PROGRAM OF THE 2009 COLONY FOTOSUB. OPEN COMPETITION 2009 Colony Fotosub
International Underwater Photo Competition
March 9–14
Colony International Scuba-Diving Center
Isla de la Juventud, Cuba

The sea is one of the most treasured natural resources of the Cuban archipelago. The seabed has been well preserved and is free of contamination. Its exceptional quality makes it an important scuba-diving destination and enables us to offer underwater photo buffs from all over the world an excellent product.

Through the Cubatur Travel Agency—which has been designated the official handling agency for the competition—in coordination with the Marlin, S.A., Marinas and Water Sports Business Group and the Gran Caribe Hotel Group and with the guidance of the Cuban Federation of Underwater Activities (FCAS), the Ministry of Tourism of Cuba invites photographers and models to register for and take part in the 2009 Colony Fotosub International Underwater Photo Competition, that will be held between the Punta Francés National Park area and Los Indios, on the Isla de la Juventud.
2009 Colony Fotosub, an open competition, will be one of the activities held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Colony Hotel, customary site of Fotosubs and other international competitions that are related to underwater activities.

Program
Photo Selection

Prizes
Schedule of dives

Categories in the contest
Regulations

Package price
Environmental protection

Registration
Registration Requests

PROGRAM OF THE 2009 COLONY FOTOSUB OPEN COMPETITION

March 9
Arrival at the Nueva Gerona airport. Transfer to the Colony Hotel. Registration, check-in and welcome cocktail in the Colony Hotel. Briefing for contestants regarding the competition’s rules. Inaugural ceremony and dinner.
March 10
First and second training (familiarization) dive.
March 11
Beginning of the competition. Professional activities and two competition dives.
March 12
Continuation of professional activities and two competition dives.
March 13
Continuation of professional activities and two competition dives.
March 14
Selection of the jury and submission of the competing photos to the jury. Closing dinner and awards ceremony.
March 15
Departure for Havana.

PRIZES
2009 Colony Fotosub will be a digital photo contest that will award 14 prizes: 1st, 2nd and 3rd places for each of the five categories in the competition and two grand prizes: one for the person who has accumulated the most points in the various categories (who will be named Absolute Champion of the competition) and one for the best model.
A single contestant may win several prizes, including that of Absolute Champion.

CATEGORIES IN THE CONTEST
• Fish (excluding turtles, octopuses and squid)
• Scenery without model (underwater flora and fauna)
• Scenery with model (photos using color filters, flashlights and slave flashes and photos that are half water and half land will be valid in this category)
• Macros

PACKAGE PRICE
Price per Person in Convertible Cuban Pesos
Double Room, Double Occupancy Single Room
555.00/ 596.00

Includes
• In/out transfers between Havana’s José Martí Airport and your hotel in Havana or transfer to Terminal 1 for a domestic flight to Nueva Gerona, on the Isle of Youth, either from the international airport or from your hotel in Havana.
• Assistance in the Havana and Nueva Gerona airports.
• Round-trip Havana–Nueva Gerona plane ticket.
• Round-trip transfers between the Nueva Gerona airport and the Colony Hotel.
• Welcome cocktail.
• Accommodations in the Colony Hotel from March 9 through 14, including all meals.
• Eight dives, including use of a vessel, air cylinders, life vests, lead weights and a scuba-diving instructor.
• Official closing dinner for the competition.
Supplements Price per Person
in Convertible Cuban Pesos
Hotel Double Room, Double Occupancy Single Room

Accommodations
Nacional Hotel***** 59.00/ 87.00
Riviera Hotel**** 32.00/ 48.00
St. John’s Hotel*** 22.00/ 35.00

Meals
Nacional Hotel 21.00/ 21.00
Riviera Hotel 14.00/ 14.00
St. John’s Hotel 14.00/ 14.00

Suggestion: List the price in Cp

Other Services Price per Person in Convertible Cuban Pesos
Transfer from the international airport to Terminal 15.00

REGISTRATION
• Every participant must be a member of and have a two-star diploma from the RSTC or World Underwater Federation (CMAS), present a doctor’s certificate stating that he has passed a medical checkup recently and sign a document freeing Cuba of all responsibility in case of accident (and turn it in when getting his credentials as a participant).
• All participants must pledge to obey the safety norms in effect for scuba diving and the limitations established for the levels of the diplomas they have.
• Participants must register individually. They may do so up to 45 days before the competition begins.

PHOTO SELECTION AND CONDITIONS FOR THEIR USE
• Each photographer may submit one photo in each category and is responsible for choosing which photos he submits. The maximum time for making this selection is 40 minutes.
• The jury’s decision is final. If there are any objections concerning classification, they should be limited to possible mistakes in adding, the transcription of the points awarded or violations of the established regulations. If anyone wishes to present an objection, he should go directly to the head of the jury.
• The photos selected by the competitors will belong to the Ministry of Tourism of Cuba and the Cuban Federation of Underwater Activities, which will have no rights over the other photographs that have been taken during the competition. The photos may be used to promote underwater tourism activities in Cuba, with credit given to the photographer.
• The photographers will retain copyrights over their photos and may use the photos they took during the contest for nonprofit purposes in exhibits, personal publications and web sites.

SCHEDULE OF DIVES
• There will be a total of eight dives: two training and six competition ones. Each photographer and model will receive the weights needed and two 12-liter cylinders of air with at least 170 bars of pressure. The cylinders will be the same for all participants.
• The maximum depth allowed is 131 feet (40 meters), and all participants—photographers, models and helpers—will be allowed a maximum of one and a half hours per competition dive.
• Participants who need scuba-diving equipment may rent it at the international scuba-diving center at the Colony Hotel. They will have 30 minutes to get into their diving suits before arriving at the scuba-diving site and 15 minutes for preparing to enter the water.
• The competition will begin when all of the participants are in the water and the judge gives the starting signal; it will end when the competitors arrive at the vessel.
• Photographers and models may return to the vessel during the competition to change lenses and/or cards and to solve any problems that may have arisen with their photographic or scuba-diving equipment if they do this in the presence of a competition official, after which they may return to the water to continue in the competition if they still have time to do so.

REGULATIONS
2009 Colony Fotosub is competitive. Its main purpose is to select and submit photos of flora and fauna in the waters surrounding Cuba that are taken for that purpose during the days of the competition. The following regulations will be in effect:
• Any model of sealed digital camera may be used. The Organizing Committee reserves the right to accept or reject any model of camera or casing that can be manipulated.
• The photos that are taken may not be modified or manipulated in any way that is not supported by and from the sealed camera. Lighting equipment, filters and masks may be used.
• Both photographers and models should use SCUBA scuba-diving equipment. Pressure gauges, depth meters and compensating life vests are obligatory. No models may engage in apnea.
• During the competition, each photographer may take a maximum of 250 photos. Only JPG-format photos will be accepted in the contest. Photographers may take picture in TIF or RAW as long as their cameras allow for taking photos in these formats at the same time. When unloading cards, only JPG-format images may be taken.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
During the competition, the judges will take measures to control violations, disqualifying any participants who are found to be engaging in such activities.
Photographers and models may not damage any of the marine flora and/or fauna. Participants may not
• touch any flora and/or fauna;
• move any of the flora and/or fauna from one place to another;
• disturb the seabed and/or create any contamination intentionally;
• take photos of flora and/or fauna outside of their natural environment;
• make air bubbles in caves in order to take photos of them later;
• pull up algae, black coral, mollusks, etc.;
• capture crabs, shrimps, spiny lobsters or the members of any other species; and/or
• use elements that are not a part of the marine environment.

REGISTRATION REQUESTS
To request registration forms or obtain more information, contact the Cubatur Travel Agency, official handling agency for the 2009 Colony Fotosub Competition.
Contactos:

Marta Rafaela García
Director, Conference and Incentive Tourism
E-mail:mailto:director@cbtevent.cbt.tur.cu
Tel.: (53 7) 206 9802 / 206 9804
Celia Isabel García Cantillo
Director, Specialized Tourism Market
E-mail: specialtours@cubatur.cyt.cu
com.diving@cubatur.cyt.cu
Tel.: (53 7) 204 4204
Nelson Ramos
Conference Tourism Marketing Specialist
Alejandro Basallo
Conference Tourism Marketing Specialist
E-mail: mailto:eventos@cbtevent.cbt.tur.cu
mailto:eventos2@cbtevent.cbt.tur.cu
Tel.: (53 7) 206 9808 / 206 9809
http://www.cubatravel.cu/
http://www.cubatur.cu/
http://www.cayolargodelsur.cu/fotosub2009