BACOLOD CITY — The City of Sipalay in Negros Occidental, known for its unique dive sites, showcased its offerings at the Diving and Resort Travel Expo 2018 on September 7 to 9.
Sipalay was the lone local government participants from Western Visayas in the country’s the largest dive exposition held at SM Mega Trade Hall of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.
City tourism officer Jerick Lacson said joining the event has allowed Sipalay to further showcase and promote its offerings as one diving destination.
He noted that Sipalay, the second farthest locality in southern Negros, is the only local government unit in Negros Occidental included on the Dive Philippine Map crafted two years ago. It was used during the annual diving and travel expo as guide for buyers and divers.
“This is part of the efforts of the city to strengthen the local diving industry,” he said.
Sipalay is a high-quality niche for tourism manifested by the presence of foreign divers, mostly from Europe, who stay longer and pay more, Lacson said.
There are four dive shops in Sipalay — Easy Diving and Beach Resort, Takatuka Lodge and Dive Resort, Artistic Diving Beach Resort, and Bugana Dive and Beach Resort.
The city has 42 dive sites composed of three shipwrecks, coral walls, slopes, coral gardens, and underwater caves. It is also home to rays, wrasse, parrot fish, reef sharks, tuna, barracuda, and green sea turtle.
During the three-day travel expo, Sipalay joined the Dive Travel Mart segment inside the Philippine Pavilion.
Lacson said their team participated 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 Middle East.
The Diving and Resort Travel Expo 2018, organized by LX Development Group Limited through the support of the Department of Tourism, gathered at least 150 exhibitors and thousands of trade visitors from the Philippines and other countries. (Erwin Nicavera/PNA)
