The World Tourism Organization (2001) reported Scuba was considered one of three growing and important components of the adventure tourism market. Annual dive equipment sales were $1 billion and dive related travel amounted to $20 billion (Buttner, 2007). There is a need to better understand scuba behavior and its impacts. Most studies focused on dive physiology; the socio-psychological aspects have not been intensely scrutinized. Studies about recreational diver commitment and involvement are limited. This study investigated the relationship between level of involvement and diver motivations.
Method
More divers completed their certification in Florida than in any other state from 1990 to 2000 (PADI 2000). A non-probability convenience sampling was used to recruit participants in the Florida Keys. Certified recreational divers completed a 15 minute pen and paper questionnaire and the usable data set was n=377. The dependent variable was level of involvement; the amount of money divers spent annually on scuba expenses was used as an indicator of their commitment to the sport. The dependent variable, diver motivation, comprised of 7 factors - Social Integration (SI) , Fun (F), Excitement (E), Sense of Belonging (SB), Challenge (C), Social Recognition (SR), and Self-Esteem (SE). Demographic and behavioral data were collected.
Analysis/Results
A discriminant function analysis was conducted to determine the ability to predict the group difference of Involvement (Low vs High) using the seven motivation factors adapted from ScubaVals (2007). The overall Wilks' lambda (Wilks' lambda=.945, x²=21.15, p<.01) was significant. Approximately 5.5% of the variance in the dependent variable can be explained by this model. SI and SB demonstrated a significant relationship to the discriminant function. The discriminant function correctly sorted 63.3% of the cases.
Conclusions
SI and SB had significant correlation with Involvement. Divers who valued the social aspects and group belonging of their recreational pursuit were more likely to spend more on the sport than those who did not value the two motivational factors. Study results would be valuable to scuba constituents such as dive operators, policy makers, etc. For example, tourism bureaus could position their locales as high or low cost destinations, based on what motivates diver choices and their propensity to spend. Further research is necessary to understand the complex behavioral and psychological components of diver involvement. Potential socio-economic ramifications of dive behavior can then be systematically and comprehensively addressed.
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