▪ Bicol’s tourism generated some P364,506,282.50 gross receipts and created a total of 723,754 jobs for Bicolanos during the first quarter of this year, according to a press release of the Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office.

DOT Bicol Regional Director Maria Ravanilla said Bicol tourism posted some 593,241 tourist arrivals with 13.09 percent increase compared to the 524,544 tourist arrivals during the same period last year. She noted that the increase in tourist arrivals was delivered by the three “icons” in local tourism namely Mayon Volcano in Albay, CWC in Camarines Sur, and Butanding (whaleshark) interaction in Donsol, Sorsogon.