Russian tourism agents visit Bicol’s leading tourist spots
February 22, 2012 9:35 am
By Danny O. Calleja
LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 21 – A group of Russian tourism agents went around Bicol’s key tourist attractions over the weekend to see and experience for themselves what the region could offer to their nationals who are looking for places to go during their vacation and leisure tours.
From Manila, the group composed of 16 private travel agency operators and tourism diplomats was ushered by the Philippine Tourism Agency Association (PTAA) to this city Saturday where they were mesmerized by the enchanting Mt. Mayon, the peerless cone-shaped volcano known as the World’s Most Perfect Cone.
“The Russians immersed into the bustling and vibrant city, the gateway of the wealth of wonders of Albay province and enjoyed the warm hospitality of Legazpeños,” Amy Detera, the PTAA’s supervising tourism operation officer on Tuesday told the Philippines News Agency.
From here, Detera said the group visited the Raintree Misibis Bay, a private tropical hideaway built on a pristine stretch of beach along the southern tip of Cagraray island in Bacacay, Albay.
The breathtaking five-hectare island resort offers exquisite adventures arising from a treasure trove of infinite possibilities.
Dubbed as the Philippines’ “luxury playground”, Misibis Bay that sits on a 20-hectare prime commercial and residential estate nestled in the Pacific boast of a wide stretch of pristine white sand and a scenic route along the Sula Channel, a quaint body of water that separates Cagraray Island from the mainland of Albay.
Being operated by the Legazpi-based Misibis Resorts, Estates and Spa, the facility offers luxurious summer and retirement homes rimmed by a pristine beach front along an ocean of good life surrounded by a board walk of world-class amenities that truly defines living a life of magnificence.
The place with sceneries that offer a respite from a stressful environment because of its lush, rural sceneries and the pristine beach with golden sands is 45 minutes by land or 30 minutes by a fast watercraft from here, Detera said.
The group stayed at the Misibis for an overnight accommodation placed in world-class resort villas, Detera said.
On Sunday, the Russians returned to this city and motored for an hour to Donsol, Sorsogon to join hundreds of other tourists in whale shark interactions, a world-famous underwater experience of swimming along with whale sharks, locally called butanding, the “Gentle Giant of the Oceans”.
“It was fortunate that it is already butanding season in Donsol as the Russians, in a day-long stay were able to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience of swimming with a school of whale sharks feeding on planktons near the mouth of Donsol River,” according to Detera.
Butanding seasons opens in Donsol in February and the yearly peak season for whale shark sightings comes during the month until May. During this period, dozens of the enormous sea mammals arrive in the area to feed, mate and breed.
Most of them stay until October but some that have made Donsol waters their homes remain to make themselves available to thousands of tourists coming the whole year round.
In the evening of Sunday, the group stayed until the late hours at the Ligñon Hill View Deck, a 156-meter hilltop that offers a breathtaking 360 degrees view of the city, the deep blue Albay Gulf, neaby towns and islands, the Cagsawa Ruins and of course, the full edifice of majestic Mayon Volcano.
Located behind Albay Park and Wildlife and towers over the adjacent Legazpi Airport, Ligñon Hill has became one of the popular tourist destinations here being the best place to view Mt. Mayon. It offers the thrill of ziplines and a walk in the park during sunrise, sunset or nighttime.
Detera said Ligñon Hill that also serves as home to the Mayon Observatory Complex of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) is not just landmark but an environment-friendly park as well.
In the morning of Monday, Detera said the Russians motored to Pili, Camarines Sur which is an hour and a half from this city to visit the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex (CWC), a unique watersports park designed for wakeboarding, wakeskating and waterskiing.
CWC is one of the hottest and most popular destinations in the Philippines lately because of the top class cable ski system developed and operated by the provincial government, she said.
The coming of the Russian tourism agents, Detera explained is one of the achievements of the “Travel Tour Expo” held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on Feburary 17 to 18.
Now on its 19th edition, the expo themed “One Stop Shop to the World” and spearheaded by the PTAA in cooperation with the Department of Tourism (DOT) is one way of helping international relations and tourism by presenting local and international destinations, cultural presentations and discounted travel packages from the exhibitors, according to Detera.
“A marketing strategy like this is a big help to the promotion of tourism in the Bicol region and for the region to be known not just in the country but in Russia as well. For every tourist who visits the country, a job is granted to a Filipino,” Detera added. (PNA)
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