DOT hopes Boracay shutdown won’t affect tourist arrivals

MANILA, Philippines — Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is hoping the temporary closure of Boracay will not affect the 7.4 million foreign arrivals target as the Department of Tourism (DOT) is set to review the implementation of the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP).

When asked if there is a possibility of adjusting the 7.4 million arrivals target set by the NTDP for this year, Puyat said, “We will be discussing it.”

“Nobody expected it (Boracay) to be closed. That (target) was based on when Boracay was open. We are hoping that it won’t affect it,” she added.

President Duterte ordered the six-month closure of Boracay starting April 26 to rehabilitate the island. Puyat hopes Boracay will reopen by Oct. 26.

“As I understand it, a lot of people diverted to Cebu, Bohol, Siargao, La Union. We’ll see. I can’t say because this is not under my control,” Puyat said.

As to the possibility of other Philippine islands being closed to tourists, which is feared by European tour operators, Puyat said it depends on the private sector’s willingness to comply with environmental laws.

“It’s really up to the private sector. They already know the laws. Let’s do our part already,” Puyat said. “Why wait for the national government to close it? They themselves can already do it.”

Puyat said it is important for private sector stakeholders to do their part in complying with environmental laws to avoid another Boracay closure from happening.

She also said she is happy to see private sector stakeholders policing themselves and making sure that they are complying with the law.

“And proud to say at least in Cebu, they are already following the laws because they know that they don’t want another Boracay,” she added.

Last April, the coalition One Boracay – which has the Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP), Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) and the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) as key members – said it was working with counterparts in other prime tourism destinations in the country.

“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 Jojo Clemente said.

“We have One Boracay now. There will be One Bohol, One Puerto Galera and One Palawan very soon,” he added.

In May, European Chamber of Commerce Philippines president Guenter Taus said it was hard to sell the Philippines as a tourist destination during a recent tourism mission in Europe due to the closure of Boracay. – With Rainier Allan Ronda

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