The influence of scuba diving experience on divers' perceptions, and its implications for managing diving destinations

PLoS One. 2019 Jul 5;14(7):e0219306. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219306. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Scuba diving experience-which can include accumulated diving experience and familiarity with a diving location-is an important descriptor of diver specialisation and behaviour. Formulating and applying generalisations on scuba diving experience and its effects could assist the management of diving destinations around the world. This requires research that tests whether the influences of scuba diving experience are consistent across divers' segments at different locations. The study assessed and compared the influence of scuba diving experience at two study areas in Italy and Mozambique. Scuba divers (N = 499) participated in a survey of diver segmentation, experience, and perceptions. The influence of diving experience on perceptions was determined using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Experienced divers provided positive self-assessments, were less satisfied with dive sites' health and management, and viewed the impacts of scuba diving activities less critically than novice divers. Scuba diving experience exerted similar influences on divers, regardless of the study area. However, remarkable differences also emerged between the study areas. Therefore, the use of generalisations on scuba diving experience remains a delicate issue. Recommendations were formulated for the management of experienced scuba diving markets and for the use of generalisations on diving experience to manage diving destinations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Diving*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mozambique
  • Perception*

Grants and funding

The project leading to this paper has received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 643712 coordinated by author CC (Green Bubbles RISE project www.greenbubbles.eu). The funder provided support in the form of flat-rate reimbursement for mobility and research costs (including management costs) for all authors [SL, MM, MP, CC]. All authors are affiliated with the entities indicated in the "authors’ affiliations" sections, and these entities have provided support in the form of salaries. Neither the funder nor these entities had any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.