Key Information
Total project cost: € 10,000.00
Total project funding: € 10,000.00
Duration: 01/06/2021 – 31/12/2021
Project challenge & objective:
CMMI divers from the Marine and Coastal Ecosystems Centre, in collaboration with CYENS’s ITICA and Thinker Maker Space designers, are creating immersive digital tours showcasing Larnaka’s underwater sites, to raise awareness about biodiversity and promote tourism. The project is funded by the Larnaka Tourism Board and aims to map five of the most popular diving sites in Larnaka using photos and videos to build up digital 3D models.
CMMI divers photograph the seabed and then Thinker Maker Space modellers stitch it together through programming on the computer to create a video that gives a 360-degree tour. The tours will be available on an online platform, including two natural reefs and three wrecks, including the well-known Zenobia, an iron-and-steel colossus that sank in 1980 to its final resting place 40 metres (130 feet) down, just a 10-minute boat ride from the coastal resort of Larnaka.
While authorities are hoping the mapping project will stimulate tourism, it also aims to promote environmental awareness. Artificial reefs, such as sunken boats, can boost the biodiversity of nearby natural reefs by creating new havens for oceanic fauna. Mapping the sites makes them more accessible to tourists and the general public. It will also allow divers to understand the potential dangers or points of reference.
Role of CMMI:
CMMI was responsible for underwater filming and acquisition of photographic/videographic material of each dive site, describing their environmental conditions and ecological characterisation and providing general support in the creation of the models.
Consortium:
This project was funded by the Larnaka Tourism Board as part of the promotion of Larnaka’s Underwater Tourist Attractions.
Photo Credits: © Emily IRVING-SWIFT
