Growth and Impact of Submarine Tours

Over the last decade, advances in technology, television shows like Blue Planet, and ongoing development of the tourist industry have all helped make submarine tours more popular and accessible and show how submarine tours benefit marine conservation and research more than ever before. This is especially true for the planet’s wealthiest citizens, who can now have submarines installed on their yachts, or book slots on luxury cruise liners equipped with multi-person submarines. But there are also more affordable submarine tours available for the average tourist, available across the Caribbean and other places around the world. These submarine tours typically cost between $100 and $200 per adult, with lower prices for children. In addition to being wondrous educational experiences, submarine tours can benefit marine conservation and research by galvanizing the world’s citizens to help protect the world’s oceans from a myriad of modern environmental threats.

Accessibility and Ecological Impact

When it comes to marine conservation efforts, such as reducing pollution and carbon emissions, giant cruise ships and yachts are not the friendliest visitors to marine environments. Outside of the vessels that carry them, however, the actual subs and dive activities are considered low-impact by a variety of environmental organizations. And, if the world’s wealthiest citizens—those in position to lobby governments or fund research—can get a first-hand glimpse of what is at stake beneath the waves, then perhaps a greater good can come from elites playing around in the ocean. It may even inspire them to change how their vessels — or even their businesses — operate. Moreover, the increasing popularity and availability of submarine tours among the general tourist population has enormous potential to raise awareness about the importance of marine conservation and research around the world.

While plenty of tourism companies are set to cash in on submarine tours, marine research and conservation teams, nonprofits, and local governments can also work to establish partnerships with these companies. That way, the dives can serve a two-fold purpose of educating the public along with collecting valuable data from marine environments. Alpha Submarine Adventures has taken that two-fold purpose as its mission and raison d’etre, but there are many other opportunities for public-private partnerships across this fledgling submarine tour industry.

Speak Out and Donate To Broaden the Mission

If you live in or are visiting a coastal or island community, chances are there is a submarine or diving tour company close by. Reach out and ask how they are actively promoting marine conservation and research. If their submarine tours aren’t allied with local marine researchers, schools, or governments, try to rally the various stakeholders to make that connection a reality. At Alpha Submarine Adventures, we are proud to be a research- and conservation-focused submarine tourist organization, but by no means do we want to be the only one.

Donate to Alpha Submarine Adventures today and help us explore and protect essential marine ecosystems!