BORACAY – Tourism here is recovering steadily and gaining momentum. Tourist arrivals are expected to hit 1.7 million by yearend, though overshadowed by pre-pandemic numbers.
An estimated 1.5 million tourists travelled to Boracay Island from January to November 2022, compared to 1.8 million in the same period in 2019.
Boracay also welcomed 20,457 international visitors in November. The arrivals accounted for 15 percent of the total.
The lifting of travel restrictions and the ongoing recovery in passenger air traffic are the main factors of the steady tourism growth.
Korea recorded the highest volume of inbound travelers to Boracay Island in November with 7,857 tourists, followed by the United States at 2,532 and Australia at 1,192.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, tourists from South Korea, Taiwan and China made up the largest groups of foreign travelers to Boracay with around 860,000 tourists annually.
Taking the fourth position in November was the United Kingdom with 1,038 visitors and Germany at fifth with 672, according to Malay Municipal Tourism Office.
By region, East Asia composed of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea tallied 9,035 arrivals compared to North and South America countries with 3,235 arrivals.
Overall, the number of foreign tourists reached 104,241 from January to November 2022, way below the pre-pandemic levels of 964,250 foreign visitors in 2019.
In response to tourist influx during the peak season, the provincial government of Aklan scrapped the quick response (QR) code requirement for inbound visitors to Boracay Island./PN
