The Department of Tourism (DOT) recently welcomed the contingent Atlantis Resort in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental for the marine imagery competition. This is the first time the contest will be held in the Philippines.

The French nationals will be taking to the waters surrounding Dumaguete and nearby Apo Island to shoot and build up their entries.

The DOT attributes the international diving market’s increased interest on Philippine shores to the collaborative efforts of the Department and its private sector partners.

The country’s recognition as Destination of Honor in the recent Paris Dive Show has likewise helped the Philippines gain leverage among the watersports industry in Europe.

The Atlantides Plongee participants are the second group of marine professional and amateur photographers that the DOT has received this year.

Earlier, the department welcomed the arrival of 36 Belgian and Dutch nationals to Puerto Galera for the Oceanic Underwater Photography Cup.

According to Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, “We are enthusiastic about welcoming divers from around the world to our shores. Activities like this help place the Philippines in the map of must-see scuba diving destinations. We attribute the influx of this market to the assertive and collaborative efforts of the Department and the private sector in reaching out to the water sports enthusiasts in Europe and other continents.”

The Department of Tourism (DOT) recently received a contingent of 36 Belgian and Dutch divers for the 15th Oceanic Underwater Photography Dive Competition at Coco Beach in Puerto Galera, Mindoro.

A major photo contest for the diving community and Belgium and the Netherlands, the Oceanic Cup is often held at the Red Sea in Egypt. This is the first time participants will be shooting in Philippine waters.

Harry Klerks, lead organizer for the Oceanic Cup and a multi-awarded underwater photographer, often found himself diving around Puerto Galera. The idea to hold the 2008 Oceanic Cup here was finalized with a simple “Why not?”

“There are many dive sites to choose from and the marine life is diverse, which is good for macro photography,” Klerks explained.

He added that the variety of sites and species offered by the Philippines has allowed him to expand the contest. A new award for videography is now up for grabs, in addition to the two traditional Starters and Masters photography categories.

Klerks further noted that facilities in the Philippines are also widely available, making it possible to accommodate large groups. He recounted that organizers restricted the number of participants for the Red Sea dive excursions because of the limited number of enough boats or that the vessels were too small.

“If all goes well, we’ll hold next year’s competition in Philippines again and bring in more divers, perhaps from Germany and other European countries,” Klerks said.

The DOT is confident that it can meet the rising demand. According to DOT Assistant Secretary and Executive Director of the Philippine Commission on Sports and Scuba Diving Cynthia Carrion, “our islands are naturally blessed with a wealth of spectacular marine vistas. On the top side, the government and private sectors are constantly upgrading the facilities to complement the warm and hospitable people ready to assist our underwater explorers.”

Following closely the Oceanic Cup is the 4th Atlantides Plongee Photo Competition, which will be held at the Atlantis Dive Resort in Dumaguete. The contest is quickly becoming one of the most coveted accolades among the French diving market.

The DOT is set to welcome over 25 French underwater photographers and videographers. Joining the group is Pierre Martin Razzi, Chief Editor of Sub Aqua Magazine, who will be part of this year’s jury.

The country will further host the 2008 Celebrate the Sea Marine Imagery Festival (CSMIF), the biggest underwater imaging event in Asia Pacific. Holding the said event is touted to strategically position the islands as the capital of aquatic photography and cinematography in Asia.

PHILKOTEX brings in over 70 pre-screened Korean tour operators to meet with their Philippine counterparts and other tourism-related establishments.

The Korean delegation will further be provided with arranged tours around the country, including Banaue, Pangasinan, Clark, Bicol, Bohol, Davao, Dumaguete, Sumilon, Cebu, Palawan, Subic and Puning.

According to Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, “We developed PHILKOTEX to provide our Philippine tourism enterprises with a venue to transact with the Korean travel trade. It also gives our Korean sellers the opportunity to experience the Philippines, helping them present the islands better to their clientele.”

“Part of our goals this year is to encourage repeat visits, especially from Korea and other leading markets. This year’s travel exchange will highlight newer packages with a wide array of activities that the Korean travel group has yet to experience,” said Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC) Executive Director Daniel G. Corpuz.

The DOT expects the forthcoming PHILKOTEX to help sustain the momentum gained from last year and further strengthen the Philippines’ position as one of the top holiday destinations of choice for the Korean travel market.

Philippine tourism stakeholders interested in joining PHILKOTEX may contact PCVC at 525-7320 or 525-9318 local 240 and 243. Please coordinate with Gwendolyn Batoon or James Sy.

Korea is currently the Philippines’ leading source of tourists. A total of 653,310 visitors from Korea arrived in 2007, providing 20 percent of over-all traveler traffic.

Most Korean tourists opt for packages on golf, diving, shopping, English as Second Language (ESL) educational trips, as well as getaways specialized for honeymooners

The Luneta Hotel along Teodoro M. Kalaw St. corner Dewey Boulevard (now Roxas Boulevard) faces Manila Bay.

Luneta Hotel was built in 1918 and was considered one of the few remaining French inspired architecture in Manila that stood the test of time. The National Historical Institute already declared Luneta Hotel as a National Historical Landmark.

Currently, Luneta Hotel is an abandoned building and the soroundings was converted into a parking space for rent.

According to some online forums, Luneta hotel is now being managed by PAGCOR and rumored to be transformed as Manila’s newest Casino.

TRIVIA:

During the Japanese Occupation in Manila, Walter Dempster Jr. also known as Walterina Markova ; popularly known for his movie Comfort Gay portrayed by Dolphy, experienced Japanese Soldiers Brutality in this hotel.

Luneta Hotel before the World War II

Don’t you like going through your vacations photos? We all take pictures when we go on a vacation. It is a great way to perpetuate the experience and remember it for years to come. However sometimes taking pictures is not smooth. Unexpected problems pop up such as running out of film, running out of battery or just forgetting the camera in the hotel. In this article we will provide a few easy to follow tips that will help you in carrying your camera and taking pictures.

The first decision when taking a camera with you on a trip is which camera to take. One of the common mistakes people do when traveling is taking a camera that does not fit their needs. For example they take a high end heavy camera just to leave it in the hotel room since it is too hard to carry with them. It is important to take the right camera for the trip. For example if you are going to be walking a lot or trekking it is better to have a lighter weight smaller camera. If you are going to be driving a lot you can take heavier equipment and more accessories. You should also match the camera to the destination and to your photography level. If your goal is to capture memories a cheap small camera is more than enough.

If your goal is to take high quality photos for future enlargements a professional high resolution camera is adequate. Carrying the camera and its accessories is much easier with the right carrying bag. Most people are tempted to buy a bag specifically designed for their camera.

These bags are easier to use and have the right compartments for the various accessories but they have a big drawback: they can draw the attention of a thief who is lurking for tourists. It is better to use a normal bag such as a backpack that does not look new or like a bag that holds an expensive camera. Digital cameras have many accessories some are optional and some are not. It is a good idea to make a checklist and use it when packing for a vacation.

Make sure that you take the battery charger, the right adaptors for the power outlets in your destination, lenses, memory cards and more. Two very important things to remember when traveling are batteries and memory. Always carry a fully charged spare battery with you. One of the worst experiences is running out of batteries just before a great photo opportunity shows up. Charge both batteries at least every night when getting back to your hotel. Even if you did not take many photos that day and you think the batteries have enough power in them it is better to make sure by fully charging them rather than to take the risk. Also remember that batteries slowly lose their power even when not used so always recharge your spare battery too even if it was not used.

The equivalent of running out of film in old cameras is running out of memory in digital cameras. Make sure that you are taking enough memory cards for the whole trip. Unless you have a laptop with you to dump the photos to you will need the memory to last the whole trip. Try to guess how many photos you will take daily and then get enough memory to hold double that number. Remember that with digital cameras it is easy to take many pictures.

It is better to take a few smaller capacity memory cards than one high capacity card. When a card is full you can leave it in your luggage in the hotel room. If worst happens and you lose your camera with the memory card in it you will at least have some memories in a safe place. If you are an experienced photographer and want to take a tripod with you it is important to find the right compromise between a good tripod and carrying ease. If the tripod is too bulky and heavy you will end up leaving it in your hotel. You can also decide to carry two tripods a miniature one for when walking or trekking and a heavier one when driving around and stopping for photo opportunities.

Taking pictures when traveling is a great way to capture memories. When you get back home dump the photos to your desktop computer make backups and enjoy them for the rest of your life.

About Author

Mr. Haparnas about technology and digital photography. Ziv Haparnas is a veteran technologist. This article can be published and used as long as the resource box including the backlink is included. Information about photography and photo prints is on printrates.com – your home for digital printing http://www.printrates.com