Thats Right! Dive Tourists up 63 Percent in Philippines!

PhilDivers.com

Why?
Low cost Scuba Diving and Cheap accommodations. Cheap airfare – lower prices than ever before!
As the Department of Tourism (DOT) aggressively pushes “Dive Tourism” in some areas in the Philippines, the number of dive tourists in the Philippines grew by 63 percent in the first quarter of 2009.

A record from the DOT planning and promotion office revealed that Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Mindoro Oriental and Batangas are the identified favorite diving destinations especially for foreign tourists.

German dive enthusiasts visiting these diving destinations posted 131 percent increase while the Korean dive tourists went up by 104 percent, American 37 percent, Japanese 34 percent and Chinese 31 percent.

Over-all gross receipts from dive tourism in these destinations posted an upsurge of 52.8 percent to P31 million compared to P20.2 it generated in the first quarter of 2008.

The record showed that substantial growth of 82 percent was recorded during the first quarter of 2009. Revenue generated by dive operations in Bohol went up by 195 percent, while those in Cebu increased by 69 percent.

During 17th Marine Diving Fair in Tokyo, the Philippine DOT Pavilion attracted more than 20,000 visitors and garnered awards for Best Diving Area, Most Desirable Destination, Best Dive Resort and Favorite Dive Operators for the country and participating dive operators.

The DOT also continued to draw dive tourists in its annual participation in the Golden Dolphin Fair in Moscow which attracted over 23,000 visitors from all the regions of Russia and overseas.

Earlier, DOT secretary Joseph Ace Durano urged the local government units (LGUs), as well as diving shops operators in the Philippines, to put premium rates on diving fees, as this kind of potential tourist-drawer product has been under-valued.

As far as scuba diving is concerned the Philippines ranks high among interest of scuba diving enthusiasts all over the world, thus there is a need for LGUs to put premium on pricing in charging scuba diving activities in their localities.

“We can afford to put premium on pricing,” Durano said emphasizing that in his visits in the top diving spots in the country, he has been urging LGUs, as well as scuba diving operators to charge high in fees, so that LGU can sustain the maintenance and protection of the marine resources.

In Malapascua Islet alone in Cebu, which is one of the top 10 best diving spots in the Philippines, is only charging P100 per dive, P30 of this will go to barangay Logon the lone barangay on the Islet, and the P70 will go to the government of Bantayan Island.

Not only in Malapascua, but also in other eco-tourism destinations in the Philippines, wherein charging fees for eco-tourism activities aside from scuba diving, such as snorkling, whale shark interaction like in Donsol, Sorsogon, among others are also charging very cheap rates.

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Special Alert! Passport news!

On Sept. 29, Congress passed language to extend the deadline for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Here’s what the extension means for passport requirements for U.S. citizens:

WHAT’S THE SAME …
Air Travel
Passport Deadline: Jan. 23, 2007
U.S. citizens will be required to have a valid passport for exiting and reentering the United States starting Jan. 23, 2007 for all air travel.

WHAT’S CHANGED …
Sea and Land Border Entry Ports
Passport/PASS Card Deadline: June 1, 2009
U.S. citizens traveling by sea and land within the Western Hemisphere – Caribbean, Bermuda, Canada and Mexico – will be required to have a valid U.S. passport or a yet-to-be-determined, new economical travel document known as a Passport Card on or before June l, 2009.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Congress stipulated that the Departments of State and Homeland Security must meet seven criteria in developing and implementing the PASS card for sea and land ports of entry. If the seven criteria are met within the 17-month extension period, the implementation of WHTI becomes effective three months after the criteria is approved, or by June 1, 2009; whichever is earlier. In other words, the June 1, 2009 implementation date for WHTI may be moved back if the agencies can comply with the seven specifications set out by the Congress in the extension legislation.

The U.S. Department of State’s Office of Passport Services reports that 70 million U.S. citizens now have passports. U.S. Passport Services is receiving 225,000-250,000 passport applications a week, which is up 60 percent from two years ago.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO PROCESS A PASSPORT APPLICATION?
At this time, we are processing routine applications in less than four weeks from the time of application. We are processing requests for expedited service within three weeks.

For more information on the new passport rules, visit the following website: http://www.travel.state.gov.

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