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Chinese dive enthusiasts invited to try Philippines’ best diving spots

By Jelly F. Musico (People's Daily Online)    13:35, July 11, 2017

BEIJING – Chinese dive groups and enthusiasts got a glimpse of the Philippines’ world-class diving spots when 10 Philippine dive resorts and operators participated at Diving Resort Travel (DRT) Expo 2017 held in Beijing over the weekend.

"The feedback was good, they were able to generate sales onsite and gather leads and network with new as well as their existing contact in the dive industry here in Beijing and northern China," Genesis Raenani Renos, tourism officer of the Philippines' Department of Tourism (DOT) in Beijing, said.

With the Philippines’ DOT assisting them, the dive resorts and operators used video presentations and giving away of brochures to invite the Chinese dive fanatics to visit and try the Philippines’ top diving spots.

"We had band performances to draw crowds to our booth and we also did a small online activity for DRT visitors wherein they can get a prize by taking a photo in our booth with our dive spots in the background and post it on their social media," she said.

Boasting its over 7,000 islands, the Philippines is home of many world-class diving destinations including Verde Island Passage in Oriental Mindoro; Anilao, Batangas; Blue Hole in Romblon Island, Romblon; and Tubbataha Reef National Park.

It is also fun to dive in Cabilao Island and Balicasag Island in Bohol; Apo Island in Negros Oriental; Malapascua and Mactan Islands in Cebu; and WWII Wrecks in Coron Bay, Honda Bay in Puerto Princesa, and Barracuda Lake in Coron Island, all in Palawan.

File Photo

"Beyond our colorful corals, divers and underwater photographers will also find seashores, turtles, various types of fish and other marine life in a number of our dive spots, including Puerto Galera, which has been designated by UNESCO as a Man and Biosphere Reserve," Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana said.

With the flourishing China-Philippines relations, Sta. Romana has called for closer partnerships between the two countries’ dive groups and enthusiasts.

"The dive enthusiasts will find that diving in the Philippines is possible all year round as water temperatures stay warm at around 27 to 31 degrees Celsius," Sta. Romana sad.

Renos said DRT Expo 2017 also boosts the Philippines’ target of one-million Chinese tourist arrival this year.

According to the DOT, dive enthusiasts make up about five percent of total foreign tourists visiting the Philippines ever year.

The Chinese mainland travelers are a major driving force for global tourism, spending USD 261 billion or nearly 21 percent of the world’s tourist consumption in 2016, according to media reports.

Reports also said 120 million Chinese mainland travelers went abroad in 2015 or 313 percent increase from 2005 figure.

According to the World Economic Forum, the world tourism industry generated over US$7.6 trillion and supported more than 290 million jobs.

Among the 10 Philippine dive resorts and operators who participated in this year’s DRT 2017 Expo include Arkipelago Divers, Dakak Aqua Sports Center, Deep Blue Dive Resort, Devoceans Divers Malapascua, El Nido Resorts, El Pinoy Dive and Leisure Resort, Medusa Diving Center, Pacific Cebu Resort and Pier Uno Dive Resort. 

Jelly F. Musico is a reporter of the Philippine News Agency and an intern at the People's Daily Online.

 

(For the latest China news, Please follow People's Daily on Twitter and Facebook)(Web editor: Wu Chengliang, Bianji)

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