Boracay’s 6-month visitor arrivals generate P8-B tourism receipts

by Venus G. Villanueva

Kalibo, Aklan (12 August) — Boracay Island’s visitor arrivals from January to June 2010 generated P8,178,425,375.40 tourism receipts, as shown by records of the Provincial Tourism Operations Office (PTOO) here.

The 6-month arrivals reached 444,881 composed of domestic and foreign tourists and Overseas Filipinos. Visitors were biggest in number in April 2010 with a total of 101,349 arrivals, composed of 20,483 foreign, 78,400 domestic and 2,466 Overseas Filipinos. For the six-month period, foreign visitors reached 134,296; domestic, 295,800 and OF, 14,785.

Aklan Governor Carlito s. Marquez, in his latest report aired over a radio station here, said tourism receipts for the month of June 2010 is 43% higher compared with the same period last year.

Total number of arrivals from January to December last year reached 649,559, which generated total receipts of P11,941,102,920.60.

Also noted in the report of the PTOO for this year’s six-month period is the positive growth rate in arrivals. January 2010, compared with the samd month last year, grew by 6%; February, 23% March, 30%; April, 10% May, 0.50% and June, 43%.

The increase in tourist arrivals is seen here to have been enhanced by international flights which have regular runs from various foreign destinations landing at the Kalibo International Airport (KIA).

Presently, KIA receives 5 international flights daily. Governor Marquez said China Southern Airlines started its operations in June, taking off from Pudong, China 4 times a week and arriving at the KIA and vice versa.

“The Spirit of Manila also started its operations on June 8 going to Taiwan and Kalibo and vice versa,” Marquez told radio listeners.

Zest Air has regular flights too from Incheon, Korea to KIA and vice versa, while the Philippine Airlines has flight schedules every Wednesday and Sunday from Taipei, Taiwan. On the other hand, China Airlines has flight schedules every Wednesday and Saturday to Taipei, Taiwan.

KIA recently opened its new terminal building which caters to international and domestic flights passengers. (PIA)