ALMASORTA targets 15M tourists by 2016


The Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office in Bicol is optimistic to achieve the 15 million target of foreign and domestic tourist arrivals by 2016.

DOT regional director Maria Ong- Ravanilla(left photo) said the target is based on the Albay Masbate Sorsogon Tourism Alliance (ALMASORTA), a tourism road map corridor conceptualized by Albay governor and Regional Development Council chairman Joey Salceda.

“The alliance on tourism is an approach of the province of Albay to compliment the marketing packages of Sorsogon and Masbate ,” Ravanilla said.

Ravanilla said that in the promotion package each province will highlight its respective tourist destinations and local products. “Albay will be the gate way to Sorsogon and Masbate.”

“The first leg of tour package could be from Albay’s tourist destinations then proceed to Sorsogon and in Masbate,” Ravanilla said.

Domestic or foreign tourists might opt to start fun with the trip to Mayon volcano , Cagasawa ruin, Albay’s different caves, Wild Park, Lignon Hill, Boulevard, Misbis, Tiwi Geothermal. And the next day, tourist may chose to interact with the “Butanding” (whale shark ) in Donsol, Sorsogon or mountain climbing in Bulusan volcano. From Sorsogon, via Pilar, proceed to Masbate for another fun in Bontod, a fish and manta ray sanctuary.

Tourist arrivals in Bicol region last year, both domestic and foreign, reached 3,413,610. DOT Bicol report placed the Albay-Legazpi arrivals at 350, 629 while Masbate has a total of 172,446 visitors and 132,692 in Sorsogon.

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