STE: Scuba Tourism for the Environment
Red Sea coral reefs are a crucial economical and natural resource. This amazing marine ecosystem represents an important biodiversity source and provides services and good for local and foreign populations, primarily for their touristic interest. Every year millions of people reach the Red Sea coastlines to visit the underwater beauties and rest in front of the crystalline waters.
The overexploitation of this natural resource, already threatened by global climate changes, could lead to its rapidly degradation. Large monitoring is needed to inform local managers on the coral reef environmental status.
STE: Scuba Tourism for the Environment is a research project to monitor the Red Sea coral reef. The main goals are to:
- involve dive tourists in the collection of data on marine biodiversity in the Red Sea;
- provide information on the Red Sea coral reef environmental status, supporting their management and conservation;
- promote the environmental awareness of their visitors, leading to more sustainable tourist activities.
