Aklan seeks P2B to construct Boracay cruise ship port
BORACAY, Philippines — The province of Aklan is seeking an estimated P2 billion to construct a cruise ship port in Boracay, hoping to boost cruise ship tourism on the island.
On Tuesday, Aklan Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores told reporters that a cruise ship port is needed, as cruise tourism is “one of the up-and-coming activities“ on the famous island.
He said that while Boracay received 19 cruise ships last year, none were able to dock due to the lack of a cruise port. As a result, the ships had to dock in the bay, forcing tourists to travel from the cruise ships to the island by smaller boats.
“For example, there are 2,000 tourists on there. They can’t go down. Of course, most of them are seniors and PWDs (persons with disability). So, they find it a hassle for them to cross because they have to transfer them in a boat,” said Miraflores.
“So our dream is to have a cruise ship port here to dock the ships and the tourists can safely go to Boracay,” he added.
The governor said they already have P800 million in funding for a cruise ship port from the Philippine Ports Authority. However, the provincial government is still seeking additional funding which is an estimated P2 billion for its completion.
The budget would cover the construction of a cruise port that extends 300 meters from shore into the water, allowing large vessels to dock. The facility will be able to accommodate two cruise ships simultaneously.
“That’s what we really need here. And this is already supported by our Department of Tourism and other national agencies. Because they can already see the need for a cruise ship facility,” Miraflores said.
The cruise ship port is also expected to see an increase in foreign tourists arrivals. In 2024, tourist arrivals in Boracay fell by 2% to 2.08 million.
With funding already in place, construction is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of the year.
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