before leaving home
• Conduct an open-water dive in Greater Fort Lauderdale
• Stay a minimum of three days in Greater Fort Lauderdale to complete the certification process (a minimum of four days required for those who fly).
• Enjoy special hotel rates and even a free fourth night when staying a minimum of three nights at a participating hotel
• Enjoy a free congratulatory graduation dive

A sampling of participating dive operators in Greater Fort Lauderdale offering "in-water" lessons and certification, plus a free graduation dive and a free night stay include:

Brownies Yachtdiver Stores: Sign up for a PADI open water class for $395 and receive a free graduation dive. Dive and stay packages at the Comfort Suites Airport & Cruise Port, stay three nights and receive a fourth night free. Rates start at $69 per night.

South Florida Diving Headquarters: Book your Learn to Dive Vacation and receive a free graduation dive with gear ($127 value). Stay a minimum of 3 nights at participating beach resorts and the 4th night is free, including Ocean Point Resort; Beachcomber; Marriott Residence Inn; and Embassy Suites Deerfield Beach Resort & Spa.

Private Scuba Lessons.com: Discover Scuba with an Open Water Certification and receive free graduation dive upon completion for $200. Dive and Stay packages available at the Quality Inn & Suites for $79 per night, with one night free with a minimum of three nights booked.

Scuba Network: Scuba certification lessons include all required pool sessions, four beach ocean dives, all equipment and certification card: $199 (on-line course not included) plus free graduation dive. Dive and Stay packages starting at $475, including taxes, at The Courtyard by Marriott Fort Lauderdale East. Stay three nights, get the fourth night free. Rates starting at $79/per night.

Sea Experience: The only dive boat and dive shop in South Florida located in a resort marina on the beach. Upon completion of the online academics, Sea Experience offers in-water training portion of the class for $349. This includes use of SCUBA and snorkel equipment, pool sessions, 4 boat dives (2 trips), and PADI certification fees. Upon completion of the class receive a complimentary 2-tank dive trip on SEA EXPERIENCE II including all equipment, a $120 value. Dive and Stay packages at Bahia Mar Resort, stay three nights and get the fourth one free. Rates starting at $99 per night.

Special dive offers are also available from Brownie's Marine Group, Dixie Divers of Deerfield Beach, Force-E, Lauderdale Diver, Pompano Dive Center and US1 Scuba.

Worldwide, 17.5 million dive enthusiasts have been certified since the 1960's. What makes Greater Fort Lauderdale one of the stand-out destinations for those millions of diving enthusiasts is a unique three-tiered natural reef system and more than 75 artificial reefs and wreck sites created by careful environmental planning over the last 20 years, plus an abundance of full-service dive shops and expert instructors.

From Deerfield Beach in the north to Hallandale Beach in the south, Greater Fort Lauderdale's 23 miles of beaches offer dive spots starting at 100 yards from shore. Add championship golf, hundreds of resorts, hotels and motels; some 4,000 restaurants; a vibrant cultural scene; and great shopping – from flea markets to fashion boutiques to mega-malls - help transform a "Learn to Dive Month" experience into a complete vacation.

For more information about Greater Fort Lauderdale and "Learn to Dive Month," visit www.sunny.org.

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau can be followed on Twitter @visitlauderdale and on www.facebook.com/visitlauderdale, or you can download the free iPhone application, iVisitLauderdale at www.sunny.org/iphone.