MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte (PIA) – No less than the Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Karina Tiopes urged the province of Southern Leyte to fast track its port and airport developments as dive tourism in the province picks up.
According to DOT RD Tiopes during the First Tourism Summit in Southern Leyte held Sept. 26 at Lourdes Convention Center, Maasin City, statistics showed that 14.6% of the total tourist arrivals in the region last year mostly converged at the dive sites located along the Sogod Bay area.
Sogod Bay dive sites has it all.
Apart from being among the best place for dives, attracting thousands of foreign tourists from all over the world, while, it has become the haven for underwater photographers, as well.
It has no lull season and can be visited all year round and equally important, the ease communication among the stakeholders in the community, it was learned.
Hence, RD Tiopes call for the improvement of ports and aiports in the province to position itself in the eventual influx of millions of dive enthusiasts from other countries.
Currently, the access of tourists in coming to the province takes too long and time consuming. One has to take side trips to either Cebu or Tacloban, on top of three-four hours trips via land transportation beore reaching Southen Leyte.
Tiopes further diclosed that Maasin City Zoo in Danao, Maasin City and Zipline in Agas-agas are also among leading tourist destinations in the province. (jrc/esg/ PIA8 Soleyte)
