16,700 foreigners visit Boracay in July

ILOILO CITY – More than 16,000 foreigners visited world-famous Boracay Island in July, the highest in the pandemic period so far.

Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT)-Region 6 said 16,730 foreigners visited the country’s most famous beach destination in Malay, Aklan from July 1 to July 31, an increase of almost 10,000 compared to the 6,873 last June.

A total of 183,096 tourists went to Boracay in July.

Tourists from South Korea accounted for the most number of foreign tourists in Boracay in July – 8,525.

The United States had the second highest with 2,756.

The increase was attributed to the resumption of international flights at Kalibo Airport, the gateway to Boracay.

While the country opened its doors to fully vaccinated foreigners last February, foreign tourist arrivals in Boracay remain low. Last June, two South Korean airlines resumed flights to and from Kalibo.

Tourism executives and local officials are optimistic that foreign tourist arrivals will keep on increasing.

Aside from resumption of international flights, the inclusion of Boracay as one of the world’s greatest places by Time Magazine can draw more foreign visitors.