The Use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Cultural Heritage and Deep-Diving Destinations

Underwater cultural heritage and deep diving are important attractions for tourism. Using cutting-edge technology tools for cultural heritage became more important for tourism destinations. The purpose of this chapter is to evaluate the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in tourism from the perspective of cultural heritage and deep diving. This chapter will contribute to the literature to show a new way of sustainable tourism. Commercial diving to an underwater heritage site a is popular touristic activity. Sometimes shipwreck recovery can be hazardous for cultural heritage. The review results indicate that these underwater cultural heritage sites need to be protected for sustainable tourism development. Virtual tours contribute to the sustainability of cultural heritage. On the other hand, treasure hunting trips and recreational diving may cause damage to the archaeological sites. Underwater cultural heritage sites should be protected for sustainable tourism. VR and AR applications can be used to promote a touristic destination by tourism marketers for experimental marketing.

KOMITMEN INDONESIA DALAM PELINDUNGAN WARISAN BUDAYA BAWAH AIR DI PERAIRAN INDONESIA

This article discusses the extent to which Indonesia provides legal protection to prehistoric and historical object, especially shipwrecks, found within its national waters. It is known that Indonesia has not decide to ratify the UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UNESCO 2001 Convention). Legal audit performed to existing national rules and regulations reveals that, legally wise, Indonesia has shown its commitment to ensure that underwater cultural heritage within its maritime zones enjoy protection. In addition, it may be argued that therefore Indonesia is not in a position having to ratify the UNESCO 2001 Convention soon.

Getting Your Feet Wet

There is a lack of broad representation in archaeology generally, and in a specialized field such as underwater archaeology, this issue is only exacerbated. Underwater archaeological sites are often “out of sight, out of mind,“” creating a general lack of awareness of underwater cultural heritage and career prospects in many communities. Coupled with a lack of education and the additional demands of working in a submerged environment (e.g., scuba diving), there is a striking lack of diversity in underwater archaeology. Overall, underwater archaeologists are a largely homogeneous group, particularly along the lines of race and wealth—categories that often overlap. In the context of asking broader questions such as “Why are there so few underwater archaeologists of color?” and “How can we do better?” this article outlines the barriers to inclusivity writ large in underwater archaeology and provides solutions for increasing diversity and accessibility in the field, including specific opportunities and resources for underrepresented groups to “get their feet wet.”

A Roadmap for the Sustainable Valorization of Accessible Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites

This paper presents a roadmap to enable the adoption of the BLUEMED model; an integrated plan developed within the BLUEMED project that promotes underwater cultural heritage (UCH) to both divers and non-divers and aims at sustainable tourism development in coastal areas and islands. Through augmented and virtual reality technologies, one can experience wet and dry diving to accessible underwater cultural heritage site(s) (AUCHS), through a physical dive at the sites or a virtual tour at Knowledge Awareness Centers (KACs). The roadmap provides guidelines, so that relevant stakeholders and competent authorities can implement the BLUEMED model and consider the various environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic factors of the area (locality), to ensure viability in the long-term. The roadmap focuses on the policy and technical parameters, including the cultural and environmental features of the site, the legislative framework, funding issues, the integration of technologies, the prospects for sustainable tourism development in the area, the stakeholder engagement, and the cooperation framework within a top-down or a bottom-up initiative, as well as the establishment and operation of the KACs.

Development of Predictive Geoarchaeological Models to Locate and Assess the Preservation Potential of Submerged Prehistoric Sites Using Remote Sensing, Palaeoenvironmental Analysis, and GIS

Using the Mesolithic site of Tudse Hage in the Great Belt of Denmark, this paper proposes a generic stepwise process to create geoarchaeological models that output seamless morphology maps in a GIS. This was achieved using remote sensing databases and the collection of marine geophysical data, above and below the seabed. On the basis of these data, key areas, with sediment sequences representative of the postglacial transgression surfaces, were identified. Core samples were taken for palaeoenvironmental analysis and dating that enabled a reconstruction of the relative sea-level changes. Using this information, palaeogeographic coastline maps of the Kongemose, late Kongemose, Ertebølle, and Neolithic periods in the Tudse Hage area were prepared, and potential hotspots for archaeological sites were proposed. Since their inundation, submerged prehistoric archaeological sites have been, and are, dynamic, with anthropogenic and natural processes affecting their stability and preservation. With the advocation of in situ preservation as a means of managing underwater cultural heritage, predicting where sites have survived these processes, and where they can be found, in advance of subsea development or other anthropogenic exploitation, is essential. Future natural threats to sites preserved in situ were determined through the modelling of seabed currents and sediment erosion.

Murals meet microbes: at the crossroads of microbiology and cultural heritage

expressions and represents a defining feature of our societies that needs to be further inherited to future generations. Even though humankind always fought a daily struggle for survival, at the same time, it seemed to have a spiritual need that went far beyond mere materialistic satisfaction and nowadays manifests in sometimes very ancient, yet brilliant artistic works. This fundamental legacy is endangered by several instances, including biodeterioration. Indeed, microorganisms play a significant role in the decline of all forms of tangible cultural heritage, including movable, immovable and underwater cultural heritage. Microbial colonization, biofilm formation and damaging metabolite production eventually result in critical decay. Thus, efforts to miti-gate the negative impact of damaging microorganisms have been pursued with diverse physical, chemical and biological approaches. Intriguingly, recent advances have unveiled that specific microorganisms and microbi-al-based technologies also have the potential for cultur-al heritage preservation and present unique advantages. This short piece provides a quick overview on the duali-ty of microorganisms in the conservation and restora-tion of cultural heritage.

Implementing Multi-Criteria Analysis in the Selection of AUCHS for the Integration of Digital Technologies into the Tourism Offering: The Case of MeDryDive

Focusing on both physical and virtual accessibility, this paper presents the methodology developed by MeDryDive for the selection of AUCHS (Accessible Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites) in Greece, Italy, Croatia, and Montenegro. MeDryDive is a project that aims at the promotion of AUCHS in the Mediterranean as distinctive tourism destinations through personalized dry dive experiences. The candidate sites are assessed in order to be included in the transnational thematic tourism product “Dive in the Past” and promoted through Creative and Cultural Industry (CCI) applications, including a Serious Game, Augmented and Virtual Reality applications, and promotional videos, all developed in the context of the project. The main goal of the methodology is to meet the requirements for both the sustainability of the thematic tourism product and the digital applications’ development. The assessment of AUCHS is based on specific criteria that result from setting weighing factors and classifying indicators as either critical or non-critical. The criteria are categorized into core (feasibility) criteria and complementary (appropriateness) criteria for determining the total level of readiness. This set of criteria enables site selection through an elimination method, identifying the suitable pilot and follow-on sites for the integration of digital technologies into the tourism offering.

Sustainable and Resilient Management of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) in Remote Mediterranean Islands: A Methodological Framework

The impacts of mass tourism and COVID-19 crisis demonstrate the need for healthy, peaceful, and authentic recreation options, giving prominence to emerging destinations, such as remote Mediterranean islands. These, although endowed with exquisite land and underwater cultural heritage (UCH), are confronted with insularity drawbacks. However, the exceptional land and especially UCH, and the alternative tourism forms these can sustain, e.g., diving tourism, are highly acknowledged. The focus of this paper is on the power of participation and participatory planning in pursuing UCH preservation and sustainable management as a means for heritage-led local development in remote insular regions. Towards this end, the linkages between participation and (U)CH management from a policy perspective—i.e., the global and European policy scenery—and a conceptual one—cultural heritage cycle vs. planning cycle—are firstly explored. These, coupled with the potential offered by ICT-enabled participation, establish a framework for respective participatory cultural planning studies. This framework is validated in Leros Island, Greece, based on previous research conducted in this distinguishable insular territory and WWII battlefield scenery. The policy and conceptual considerations of this work, enriched by Leros evidence-based results, set the ground for featuring new, qualitative and extrovert, human-centric and heritage-led, developmental trails in remote insular communities.

The Innovative and State of the Art Public Access Management of Malta’s Underwater Cultural Heritage

The obligation to preserve underwater cultural heritage is a core principle of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. A key element of this obligation is a balance of scientific research, protection, and the promotion of responsible access to underwater cultural heritage sites. Such a balance requires the setting up of a network of communication between the tourism and heritage sectors on the one hand and the maritime and diving communities on the other hand. A variety of approaches have been developed to promote responsible access to underwater cultural heritage sites, and since the vast majority of the public does not dive, this also includes the development of virtual access. In Malta, maritime archaeology can be traced to humble and sporadic beginnings in the 1950s. The following decades brought a growing interest in diving activities and a rising number of diving schools and clubs. Whilst Malta has today established itself as a diving tourism destination, responsible access to underwater cultural heritage sites was not always entrenched in dive operations or institutionally recognized. The protection and management of underwater cultural heritage has recently been firmly established within Heritage Malta, the national agency for museums, conservations, and cultural heritage. This paper is intended to outline the trajectory of Malta’s underwater cultural heritage management and to present the innovative and state of the art public access system that is managed by the Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit within Heritage Malta.