MikeLigalig.com

By Jasmine W. Payo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

At the heart of the exhibit hall of the 2007 China Dive exhibition is a luminous underwater photo mural that never fails to captivate visitors.

The mural is an image-based invitation to take a plunge in the Philippine seas. And judging by the queue at the booth that leads to the exhibition, indications are that the mural is doing its job as far as drawing the curiosity of foreign divers.

"Diving is a recreational sport; you need physical fitness to support your safety," said Filipino-Chinese dive master Ding Bang Ho.

"Why are we promoting diving in the Philippines? So that people will realize that we have such beauty in the country and it will be protected."

The mix of sports and tourism may potentially turn into one of the country's drawing powers--or better yet, one of its economic top-grossers.

"Divers visiting the Philippines return by an average of 10 trips each; this is due to the rich and varied underwater scenery," Jazmin Esguerra, tourism attaché of the Philippine embassy in China, said during the exhibition, an international trade exhibit, conference and networking event held here.

And there's a good reason the Philippines want to build on the enthusiasm of mainland China's diving community.

"China has a billion in population, but their total number of divers is just 30,000; they're just starting," noted Simon So, a full-time dive guide and scuba instructor accredited by the international Professional Association of Diving Instructors.

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