Tourist arrivals in Boracay still in the rise

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Tourist arrivals for the first four months of the year in Boracay Island increased by 9.25 percent, according to Department of Tourism (DoT) Boracay.

Tourism officer Artemio Ticar said from January to April, the tourist arrivals went up to 567,547 from 519,462 compared to the same months in 2013.

For the month of April alone, he noted 184,071 arrivals compared to 162,237 last year or an increase of 13 percent. 

Domestic tourists accounted for 128,610 or 69 percent of the total arrivals for April, he added.  

Tourist arrivals are expected to grow tremendously due to rise in international cruise ships arrivals. The growth is also primarily attributed to the summer months in Boracay Island.

Ticar said tourist arrivals have been increasing in the last ten years so naturally. Visitor arrivals from China, Korea, Taiwan, Russia and United States are leading the volume in Boracay Island for the past four months.

Other emerging markets are tourists from Hongkong, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Germany, Australia and Sweden.

The DOT hopes to attract 1.5 million arrivals this year. In 2013, Boracay Island registered 1,363,601 compared to 1,206,252 arrivals a year earlier and P25,067,622,623.40 in tourism receipts.