Dive sites in CV pushed as key tourist destinations

Dive sites in Central Visayas are among the prime tourist destinations being promoted by the Department of Tourism.

Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental, Bohol, Malapascua and Moalboal in Cebu and Siquijor Island are among the dive sites to be visited by the participants of the upcoming Dive Resort Travel (DRT) Show Philippines this coming September 7-9 in Manila.

The DOT is looking to tap new markets for the country’s thriving dive tourism as it opens business opportunities for stakeholders attending the event.

The DRT Show is one of the largest international diving exposition where DOT will host the Dive Travel Mart (DTM) during which local stakeholders like dive centers, shops and resorts will sit down with foreign dive tour operators and travel agents for business-to-business (B2B) meetings.

Tourism undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. said in a statement the B2B meetings between local and international stakeholders are aimer to take advantage of prospective markets.

The DRT network comprises top-level exhibitors from 48 countries, with each show generating visitor traffic of at least 20,000 dive enthusiasts.

Opportunity markets for the Philippine diving tourism include France, Italy, Spain, the Nordic Region, Middle East and India.

"These new markets now see the Philippines as a richlydiverse destination for underwater adventure,” said Bengzon.

The DTM will culminate to a five-day, four-night dive familiarization tour of selected diving destinations on Sept. 10-14.

Fam-tour participants will take a plunge in dive sites of their choice, among them: Anilao, Batangas; Puerto Galera, Mindoro; Dumaguete, Negros Oriental; Bohol; and Malapascua and Moalboal in Cebu; Siquijor Island; and Southern Leyte.

More freediving events have been taking place in the country following the endorsement by world champion and celebrity free-diver Guillaume Nery of the Philippines as the ‘Freediving Capital of Asia’ who visited Cebu last year.