Enhancing cultural heritage with a new perspective through BlueMed: the underwater museums

BLUEMED aims to support competent government authorities develop strategies, plans and policies for local coastal and island economies of the Mediterranean region in adopting a sustainable and responsible model for tourism development. There is a permanent demand from local authorities and entreprises to promote alternative means of tourism of the less developed coasts and islands of the regions and achieve tourism season prolongation.Main objective is the valorisation and protection of underwater natural and cultural heritage in accordance with UNESCO 2001, the raising of public awareness and tourism attractiveness. Main focus is on: a) a process scheme for supplying local/regional authorities with a multi-disciplinary plan (management models, innovative technologies) for Underwater Museums, Diving Parks and Knowledge Awareness Centres to be developed in (policy recommendations, management practices, networking and promotion); b)
promoting innovation in the diving industry and improving divers experience through innovative diving services and technologies; c) attracting an important part of the increasing number of people who choose diving tourism; d) introducing the wider public to underwater cultural heritage by means of 3D immersive visualisation in museum exhibitions and KACs; e) setting up ‘Underwater Natural and Cultural Routes in the Mediterranean’ web-based platform for a unified tourism promotion and networking of Med underwater natural and cultural heritage sites