The coastal municipality of Pintuyan in Southern Leyte has seen a surge in visitors drawn to its whale shark interaction programme, with nearly 10,000 tourists recorded during the 2026 season.
Local officials say the figures reflect both the growing appeal of marine ecotourism and the community’s efforts to manage its fragile environment.
A steady climb in arrivals
Data from the municipal tourism office shows a consistent rise in visitor numbers in recent years.
In 2023, Pintuyan welcomed just over 2,000 tourists. That figure almost doubled in 2024, reaching 3,894, before climbing to 6,521 in 2025.
This year’s total of 9,842 marks the highest yet, underscoring increasing interest from both domestic and international travellers in whale shark encounters and related coastal activities.
The season, which ran until June 1, is deliberately limited to allow whale sharks to migrate naturally and to give the marine environment time to recover.
Authorities say this seasonal closure has become central to Pintuyan’s approach to resource management.
The next interaction period is scheduled to open on October 1.
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Diversifying tourism beyond whale sharks
Even during the off-season, visitors are offered a range of alternate activities.
Tourism officer Edilberto Alapag listed options ranging from pygmy squid catching and daytime spearfishing to snorkelling, diving, mountain trekking and waterfall visits.
Trips to Mount Caningag Resort provide further inland experiences, ensuring the municipality remains attractive to tourists year-round.
Alapag emphasised that conservation remains at the heart of the programme.
“Whale shark tourism in Pintuyan follows strict guidelines that prohibit feeding, baiting and touching the animals, allowing the species to surface and migrate naturally while protecting the marine biodiversity of Sogod Bay,” he said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency.
Looking ahead
With preparations underway for the October 2026 reopening, Pintuyan continues to position itself as a marine tourism destination built on regulated wildlife interaction and community-based conservation.
The sustained rise in visitor numbers has strengthened calls for continued vigilance in protecting whale shark populations and the wider biodiversity of Sogod Bay.
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