In the face of layoffs and lean income from several industries triggered by the global financial slowdown, tourism remains a bright spot for the country, particularly in Bicol, that registered last year over 1.3 million tourist arrivals, a senator said here Tuesday.

According to Bicolano lawmaker Francis “Chiz” Escudero, tourism arrivals in the Philippines increased by 1.5 percent to a record 3.14 million in 2008 and now accounts for 6.2 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

“Although the global financial crisis continues to wreak havoc on the economies of many countries, I have seen positive developments that would maintain if not improve that tourism performance, especially in Bicol, this year,” the senator who hails from Sorsogon province said during a visit here.

The visit concides with the peak of the Whale Shark Interaction Season here this year that comes with the summer season on the months of March until May.

During this period, whale sharks, known locally as “butanding” flock to the coastal waters here to mate and feed on planktons teeming at the mouth of the Donsol River.

The entire whale shark season starts on January and normally lasts until the end of the third quarter of the year although these massive sea creatures could be occasionally sighted the whole year round in the area and the waters off the coastlines of municipalities straddling the Sorsogon Bay and Ticao Pass.

The season opens for eager visitors or tourists to go whale shark watching or for the more intrepid and adventurous who want to cavort with these biggest fishes in the world up close, swim with the awesome but “gentle giants” of the sea.

The municipality is also preparing for the annual celebration on April 28-30 of the Butanding Festival, punctuated by wholesome merrymaking that ushers the world’s biggest fish.

The three-day festival highlights street presentations of cultural dances, parades and fluvial processions in thanksgiving for the good life brought about by the presence of butandings in the coastal waters of the municipality.

The celebration’s main attractions, however, are eco-trips to the sea organized by trained tour operators and sand guide for visitors.

The whale sharks of this rustic coastal town by the open seas of Ticao Pass at the western coast of the province have been contributing significantly to the tourism industry of the region that posted 1,306,792 local and foreign tourist arrivals in 2008, Escudero said.

Department of Tourism (DoT) records show a total gross receipts of P782-million generated by Bicol’s tourism industry last year, up significantly from P443.5 million in 2007. At least 499,336 jobs were created.

“Of course, Mayon Volcano in Albay that fared well in the preliminary search for the World’s New Seven Wonders of the Nature remains the major tourist attraction of Bicol and the aggressive development and promotion being undertaken by local government units and the DoT of both old and new destinations, attractions and events region- wide have been helping a lot,” Escudero said.

Among the events held recently in Bicol that attracted foreign participation were the 1st Daet International Kite Boarding Competition last February 5 to 8 and the International Wakeboarding Championship last March 25-29 in Pili, Camarines Sur.

“The fact that two international water sports events were held in the region shows that the Philippines – with its ideal location and natural resources – has the potential to be the site of other sporting competitions,” the senator said.

The Bicol region also received international exposure when the French edition of the reality show “Survivor” was held in the Caramoan Peninsula, Camarines Sur, he said.

“All these developments make us optimistic that the global economic crunch would not hurt much our tourism industry,” Escudero added.

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