Dive tourism is one of the major attractions in the Negros Oriental that is now contributing to the local economy.
This was cited by Department of Tourism (DOT) Western Visayas and Negros Island Region (NIR) concurrent regional director Crisanta Rodriguez, who said that Negros Oriental has the most established dive tourism among the provinces in the two regions.
She said dive tourism not only benefits the resorts and the dive shops but also the communities.
The regional director visited the province to attend the first Dive Dauin Festival, the biggest underwater photo shootout in Negros Island which was held in Dauin town.
The Dive Dauin Festival is an offshoot of the Dive7 Fest organized by DOT Central Visayas as part of its post-pandemic recovery program.
The Dive7 Fest started with 30 participants in 2021.
Participants are increasing in number each year, with 70 divers who signed up for the Dive7 Fest in 2024.
This year, a total of 98 divers registered for the competition.
The participants are composed of local divers as well as foreigners from the USA, South Korea, Ukraine, Netherlands, Thailand, and Russia.
In 2023, the Philippines collected around P76 billion in tourism receipts from diving tourism.
“In both regions, ang Negros po talagang maganda kasi (Negros Island is the best because) I was able to dive already in Boracay and Negros there are also dive spots in Negros Occidental, but Negros Oriental has the most number of dive spots, dive shops, and stakeholders,” said Rodriguez.
Tourism stakeholders in Negros Island Region have advocated for the Negros Oriental Dive Association (NORDA) and some private stakeholders to lead the organization of the Dive Dauin Festival to ensure its sustainability and profitability.
Provincial Tourism Board Executive Director Woodrow Maquiling Jr. thanked DOT Central Visayas for initiating the Dive7 Festival in the province years ago which put Negros Oriental on the map as a premier dive tourism destination.
Maquiling expects to see an increase in the province’s tourist influx which would translate to an increase in revenues and create more livelihood opportunities.* PIA NegOr
