NUMBERS PICKING UP. Tourists visiting the world-renowned Boracay Island are increasing. From June 1 to 24, 2021, the Malay Tourism Office reported 20,058 arrivals through Caticlan, a big leap from the 1,737 guests in the previous month, Malay chief tourism operations officer Felix Delos Santos Jr. said on Friday (June 25, 2021). (PNA file photo)
ILOILO CITY – Tourists' arrival in Malay’s Boracay Island is picking up.
In an interview on Friday, Malay chief tourism operations officer Felix Delos Santos Jr. said they have recorded 20,058 arrivals through Caticlan as the port of entry from June 1 to June 24, 2021.
He said the opening for tourists from the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus (Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal) has boosted the arrival in the island, which only received 1,737 guests in the previous month.
“Hopefully it would be sustained,” he added.
The Malay Tourism Office record showed 12,761 of the overall arrivals came from NCR. Others were from Cavite with 1,363; Laguna, 1,015; Bulacan, 759; Pampanga, 382; and Nueva Ecija, 163.
The rest of the tourists came from Mindanao and other parts of Luzon and Visayas.
Of the total arrivals, 17,750 were from the 13-59 age group while 1,897 belong to the 0-12 age group. Those 60 years old and above tourists accounted for 411.
There were 10,084 females and 9,974 were males.
Delos Santos said there are no new protocols when entering the island and they still require the negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test taken 72 hours before travel, confirmed booking with a hotel accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT), itinerary or flight details, identification card, QR code and registration with the S-PaSS (Safe, Swift and Smart Passage) System.
“We are stringent in implementing health and safety protocol,” he said.
He added that so far they have not recorded new violators except for the 11 persons who tried to enter the island with fake documents since the island has reopened to visitors from the NCR Plus early this month.
“As usual we invite our visitors to keep coming to Boracay because one way or another you can at least help us revive our economy,” he said.
The national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF- EID) has allowed the movement of persons traveling in and out of NCR Plus from June 1 to 15 and was extended up to June 30. (PNA)
