THE Philippines generated some P113.3 million in sales leads at Malaysia’s premier dive travel and trade show.
In a news statement, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) said the Philippine delegation promoted the country’s award-winning dive destinations and offered special packages – from discounted accommodation rates to guided liveaboard adventures – to participants of the recent Malaysia International Dive Expo (MIDE).
Visitors to the Philippines booth were particularly drawn to the dive destinations in Palawan, Negros Oriental, Batangas, Cebu, and Oriental Mindoro, said TPB Chief Operating Officer Ma. Margarita Montemayor Nograles. They were also enthusiastic about pelagic and wreck diving, she added.
‘MIDE provides an excellent opportunity for the Philippines to promote its world-class dive destinations to the Malaysian market and beyond,’ said Montemayor Nograles. TPB is the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and headed the Philippine delegation.
‘This year, we came in not only showing the beauty of our underwater treasures but also strengthening our continued support for the Malaysian and Philippine dive stakeholders as evidenced by the Longstanding Appreciation Award we received for our participation for the last 13 years.’
She added, ‘With a strong contingent covering the various segments of the Philippine dive industry, we were able to achieve impressive sales leads, solidifying the country’s position as a premier global diving destination.’
The Philippines has been recognized as the World’s Leading Dive Destination every year since 2019 by the World Travel Awards. Last year, the Philippines beat out the Azores Islands in Portugal, Belize, Bonaire Island in the Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Fiji, Galápagos Islands in Ecuador, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Mexico, Seychelles, St. Kitts in the Caribbean, and the islands of Tahiti.
Montemayor Nograles said TPB organized business-to-business (B2B) meetings with dive tourism buyers even though MIDE is primarily a consumer-based event. With the help of the agency’s market representative in Malaysia, she noted that 142 meetings were scheduled, ‘allowing Philippine dive stakeholders to establish stronger partnerships with Malaysian dive agents and further increase sales,’ she said.
Ten Philippine dive companies and resorts represented the Philippines: Aldive Corp. in Dumaguete, Buceo Anilao Beach and Dive Resort in Batangas, Dauin Silver Reef Dive Resort in Negros Oridental, Garden of Eden Dive Resort in Puerto Galera, Kasai Village Dive Resort in Moalboal, Lalaguna Villas Luxury Dive Resort and Spa in Puerto Galera, Logon Fish Buddies Dive Center in Malapascua, M/Y Resolute (Liveaboards), Slam’s Garden Dive Resort-Ocean Passion in Malapascua, and Umali Dive Center Corp. in Coron.
The TPB chief said the Philippine dive companies and resorts also highlighted the improved accessibility of local dive sites through carriers like Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and the Malaysian-based AirAsia and Firefly. ‘Both Malaysian carriers operate direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Cebu, which is a key gateway to major dive sites’ in Moalboal and Malapascua, Palawan, and Dumaguete.
In the first half of the year, the Philippines received 53,437 tourists from Malaysia, an increase of 11.5 percent year-on-year. Last year, Malaysian tourists in the country reached 100,603, just a slight 0.72 percent increase from 2024.
Dive tourism continues to contribute significantly to the growth of the Philippine tourism industry. In 2023, the segment contributed over P73 billion to the economy, nearly double the P37 billion recorded in 2022. ‘The country now boasts around 120 dive destinations, including emerging sites that offer both adventure and ecological richness,’ said Montemayor Nograles.
To support the increasing number of dive tourists in the country, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) has been procuring more hyperbaric chambers, which are installed in 10 dive destinations: Boracay, Camiguin, Coron, Daanbantayan in Cebu, Dauin in Negros Oriental, Mabini in Batangas, Mandaue City, Panglao Island, Puerto Galera, and Puerto Princesa.
Tieza, a government-owned and -controlled corporation overseen by the DOT, is the investment promotion agency for the tourism sector.