The Department of Tourism’s Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX) is back for its second edition but will now be held virtually from October 9 to 11.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said that this year's PHIDEX aims to bring more dive enthusiasts, industry professionals, and renowned experts in a single online platform.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
“This year, all components of the online version of PHIDEX are free, as a way of support to the diving community during this period,” she said.
The DOT said the Virtual Marketplace and Dive TRAVEX will be free of charge for all DOT and Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD) accredited establishments, while the Dive Conference and Panel Discussions will be live streamed through social media networking sites.
The Marketplace is a virtual exhibition floor that can accommodate over 100 exhibitors offering the latest deals, dive holiday packages, and promos from various dive resorts, dive operators, dive shops, dive centers, dive equipment and underwater photography gear dealers, and dive training agencies.
Dive Travel Exchange (TRAVEX), on the other hand, is a Business-to-Business (B2B) networking program via online video conferencing which will be attended by at least 100 dive agents, dive operators, and dive club leaders from established key and opportunity markets such as the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia through algorithm-based matchmaking for business leads generation.
Last year, 730 B2B meetings were generated between 50 international buyers from 21 international source markets and 40 local sellers of dive tourism products and services from the top and emerging dive destinations.
The tourism department also said that there will be virtual dive conferences and panel discussions which will feature international and local experts on sustainable dive tourism, underwater photography and videography, marine conservation, and dive tourism recovery.
“As part of the DOT’s initiative to move tourism events to a safer digital space, the virtual PHIDEX will also eliminate geographical barriers, reduce travel expenses, and continue to establish the Philippines as the region’s dive travel business hub,” Puyat added.
The Philippines was recently named as the Best Overseas Diving Area in Overseas Category at the recent Marine Diving Awards 2020 in Tokyo, Japan following the World’s Leading Dive Destination citation in 2019 by the World Travel Awards.