Labuan Dive Festival highlights ecosystem, tourism potential
Published on: Tuesday, July 02, 2024
The divers in a group photo after the three-day dive festival.
LABUAN: The just-concluded 2nd Labuan Dive Festival highlighted the thriving health of coral reefs in the waters around Labuan, signalling a positive trend for marine life and tourism.
Labuan Dive Club president Teoh Ming Woei expressed satisfaction with the festival’s success in exploring the marine biodiversity and highlighting the significance of continuous conservation efforts.
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“This year’s Labuan Dive Festival has been a success…it has allowed us to delve into the diversity of marine life, with vibrant and healthy coral reefs in the surrounding waters,” he said after presenting certificates to 22 divers from Malaysia and abroad at Rusukan Besar Island.
The 2024 Labuan Diving Festival 2.0, a premier event celebrating Labuan’s rich marine heritage, took place from June 28 to 30.
Jointly hosted by the Labuan Dive Club and Labuan Rusukan Besar Resort, the festival gathered diving enthusiasts from around the world, creating an extraordinary community of marine lovers.
Teoh said the 22 divers included participants from Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Labuan, Singapore and even as far as France, all drawn to explore Labuan’s underwater marvels.
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The festival featured diving expeditions to the renowned “Big Four” wrecks: The American Wreck, Australian Wreck, Cement Wreck, and Blue Water Wreck, as well as the vibrant reefs surrounding Rusukan Besar Island, providing participants with an unparalleled diving experience.
Woei said the event also shed light on the common fish species found around the shipwreck dive sites, underscoring the rich marine biodiversity of the area.
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He emphasised the club’s willingness to collaborate with local authorities in marine conservation efforts, which are crucial for the sustainability of Labuan’s tourism sector.
“The Labuan Dive Club is keen on working together with local authorities to further marine conservation efforts, benefiting both the marine environment and the tourism industry,” he added.
Woei said continued promotion and development of diving events could position Labuan as a leading destination for diving enthusiasts globally.
“There is potential for more international collaborations and partnerships in marine conservation and tourism development,” he said.
Meanwhile Rusukan Besar Island Resort Director Jeffrey Lee said the resort would continue to host diving-related activities to boost the Labuan tourism sector.
“We will do our best to improve facilities for the benefit of our visitors,” he said.
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