Dive Expo in Cebu Set on April 18 to 21

The Philippine Association on Underwater Activities (PAUA) and the Department of Tourism’s Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD) will host the World DEEP (Dive Expo and Exhibition Philippines) in Mactan Island, Cebu.

The event is said to give a chance to dive operators from the Visayas to promote their services to the rest of the world, who will be coming over for the four-day affair starting from April 18 to 21. At least 200  officials and members of dive associations are expected to gather in Cebu for this event, which is also the World Underwater Federation quadrennial assembly. The Philippines won the bid to host it over St. Petersburg in Russia, Rome, Italy and , Malaga in Spain.

“We were up against other beautiful and exotic sites but we knew we had a chance because diving, after all, is regarded as the number one product of the Philippines, though is not as well-promoted,” said Karen Chan, executive director of the Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving in a statement.

Benedict Reyes, PAUA president and director of the Asian Underwater Federation, said the Philippines is regarded by foreign divers as the “center of the center” of diving in the world. He said divers from all over the world who saw their audio-visual presentations about the Philippines’ dive destinations presented in last year’s CMAS general assembly in Rome “wanted more of it.”