DOT Region XI Welcomes Divers for the Davao Dive Fun Safari

Davao has been identified as one of the emerging destinations for diving.

Davao Dive Fun Safari Participants together with  the DOT XI ASEC Eden David, City Tourism Officers Generose Tecson, CEO of SEAIR Capt. Benjamin Solis, Former Beijing Attaché now DOT Mindanao consultant Jazmine Esguerra, print media and bloggers.
Photo © Sarah Gavile

Diving is one of the growing tourist market niche in a Global Dive Population estimated at 24 Million. The Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) Global Certification & Membership Statistics in 2014 listed the US with 3.5 M; Europe with 1.8 M while the rest of the world has .7M active divers. For the Philippines, the top five source markets for diving are Korea, US, Germany, Australia and Hongkong.

This is a great opportunity for Davao tourism to open up with this activity, to have a yearly Dive Fun Safari, to invite adventure-seekers below the surface and see what Davao can offer from crystal-clear water to several types of fishes and corals.

Dept. of Tourism Asst. Sec. for Mindanao Eden David  discussing updates of DOT XI events and activities
with the Davao Digital Influencers
Photo © Rudolph Ian Alama

As one of the region in the Philippines chosen as the emerging diving destinations, this is a new spot for adventurous market that constantly seek new dive sites to explore.

"With HongKong as our target for international connection in 2017, we aim to build our products for the HongKong tourist market and this includes diving." DOT ASEC Eden David said.

DOT Chief Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo personally invites more Chinese tourists to the Philippines,  and when President Rody Duterte visit to Beijing,  China lift their official travel ban to the Philippines.


DAVAO DIVE FUN SAFARI

Mr. David Leung, DOT HongKong Marketing representative with DDI President Glen Santillan

It's been years that Davao underwater was not explore by the foreign tourists divers.

"Given the tasked by the DOT Secretary Wanda Teo, to bring in top notch dive photographers to include National Geographic and UNESCO HongKong Association to explore Samal and Talicud in a Fun Dive Safari is not an easy task, but with the help of the DoT Region XI, it give boost to position Davao as the destination for adventure not just highlands but also underwater" said by Leung.

An exhibit at the international gateways in HongKong is being endeavored to showcase the underwater photos taken from FUN DRIVE SAFARI from November 14-17, 2016.

The FUN DIVE SAFARI is among the various activities organized by the tourism department to promote the region as a diving destination. Last October, DOT Regional Office XI conducted UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY SPOTTERS TRAINING for advanced open water divers in Davao which aimed to better assist underwater photographers and provide economic opportunities for local divers. 

Here are some of the photos taken by professional underwater photographers:

A total of 30 divers and underwater photographers of HongKong Chinese, Taiwanese, Australian, Korean, and Malaysian nationals dive various spots of Davao Gulf including Tagpopongan, Balet, Kaputian, Canibad, Liguid Island, among others, for fun diving experiences and to photograph the different underwater species. Known for its rich marine biodiversity, the islands of Davao Gulf is an excellent site for underwater macro photography especially with the superb visibility in the diving sites.

                                                                                                                                                            Photo © Sarah Gavile
 

A Mindanao Dive Congress will be held in Davao this 2017, to feature the various dive sites of the island and sessions on macro photography and marine life conversations efforts shall be discussed.

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For more details, visit Davao Tourism 
Reference: Katherine Anuta
(082) 221-0070
Department of Tourism-XI