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CEBU, Philippines — For fifth consecutive year, the Philippines was picked as Asia’s leading dive destination in the World Travel Awards (WTA) Asia and Oceana Gala Ceremony 2023 at the GEM Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam the other night.

“The Philippines’ fifth consecutive win as Asia’s Leading Dive Destination further affirms the unparalleled beauty and megabiodiversity of our country loved by divers and tourists all over the world,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, who herself is a dive advocate and certified diver.

The country was awarded with such a title based on public votes and validation from the group’s panel of travel professionals.

DOT Undersecretary Shahlimar Hofer Tamano personally received the WTA Asia’s Leading Dive Destination 2023 trophy.

Aside from that, the country’s private tourism stakeholders also bagged notable victories at the WTA Asia & Oceania Gala Ceremony 2023 with the Discovery Shores Boracay as the Philippines’ leading beach resort 2023, Travelite Travel and Tours Co. as the country’s leading destination management company 2023 and Seda Hotels as the country’s Leading Hotel Group 2023.

Regional edition awardees, along with runners-up and previous year’s winners, are qualified for the WTA’s World edition, which will have its grand awards night in Muscat, Oman in November 2023.

The WTA that was established in 1993 is now globally recognized as the "ultimate hallmark of excellence" in the tourism and hospitality industries. The WTA encompasses country awards, regional awards, and world awards.

“This is a testament to the Philippines’ commitment to sustainable tourism development and out strengthened collaboration with tourism stakeholders.  From our ridges to out reefs, you will never run our of reasons to Love the Philippines!” Frasco added.

Under the present administration, the DOT emphasized to elevate the country’s dive tourism industry.

The DOT created the first-ever Dive Committee to align its dive product development and promotion thrusts with its attached agencies, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, and the Philippine Commission for Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD).

Aside from that, the agency has also launched its own dive expo brand, the Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX), the world's only dive show that combines a dive travel exchange, a business-to-business (B2B) meeting program, dive conferences and seminars, exhibition booths, and familiarization tours to key and emerging Philippine dive destinations.

The fourth edition is scheduled for February next year.

The DOT also continued to host regional dive-centric events, including the DOT Office of Product and Market Development – Dive Team’s Anilao Underwater Shootout in Batangas, the DIVE7 Festival series by the DOT-7, the Davao Dive Expo by the DOT-XI, and the NorthMin Dive by the DOT-X — which opened the other day, among others.

The DOT also extended its support to a multitude of diving initiatives, assessments, and expeditions, including the Cebu Travel Catalogue, the Bohol Loop Dive Expo (BHOLDEX), the 3rd MisOr Dive Festival, Samal Island Dive Seafari, Bay Deep Mati Freediving Festival, and numerous others.

Next week, the country’s national dive stakeholders are set for its first ever Philippine Tourism Dive Dialogue (PTDD) here in Cebu. This is to consolidate all the efforts of the national government, local governments, and private sector partners.

TIEZA, DOT’s infrastructure arm, is looking at the installation of additional hyperbaric chambers that will improve scuba diving safety standards in strategic dive locations including Dumaguete and Daanbantayan, Cebu by 2024. /GAN (FREEMAN)