NEW DELHI, India – 9 July 2026: The world’s largest diving organisation today announced its inaugural PADI AmbassaDiver™ Summit, a first-of-its-kind global gathering that will bring together its most influential divers, storytellers, ocean advocates, and celebrities on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef later this year.
The inaugural PADI AmbassaDiver Summit, hosted in partnership with Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ), Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ), Neuro and Garmin, will take place across Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, offering select AmbassaDivers immersive experiences that showcase the region’s world-class diving, conservation leadership, Indigenous culture, and natural wonders.
Celebrating Two Iconic Anniversaries at the World’s Largest Living Structure
The event also celebrates PADI’s 60th anniversary while also recognising the 150th anniversary of Cairns as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.
“For 60 years, PADI has empowered people to discover the transformative power of the underwater world and become advocates for its protection,” says Dr. Drew Richardson, President and CEO of PADI Worldwide.
“This AmbassaDiver Summit is about passing that torch to the next generation of storytellers, explorers and changemakers. By bringing together these influential voices on the Great Barrier Reef—one of the world’s most iconic marine ecosystems—we have an opportunity to inspire millions of people to join us in seeking adventure and saving the ocean.”
The Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia, was selected as the host destination because the destination embodies the deeper purpose of PADI. As the largest living structure on Earth, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, and one of the planet’s most important marine ecosystems, the reef serves as a living classroom for exploration, conservation, and ocean stewardship. The region is also home to the Wet Tropics Rainforest, making Tropical North Queensland the only place on Earth where two UNESCO Natural World Heritage sites exist side-by-side.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said it was a great honour to win the bid to host the inaugural PADI AmbassaDiver Summit 2026 in Cairns and showcase the beauty and health of the Great Barrier Reef, as well as the passionate people who care for it.
“This is our third global reef initiative supported by the Australian Government and provides another opportunity to demonstrate how tourism can play a positive role in conservation and regeneration of the world’s best-managed reef,” Olsen said.
Throughout the Summit, AmbassaDivers will experience the very best of Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef through liveaboard diving expeditions, educational dives with Master Reef Guides, Indigenous cultural experiences, conservation initiatives, and collaborative leadership sessions focused on the future of diving and ocean advocacy, witnessing firsthand the innovative conservation, education, and regenerative tourism initiatives that have made the destination a global leader in sustainable travel.
Following the Summit, AmbassaDivers will continue exploring other regions of the Great Barrier Reef through hosted experiences in Townsville North Queensland, The Whitsundays, and Bundaberg Southern Great Barrier Reef, which will showcase the extraordinary diversity of reef experiences, conservation initiatives, Indigenous cultural connections, and community-led stewardship efforts found throughout all of Queensland, Australia.
Iconic Brands To Dive Deep Into Wellness at the Summit
Wellness will be a key theme of this year’s summit, which is fitting given Australia’s recent recognition as one of the world’s leading wellness travel destinations and Tropical North Queensland offering a unique blend of reef, rainforest, Indigenous culture, and nature-based experiences that support both personal wellbeing and environmental stewardship.
Joining the Summit are two world-class wellness brands, Garmin and Neuro, whose shared commitment to adventure, performance, exploration, and human potential aligns with the spirit of the PADI AmbassaDiver community.
Garmin’s industry-leading health, fitness and dive technologies empower users to monitor key wellness metrics ranging from sleep and recovery to stress and overall fitness, while its leading-edge Descent™ dive computers help divers explore the underwater world with confidence and precision.
“There’s so much to discover in our oceans and Garmin remains committed to giving divers the tools they need to explore it all,” says Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing. “Not only do our advanced dive computers provide crucial data and communication underwater, but our watch-style computers also track key health and wellness metrics, showing divers how prepared their bodies are for every adventure. We’re proud to team up with PADI to share these innovations with the dive community.”
Neuro has become a leader in functional wellness products designed to support focus, balance, energy and recovery. Inspired by a life-changing dive trip, the company has remained deeply connected to the diving community and is now one of the largest corporate supporters of the PADI AWARE Foundation™, helping fund critical ocean conservation efforts worldwide.
“Neuro was born from a dive trip, so the ocean has always been a very special part of our story,” says Kent Yoshimura, Co-Founder & CEO of Neuro. “Supporting PADI and joining the first AmbassaDiver Summit reflects the same values we champion every day: helping people perform at their best and protecting the world that inspires them to explore.”
PADI AmbassaDivers Ready to Descend Down Under
The inaugural PADI AmbassaDiver Summit will bring together a diverse group of creators, explorers, athletes, entertainers, and ocean advocates whose combined audiences reach millions of people around the world.
Representing India at the summit are Aakash Malhotra, one of India’s most popular adventurers and content creators, and Shaan Singh, one of India’s most recognised DJs. By participating, they are showcasing the growing interest of Indian travellers in scuba diving and marine exploration and will be sharing stories and experiences that will intrigue more people to explore the underwater world and also show support for its protection and conservation.
“Protecting the oceans is the key to our climate, and The Great Barrier Reef has always been the core of it. It takes one small step at a time. Being a part of the inaugural AmbassaDiver summit means finally connecting in person with the ocean advocates I’ve only known online. It is going to be a bucket list experience with the best people who inspire me every day. I hope showcasing how our oceans are being impacted and the many ways anyone can be an ocean advocate, big or small, sparks even one small change toward protecting our beautiful blue planet,” Singh said.
Malhotra and Singh will be joined by other PADI AmbassaDivers from around the world, including:
● Captain Jason Chambers, acclaimed television personality and ocean advocate;
● Luv K Raft, one of Japan’s most popular music bands;
● Brandee Anthony, one of the most prolific mermaids on social media;
● Doudou, one of China’s leading ocean filmmakers and conservationists;
● and Cha Ocampo, one of the Philippines’ most recognisable wildlife conservationists and creators.
Passing the Torch in the Great Barrier Reef
As PADI celebrates six decades of transforming lives through underwater exploration, its inaugural AmbassaDiver Summit sets out to demonstrate the power diving has to connect like-minded people, immerse deep into nature, foster personal wellbeing, and inspire action for the ocean.
“The inaugural PADI AmbassaDiver Summit establishes what will become an annual global gathering of the diving community’s most influential advocates, creating a legacy that extends far beyond a single destination, and helps shape the future of diving, conservation, and ocean stewardship for decades to come,” continues Dr. Richardson.
About PADI:
PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) is the largest diving organisation with a global network of 6,600 dive centres and resorts, 128,000 professional members, and more than 30 million certified divers to date. Committed to our blue planet, PADI makes the wonder of the underwater world accessible to all, empowering people around the world to experience, explore, and take meaningful action to protect the world beneath the surface. For over 60 years, PADI has undeniably been the Way the World Learns to Dive®, setting the standard for the highest-quality dive training, underwater safety, and conservation initiatives while evolving the sport of diving into a passionate lifestyle. For divers by divers, PADI is obsessed with transforming lives and, with its global foundation, PADI AWARE, creating positive ocean change. www.padi.com
About Tropical Tourism North Queensland:
As the destination marketing organisation for Cairns & Great Barrier Reef, Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) is committed to balancing the positive role tourism can play in environmental conservation and regeneration and has the bold ambition that every visitor will make a direct contribution to conservation. TTNQ has led global campaigns to raise awareness of the community and cultural significance of the Great Barrier Reef earning the Initiative of the Year in Regenerative Travel’s Global Impact Awards 2025. These projects received grant funding from the Australian Government, under the Reef Educational Experience Fund administered by Austrade. cairnsgreatbarrierreef.com
About Tourism and Events Queensland:
Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) is the state’s lead marketing, destination and experience development and major events agency. TEQ works in partnership with industry, government and regional tourism organisations to inspire travel to Queensland and grow the visitor economy. teq.queensland.com
About Garmin International, Inc.:
Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionised life for adventurers, athletes, off-road explorers, road warriors and outdoor enthusiasts everywhere. Committed to developing products that enhance experiences, enrich lives and help provide peace of mind, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday. Visit the Garmin Newsroom, email our media team, connect with @garminoutdoor on social, or follow our blog.
About Neuro:
Founded in 2015 by college friends and lifelong athletes Kent Yoshimura and Ryan Chen, Neuro is reimagining the gum and mint category with science-backed formulas that support energy, focus, calm, and sleep. Its flagship Energy & Focus Gum and Mints blend natural caffeine, L-theanine, and B vitamins for smooth energy without the crash, made with patented cold-compression technology and sustainable, high-quality ingredients. With over 500 million pieces sold, Neuro helps people worldwide show up clear, steady, and ready. Learn more at neurogum.com
