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French tourism exec lauds gov't-led efforts to rehabilitate Boracay

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora

April 29, 2019, 6:33 pm

MANILA -- A visiting French tourism official on Monday has recognized the government-led Boracay rehabilitation efforts in 2018.
 
"What your president did in Boracay, you know cleaning up and everything, it's very good of course, it's very good," Morad Tayebi, Southeast Asia director for Atout-France, the European nation's Development Tourism Agency, told reporters during the French Spiritual Tourism Roadshow in Quezon City.

"I understand President (Rodrigo) Duterte because mass tourism, it will spoil the island so that's good, try to preserve your beautiful landscape because that's what attracts tourists from all over the world," he added.

Last Friday (April 26) marked the first-year anniversary of the Boracay rehabilitation. The resort island in 2018 was closed to tourists for six months to give way to intensive clean-up and road reconstruction efforts.

In a recent interview, Malay town Mayor Abram Sualog said "visible changes" were seen to have benefited not only the tourists but also the locals due to the successful rehabilitation.

"There was a time (when) there had been laxity in terms of the implementation of laws and ordinances but during my tenure and during the rehabilitation of this island, the ordinances had been well-implemented," he told reporters on Thursday.

Filipino locals as tourist drawer
 
Although beach and nature destinations are a huge factor for the vibrant tourism industry of the Philippines, Tayebi said it is the Filipino locals that drew him more to the country.

"From a personal point of view, the Philippines' biggest asset is, of course, you have beautiful (destinations), nice culture, a lot of heritage, but on top of everything, I'd put the people," he said.

"I cover the whole Southeast Asia but the country I enjoy the most when I'm on a trip is the Philippines, why? Because of the people," he added.

In 2018, tourists from France reached 74,389, posting a growth of 14.84 percent from 64,777 from the previous year. (PNA)

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