Boracay rakes in P14.3B in 10 years

By Francis Allan L. Angelo
TOURIST arrivals and tourism earnings in Boracay Island in Aklan have been on the uptrend in the past 10 years, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

Citing statistics from the Department of Tourism (DOT-6), the NSCB said arrivals in Boracay went up from 264,807 (both foreign and domestic) to 779,666 last year.

Tourism receipts (revenues from spending of tourists) in the past 10 years are also on the upswing from P4.868 billion in 2001 to P14.332 billion.

The highest increase in visitor arrival was in 2004 at 26.3 percent (89,325 tourists) and in 2010 at 20 percent (130,107 tourists). Correspondingly, receipts increased by P1.6 billion in 2004 and P2.4 billion in 2010.

In terms of tourist population, Boracay is largely dominated by domestic tourists. In 2010, a total of 779,666 tourists arrived in Boracay, 60.81 percent were domestic tourists, 35.72 percent were foreigners while Overseas Filipino Workers comprised the remaining 3.47 percent.

On the average, 2,136 visitors everyday or 64,972 visitors monthly come to Boracay to soil their feet with the powdery-white sand and plunge into crystal clear waters or roam around the entire island.  

Even OFWs also include Boracay in their list of places to visit when they come home to the Philippines, either for leisure or shopping for investment. OFW arrivals in Boracay last year increased by 10.7 percent to 27,038 from 24,415 in 2009.

Also in 2010, Boracay visitors were dominated by Koreans (40%), Taiwanese (22%), and Chinese (16%).  

As in the past, for every 100 visitors, 41 percent are Korean nationals.  Other foreign nationals who made Boracay their place of leisure last year come from: USA (6%); United Kingdom, Australia, and Hongkong (3% each); and Japan, Germany, and Canada (2% each).     

High influx of visitors in Boracay was in summertime of 2010. The peak season commenced March with 75,705 visitor arrivals (9.7%); April with 101,349 visitor arrivals (13.0%); and May with 81,251 visitor arrivals (11.2%).  Estimated monthly receipts during these months was at P1.4 billion, P1.9 billion, and P1.6 billion, respectively. 

The NSCB also noticed that various tourist groups have their own preferred periods in visiting Boracay Island. In 2010, the influx of domestic visitors was high in the months of April at 78,400 (16.5%); May saw 64,390 visitor (3.5%); March with 51,341 visitors (10.8%); and June with 42,910 tourists (9.1%).  

For overseas Filipinos, however, December and January are the most meaningful months for them and their families to be in Boracay. OFW arrivals in the island totaled 3,569 (13.2%) in December and 3,469 (12.8%) in January which is “Ati-atihan” month in Aklan.  

Foreign visitors, on the other hand, enjoyed being in Boracay during the months of August, February and July.  Highest visitor arrivals at 28,841 (10.4%) was registered in August; 28,791 (10.3%) in February; and 24,862 (8.9%) in July.