Albay tourism leaps by +109%

Albay is finally actualizing its tourism potential both for hosting iconic endowments and for its role as gateway to Bicol’s emerging tourist destinations- witness: arrivals leaping to record high of +109% during the last three months.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda quoting a report from the Department of Tourism (DOT), said tourist arrivals in Albay posted from July to September 62, 280, of whom 27,290 were foreign and 34,990 domestic tourists, a surge that boosts Bicol’s new title as the “third fastest growing tourist destination” of the Philippines .

Tourism Secretary Albert A. Lim, during a recent visit to Legazpi city, referred to Albay as the third fastest growing tourist destinations in the country second only to Cebu and Boracay with new and diversified tourism come-ons.

Such standing, according to Lim, necessitated recommending the speedy completion of Southern Luzon International Airport (SLIA), to make Bicol a top tourist destination as well as support DOT’s target of doubling the number of foreign tourist arrivals in the country.

“I will strongly recommend SLIA to Department of Transportation and Communication as one of the top priority airports in the country,” Lim said.

Also a recent come for tourist – among others – was the province of Sorsogon due to Mt. Bulusan’s restive character, according to Governor Salceda. Mount Bulusan spewed ash about three weeks ago, but volcanologists said there’s no threat of an explosive eruption.

“There is something truly amazing – and disturbing – in the way danger attracts humans. We saw similar display of predisposition for danger in the Mayon eruption only last year. In 2009, Mayon eruption induced arrivals in the month of December what it would take a majestic yet slumbering volcano a year to attract’, Salceda said.

He added that this gave rise to a perverse mode of tourist movement- disaster tourism. Thus, our disaster response strategy had be to significantly reconfigured to secure our zero casualty goal since a dead tourist is also a violation of zero casualty.

But he said recent developments, such that of Bulusan Volcano eruption, were a bit different; Albay is getting tourists without incurring the risks clearly establishing the geostrategic position of Legazpi as the gateway to Bicol destinations. Still, the governor said Albay is more comfortable with tourists due to Donsol encounters than to Bulusan eruption.

Also boosting tourist arrivals in Albay is the six–times a day flight of three big airlines by way of the Legazpi City Domestic airport; PAL, Cebu Pacific, and most recently Air Philippines, which helps establish Albay’s role as gateway to the Bicol Region, Salceda added.