(UPDATES) THE Philippine Embassy in China on Wednesday said the Philippines won the “Best Diving Destination Award” at the recent Diving Resort Travel Show in Beijing.
The embassy said the Philippines also won “Best Tourism Promotion Partnership Award” during the Diving Resort Travel Show Beijing 2024 held from August 1 in Beijing.
Twelve dive shops, resorts or liveaboards from the Philippines took part in the event to showcase the country as a dive destination, which “generated substantial sales leads for the participants,” the embassy posted on the X social media platform.
Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime FlorCruz said dive tourism contributed over P73 billion to the Philippine economy in 2023, twice the revenue generated by the industry in 2022.
“With this, we are determined to project the Philippines as the ‘World’s Premier Dive Destination,” FlorCruz said.
The Office of the Philippine Department of Tourism in Beijing (PDOT-Beijing) led the country’s participation in the event, which aimed to expedite the development of the diving industry in the Asia-Pacific and foster heightened awareness of marine conservation.
Ernesto Teston, assistant tourism attaché of PDOT-Beijing, presented the top Philippine dive destinations spots, while Sheena Anjeli Botiwey, head of the North Asia Division of the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines, introduced the different diving companies in the Philippines to partner with Chinese clients.
Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to Amman, Jordan Wilfredo Santos urged Jordanian travel agents to explore and promote the Philippines as a premier travel destination.
Santos met with the Jordan Society of Tourism and Travel Agents (JSTA) on August 6 at its office in Amman to strengthen the collaboration between Jordan and the Philippines in the tourism sector, the Philippine Embassy in Jordan said.
“Ambassador Santos highlighted the rich cultural heritage and natural beauty of the Philippines and encouraged Jordanian travel agents to explore and promote the country as a premier travel destination,” the embassy said on Facebook.
Shaher Hamdan, JSTA chairman of the board, welcomed Santos and “expressed his enthusiasm to discuss initiatives that would expand and foster greater understanding and cooperation between the two countries,” the embassy said.
The meeting focused on “exploring new opportunities for promoting two-way tourism, enhancing travel experiences, and fostering cultural exchanges between the Philippines and Jordan,” it added.
Santos said that the Philippines has been recognized as an emerging Muslim-friendly destination, further citing the efforts of the Department of Tourism to develop the Philippines’ halal tourism industry.
Among these measures are the launching of the “Halal-Friendly Philippines” campaign to establish the Philippines as a customer-focused, collaborative, comprehensive, and competitive Halal gateway and destination in the Asia-Pacific.
In return, Hamdan shared insights about Jordan’s historical landmarks, including Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea, and other lesser-known but equally fascinating sites, inviting Filipino tourists to experience their unique offerings.
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