BORACAY Island, dubbed the crown jewel of Philippine tourism, is among the seven destinations on Fodor’s Travel “No List 2019.”
According to Fodor’s Travel: “Visiting the island of Boracay in the Philippines poses logistical problems, as well as environmental…. While Boracay’s commitment to clean up is wholly commendable, and the strict laws enforcing sustainable action going forward will hopefully create an environmental boost on the island, the full rehabilitation could take up to two years.”
Other destinations on the “No List 2019” of the US-based prestigious travel expert, known for its popular guidebooks, are Ibiza in Spain, Myanmar, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Maya Beach in Thailand. Fodor’s Travel also names two other destinations that don’t want to accept any more tourists—Acapulco in Mexico and Nicaragua. The list was published over the weekend.
In a Viber message, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Fatima Romulo Puyat told the BusinessMirror, “I wouldn’t say it’s a place to avoid; the beach area is in the best state that it’s ever been.”
She reiterated, however, “Tourists should still manage their expectations, as the roads inside the island are still undergoing development.”
She added: “We expect the second phase of rehabilitation to be completed by April 2019, and its third and final phase in December 2019. Six months is too short a time to rehabilitate an island.”
Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar has been quoted as giving assurance the island’s road infrastructure projects will be completed by December 2018.
In separate interviews, however, Philippine participants in the recent World Travel Market in London said UK citizens and Europeans were very curious about the improvements made in Boracay, and are already making plans to visit as early as next year. (See, “Scandinavia, Southeastern Europe tourists ready for the PHL,” in the BusinessMirror online, November 14, 2018.)
Reopened last October 26 after a six-month shutdown to clean up the waters around it, and implement necessary rehabilitation and infrastructure projects, Boracay has seen its visitor arrivals average about 3,600 daily from October 26 to November 17, according to data from the the Department of Tourism (DOT). The agency, however, has yet to give to relese the total arrivals since the island’s reopening, especially the crucial the long All Saints’ Day holiday weekend.
As of November 16, 2018, the DOT has accredited 211 hotels and resorts on the island paradise, with a total of 8,739 rooms.
Among those allowed to accept guests and bookings were De Paris Resort on Station 2, Surfside Boracay Resort and Spa (Station 3), and AV Seven Resort (Station 2). All three made the first list of accredited resorts on August 31, but were subsequently removed in the October 25 list for various reasons. Still off the latest accredited list are Starfire Resort and Den Pasar Beach Resort, which also made the August 31 list. (See, “DOT updates list of accredited resorts; drops 5 establishments,” in the BusinessMirror online, October 25, 2018.)
Also permitted to book guests are Le Soleil Beach Resort (Station 2), owned by the family of Philippine Ambassador to Spain Philippe Jones Lhuillier; Friday’s Resort of listed firm Boulevard Holdings Inc. (Station 1); Paradise Garden Resort Hotel and Convention Center (Station 3); Sun Villas Beachfront (Station 1); Zuzuni Boutique Hotel (Station 1), among others.
The government is trying to cap visitor arrivals in Boracay at 6,045 per day, after recent research by scientists pegged the carrying capacity of the island at 19,125 tourists daily.
Meanwhile, Fodor’s Travel recommended 52 places to visit in 2019, which included the following among its top 5: Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, Puerto Rico, Lagos in Nigeria, Mexico City and the Dead Sea. In Asia Fodor’s Travel suggested a visit to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, the Setouchi Region (Hiroshima) in Japan, Bhutan, Chiang Rai and Thailand’s Golden Triangle, Java in Indonesia and Yunnan province in China.
Image credits: Nikolai Sorokin | Dreamstime.com