Tracking SCUBA Diving Adventure Tourism in South Africa

The aim of this study is to investigate some of the trends associated with SCUBA diving within an adventure tourism framework. Previous research has shown the increase in adventure tourism, globally, as well as its economic contribution to national economies, particularly those in developing countries such as South Africa. As one of the oldest forms of adventure tourism, SCUBA diving, in particular, has the potential to generate significant income due to the training requirements, the specialized equipment required and the trend of career participation in the activity. This study analyzed the SCUBA industry in South Africa through 106 questionnaires distributed to SCUBA divers. The results show that there is a trend of repeat participation in SCUBA dive tourism and the economic implications are significant. Furthermore, it demonstrates evidence of the development of SCUBA communities in the country, encouraging continued participation. The results have important implications for the potential contribution of SCUBA diving to the South African adventure tourism industry. It also highlighted some of the aspects that could either attract or deter more people from engaging in SCUBA diving in South Africa, which has product development and marketing implications. This work brings initial insight into an important tourism subsector which generates significant income and has a strong potential for further development in South Africa.