A Pilot Survey Investigating <i>Naturoid</i> Reefs as a Tool for Sustainable Marine Ecotourism
Recreational SCUBA diving is currently a nature-based USD multibillion tourism industry across the globe. However, degradation of many recreational diving destinations all over the world due to “soft” ecotourists necessitates the adoption of innovative management measures. Hellenic Centre for Marine...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/8/1080 |
| _version_ | 1797409530365083648 |
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| author | Panayota Koulouri Athanasios Mogias Costas Dounas |
| author_facet | Panayota Koulouri Athanasios Mogias Costas Dounas |
| author_sort | Panayota Koulouri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recreational SCUBA diving is currently a nature-based USD multibillion tourism industry across the globe. However, degradation of many recreational diving destinations all over the world due to “soft” ecotourists necessitates the adoption of innovative management measures. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) developed an innovative technology for the creation of artificial underwater ecotourism attractions (“oases”) to divert visitors away from sensitive marine natural areas of high ecological and aesthetic value. This innovative technology includes specially constructed artificial reefs in an attempt to simulate the functional and morphological characteristics and the aesthetics of the natural rocky reefs. In this study, a pilot survey was conducted in three diving centres of Crete Island, one of the most important tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, involving the participation of 144 SCUBA divers from all over the world. The survey aimed at investigating SCUBA divers’ profiles and perceptions concerning recreational diving activities and artificial reefs technology. Findings of this study indicate that large naval shipwrecks combined with innovative man-fabricated constructions simulating natural rocky reefs meet the preferences of the majority of the participants of the survey and they can be used as an alternative tool for relevant marine ecotourism sustainable applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:15:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-445a5458012b4acc9a7bfb33057c41dc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:15:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-445a5458012b4acc9a7bfb33057c41dc2023-12-03T13:54:12ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122022-08-01108108010.3390/jmse10081080A Pilot Survey Investigating <i>Naturoid</i> Reefs as a Tool for Sustainable Marine EcotourismPanayota Koulouri0Athanasios Mogias1Costas Dounas2Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology & Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 71500 Heraklion, GreeceLaboratory of Environmental Research & Education, Department of Primary Education, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, GreeceInstitute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology & Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 71500 Heraklion, GreeceRecreational SCUBA diving is currently a nature-based USD multibillion tourism industry across the globe. However, degradation of many recreational diving destinations all over the world due to “soft” ecotourists necessitates the adoption of innovative management measures. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) developed an innovative technology for the creation of artificial underwater ecotourism attractions (“oases”) to divert visitors away from sensitive marine natural areas of high ecological and aesthetic value. This innovative technology includes specially constructed artificial reefs in an attempt to simulate the functional and morphological characteristics and the aesthetics of the natural rocky reefs. In this study, a pilot survey was conducted in three diving centres of Crete Island, one of the most important tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, involving the participation of 144 SCUBA divers from all over the world. The survey aimed at investigating SCUBA divers’ profiles and perceptions concerning recreational diving activities and artificial reefs technology. Findings of this study indicate that large naval shipwrecks combined with innovative man-fabricated constructions simulating natural rocky reefs meet the preferences of the majority of the participants of the survey and they can be used as an alternative tool for relevant marine ecotourism sustainable applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/8/1080artificial reefs technologyunderwater artificial habitatsrecreational diving parksblue growthenvironmental awareness |
| spellingShingle | Panayota Koulouri Athanasios Mogias Costas Dounas A Pilot Survey Investigating <i>Naturoid</i> Reefs as a Tool for Sustainable Marine Ecotourism Journal of Marine Science and Engineering artificial reefs technology underwater artificial habitats recreational diving parks blue growth environmental awareness |
| title | A Pilot Survey Investigating <i>Naturoid</i> Reefs as a Tool for Sustainable Marine Ecotourism |
| title_full | A Pilot Survey Investigating <i>Naturoid</i> Reefs as a Tool for Sustainable Marine Ecotourism |
| title_fullStr | A Pilot Survey Investigating <i>Naturoid</i> Reefs as a Tool for Sustainable Marine Ecotourism |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Pilot Survey Investigating <i>Naturoid</i> Reefs as a Tool for Sustainable Marine Ecotourism |
| title_short | A Pilot Survey Investigating <i>Naturoid</i> Reefs as a Tool for Sustainable Marine Ecotourism |
| title_sort | pilot survey investigating i naturoid i reefs as a tool for sustainable marine ecotourism |
| topic | artificial reefs technology underwater artificial habitats recreational diving parks blue growth environmental awareness |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/8/1080 |
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