Re: Losing Boracay Tourists

If we see that because of the negative publications why Boracay lost tourism vibrancy, I wouldn’t deter the public from posting realities about Boracay whether good or bad. That’s one way to call attention on matters that need attention if the authorities miss to give a prompt resolve.

Low tourist arrival in Boracay is not a one factor thing. Negative posts that went viral is just a slice of the pie. We have to consider the fact that Bohol and Siargao are on the height of popularity this days. Tourists are looking for places like how Boracay used to be…that’s exactly how Bohol and Siargao now – the serenity, the hipness, new offerings. Bohol recently got a Unesco recognition. Siargao, Palawan has so much nature offerings. While Boracay already reached the peak of its life cycle of mass tourism and over-development. Next to that is all sort of problems which the island is apparently experiencing now.

This is an opportunity to fix Boracay while tourists shift to other destinations meantime: rectify the policies, fix the system, improve the infrastructure, create new tourism products…in order for us to invite new set of markets in time once we’re ready again.

Now, we should realize that Travel Award recognitions as the leading luxury destination in Asia does not really help Boracay but rather poses a backlash because it is contrary to the actual account of the island.

With the investors, let them all go somewhere else so we could give the power and the opportunity back to the community, to the local MSMEs who shaped Boracay’s cultural identity that was lost somewhere after letting us penetrated by foreign dominance.

In every challenge there lies opportunities. We should see that in Boracay and stop the drama but do the hand work, not the mouth work.