MINERVA BC NEWMAN
CEBU CITY — The Department of Tourism (DOT)-Central Visayas showcased its DIVE7 premier dive site destinations in the region at the Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX) 2022 on August 19-21 at the SMX Convention Center in Manila having the highest participation rate among clustered areas.
PHIDEX is a consolidated all-in-one trade show that features the B2B travel exchange TRAVEX designed for local and international dive operators, conferences and seminars and familiarization tours to the country’s dive destinations.
According to DOT7, the show is the country’s largest platform for the promotion of the dive industry demonstrating the country’s capability for accommodating dive tourists from all over the world. It brought together dive industry suppliers and experts, underwater photographers, marine conservationists and researchers, travel trade operators, entrepreneurs and government representatives.
PHIDEX 2022 also has seminars that discussed market trends, dive safety, marine conservation and the changes that the seas have gone through in the recent years, among a host of topics.
DIVE7, together with cooperating stakeholders, staged well-explored and newly-discovered diving sites in a 45-square meter booth, the biggest at the event. Exhibiting with DIVE7 were Bohol Beach Club, Amigos Dive Center and Devocean Divers of Moalboal and Malapascua, Daanbantayan, Cebu, Atmosphere Resorts and Spa and Thalatta Resort of Dauin and Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental.
Cebu-based industry players Sea Explorers, Pacifica Dive and Aquaventure Whitetip Dive Supply were housed in their own respective exhibition spaces. All the DIVE7 co-exhibitors participated in the business-to-business (B2B) travel exchange together with Cebu’s Philippines Aggressor Adventures, Dauin’s Silver Reef Dive Resort, Atlantis Dive Resorts and Liveaboards and Bongo Bongo Divers and Kasai Village Dive Resort of Moalboal.
DIVE7 co-exhibitors reported positive impressions from visitors. They have also received leads for bookings through participation in the three-day show.
The event was PHIDEX 3rd outing with this year’s theme “Back into the Blue: One with the Sea,” that enables the tourism industry’s unending narrative of conservation, community and convergence within the dive sector.
