The Philippines continues to make waves in the global tourism scene, showcasing excellence and innovation in dive tourism at the recent Diving, Resort and Travel Show Beijing 2024.
Led by the Office of the Philippine Department of Tourism in Beijing (PDOT-Beijing), the country secured two prestigious accolades: the Best Tourism Promotion Partnership award and the Best Diving Destination award.
Highlighting the economic significance of dive tourism, Philippine Ambassador Jaime FlorCruz revealed that the sector contributed a substantial P73 billion to the national economy in 2023, marking a significant increase from previous years.
With this remarkable achievement, Ambassador FlorCruz affirmed the country’s commitment to positioning the Philippines as the ‘World’s Premier Dive Destination.’
The event saw participation from twelve Philippine dive shops, resorts, and liveaboards, generating promising sales leads for the enthusiastic participants.
Assistant tourism attaché of PDOT-Beijing, Ernesto Teston, showcased the top dive destinations in the Philippines, while Sheena Anjeli Botiwey from the Philippine Tourism Promotions Board introduced a diverse range of diving companies in the country to potential Chinese partners.
This recent success builds upon the Philippines’ accolades as Asia’s Leading Dive Destination, a title proudly held at the World Travel Awards (WTA) Asia & Oceania Gala Ceremony 2023 for the fifth consecutive year.
WTA Asia’s Leading Dive Destination 2023 was awarded based on public votes and validation from the group’s panel of travel professionals.
Philippine private tourism stakeholders also bagged notable victories at the WTA Asia & Oceania Gala Ceremony 2023, being named in the following Asian and country categories: Discovery Shores Boracay (Philippines’ Leading Beach Resort 2023), Okada Manila (Asia’s Leading Casino Resort), Travelite Travel and Tours Co. (Philippines’ Leading Destination Management Company 2023), and Seda Hotels (Philippines’ Leading Hotel Group 2023), among others.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco highlighted last year the government’s dedication to sustainable tourism development, particularly focusing on the growth and enhancement of the dive tourism industry under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
The establishment of the Dive Committee and initiatives such as the Philippine Dive Dialogue in Cebu demonstrate a concerted effort to elevate dive tourism standards and collaboration across various sectors.
Plans for this year include installing additional hyperbaric chambers at key dive sites to enhance scuba diving safety standards, along with the upcoming Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX) set to feature diverse dive-related programs.
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