CONSIDERED as one of the major diving destinations in Negros Occidental given the number of dive sites and enthusiasts it hosts, Sipalay City has further gained boost through the just-concluded Diving and Resort Travel Expo 2018.
Considered as the largest dive exposition in the country, this year’s event was held at SM Mega Trade Hall, SM Megamall in Metro Manila from September 7 to 9.
Organized by LX Development Group Limited through the support of the Department of Tourism (DOT), it gathered diving industry stakeholders including at least 150 exhibitors and thousands of trade visitors from the Philippines and other countries.
Sipalay City is the only local government from Western Visayas joining the said event that highlighted conservation and environmental protection in the diving industry.
Other participants from Negros Occidental are Danjugan Island in Cauayan town and Artistic Diving Beach Resort in Sipalay City.
Jerick Lacson, tourism officer of Sipalay City, told SunStar Bacolod Sunday, September 9, that the city’s participation in the event has enabled it to further showcase and promote its offerings as one diving destination.
Lacson said Sipalay City is the only local government unit (LGU) in Negros Occidental included in the Dive Philippine Map, which was crafted two years ago and has been used during the annual diving and travel expo as a guide for buyers and divers.
“This is part of the current efforts of the city to strengthen the local diving industry,” he said, adding that Sipalay is a high-quality niche for tourism manifested by a number of foreign divers, mostly from Europe, who stay longer and pay more.
Currently, there are four dive shops in Sipalay City namely Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Takatuka Lodge and Dive Resort, Artistic Diving Beach Resort, and Bugana Dive and Beach Resort.
There are 42 dive sites in the city composed of three shipwrecks, coral walls, slopes, coral gardens, and underwater caves.
In terms of marine animals, it is home to rays, wrasse, parrot fish, reef sharks, tuna, barracuda, and green sea turtle.
Lacson said they particularly joined the Dive Travel Mart segment inside the Philippine Pavilion.
“We were able to participate in the business to business meetings with travel agencies and dive shops from Singapore, China, Thailand, South Korea, Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom, India, Japan, Australia, and the Middle East,” he added.
For her part, Provincial Supervising Tourism Operations Officer Cristine Mansinares said the province’s participation will further boost the local diving tourism considering that the event is an international expo.
“This will foster our collaboration and linkage with other dive operators and organizations committed to explore and protect the underwater treasures,” Mansinares added.