Boracay island was ordered closed by the government for six months for rehabilitation work after severl tourist establishments were found to have violated building rules and environmental laws.
Philippines’ tourism stakeholders will meet to map out a marketing plan for Boracay’s eventual reopening, to include promos, from November onwards.
Boracay island was ordered closed by the government for six months for rehabilitation work after several tourist establishments were found to have violated building rules and environmental laws.
One Boracay, a group composed of industry groups that includes the Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP), Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA), and Boracay Foundation, is leading an initiative to put Boracay back on its feet when it reopens to the public in October.
But the group is also looking beyond Boracay. One Boracay members said they are talking with colleagues in other tourist destinations in the country to discuss how to deal with the government’s campaign to rehabilitate affected tourist sites—and hopefully avoid the impact of an abrupt closure - as happened in Boracay.
“There will be groups like the one we have for Boracay in other destinations that are under intense scrutiny, or those that are being threatened to be closed by the government,” TCP president Jose Clemente III said.
“We have One Boracay now. There will be One Bohol, One Puerto Galera, and One Palawan very soon,” he added.
PTAA president Marlene Dado Jante said, “We want the government, in the future, to first consult with all stakeholders and incorporate our ideas before executing any actions that will affect tourism destinations and the industry itself on multiple levels.
“The government should understand that we are the ones on the ground and that we have a clear understanding on how the industry works,” Jante added.
Clemente estimated that about 700,000 bookings would be cancelled from May to October this year as a result of Boracay’s closure. For May alone - considered peak season for Chinese and Korean nationals - 170,000 bookings would be cancelled. Tourism revenues losses are estimated at US$588 million.
One Boracay said that had government given more time before shutting down Boracay, all stakeholders would have been better prepared during its six-month closure.
Clemente said One Boracay does not want a repeat of the confusion surrounding Boracay’s closure.