TACLOBAN CITY, June 4 -- The 2026 whale shark interaction season in Pintuyan, Southern Leyte has attracted at least 9,842 local and foreign tourists, the local tourism office reported on Thursday.

The latest figures show an upward trend in visitor arrivals over the past three seasons, with 2,040 visitors in 2023, 3,894 in 2024 and 6,521 in 2025, reflecting growing interest in Pintuyan's marine ecotourism offerings.

This year, the whale shark interaction season in Pintuyan officially ended on June 1. The local government has wrapped up its marine ecotourism activities to give the gentle giants time to migrate and to allow the ecosystem to recover.

The next whale shark interaction season is expected to open on Oct. 1.

Despite the tempo...