The mysterious allure of the deep and life in the depths of the sea have kindled the imagination of many, but only few have the ability to experience them. Underwater photography, however, has brought the wondrous world of the deep closer to the 'landlubbers'.The Greek seas are rich in such photographic material, and underwater photography in Greece was permitted, through legislation, just a few years ago.Taking advantage of the 2005 legislation allowing recreational diving throughout the country, with the exception of designated archaeological areas, local government administrations throughout the country have launched a campaign to attract "diving tourists". Some 250,000 divers from abroad, with their families, are expected to visit Greece up through the end of October, while the number from June to the present has already reached 115,000 divers, according to Society for the Protection and Promotion of the Submarine Environment and its Surrounds president George Tzanakis told ANA-MPA. Some 70 percent of the divers who have already visited Greece this year were from Germany, Russia, Spain, France and Italy, while the other 30 percent were from the US. This is the first year that the number of foreign visitors coming to Greece expressly for diving is being recorded statistically, as well as their favored destinations. According to Tzanakis, Greece was selected as the favored diving destination by 95 percent of a total of 7,500 divers who responded to questionnaires in the period 2006-2007.
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