Motivations and attitudes of Egyptian divers in underwater cultural heritage sites

Abstract EN

Egypt is bordered to the east by the Red Sea and to the north by the Mediterranean Sea in addition to the Nile and many lakes.

This unique location implies the richness of its underwater cultural heritage (UCH).

Divers increasingly visit UCH sites; therefore, this attitude requires achieving a balance between heritage preservation and tourism activities at these sites to ensure high quality diving experiences while protecting UCH.

Data including 155 divers has been obtained by using a self-completed questionnaire.

This questionnaire was available in an electronic web-based format and hard copy.

The survey was divided into four main sections.

These sections are socio-demographic characteristics which include three items, dive experience which include three items, motivations for diving in UCH sites which involve 10 items and attitudes to management controls to protect UCH sites containing nine items.

Closed questions have been used for socio-demographic and dive experience questions.

Five point Likert scale has been used to rate the relative importance of motivations for UCH diving and divers’ attitudes.

Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS program V 24) software has been used to analyze survey data.

Comprehensive understanding of behaviors, motivations and characteristics of the diver of UCH sites is an integral part of effective management.

The majority of divers support management controls in order to protect UCH.

Therefore, management strategies including management controls need to be addressed in the light of divers' motivations and attitudes for the purpose of increasing divers' awareness of the importance of UCH sites and stimilating appropriate behavior when visiting these sites.