DOT targets 3.8 million tourists for Boracay, Western Visayas

AKLAN, Philippines – Western Visayas officials projected a nearly one-third increase in the number of tourists in the region this year, mainly due to Boracay and the desire for revenge travel.

A congressman, Aklan 2nd District Representative Teodorico Haresco, said on Thursday, February 16, that about 26% of the tourists seen to be Western Visayas-bound this year would come from China.

For years, Chinese tourists have been consistent as one of the top Boracay visitors next to South Koreans.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Western Visayas said it has increased its 2023 target to some 3.8 million foreign and local tourists from the actual 2.8 million visitors that went to Boracay and other places in Region VI in 2022.

DOT regional director Crisanta Marlene Rodriquez said the projection was based on the tourism targets set by the local governments of Iloilo, Capiz, Guimaras, Antique, Negros Occidental, Aklan, and other places in Western Visayas.

“Last year, we targeted 2.1 million tourists, but we were surprised because we were able to record 2.8 million all over the region,” she said.

Rodriguez attributed the region’s 2022 feat on revenge tourism that followed the easing of health and travel restrictions in Western Visayas and elsewhere in the country two years into the COVID-19 pandemic.

Revenge tourism, she said, would likely continue to boost Western Visayas tourism, especially Boracay’s, this year.

Rodriguez said the DOT was preparing for the influx of tourists and would hold more training for the region’s tourism frontliners.

She said local governments need to ensure that their tourism frontliners have a strong background and understanding of tourism.

The DOT in the region, she said, would help more hotels and restaurants to pass the government’s accreditation processes to ensure quality services for tourists.

Haresco, for his part, told Rappler that there was a need to build a new port in Nabas in mainland Aklan to cater to the cruise ship industry.

Haresco said this after the Economic Enterprise Development Department (EEDD) of the Aklan provincial government announced that at least 18 cruise ships with Boracay-bound tourists are scheduled to come until 2025.

He said the Chinese embassy in Manila projected at least a million Boracay-bound tourists from China this year.

“We hope to expand tourism in the whole province of Aklan as well,” he said.

Niven Maquirang of the EEDD-Aklan said there was a need for DOT to provide tourists with a one-stop-shop desk at the Kalibo International Airport.

“The common feedback we have is that Chinese tourists often have to wait for a long time in China for them to be able to be given tourist visas. With a one-stop-shop desk, they could be quickly provided temporary tourists visas upon arrival at the airport,” he said. – Rappler.com

Jun Aguirre is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow.