Tourist arrivals in Boracay, port collections up
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

BORACAY – Governor Carlito Marquez lauded the positive growth of Aklan’s tourism industry for the first four months this year in Boracay Island.

More than 37,000 tourists flocked to the popular island resort from Holy Monday to Easter Sunday or an increase of 28 percent compared to 29,000 last year.

"The tourist arrivals for the first three weeks of April posted 97,000 and it could reach 115,000 tourists by month-end, mostly domestic tourists,” Marquez said over RGMA DyRU Super Radyo in his regular Governor’s Report to the People on Friday.

The tourist arrivals during the Holy Week this year as compared to the same period last year: Holy Monday 3,173 (2010) 3,749 (2011), Holy Tuesday 2,506 (2010) 4,072 (2011), Holy Wednesday 4,237 (2010) 6,204 (2011), Holy Thursday 8,773 (2010) 10,197 (2011) Good Friday 2,727 (2010) 3,712 (2011), Black Saturday 2,593 (2010) 3,086 (2011) and Easter Sunday 2,228 (2010) 2,955 (2011).

The governor also reported an increase in revenue collections in Cagban and Caticlan jetty ports for the first four months.

“The terminal fees and collections from roll-on roll-off operations reached P44 million this year from the month of January to April 25 compared to P42 million last year,” Marquez said.

The governor stressed the open-sky policy of the national government for the Kalibo International Airport attributed to the influx of tourists in the province of Aklan, especially in Boracay Island and the growing number of domestic and regional airlines serving the local airports in Aklan.