LEGAZPI CITY?The Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office in Bicol has named the top three growth areas for Bicol tourism as the Camarines Sur Water Sports Complex (CWC), Mayon Volcano in Albay and Donsol, Sorsogon, for its whale sharks.

Maria Ong-Ravanilla, tourism Bicol regional director, said many other areas in the region are being developed for tourism.

Camarines Sur Gov. Luis ?LRay? Villafuerte, whose province was designated as a special tourism zone, had made a bold step in building the CWC in 2005 in Pili town. It is now the top tourist attraction in the region.

With the CWC already a major tourist drawer in the region, Naga City has become a takeoff point for other tourist destinations in the province, like the world-famous Caramoan, site of the French version of the TV reality series ?Survivor.?

Ravanilla quoted a text message from Carina Escudero of Sorsogon City as confirming the ?off-season? presence of whale sharks, the world?s biggest fish, in Donsol town.

She said the text message was sent to Albay Gov. Joey Salceda who, in turn, alerted her about the good news.

Ravanilla said the tourism department, tour operators, traders and other tourist stakeholders had been working to expand the market abroad.

?We are hopeful that Bicol region will become a leading foreign tourist destination,? she said.