Yacht for scuba divers to ply RP waters in 2009

MANILA, Philippines - A British yacht operator will operate a cruise vessel for divers covering sites in the Visayas and Palawan starting November next year, the Tourism department said in a statement. Worldwide Dive and Sail’s 40-meter S/Y Philippine Siren will ply routes from Mactan to Apo Island, from Southern Leyte to Bohol, and from Boracy to Palawan dive sites via the Apo Reef. "Liveaboard vessels like the Philippine Siren tap the high-spending tourists with frequent returns, averaging at ten [repeat visits] per person," Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" H. Durano said in a statement. The Tourism department earlier promoted the country’s dive sites in a trade fair in Japan last April, noting the large market posed by over a million certified scuba divers there. Worldwide Dive and Sail also sails commercial yachts in Thailand, Indonesia, India and Burma, data from its Web site showed. — Jessica Anne D. Hermosa, BusinessWorld