Why does Les Heures Saines offer diving in Guadeloupe on Manawa?

Vincent Pinto is Manawa's Sales Director. Previously Regional Manager France for the booking website, he helped launch the venture in 2015. A keen skateboarder, splitboarder and snorkeller, he has tried out many of the sports offered on the website.

Why does Les Heures Saines offer diving and snorkeling in the Cousteau Reserve in Guadeloupe on Manawa?

The Heures Saines diving centre is located in Bouillante, Guadeloupe, south of Malendure beach. Its team offers diving and snorkelling on the splendid sites of the Côte Sous le Vent: the îlets Pigeon and the famous Cousteau Reserve in the heart of the Guadeloupe National Park!

The centre offers FFESSM, ANMP and SSI training courses. And because they want to share their passion with as many people as possible, the instructors put all their experience at the service of people with reduced mobility.

Nadine Stoll and Jean-Christophe Belivier have been the managers of Les Heures Saines since January 2018 following the takeover of the centre. The company celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2024.

Interview with Nadine, manager of Les Heures Saines

Vincent Pinto: Hello Nadine! Could you introduce us to Les Heures Saines and tell us more about the activities you offer today?

Nadine Stoll: We offer diving and snorkelling in Guadeloupe at all levels, from first dives for people who have never dived before, right through to dive instructor training. We do almost 20,000 dives a year. We're a fairly large team with 11 full-time employees, although our workforce rises to 18 during the winter season, which runs from before Christmas to the end of the Easter holidays. We have two 26-seater boats, each of which makes three rotations a day, as well as night dives from the centre.

Vincent: Where do your activities take place?

Nadine : We're in Guadeloupe and we're lucky enough to be based on the Malendure rock, which faces the Cousteau reserve and the îlets Pigeon. We're in the Guadeloupe National Park, so the fauna and flora that we can observe during our outings are very rich: fish, sponges, coral... It's really ideal for our excursions, and what's more, we have sun all year round!

Vincent: You've been managing Les Heures Saines since 2018. Have you noticed any changes in customers' spending habits? For example, have you seen any changes in the types of activities or outings they prefer to book?

Nadine: Yes, we saw a real change just after the pandemic, when we had a huge number of customers who came with their families and wanted to do some snorkelling, which is a more accessible activity than diving because it's less technical. I think these were families who had been able to save a bit of money during the Covid and who decided to treat themselves to a little bit of escapism after this period. Then we had a new change this year: plane tickets have gone up in price, so the customers we receive generally have more money and can book more activities. Their main objective is to enjoy themselves and have a good time.

Vincent: You took over the company in 2018, but Manawa had already been working with Les Heures Saines since 2016. Do you remember how you discovered Manawa?

Nadine: I discovered Manawa in 2018, with Les Heures Saines. I didn't know you before because I'm not a big traveller, due to a lack of time. When Jean-Christophe and I took over the centre, we decided to professionalise every job. Before, there was no professional receptionist; the instructors took it in turns to do the job. So they were less involved in the commercial aspect of 'filling the boats', because it wasn't their job to do that either. When we arrived, we decided to change that. We took on a permanent contract as a boat pilot, and reception staff too. And we decided to continue to rely on Manawa to fill our trips.

Vincent: Are you satisfied with the results and with Manawa in general?

Nadine: Absolutely. Our sales with Manawa are increasing every year, and I think that's linked to the visibility you give us, but also to the fact that our agents do relatively little rescheduling of booking requests. As far as operations are concerned, everything is going very well too, and has been from the outset. Jean-Christophe already knew you, as he had been working at the centre since 2015, and he had met you in 2018 at the Salon de la Plongée too. For my part, I remember that we got in touch by phone in 2018, and your teams explained everything to me. As I was also going to be working at reception, I had to know how to accept or decline bookings. After that, it all came very naturally, precisely because the way your site and the back office work for partners isn't complicated at all. On the contrary, it's very intuitive.

Vincent: Were there any particular things that stood out for you?

Nadine: Yes, what really stood out for me was how easy it was to reschedule a booking and choose the right slots to offer to customers straight away. It only takes us four clicks, so if ever we absolutely have to do it (which we try to avoid as much as possible), at least we don't waste any time. Once everything's set up, we don't need to double-check the booking - it's all done automatically. That's really the big advantage of Manawa.

Vincent: When you first started with Les Heures Saines, were there other online retailers that you used to work with?

Nadine : We work mainly with tour operators, and we have two other online sellers, but they don't offer automatic rescheduling with just a few clicks. You have to send them a message and give slot options, then wait for their reply, which can take a lot longer to manage. In general, exchanges are less fluid than with Manawa. Another positive point about Manawa is the automatic billing. When a customer books an experience, they know exactly what activity they're booking and whether it corresponds to their level. I think this is due to the fact that the content shared on our activities pages on Manawa is very complete and precise. It's very rare for us to make mistakes in our bookings.

Vincent: And in terms of volume, if you compare Manawa to the other online retailers you work with, would you say it's more or less equivalent?

Nadine: No, Manawa brings me much higher volumes of bookings than the other online retailers or even the tour operators I work with, it's just not comparable. And above all, I don't have to do any invoicing. Payments arrive on the 15th of each month, and you don't have to worry about anything.

Vincent: Do you see any areas for improvement in our collaboration?

Nadine: No, not really. I think our teams get on very well. We feel that you listen to us and that we can count on you if ever we need help with a particular booking. As far as customers are concerned, I find that Manawa plays a rather discreet intermediary role, in the sense that there's no friction for them when they go from booking on Manawa to doing the activity with us. When they arrive at the centre, they give us their name and we know that they've already paid and the activity they're coming to do. So the experience is totally seamless for them.

Vincent: What do you see as the next steps in our partnership? Do you intend to integrate new products, for example?

Nadine: In my opinion, our product range is already very comprehensive, so I don't think there's much we can do to improve the partnership at this level. We already offer everything on Manawa, and it works very well. My aim is simply to maintain this fluidity in our collaboration. Manawa helps me fill my boats with customers that I wouldn't have been able to reach otherwise. So for me, it's a win-win situation!

Vincent: Great, I'm delighted to hear that! So, when you talk about the customers that Manawa brings you that you wouldn't have been able to reach otherwise, are you referring to customers of different nationalities, or is there something else that explains why you wouldn't have been able to reach this clientele otherwise?

Nadine: No, it's not that. Manawa brings me both local and foreign customers. The difference lies mainly in the fact that this is a younger clientele, who organise their trips independently, from home, without going through a tour operator or their accommodation. They use the internet and do not search specifically for "Les Heures Saines" on their search engine, but rather for a specific activity in the place where they are planning to go on holiday. This is how they discover our offers, thanks to Manawa. The online booking process is easy for them, allowing them to compare prices and find an activity that meets their needs. Your platform is well adapted to new consumer habits. In fact, all our customers come with their smartphones in hand, so it makes sense that online booking works so well.

Vincent: Do you find that booking times are shorter for customers who book online?

Nadine: We really have everything. Today [January 2024] we already have bookings with Manawa for May, so we have customers who book their activities well in advance too. These are mainly families with children who want to make the most of their time. But we also get younger customers who book overnight. In general, we manage to offer them a time slot that suits them.

Vincent: Thank you very much, Nadine! Finally, I know you're not an instructor, but what's the best experience you've had working in this sector since you took over Les Heures Saines?

Nadine: The best experience for me has been meeting exceptional people who we would certainly never have met if it hadn't been for our shared passion for diving. When we bought the club, we took out a vendor loan. We owed money, and a couple of retired divers who were regulars at the club found out about it and offered us a zero-interest loan to pay it back. We were very surprised by their offer, and very grateful, of course. I asked them why they were doing this, and they told me that they admired our entrepreneurial approach, as they themselves had never had to look for work or take risks of this kind. Since then, we've become very good friends. Of course, when they come, they dive for free! [laughs] So for me, beyond the 'sporting' experiences, it's the human encounters I've had that have had the greatest impact.

Like Nadine, you too can join the first booking site dedicated to outdoor and adventure activities by proposing your activities on Manawa.com: Join us!