The Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Friday that dive tourism made a big difference in the Philippine economy in 2023, adding over PHP73 billion. She said this at the opening of the Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX) 2024 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, where she is the Secretary of Tourism. Frasco promised to keep working to help dive tourism grow and be promoted in the Philippines during the event.
Frasco talked about how the Philippines has a lot of marine life, with over 500 coral species and 2,000 fish species. He also talked about how committed the country is to making its dive tourism industry both marketable and long-lasting. She said that dive tourism brought in almost twice as much money in 2023 as it did in 2022—PHP37 billion—showing that the Philippines could see even more economic growth under the President's direction and reaffirming its position as a top dive destination in the world.
The country has added about 120 new and well-known dive sites to its list of places where people can go on vacation. Frasco also said that five new hyperbaric chambers would be built in important places like Puerto Galera, Boracay Island, Camiguin, and Daanbantayan in Cebu. These chambers will make it safer for divers to experience sudden changes in pressure.
The three-day PHIDEX 2024 is meant to give leaders, communities, and dive fans a lot of chances to meet and talk to each other. The event has the Dive Travel Exchange (DTE) for business meetings and conferences and displays that show off the best diving spots in the country.
