Atlanta (Global Adventures): Dive retailers are getting more optimistic about 2010, according to a Cline's Survey. The latest report covering the fourth quarter of 2009 “… sees signs of a small rebound for retailers when asked to forecast their first quarter 2010 gross revenues.”

Retailers surveyed expect a 31 percent increase in gross revenues across the Eastern US, compared to a 33 percent increase in the Mountain and Pacific regions, and a 21 percent increase in the central US. Independent Instructors, however, continue to see a decline in business activity. After dealing with a 5.1 percent drop in certifications in the fourth quarter of 2009, they predict negative growth for the first quarter of 2010 as well.

The biggest beneficiaries of potential turnaround could be Caribbean and South American operators. The Cline survey predicts that gross revenue will increase 44 percent in these regions, compared to 29 percent in the US and 27 percent in Canada.

The travel sector reported an average growth of 6.6 percent for the fourth quarter 2009. The group that includes resorts, wholesalers and liveaboards, is also optimistic about 2010. Almost 50% predict continued growth in the 1st quarter of 2010.

On average, businesses reported a 1.5 percent decline in gross revenues for the 4th quarter 2009 versus the same period in 2008. Retailers specifically were down, reporting a 7.0 percent decrease in their overall gross revenues. They also reported that dive travel declined a whopping 11.9 percent in the last three months of 2009, compared to 2008, and equipment sales were off 7.3 percent.

Out of the total of 243 dive businesses that responded to the survey, 88.9 percent were from the USA, and 97.6 percent of the respondents were facility owners or managers.

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