By TARA YAP
ILOILO CITY – The Department of Tourism-6 reported a decrease in the number of foreign visitors in world-famous Boracay Island due to fewer direct international flights.
TOURISTS walk on the beach at world-famous Boracay Island. (Tara Yap)
DOT-6 Assistant Regional Director Phoebe Zelie C. Areño said that flights were reduced in two airports serving tourists going in and out of Boracay. Direct flights from South Korea have stopped.
“It transferred to Bohol,” said Areño at this week’s Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas of the Philippine Information Agency-6.
Areño said that direct flights to and from South Korea transferred to Bohol where tourists have easier access to their final destination, unlike in Boracay which has too many transfers.
Some fly to Manila and then fly to Kalibo Airport in the provincial capital of Aklan province.
Boracay Airport in mainland Malay town usually caters to chartered flights, especially from China.
Tourists from both airports still have to transfer to a boat from the mainland to the island and vice versa.
The Malay Tourism Office said 232,800 foreign tourists visited Boracay from January to June. The highest was in February with more than 59,700 foreigners.
But by June, they dropped to a little over 23,500.
Areño said that they are working with stakeholders, including local government units (LGUs) of Aklan province and Malay town, as well as the airlines, to address accessibility.