The successful 5-day Panglao Dive Festival ends today, as it aims to inject life and vibrance to the said town’s tourism industry battered by the effects of the pandemic.
According to the information from the Municipality of Panglao, a closing ceremony will be held today, June 20, 2021, at the Moadto Beach Resort to be hosted by Panglao’s Executive Assistant on Communication and The Bohol Tribune’s writer/broadcaster, Chandymar Araneta-Batoy.
Prior to the closing ceremonies, a Bubble Maker activity will be held. The Bubble Maker is a fun way for kids to learn scuba diving through the use of bubbles. This activity is open for children 8 to 12 years old, the information from the local government unit (LGU) of Panglao said.
Moreover, there will be a familiarization tour for some participants of the Dive Festival where they can choose which among Panglao’s 16 dive sites they wish to visit.
The Dive Festival featured several diving competitions and diving trade shows, which is part of the effort to boost Panglao’s stature as one of the diving hotspots in the country.
The Dive Festival is part of the Department of Tourism Central Visayas’ 1st Dive 7 Summer Festival. Other dive festivals were also conducted in the localities of Moalboal, Malapascua, and Lapu-Lapu City, in Cebu province: Dauin in Negros Oriental and in Siquijor.
In her speech during the opening ceremonies on June 16, 2021, Panglao mayor Leonila Montero said the people of Panglao should remain strong as they face the challenges of the pandemic.
She added that people should hope that one day the tourism industry will return to its normal self.
Furthermore, Gov. Arthur Yap, in his speech during the opening ceremony, said that there is a need to reclaim our lives and livelihood affected by the pandemic by following strictly the health protocol.
Meanwhile, DOT Central Visayas regional director Shalimar Tamano said it is the agency’s focus to unite the marketing efforts targetting divers since 60 to 70% of the dive sites in the country are located in Central Visayas.