Few tourists, thousands of workers in Boracay’s dry run
- TBN News
- Oct 17, 2018
- 1 min read
ONLY a handful of local tourists arrived at the “improved” Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan after the 6-month hiatus to give way to rehabilitation works.
On the first day of the 10-day dry run on Oct 15, 2018, only 28 tourists entered the island.
Niven Maquirang, Caticlan-Cagbang Jetty Port manager, said the number is even lower on the second day.
As of 3:00 p.m. of Oct. 16, only 19 tourists entered Boracay Island.
“These registered tourists have bookings made with compliant hotels,” Maquirang said.
On the first day, though, the Caticlan-Cagbang Jetty Port management recorded 1,319 individuals who entered the island for one-day transactions.
“They are individuals who visited the island for various transactions like going to the banks or have participated Aklan Day Salubungan,” he added.
The second day of the dry run saw 323 persons going for one-day transactions.
While there was a negligible number of tourist arrivals, workers came in hordes.
Records indicated that 4,408 workers entered the island on Oct. 15 and 1,652 on the following day.
“Workers were apparently called in back in preparation for the October 26 Boracay opening,” Maquirang said.
On Monday, 1,537 Boracay residents entered the island and another 904 on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Rowen Aguirre, executive assistant for Boracay Affairs of Malay town, said the anticipated opening of the island for tourists will come as a relief for residents and workers.
“Residents will now have better livelihood and establishments could now go back to business,” he added.
Aguirre admitted that Boracay needs to catch up following its six-month closure but is optimistic that the “rehabilitated” Island will encourage tourists to visit.
SOURCE: The Daily Guardian
Special thanks to:
Comments