Assessing the aspects to create a memorable scuba diving experience OE Wilson orcid.org/0000-0001-7632-2047 Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Tourism Management at the North-West University Supervisor: Prof M Kruger Graduation: May 2019 Student number: 24330558 DECLARATION WITH REGARD TO INDEPENDENT WORK I, Olivia Elene Wilson, identity number 9412050901089 and student number 24330558, hereby declare that this research submitted to the North-West University, for the master dissertation: Assessing the aspects important to create a memorable scuba diving experience, is my own independent work; and complies with the Code of Academic Integrity, as well as other relevant policies, procedures, rules and regulations of the North-West University; and has not been submitted before to any institution by myself or any other person in fulfilment of the requirements for the attainment of any qualification. 30 October 2018 Olivia Wilson Date Student 30 October 2018 Prof. Dr Martinette Kruger Date Promoter i FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Financial assistance from the North-West University and the Albert Wessels Trust is gratefully acknowledged. Statements and suggestions made in this study are those of the author and should not be regarded as those of the patrons. This research was part of the Green Bubbles RISE project, which received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 643712. This study reflects only the researcher’s view. The Research Executive Agency is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. ii PREFACE Cherishing a fascination for the way in which tourism offers the opportunity for either strangers or confidants to share experiences with each other, it has become a passion of mine to determine ways in which their experiences can be enriched; to cultivate a culture of satisfaction, unity and loyalty in an industry as remarkable as the tourism industry. The origin of this research topic is greatly a result of the expert I am honoured to call my mentor, as well as other incredible individuals who have momentously contributed to the academic approach of this industry. In truth, I would not have been able to complete this challenging and rewarding adventure without the guidance and support of loved ones. It is with great honour that I thank the following individuals for supporting me when motivation was an abstract illusion. I am privileged to celebrate my success with you. To my Creator, the opportunities You have blessed me with will never go wasted. Thank You for the ability to contribute to a subject I care about so greatly. To my parents, Trevor and Rista, your support and understanding are the absolute backbones of my success. Thank you for never allowing me to back down, this is for you. To my supervisor, Prof Martinette Kruger, thank you for always going above and beyond with your guidance. Although I have said this countless times; thank you so much for your unbroken support and trust. I have learned more from you that I could have ever anticipated. To say that none of this would be possible without you is an understatement. To my friends who understand the importance of this experience to me and have all given up their time when I needed it most, thank you for your loyalty and love. To Marna, Mr and Mrs Herbst, thank you for your endless support throughout this journey. Your generosity is a blessing, and you will never truly understand the extent to which you helped me accomplish this milestone. You truly are great travel companions. To Miguel Gonçalves (Director of Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve), the dive operators of Ponta do Ouro, and to all the respondents; your hospitality and assistance during the surveys have made an immeasurable difference to me and this study, thank you. Finally, for all the academic experts who have made it possible for me to accomplish this research, thank you for being role models and always facilitating me when I need it most. I am humbled by your shared passion for this industry. iii ASSESSING THE ASPECTS TO CREATE A MEMORABLE SCUBA DIVING EXPERIENCE ABSTRACT The Experience Economy, developed by Pine and Gilmore (1998), elucidates the paradigm shift amongst consumers from wanting traditional service and product offerings towards seeking more specialised experiences. When investigating previous studies in the literature on the progression towards an experiential era, it was found that tourism experiences, more specifically memorable tourism experiences, can create sustainable benefits for many stakeholders, including tourists and destinations. With the rapid growth of scuba diving as a recreational tourism offering on a global scale, it is worthwhile to examine the aspects that could feasibly expand this industry even further. Scuba divers are known to be meticulous when selecting a dive destination, and it is, therefore, essential to investigate their demands for the lucrative and sustainable growth of this industry. It is apparent that many aspects of collaboration contribute to the creation of a memorable scuba diving experience, i.e. co-creation of experiences. Although a significant amount of literature on memorable tourism experiences exists, little to no research has determined the aspects important to divers that lead to a memorable scuba diving experience. To fill this gap in the literature, this study aimed to determine the key aspects important to creating a memorable scuba diving experience in a Southern African marine reserve. The aspects regarding the dive destination, dive site and dive operator were assessed. To achieve this aim, several surveys were conducted in the Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve, Mozambique, between 2017 and 2018. Self-administered surveys were distributed among tourists who were visiting Ponta do Ouro to participate in recreational scuba diving, by means of convenience sampling. A total of 422 questionnaires were obtained during these surveys and included in the analysis. This study set out to achieve four objectives which also served as the layout of the study. The first objective, in support of achieving the study’s aim, included an assessment of the scuba diving industry and the characteristics of scuba divers by means of a literature review. The complex nature of this marine tourism activity, as well as its historical growth and evolution, were presented along with a detailed overview of the relevant stakeholders involved in the industry. The second objective was the critical analysis of memorable tourist experiences by means of a literature review – it was concluded that memorable tourism experiences could not be created without the necessary collaboration among stakeholders to meet tourists’ demands. This literature review further confirmed the gap on the topic of memorable scuba diving experiences from a demand side, highlighting the necessity of the present study. iv The penultimate objective was to identify, by means of an empirical survey, the profile of divers and the key aspects they regard as important for a memorable scuba diving experience. The socio-demographic profile of scuba divers who visit Ponta do Ouro, the relevant behavioural aspects and spending behaviour, as well as the extent to which these characteristics influence the factors respondents regarded as important for a memorable experience, were presented and discussed in detail. The methods of statistical analyses used in this study include exploratory factor analysis, t-tests, ANOVAs and Spearman’s Rank Order correlation. Descriptive results were also offered for the divers’ socio-demographic profile. First, the descriptive results presented in this study include a comprehensive socio-demographic profile of scuba divers who dive at Ponta do Ouro, as well as the individual elements they regard as important for a satisfactory and memorable experience regarding the dive destination, dive operator and dive site. Second, an exploratory factor analysis revealed nine factors that contribute to creating a memorable scuba diving experience. These factors are each relevant to either the dive destination, dive operator or dive site. They are (in order of importance) affordability and accessibility (dive destination), amenities and service (dive operator), marine and aquascape (dive site), conscientiousness and diligence (dive operator), environmental diversity (dive destination), reliability and astuteness (dive operator), temperate and reputability (dive site), variety and leisure opportunities (dive destination) and auxiliary offerings and credibility (dive operator). Third, multivariate statistical analyses (t-test, ANOVA and Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient) revealed the specific socio-demographic, behavioural and economic traits that are considered most important to creating a memorable scuba diving experience. Although it was found that some socio-demographic components of scuba divers (i.e. gender, language preference, country of origin and level of education) offered some statistically significant differences with regard to the experiential factors, it was found that divers’ age does not influence this demand at all. The most noteworthy findings from the results obtained from the abovementioned analyses involved the radical influence that the scuba divers’ behavioural aspects, including the length of stay, travel group size and especially the level of experience and