Boracay regains title as world’s top ten beaches

Jun Ariolo N. Aguirre
Boracay Island, Aklan- Both the Boracay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Department of Tourism and the Aklan Provincial Government are optimistic that business will be good in this resort island after it have been reviving old title as one of the world’s top ten beaches.

This developed after the BCCI reported in its monthly newsletter for the month of April released recently that this resort island have been included in the number eight of the top ten best beach in the world by the askmen.com website. Said website claims to have a readership of 5 million readers worldwide monthly.

The said lifestyle website and a magazine considers top ten best beaches in the world as 1.) Copacabana, Brazil; 2.) Waikiki, Hawaii; 3.) Cancun, Mexico; 4.) Surfers Paradise, Australia; 5.) Negril, Jamaica; 6.) South Beach, Florida; 7.) Natadola Beach, Fiji; 8.) Boracay Philippines; 9.) Tenerife, Canary Islands and 10.) Phi Phi Island, Thailand.

In an interview, Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez said that the prestige now being enjoyed by this resort island is due to the continued aggressive promotion of the Department of Tourism which not only resulted to the number of increasing number of tourists but also of the increasing numbers of investors as well.

“Just last week, the Malacanang have asked for a copy of the number of increasing tourists arrivals in this resort island which will be made as a basis for the scheduled upgrading of the Kalibo Airport soon,” Marquez said.

Last month, officials of the Air Transportation Office vowed to make Kalibo Airport the gateway for international destination in Western Visayas region after it had successfully operated the first Asian Spirit direct flight coming from Incheon, South Korea.

“Some international hotel and resort investors have already expressed its interests in investing in this resort island. Among them the Shangrila-Philippines, Discovery Hotel Suites among others are scheduled to open its respective hotels in this resort island until May next year,” Marquez said.

It was learned that an international hotel could open an additional 40 to as much as 100 rooms for this resort island for tourists to occupy it.

More foreign tourists coming

Based on the comparative records of the DoT, the March and April tourists’ arrivals have noted an increasing number of foreign tourists while domestic tourists are decreasing its numbers. Apparently, the figures indicates that the numbers of increasing foreign tourists are making up the dwindling numbers of domestic tourists posting higher numbers of registered tourists this year.

The incoming tourists both for foreign and domestic tourists (Boracay residents and workers included) were made to sign a registration paper in motor banca’s as they passed along the Caticlan Jetty Port a major gateway for tourists bound to this resort island.

The figures indicate that in March 2006, Boracay had accommodated 36, 442 domestic tourists while foreign tourists registers 13, 094 arrivals or a total of 49, 538. In April 2006, domestic tourists hit 77, 481 while foreigners registered 15, 133 tourists or a total of 92, 614.

This year, March indicated Boracay only received 35, 330 local tourists while foreign tourists soars to 17, 969 or a total of 53, 299. In April 2007, local tourists registers 75, 739 while foreign arrivals recorded 17, 739 or a total of 93, 615 tourist’s arrivals.

“The declining number of local tourists does not necessarily means that Filipinos are decreasing its interests in visiting Boracay but because this year, the number of modes of transportation such as commercial vessel have lessen its numbers of voyage to this resort island,” Judith Icotanim told this writer in a separate interview.

Icotanim cite an example that only the Negros Navigation vessel had decided to have a voyage from Manila to Caticlan for the month of April while its competitor the Aboitiz did not pushed for its earlier plans to renew its contract of sending its commercial vessel to Caticlan for the summer season.

Food safety needed for sustainable tourism

While the Aklan Provincial Government and the DoT are busy promoting this resort island, the BCCI which have attained nationwide recognition for being the 2006 Most Outstanding Young Chamber Awardee given by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Charlie Uy, president of the BCCI said that their target this year is to ensure food safety in all the corners of this resort island as they were alarmed by the reports of the Department of Health that this resort island ranks first in the entire country as having the most number of gastro intestinal illnesses with a share of 37 percent in the pie.

Gastro-intestinal disease also ranks first in the island among illnesses reported. Tourists and residents have complained in several hospitals and clinics (both private and public) of experiencing the symptoms of the illness brought about by eating food that has not been prepared in the most sanitary conditions.

“We have been organizing series of food safety seminars and workshops since March until December this year as we are committed to promoting food safety in the island for members and non-members as part of our advocacy of sustainable development of tourism in this resort island,” Uy said.