BORACAY – A lawmaker hailed the increase of foreign arrivals in Boracay Island as a good sign of economic recovery not only for Aklan province but also for the country.
Aklan’s Cong. Teodorico Haresco Jr. cited a report from the municipal tourism office of Malay town showing that there has been a constant influx of foreign tourists on the island indicated by a 69-percent increase.
The tourism office recorded 6,873 tourists in June, up from 4,268 in May, 4,737 in April, and 2,533 in March.
“The revival of the tourism industry, especially of famed destinations like Boracay Island, will be key to providing more local jobs and boosting our economic recovery,” Haresco said.
He noted that the tourism industry contributed about 12.8 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019.
Haresco, however, said international travel restrictions imposed because of the pandemic have greatly reduced the sector’s contribution to 5.4 percent in 2020.
He said employment in tourism industries was estimated at 4.68 million in 2020, or 11.9 percent of total employment, which, he said, was the “lowest contribution of the tourism sector in our GDP” after tourism employment dropped from 5.72 million in 2019.
“After enduring two years of travel restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic, Boracay Island has allowed local tourists to enter in September 2021, and foreign tourists in February 2022, contributing to the early recovery of the economy,” Haresco said.
The bulk of foreign arrivals came from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Canada, Singapore, and Korea. Domestic tourism also contributed to the tourism boom with the number of visitors in March soaring to 111,022 compared to 80,095 in February.
“The challenge for us now is to continue to strictly enforce health and safety protocols to protect both locals and tourists from COVID-19 while keeping holistic and comprehensive efforts to expand tourism recovery and build back the economy better,” he said. (PNA/PN)
