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Official Publication of the Philippine Information Agency Bicol Regional Office, in cooperation with the RIAC-REDIRAS - RDC Bicol



Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Chinese tourists will have a first taste of the country’s newest tourist gateway

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 29 (PIA) – Some 156 Chinese tourists will fly in directly from Xiamen, China tomorrow here in time for the eve of the Chinese New Year while marking the opening of Albay’s international gateway to the world and for the historic first direct international flight from abroad to Bicol or even Southern Luzon.

Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO) chief Dorothy F. Colle said the visit of the Chinese tourists, who preferred this t time to celebrate the Chinese New Year here, is an offshoot of the efforts of leaders and other stakeholders in Albay prodding to open its gate to the world with the maiden international charter flight of Philippine Airlines from China to the Legazpi City Airport ferrying the first batch of Chinese tourists.

Albay, with its majestic Mayon Volcano, pristine environment and world class resorts like Misibis Bay, will have the Chinese holiday-seekers a run for their money in the country’s promising next best destination right at the heart of Bicolandia.

Colle  added another batch of Chinese tourists from the same region carrying another contingent of 156 persons will arrive in Albay on February 3.

The aggressive tourism promotion, according to Colle, is a public-private initiative of Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, Misibis Bay Casino and Resorts and CTS China.

The international test flights will be the gauge whether a direct international flight from Xiamen, China to this will be added as a regular route for the national carrier.

“We see June to September as a plausible target date for offering said voyages considering Southwest monsoon or Habagat will be prevailing within these months affecting the west coast and we want to make our province as the primary alternative destination” she said.

These international flights will also prepare Albay for global engagement while the province readies itself for the Albay BOOM, an ambitious multi-faceted development programs conceived by Salceda.

Meanwhile, Misibis Bay Casino and Resorts general manager Ian Varona said in an interview that every detail of their 5-day/4-night trip—from their departure in China, arrival in Legazpi, tour and travel activities in Misibis Bay, Legazpi City and Donsol until their return trip—has been carefully planned to ensure that they will spread the word about the “spiciest” tourist destination in the Philippine islands.

The two groups will tour beautiful spots of the province and Legazpi City as well as take a side trip to visit Donsol in Sorsogon to catch a glimpse of whalesharks, locally known as Butanding.

The resort, according to Varona, has readied all of its 90 hotel rooms and villas expected to be fully occupied, as well as all its amenities to give the best possible travel experience for the influx of Chinese tourists starting tomorrow.

“This may be the start of an influx of tourists which will enable to help us reach our goal of 600,000 international tourists by 2016 and this will also be the Province’s contribution to the country’s own goal of enticing more than 10,000,000 international tourists by 2016,” Colle said.  (MAL-PIA5/Albay)
- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=771390984418#sthash.uWxa5sDg.dpuf

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