Hello Dubai Diver,
certain projects are in the pipe and I am waiting patiently for the announcement of a touchable result for a new dive facility on Socotra island. One project is financed by UNDP and the Italian Government. They show on their website
http://www.socotraisland.org, that a kind of eco-tourism with diving is planned -- but when?
The other is a more commercial and may be more efficient announcement in the Yemen Observer newspaper
QUOTE
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Diving Tourism Centre in Socotra Marine Reserve
By Observer Staff
May 20, 2006 -
SANA’A – The island of Socotra is preparing to receive new groups of tourists from Germany and other European countries in the coming weeks.
A local source said that groups are visiting following a promotional campaign launched by an Austrian investor in Europe.
He plans to establish an environmental dive centre in the unique marine protectorate of Thee Humar, one of the natural protectorates of the remote island off Yemen’s southern coast.
The source said that the Austrian investor had signed an agreement with the association to preserving and developing the protectorate of Thee Humar.
He will help with international promotion of dive centre and the protectorate, as well as helping to improve the skills of the association members.
This will include training local workers in skills needed for the dive centre, as well as helping them to learn more about tourism. He will also work to encourage environmental tourism by attracting interested tourists to the beautiful area.
The Austrian investor is considered to be one of the biggest investors in diving, the source added. He has bought “many investments in Europe” and diving centres in the Maldives and Egypt.
He has already brought groups tourists to the protectorate in the last three months, and has coordinated with tourism and travel agencies in Sana’a. A group of tourism associations are being trained with some citizens from the protectorate.
The protectorate of Thee Humar is located in the north-east of the island and received official protection by a government decree in 2000.
It has more than 80 different kinds of coral reefs, and many types of fish breed there. It has two locations for diving, one with Scuba oxygen tanks and another one for snorkelling.
In order to protect and preserve this precious and fragile are, the association of preserving and developing the protectorate of Thee Humar was founded for maintaining it from any misuse.
UNQUOTE
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Unfortunately I never read a follow-up from this Austrian Dive Operator. Can be, that we have to wait until the end of procedure inside the local administration.
Ciao