BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
AKLAN – The island destination of Boracay in the town of Malay, Aklan has reached pre-pandemic tourist arrivals in Western Visayas, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 6.
Regional Director Cristine Mansinares said Boracay had 1,473,158 tourist arrivals as of Nov. 6.
Tourists from the National Capital Region (NCR) make up the bulk of the arrivals at 498,738, followed by locals from Western Visayas at 266,884, and Region IV-A or CALABARZON at 256,915.
Foreign tourist arrivals, meanwhile, are now at 84,224.
Mansinares said that from the months of June, July and September, the volume of arrivals in Boracay has reached 2019 levels.
Even though only Boracay has reached the pre-pandemic levels of tourist arrivals in the region, Mansinares pointed out that it is still an excellent sign for Western Visayas and indicates that the region is on a road to recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Nagabalik na ang interest sang aton mga tourists to visit not just Boracay but the rest of the region,” Mansinares said.
So far, tourist arrivals in the region are locals, although with the country’s recent easing of travel protocols for foreigners, Mansinares said the region will likely see more foreign tourists.
When asked about the recent comments made by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. during last month’s MassKara Festival in Bacolod City, Mansinares said the president’s comments are a positive development.
She added that some of the hotels and restaurants in the region that were forced to close down during the pandemic are already preparing to reopen or have already done so over the past few weeks.
Previously, Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose Lacson commented that despite the highly successful celebration of the MassKara Festival, the number of tourist arrivals in the province has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Lacson disagreed that the province has already reached the pre-pandemic threshold of tourist arrivals, pointing out that he has yet to see an increase in the number of visiting foreigners.
“Hindi [pa], because waay pa ta foreign (tourists). I don’t see the Koreans yet. I think we are not yet at that stage, but it’s good that local tourist arrivals are picking up,” the governor pointed out./PN
