Page 57 - Manual for Activities directed at the Underwater Cultural Heritage

many countries have had positive experiences with devising herita- ge trails; providing information, guidance and monitoring at low cost, and actively contributing to awareness as well as providing unique experiences for tourists and leisure divers. Guidance leaflets on waterproof paper may be part of the endeavour.
Not every site is suitable for such
an approach. As an alternative, traditional publi- cations and media may be supplemented with more and more virtual techniques, simulating ex- perience or allowing for visualisation at a distance, through internet or other means. However, allowing for access and the authentic experience is what makes protection more valuable, less exclusive and better understood. It contributes to awareness and to joint support for protective approaches.
International cooperation
 © L. Faucompré / FMC. Exploration of La Seine sunken
in the Passe de Puébo on 4 September 1846, New Caledonia. Tourism is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries, and
for many countries, especially those in the developing world,
it holds impressive economic potential. International tourism receipts have amounted to over US$ 919 billion in 2010. Not
only does tourism create jobs
and possibilities for economic growth, but it can also do so
in regions having few other economic resources. However, tourism development can
also have significant problems attached to it, recent years having demonstrated the negative environmental effects of increasing tourist numbers and tourism can also distort the local economy
by injecting poorly managed or highly seasonal demand.Tourism can act to commercialize the expression of local cultures, leading to the phenomenon of staged authenticity at tourism destinations, and the economic benefits of tourism can be passed on unequally, exacerbating existing inequalities.
Heritage tourism is tourism’s most rapidly growing international sector.With millions of tourists visiting for instance UNESCO’s World Heritage sites each year, sustainable tourism has become an important cross-cutting
Rule 8.
International cooperation in the conduct of activities directed at underwater cul- tural heritage shall be encouraged in order to further the effective exchange or use of archaeologists and other relevant professionals.
As a general principle, international cooperation should be promoted. Underwater cultural heritage is an international section of heritage if ever there was one. Nevertheless, protection and management, including the management of activities directed at this heritage is in the hands of individual States, each having its competent authority to deal with the matter. However, States that ratify the 2001 Convention do so on the understanding that they act responsibly not only on behalf of themselves, but on behalf of all other States Parties. That is actually the condition based on which they can act as a coordinating State in maritime zones such as the Exclusive Economic
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General Principles