Laurence Dollimore
AN amazing underwater theme park is one step closer to becoming a reality in Spain.
Dubbed the ‘Underwater Gardens’, the project is penned for Tenerife and vows to be an ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘innovative’ experience.
After being given the green light on September 27, it will now undergo various environmental assessments before being granted final approval.
The ‘ambitious’ park promises to be a ‘game-changer’ in the world of tourism due to its positive impact on the environment.
This includes its own regenerative ‘sea gardens’ that are placed on the local seabed.
The theme park will be split into two areas, the above-shore ‘Garden Gate’ and the underwater ‘Sea Garden’.
The former will offer ‘leisure and educational activities that invite visitors to discover and learn about the ocean through games and fun.’
The latter promises ‘authentic diving experiences in an underwater landscape, which has been tailor-made for the surroundings: a unique environment inspired by nature.’
The project will install underwater ‘architecture’ on the sea bed that is specially designed to regenerate marine life.
These will be available to view during special diving tours, during which participants can ‘actively take part in regeneration tasks’.
The company behind the project explains on its website: “Sea Gardens are ‘Underwater Gardens’ that respond in an intelligent and integrated way to the specific regeneration needs of a damaged ecosystem through Smart Enhanced Reefs (SER), a new generation of intelligent reefs that allow marine life to regenerate and increase local biodiversity.
“The SER implemented in the Sea Gardens respond to an ‘integrated marine regeneration plan’, which combines the technologies developed by Underwater Gardens International and the expertise of our Scientific Consortium and technical team.”
Alicia Leiracha, island director of Strategic Projects, said: “Initiatives like these help us to promote a tourism model that revolves around the concept of sustainability from its different perspectives: social, environmental and economic.”
There will also be a bio lab, where visitors can learn all about local sea life, plus an underwater aquarium and indoor diving centre.
The project must now pass its environmental assessment before being granted final approval.
