Conference Focuses On Diving Tourism
By 2010 two of the four planned diving parks in Greece will be established, announced Tourism Minister Kostas Markopoulos at the conference “Diving Tourism-Present and Future,” organized last month by Greek daily newspaper Apogevmatini.
The tourism minister informed the audience that diving tourism would be added to the draft law ofspecial forms of tourism.
Croatia and Turkey are gaining from diving tourism while Greece has been left behind due to lack of the proper infrastructure. (Antonis Halkeas, Hellenic Association of Diving Professionals)
The first session of the conference was dedicated to diving as a form of tourism and Antonis Halkeas, president of the Hellenic Association of Diving Professionals, referred to the current situation in Greece and spoke of diving tourism’s growth prospects.
Mr. Halkeas highlighted that diving tourism could contribute to Greece’s economy and mentioned examples of the most popular European diving destinations such as Spain, Malta and Cyprus.
“Croatia and Turkey are also gaining from diving tourism while Greece has been left behind due to lack of the proper infrastructure,” he said.
Nikolaos Tzanoudakis, president of the National Association of Diving Trainers, referred to diving tourism in Greece as “a large untouched (tourism) package.
“Whether or not there is a crisis or if diving is included in an ‘all inclusive package’ or not, tourists will always practise diving when on vacation,” he stressed.
Mr. Tzanoudakis mentioned that the international promotion of this form of tourism is necessary and spoke of the benefits if Greece participates in international conferences and exhibitions for the promotion of diving tourism.
During the second session of the conference, which was dedicated to the development of diving parks, Konstantinos Koutsis, member of the Hellenic Association of Friends of Diving Parks “Trident-Star,” stressed the need for the effective protection of the marine environment, the attraction of divers to Greece and sustainable development.
During his presentation on diving parks he gave insight on Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s), which today cover only one percent of the earth’s sea (0.4 percent in the Mediterranean).
He also mentioned that more and more countries are investing in diving tourism and seek ways to attract visitors.
“However, given that the main attraction for divers worldwide is the rich underwater life it is doubtful whether Greece-with its dead sea depths-would be able to compete with the corals of the neighboring Red Sea or the rich and lively waters of other countries,” said Mr. Koutsis.
He stressed that the only way to a healthy, sustainable growth in diving tourism is through the protection and the preservation of the once rich marine environment by the construction of diving parks.
Given that the main attraction for divers worldwide is the rich underwater life it is doubtful whether Greece-with its dead sea depths-would be able to compete with the corals of the neighboring Red Sea or the rich and lively waters of other countries. (Konstantinos Koutsis, Hellenic Association of Friends of Diving Parks “Trident-Star”)
Additionally, Mr. Koutsis analyzed Greece’s benefits from the creation of diving parks: reputation of a special tourist destination; increased arrivals; and the lengthening of the tourist season.
He added that recreational diving has become one of the most popular sports in the world as “the average tourist goes at least once a year abroad with his family for diving tourism and usually would stay for at least 12 nights.”
Another enlightening presentation was that of Aggelos Magklis, president of Atlantis Research Organization, who focused on marine archaeology (shipwrecks) and how Greece could use it to its advantage.
“In Greece there are about 7,000 areas of marine archaeological interest but we have fallen behind in this subject even though there is a legal framework for the creation of an underwater museum,” he said.
Mr. Magklis gave many examples of underwater museums of other countries such as Canada, the U.S., Italy, Finland and Egypt. He also noted Israel’s first underwater museum in the city of Caesarea that was established in 2006.
During his presentation, Mr. Magklis gave insight on his company’s awarded development plan “Ano Μαgniton Νisoi.”
The aim is to create innovative and competitive products based on local characteristics of the natural environment and the exploitation of unique cultural treasures of Alonissos, Skopelos and the other deserted islands of the Northern Sporades.
The third section of the conference was dedicated to underwater activities and scuba diving. Discussions focused on diving in Greece, problems faced by divers and the profile of the modern Greek diver.