After "space tourism" comes the "diving tourism". This is not the latest crazy idea of Elon Musk, but of a European project, which intends to promote the underwater archaeological wonders of the Mediterranean. This project, called "Mediterranean Underwater Cultural Heritage”, Will involve four regions of the Southern Italy, more countries like the Greece, Turkey,Egypt e Israel. His official candidacy of certification to the Council of Europe as European Cultural Route the 26th November, during First Mediterranean Conference on Underwater Tourism "Sebastian Tusa"(Dedicated to the great Sicilian archaeologist who died in 2019) to be held at the XXIII Mediterranean Exchange of Archaeological Tourism (BMTA) of Paestum. The first will be awarded on November 27th International Award of Underwater Archeology "Sebastian Tusa". Among the various categories, the most important archaeological discovery of the year and the most innovative project by Institutions, Museums and Archaeological Parks will be awarded.
Archaeological sites of the itinerary for underwater tourism in the Mediterranean
As already mentioned, the Mediterranean Underwater Cultural Heritage path will involve four Italian regions. Italian underwater tourism will affect the sites of Pantelleria, Plemmirio, Ustica e Egadi Islands (in Sicily), Chief Rizzuto (In Calabria), Submerged Park of Gaiola, Submerged Bay in the Phlegraean Fields (in Campania) and, finally, San Pietro in Bevagna, Tremiti Islands and Egnazia (in Puglia). As for abroad, the route will include the archaeological sites of Alexandria, Egypt, Peristera e pavlopetri (Greece), Kizlan (Turkey) e Caesarea Maritima (Israel). Thanks to this project it will be possible to promote sustainable development and make underwater tourist sites more accessible to visitors.
As explained by the director and founder of the BMTA, Hugh Picarelli, to whom we owe the intuition of the European certification candidacy: "The itinerary fills a void, since among the 45 sites currently certified there is not one dedicated to archeology. Thanks to the archaeologist Sebastian Tusa, which in 2004 established the Superintendence of the Sea in Sicily, I understood the great potential for tourism and economic development offered by the submerged heritage. Sicily boasts 23 itineraries in 16 locations, the result of Sebastiano's great work, but it is lacking in terms of the development of integrated tourist services in the places of interest for which, at least for now, it cannot offer a real tourist product".
The Mediterranean Underwater Cultural Heritage itinerary will therefore go to protect those underwater sites, making the didactically organized visit, with a'suitable signage. This type of tourism has in fact a great potential, not yet exploited to the fullest. A recognition like European Cultural Route it would bring even more visitors interested in underwater tourism, enhancing these archaeological sites even more. A path that, from Italy to Greece, up to Egypt, marks a common history, made up of civilizations that have lived and made great the Mare Nostrum.
Cover photo: © Ruthven - Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0).
