MANILA, Philippines: The Department of Tourism (DoT) reiterated its commitment to sustainable tourism development projects with a focus on the development and promotion of dive tourism.

The message was delivered by Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco at the opening ceremony of the Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX) 2024 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila.

"As one of the most mega-biodiverse countries in the world, we are home to more than 500 species of corals and 2,000 species of fish. Therefore, this distinction for the Philippines is something we take to heart with a firm commitment to ensuring not just the marketability but, more importantly, the sustainability of our dive industry," Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said at the opening ceremony of the Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX) 2024 at the World Trade Center.

Frasco said that in 2023, dive tourism contributed more than P73 billion to the country's economy, nearly doubling the industry's earnings of P37 billion in 2022.

"United under the guidance and visionary leadership of our President, we can look forward to yielding additional revenue from this industry, reinforcing the Philippine position as the World's Premier Dive Destination and tourism's role, as now one of the strongest pillars of our economy, providing livelihood and employment for millions of Filipinos," she added.

Recognizing the potential of dive tourism, the DoT has taken strong steps to develop and market the industry.

In addition to setting up the PHIDEX, it launched a number of diving festivals and activities around the country to promote dive tourism, including the first Philippine Tourism Dive Dialogue held in Cebu in September 2023.

"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.

PHIDEX 2024 will provide extensive networking opportunities for dive decision-makers, communities, and individuals, including value-added components such as the Dive Travel Exchange business-to-business meetings, Dive Conference, and Dive Exhibit featuring the country's best dive offerings.

The DOT will also arrange post-PHIDEX familiarization trips for foreign dive operators to highlight the country's abundance of world-class diving destinations.