ILOILO CITY, Oct. 10 (PNA) — Malaysian tourists visiting the island-resort of Boracay have hit the 200 percent mark.
Kristoffer LeoVellete, sub-office tourism assistant of the Department of Tourism-Boracay, said their office has recorded a whopping 11,883 Malaysian tourist arrivals from January up to September 2014 compared to the measly 4,133 arrivals they have recorded during the same period last year.
Because of cancellations of almost 20,000 room bookings of Chinese tourists due to the Chinese government-issued travel ban, the DOT-6 regional office here strengthened its promotions and marketing campaign in other countries as well as local tourists.
The advisory issued by the Chinese government banning its citizens from visiting the Philippines particularly in Boracay Island can be felt up to now by businessmen in the island-resort.
The DOT-Boracay said the island resort has lost an estimated P150 million to P165 million revenues on the part of resorts, hotels and other business stakeholders due to cancellation of the Chinese tourists’ reservations.
Meanwhile, tourism authorities in the island resort revealed that Koreans still topped the list of foreign tourists visiting Boracay Island, though they decline to give an estimated figure. (PNA)