A Roadmap for the Sustainable Valorization of Accessible Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites

Abstract

This paper presents a roadmap to enable the adoption of the BLUEMED model; an integrated plan developed within the BLUEMED project that promotes underwater cultural heritage (UCH) to both divers and non-divers and aims at sustainable tourism development in coastal areas and islands. Through augmented and virtual reality technologies, one can experience wet and dry diving to accessible underwater cultural heritage site(s) (AUCHS), through a physical dive at the sites or a virtual tour at Knowledge Awareness Centers (KACs). The roadmap provides guidelines, so that relevant stakeholders and competent authorities can implement the BLUEMED model and consider the various environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic factors of the area (locality), to ensure viability in the long-term. The roadmap focuses on the policy and technical parameters, including the cultural and environmental features of the site, the legislative framework, funding issues, the integration of technologies, the prospects for sustainable tourism development in the area, the stakeholder engagement, and the cooperation framework within a top-down or a bottom-up initiative, as well as the establishment and operation of the KACs.

A ten-year review analysis of the impact of digitization on tourism development (2012–2022)

“…As a rapidly evolving digital technology, mobile technology has significantly minimized asymmetric information, enhanced local GDP growth, and increased citizens' financial capital through tourism Phoong et al, 2022). Technologies such as 3D virtual, mixed reality (MR), virtual reality (VR), or augmented reality (AR) applied in heritage tourism can effectively increase local economic income and the added value of tourism (Manglis et al, 2021;Martinez-Grana et al, 2019). Furthermore, marketing tools such as small programs and network technologies confer several advantages to tourism stakeholders, such as the ability to help local communities contribute value and support the tourism economy (Caciora et al, 2021;Lin et al, 2020a, b).…”

“…The application of virtual tourism technology is also helpful in improving the attractiveness of tourists (Cai et al, 2021;Manglis et al, 2021;Martins et al, 2017). Meanwhile, big data analytic tools, e-marketing (WOM), and mobile applications positively influence customers' intention to travel and contribute to improving tourism sustainability (Gajdosik, 2019;Kim and Chang, 2020;Pica et al, 2018).…”

“…Additionally, the intention and motivation of tourism drive tourism behavior from the psychological aspect. Digital innovative technology can boost tourists' interest in tourism products and locations, enrich their understanding of tourism culture, attract more tourists, enhance tourists' preferences, and strengthen their desire to visit (Caciora et al, 2021;Cranmer et al, 2021;Gajdosik, 2019;Kang, 2020;Kaźmierczak et al, 2021;Manglis et al, 2021;Monterroso-Checa et al, 2020;). Digital marketing tools can ramp up customers' desires and habits (Theocharidis et al, 2020), and digital mobile programs can increase tourists' attention, influencing their overall view of the tourism experience (Wang et al, 2020).…”

“…AR, VR, and other techniques can promote tourists' behavior in underwater cultural tourism and raise public awareness of natural heritage protection among tourists (Manglis et al, 2021). Research on low-carbon travel modes is frequently concerned with tourism sustainability, and big data marketing technology can supply tourists with more low-carbon transport schemes, thus increasing tourists' environmental consciousness (Ma et al, 2021).…”

The WAS Project—Waterscape Archaeology in Sicily at Isola delle Femmine (PA, Italy): Submerged and Emerged Heritage

“…Therefore, before each dive, it will be possible to experience a virtual immersion in a three-dimensional environment, to receive all the useful instructions for a correct visit both from a technical and a scientific point of view, with maximum respect for the environment and the cultural heritage, following the principle of the UNESCO Convention, first "conservation on-site" [42]. Sharing the ideas of the European Blue Growth Strategy, supporting sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sectors, drawing attention to the operation of Accessible Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites (AUCHS), and promoting sustainable protection, the project will plan new activities in all the MPA with innovative solutions and best practices developed and adopted by local, regional, national, or transnational actors, following their respective regulatory frameworks concerning the protection of UCH, including the ratification of the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (see [43][44][45][46][47][48]).…”