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



Thursday, September 12, 2013

Almasor spotlights Travel Mart 2013

BY: MARLON A. LOTERTE

LEGAZPI CITY, Sept. 12 (PIA) – Bicol is more than just the world-renowned Mayon Volcano in Albay, whale sharks in Sorsogon, and marine treasures of Masbate as the region has a lot more to offer tourists and visitors with several attractions and destination options in these sister provinces.

One get to know more about them in the recent Philippine Travel Mart on September 6-8, this year at the SMX Convention Center in Mall of Asia with the staging of Almasor (Albay, Masbate and Sorsogon) showcase booth and the launch of a coffee table book featuring the bests of the three provinces in the fields of tourism and investment prospects

Almasor’s tourism booth even notched the People’s Choice Award for provincial category as it had drawn the most number of visitors, most voted and most photographed display booth during the three-day trade and tourism fair.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, chair of the Bicol Regional Development Council, has initiated and pursued the branding Almasor for the “Soul of the South” as a new marketing strategy and packaging of the tourism industry and prospects for the three southernmost provinces of the region.

With the Regional Development Council (RDC) of Bicol pursuing the Albay Masbate Sorsogon Tourism Alliance (AlMaSorTA), the tourism roadmap for the entire region is seen to achieve development not only in mainland provinces of Albay and Sorsogon but also in the island province of Masbate a more integrated and comprehensive promotion strategy to market the potentials of tourism industry eyeing some 650,000 foreign tourist arrivals in the area annually within five years.

The RDC chair believed that the realignment of tourism activities in all provinces in the region will enable the Bicol peninsula to have a more coherent market positioning and promotion.

On Sunday, Salceda along with Sorsogon and Masbate provincial officials launched the Almasor ‘Soul of the South’ coffee table book, a glossy 102-page 11 x 8 publication showing colorful photographs of the sister provinces’ scenic, pristine and enchanting tourism destinations.

Salceda said the alliance is more timely and appropriate, for indeed Albay, Masbate and Sorsogon are sister provinces as they once constituted together the original province of Albay during the Spanish colonial period.

In his message, Salceda stated that tourists travelling within these provinces would not notice their boundaries as the lands are seamlessly woven by contiguous roads and rivers. Common mountains and forests straddle towns and communities of these provinces. The same sea and ocean waves rush and caress their shores and beaches.

“The people are of the same ethnic origin and are bound by similar culture, traditions and similar beliefs,” he added.

This book, according to the governor, is a compendium of the aesthetics found in the wilds and environs of Almasor as it gives an ecological foretaste far exceeding what any grouping of provinces in the Philippines and at par with the best the rest of the world has to offer. It gathers a unique experience that promotes culture attached to the environs and its beauty.

The book is a virtual tour of Almasor, depicting the foremost tourism wealth including Albay’s iconic Mayon Volcano and the Cagsawa Ruins; and Donsol, Sorsogon’s Butanding Interaction experience and the “virgin” beaches of Masbate.

It also includes other attractions like ATV adventure along the lava walls of Mayon and the Lingyon Hill Nature’s Park; the country’s first monument to Andres Bonifacio in Santo Domingo; the boiling lakes in Manito town; the ten kilometers pinkish-white and crystal-clear waters of the San Isidro Beach in Masbate; the blue lagoon of Paguriran Island, and the Balading Beach in Magdalena, both in the province of Sorsogon.

The coffee table book, Salceda said, showcases vast tourism wealth of the three provinces, presenting their historical and cultural backgrounds and past alliances from way back to their pre-colonial times.

The book also put into spotlight the luxury island hideaway Misibis Bay Resort in Bacacay, Albay.

Almasor ‘Soul of the South’ coffee table book has been commissioned by Albay as convenor of the Almasor tourism alliance of Luzon’s southernmost provinces.  (MAL-PIA5/Albay)
- See more at: http://r05.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=771378967693#sthash.QWtpsrao.dpuf

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