The Bicol Department of Tourism (DOT-5) is currently promoting golf and dive tourism as additional tourist attractions in the province.
DOT-Bicol Regional Director Herbie Aguas stated that they had carried out multiple dive evaluations for possible diving places in the six provinces in the region during "Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas" held in this city.
"There have been dive assessments in Masbate, Camarines Norte, Sorsogon, and recently in Catanduanes and Rapu-Rapu in Albay. The money brought in by diving is big; last year our country generated PHP73 billion in revenue from this industry. For the Bicol Region, at least we can see PHP1 billion additional revenue, so this is going to be big. Our ocean is beautiful, and with two island provinces and coastal areas, it has great potential for our economy," Aguas said in Filipino.
Unheralded diving sites
Aside from Mayon Volcano, the Bicol region has numerous other tourist spots, including beaches and coral reefs for underwater aficionados.
Aguas mentioned the stunning diving spots in Albay's Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, Santo Domingo, and Tiwi; the villages of Monreal, San Jacinto, and Batuan in Masbate; and Barangay San Bernardino in Bulusan, Sorsogon.
Beautiful coral reefs can be found in areas of Camarines Sur and around the villages of Vinzons, Paracale, and Mercedes in Camarines Norte.
Aguas continued, saying that their agency also manages and promotes the Coral Reef Restoration Program in order to guarantee the sustainability of dive tourism.
Building golf tourism
In the meantime, Aguas stated that in addition to the current golf site in Albay, other golf sites in Camarines Sur and Masbate are also under development.
Additionally, he stated that this year, at least three tourist rest sites would be built in Tabaco City's developing tourist hotspots, Albay, Lagonoy, and San Jose-Partido in Camarines Sur.
The scale of the golf tourist market has expanded rapidly in the last few years. It is anticipated to increase to $5.88 billion in 2024 from $5.44 billion in 2023.
