Red, Hot Bicol

In the past few years, Bicol Region has become much like its famous delicacy – the Bicol express, hot and really spicy.

Today, it is known not only as the home of world–renowned Mayon Volcano, but also as a haven for nature lovers, divers, food trippers and more recently, wakeboarders.

Barely five years since streamlining the direction of development in Bicol tourism, favorable changes are felt in places that have made tourism a flagship thrust. The cities of Legazpi, Tabaco, Sorsogon, Masbate and Naga are currently enjoying its positive effects.

Department of Tourism (DoT) regional director Nini Ravanilla recognizes that the provincial government-run water sports complex in Pili, Camarines Sur has reinvigoarated tourism in Bicol. She said that the CamSur Watersports Complex (CWC) has stirred tourism and business activities in nearby Naga City and in Daet, Camarines Norte while the whaleshark interaction in Donsol, Sorsogon had spillover effects on Naga City.

With the completion of the six-hectare water sports complex, visitor arrivals in Camarines Sur alone surged 67 percent to 180,804 in the first five months of 2007 from 108,450 during the same period last year.

Of the total number of visitors, 17,897 were foreign tourists mostly from Germany, Austria, Japan, Australia and the United States.

"In the first six months of 2007, more than 57,000 foreign tourists visited Bicol, easily surpassing the 49,000 international arrivals in the whole of 2006," said Ravanilla.

Including domestic tourists, Bicol already attracted 447,000 visitors in the first half of the year and is on track of posting over 800,000 arrivals in 2007 for the first time. In 2006, Bicol arrivals numbered to only 635,000, while in 2005, only 501,000.

This monumental increase, she said, has prompted investors to open new hotels to accommodate the influx of foreign tourists, including the Pepperland Hotel and Misibis Residential Resort in Albay, Bacon Beach Resort and Vitton Beach Resort in Sorsogon, Tacdogan Beach Resort in Masbate, Avenue Plaza in Naga City, and LKY Resort Hotel by the Holiday Inn group in Legazpi City. The opening of the new hotels will bring the region’s total room capacity to roughly 5,000.

New attractions

Aside from hotels, Bicol will also be introducing new attractions such as bird watching at the Pawa Mangrove Park and Bird Sanctuary in Masbate and PNOC-BACMAN Ecopark, and wellness spa at the Inang Maharang Bubbling Mud.

Its banner ecotourism project, the Mayon Volcano Natural Park Campsite and Ecopark will be funded by the New Zealand government.

There are 51 weekly flights available with an average seat capacity of 11,045 from major tourist markets via Mactan International Airport in Cebu: 16 flights from South Korea; 14 flights from Hong Kong; 12 flights from Singapore; five flights from Japan; and two flights from Taiwan and Malaysia. Soon, Bicol will have its own international airport scheduled to open in 2010.

Hike in tourism revenues

This year, Bicol is also expected to benefit from P445 million in tourism revenues, up from R305 million in 2006, she said.

"The DoT Regional Office spends so much in promoting and marketing Bicol tourism products in the national and international tourism markets. Participation in national and international exhibits and fairs, and travel missions had been undertaken aside from the usual information collaterals, flyers and tour packages," she added.

Bicol will be hosting the World Wakeboarding Championship in July 2008, which is expected to attract around 200 wakeboarders from over 24 countries.

ATOP Convention

At the recent 8th National Convention of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) held at the CWC, Tourism Undersecretary Oscar Palabyab credited the provincial government of Camarines Sur headed by Governor L-Ray Villafuerte for making tourism a priority in Bicol.

"Other local leaders are now looking at Camarines Sur as a model for tourism development," he said.

ATOP national president Jennylind Cordero challenged government officials to be actively involved in the tourism industry.

"Tourism should become a positive and significant tool in the development agenda of local communities and rural areas for farmers, villagers and young people in the remote areas," she said.

She also sought their support in passing House Bill No. 202, mandating each local government unit to assign a tourism officer.

ATOP is the organization of tourism officers in all local government units in the country, which studies and develops strategies and programs that will boost the country’s tourism potentials. It has also been giving recognition to achievers in the tourism industry through the Best Tourism Practices Awards. The awards acknowledge the Most Outstanding Tourism Officer of the Philippines, Most Outstanding Tourism Officers Club of the Philippines, Best Tourism Week in the Philippines, and Best Tourism Event in the Philippines, won this year by the Dingayang Festival in Iloilo City.

Turismo mismo

The region is also slated to launch its tourism advocacy campaign "Turismo Mismo". The DoT explains that this will help in promoting and implementing the nature and nurture advocacy campaign of Bicol for sustainable eco-tourism.

Meanwhile, a Bicol tourism and trade fair is being held at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City until Oct. 14. Dubbed "Gayon Bikol Fiesta", the annual trade fair and festival will highlight the region’s six provinces and its tourist destinations, products and services. Bicol Region is composed of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon.