Philippines Diving Tourism Surges, Raking in P73 Billion – Almost Double the 2022 Revenue
PHILIPPINES DIVING TOURISM – The diving tourism in the Philippines soared with P73 billion in revenue.
During the opening of this year’s Philippine International Dive Expo (Phidex) at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco announced that the diving tourism sector contributed P73 billion to the Philippine economy in 2023, nearly doubling the P37 billion it generated in 2022.
Frasco highlighted that the Philippines could anticipate increased revenues from diving tourism as the government endeavors to promote it as the “World’s Premier Dive Destination.”
The Department of Tourism (DOT) previously stated that diving has become a focal point of the administration, with the Philippines consistently recognized for its diving offerings. The country received the latest accolade as the world’s leading dive destination, awarded by the World Travel Awards last year.
To enhance diving tourism, the DOT has introduced various festivals and initiatives across different regions, including the inaugural Philippine Tourism Dive Dialogue held in Cebu in September last year.
“We have also expanded our dive tourism offerings to emerging and lesser-known destinations, bringing our total to approximately 120 dive destinations across the Philippines today,” Frasco said.
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The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza), a government entity under the DOT, has expressed its dedication to increasing the availability of hyperbaric chambers—devices used for treating decompression sickness in scuba diving. This initiative is part of their commitment to ensuring the safety of divers.
The DOT mentioned that these hyperbaric chambers will be strategically placed in various locations throughout the country, including Boracay, Camiguin, Daanbantayan in Cebu, Dumaguete, and Puerto Galera.
Earlier this month, Tourism Secretary Frasco issued Department Order No. 2024-0016, establishing a technical working group named the “Dive Committee.” This committee, which includes Tieza, the Tourism Promotions Board, and the Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving, is tasked with developing a roadmap to address the challenges faced by diving tourism within the DOT and its affiliated agencies.
The recent expo aimed to enhance networking activities such as business-to-business meetings, dive conferences, dive travel exchanges, and dive exhibits. The DOT reported that numerous dive organizations and companies from countries such as China, Taiwan, Japan, France, Israel, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Australia, Germany, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Italy, South Korea, and Qatar have confirmed their participation in the business-to-business meetings.
