RP is among world’s best dive sites

The Department of Tourism (DoT) is expecting the influx of Japanese tourists, specifically the diving enthusiasts, to the Philippines after the country garnered several awards from the recent Marine Diving Fair, Japan’s biggest scuba diving and beach resort travel consumer event.

The Philippines bagged various awards, including the “Best Diving Areas, Overseas” where the country landed in the top three spot. Other awards were the “Best Diving Resort Hotel, Overseas” given to Cebu Pacific Resort (2nd place) and Cebu Tropics Resort (6th); “Best Dive Operator, Overseas” awarded to Blue Coral (2nd) and Pacific Cebu Divers (3rd); and, “Best Place for Photography” awarded to the Philippines (6th).

Tourism Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan said the DoT will continue to target the lucrative and fast-growing Japanese divers market which is considered the largest in Asia with 2.5 million certified members. Japan remains to be a top market for the Philippines in terms of tourist arrivals.

Tourism Attaché to Japan Benito Bengson said the awards clearly showed that the Philippines continues to be a competitive and a popular dive destination in the region among the Japanese.

The Marine Diving Fair is an annual event organized by the Marine Art Center Co. Ltd. This year, the event attracted some 295 organizations and 250 booth exhibitors.

More than 50,000 divers and consumers from all over the world came for the three-day fair to gather the latest information on scuba diving, dive destinations and resorts.