"Our world’s caves are places of wonder, mystery and majestic beauty. Show caves around the world are embracing their role in protecting and preserving caves and providing a place for people to learn about these special, natural, cultural and historical resources.
Show caves also play another important nature tourism role of sustainable economic development, providing jobs, and helping the economy of their regions.”
ISCA celebrates the International Day of Caves and the Subterranean World
THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW CAVES ASSOCIATION (ISCA) CELEBRATES THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CAVES AND THE SUBTERRANEAN WORLD 2024
Frasassi/Genga-Italy (May 22, 2024) — On June 6th, the International Show Caves Association (ISCA) will join in the celebration of International Day of Caves and the Subterranean World, an event that brings together show caves, mines, organizations, and managers of the underground world from all corners of the planet.
This celebration, which has been held continuously over the past few years, will be celebrated around June 6, and especially during the weekend of June 8th and 9th. Cavities from different parts of the world will organize concerts, photography contests, and all kinds of cultural and entertainment events for the enjoyment of their visitors. Additionally, promotions are expected for families and groups of friends who wish to enjoy the underground world.
Once again, with the joint goal of achieving the official declaration of June 6th by UNESCO, the International Show Caves Association is betting on the power of social media and the technological world to make their impact visible on a touristic and labor level.
For this reason, ISCA encourages all entities willing to collaborate on this special day to share their actions using the hashtag #CaveDay on any of their social networks and media outlets. These posts will be shared by ISCA’s official Facebook page and will also be included in future publications, including the association’s bi-monthly magazine, whose next issue will be available starting July 1st on their official website.
The President of the International Show Caves Association, Friedrich Oedl (CEO at Eisriesenwelt Cave, Austria) reflected upon “the importance of show caves not only nationally and internationally speaking, but also in terms of regional economies,” and insisted on “the necessity of taking this celebration to the rest of the world so that they learn about the entertaining and learning possibilities of caves and the subterranean world.” He highlighted "the need to promote this date given the importance of caves at regional, national, and international levels," and insists on "the importance of sharing this celebration with the rest of the world to showcase the entertainment and learning opportunities that the subterranean world offers in general."
A year ago, the International Show Caves Association and its Spanish counterpart (ACTE) collaborated on the drafting of a dossier that reflects the different actions carried out over the past few years to ensure that the relevant government organizations are aware of the importance of this day.
According to the survey conducted by ISCA in 2022, which will offer updated results throughout 2024, more than 120 million people visit at least one show cave each year, representing a huge economic impact for the communities that manage these caves, generating more than 2 billion dollars annually. Additionally, the sector creates tens of thousands of jobs, benefiting individuals and families who take advantage of the employment opportunities it provides.
Various national and international associations, such as the Spanish Show Caves Association (ACTE), the Austrian Speleological Association (VÖH) and the Federation Française du Tourism & Patrimoine Souterrain (French Federation of Subterranean Tourism, FFTS), join the June 6th celebration. This year, the FFTS has distributed thousands of promotional magnets for June 6th among all its members.
The International Show Caves Association (ISCA) was founded in 1990 in Frasassi (Genga, Italy). ISCA is an international organization of individuals, associations, corporations, and government agencies that manage show caves open to the general public. ISCA provides the communicative opportunity that these entities need to collaborate on any matter related to show caves. ISCA's main objective is to promote, collaborate, and assist in the cooperation between show cave managers, speleologists and cave enthusiasts in general. This way, it is possible to share information and promote the preservation and conservation of caves more easily, while also increasing global public interest in supporting the subterranean world.
More information about the International Show Caves Association can be found on the official website: www.i-s-c-a.org.
Contact
Friedrich Oedl, ISCA President: president@i-s-c-a.org
Juan José Tíscar Moya, ISCA Secretary and ISCA Communications Europe: secretary@i-s-c-a.org
Winter Prosapio, ISCA Communications USA: wprosapio@naturalbridgecaverns.com