2nd extended summary

The Arabian Gulf used to be home to one of the largest diving economies in the world. Early last century there were 1,000 pearling boats employing around 20,000 divers. By mid-20^th century, pearling still continued but had declined due to competition from Far Eastern cultured pearls.

To give Emiratis and tourists a taste of what pearl diving was like, Emirates Marine Environmental Group (EMEG) and Jumeirah Group have created a pearl diving eco tour off Palm Jebel Ali. Guests can dive to the seabed and, later, shuck their oysters, looking for pearls; although the chances of success are remote, they can keep whatever they find. The tour emphasizes authenticity and guests use traditional diving gear and eat local food cooked on board.

For centuries, pearling was the area’s main source of income and the new eco tours are trying to revive this rich heritage with a traditional experience.

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