MULING pinatunayan ng Pilipinas na isa ito sa “best diving haven” sa mundo nang tanghalin itong “2018 Best Holiday Destination For Diving” sa tatlong araw na Beijing Diving and Resort Travel Expo 2018 sa Beijing Exhibition Hall sa China, kamakailan.

Tinanggap ng Department of Tourism (DoT) at ng Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) ang karangalan, habang dinaig ng Pilipinas ang mahigit 120 exhibitor mula sa iba’t ibang bansa, tulad ng China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Maldives, at Taiwan, na lumahok rin sa Beijing DRT Expo.

May temang “Epicenter of the World’s Marine Biodiversity,” layunin ng DoT at ng TPB exhibition na isulong ang pangangalaga sa kalikasan, higit sa lahat.

Sa presentasyon ng mga produkto at business networking day, sinabi ni Philippine Ambassador to China, Jose Santiago Sta. Romana, na ang Pilipinas ay matatagpuan sa sentro ng Coral Triangle, na tahanan ng “world’s most vibrant and colorful marine ecosystems and most diverse species of marine wildlife in the world.”

“I assure you that no one knows the sea better than the Philippines, one of the few places where you can experience such rich marine biodiversity. I invite our Chinese friends to come to our country− not just to see our vast underwater fauna, but also to understand the importance of preserving marine life,” dagdag ni Romana.

Ipinagmalaki naman ni Tomasito Umali, Philippine DoT attaché sa Beijing, na maging ang pinakatanyag na scientific institutions, tulad ng California Academy of Sciences sa Amerika at Swansea University ay itinuturing ang Pilipinas bilang “center of the center” ng world’s marine biodiversity at evolution.

“When we say that the Philippines is epicenter or the ‘center of the center of the center of world’s marine biodiversity’ is not grammatically or typographical error. It means that it is in the Philippines as well as between peninsular Indonesia and Malaysia—more than any other places on Earth—where most number or highest concentration of marine species can be found,” pahayag ni Umali.

Hindi bababa sa walong diving centers at resort exhibitors ang lumahok sa DRT show, kabilang ang El Pinoy Resort Anilao, Inc., Kiss Diving Center Shop, Pier Uno Dive Resort, Devocean Divers Malapascua, Arkipelago Divers Inc., Tech Asia, Asia Divers/El Galleon, at Philippine Airlines.

“We invited more divers to come to the Philippines, this expo is an effective means to expose the best diving experience in our country, every year the numbers of Chinese divers and tourist in the our country is increasing significantly. For example, in our resort, we are receiving at least 250 Chinese divers-guests every month,” pag-aanyaya ni Chito Aquino, exhibitor at sales director ng El Pinoy Resort sa Boracay at Batangas.

Samantala, nakatakda namang idaos sa bansa ang susunod na Diving and Resort Travel Expo sa Setyembre 7-9.