Dive Deep: Scaling Revenue with Underwater Gaming

From Cost Centers to Revenue Engines: Strategic Lessons from Sub Sea Systems and Gatemaster In this episode of Live with Sondra, Sondra Shannon, CEO of Gatemaster Technology, interviews Hannah de Bie, VP of Marketing & Communications at Sub Sea Systems, a second-generation leader pioneering inclusive underwater attractions worldwide.

The Executive Brief

When immersive experiences are engineered for accessibility, comfort, and operational scalability, even a simple pool can become a premium engagement and revenue engine.

The Problem: Traditional gate-only pricing turns pools into “cost centers” while excluding key demographics like seniors and non-swimmers.
The Transformation: Reimagine water as a platform for ticketed, staff-supported experiences that Turn pools into revenue engines by using “psychological safety” to sell ticketed, low-complexity experiences to all guests.
The Strategy: Convert pools from cost centers to revenue engines by engineering low-barrier, “psychologically safe” underwater attractions that drive premium upsells across all guest demographics.

The Strategic Framework: The Underwater Revenue Sprint

Hannah outlines a clear, repeatable framework for converting immersion into margin.

Phase 1: Design for Psychological Safety
Experiences must look and feel unintimidating at first glance.

Friendly visual design (helmet systems vs. scuba gear)
Short onboarding and briefing times
Clear opt-out signals that restore guest control

When fear is removed, conversion increases.

Phase 2: Operationalize the Experience
These attractions are not “rides”—they are programs.

Certified staff and guides
Standardized training protocols
Guest pacing aligned with comfort, not just capacity

This protects both guest confidence and operational consistency.

Phase 3: Monetize the Moment
Once immersion is achieved, secondary revenue accelerates.

Ticketed premium attractions inside the park
High photo-capture rates (40%+)
Repeat-play gaming experiences that drive dwell time

The experience itself becomes the salesperson.

Phase 4: Scale Through Modularity
Portable, shallow-water systems unlock unused square footage.

Temporary setups
Rotating content (VR, gaming, exploration themes)
Minimal infrastructure changes

Scalability comes from flexibility, not expansion.

Operational Excellence: Leading from the Front

Hannah’s leadership philosophy reflects deep operational empathy and long-term stewardship:

Build products that frontline staff can confidently manage.
Respect first-time guest anxiety and engineer trust into every step.
Balance legacy vision with modern execution—especially as a second-generation leader.

In family-run organizations, alignment equals resilience—and planning beats hope every time.

Strategic Growth in Action: Monetizing the Pool at Aqua Arabia

At Aqua Arabia, Sub Sea Systems’ Aquaticar becomes one of the industry’s most notable shifts:

A ticketed underwater ride inside a waterpark
Creation of a brand-new ancillary revenue stream
A model that challenges the assumption that waterparks can’t upsell beyond food and beverage

The result: higher per-cap spend without increasing gate pricing.

“Our goal is to take someone who has never been underwater—and maybe never felt comfortable around water—and turn that moment into something magical, safe, and unforgettable.”

— Hannah de Bie, VP of Marketing & Communications, Sub Sea Systems

Scale with Intentionality

Experiences like these only scale when operations, systems, and data are aligned. Gatemaster Technology provides the foundation operators need to:

Manage ticketed attractions beyond the front gate
Control access, capacity, and output in real time
Capture guest data that fuels smarter pricing, packaging, and repeat visits

When the systems behind the experience are seamless, leadership can focus on what truly matters: turning innovation into sustainable revenue growth—without compromising the guest experience.

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