Tourist arrivals in May despite the closure of Boracay

MANILA – Tourist arrivals in the country in May compared to the previous month despite the closure of the island of Boracay, the Ministry of Tourism said Friday.

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered that the world-renowned seaside destination be closed to tourists for half a year from the end of April so that settlements improve sewage systems and illegal structures can be demolished.

Even with the closure of Boracay, some 537,743 travelers visited the country in May, up 0.94% from April's tourist arrivals, said Benito Bengzon, Jr. 39, a meeting of hoteliers in Makati.

The DOT, he said, recorded a total of 3,177,974 foreign visitors in the first three months of the year. This represents an increase of 10.24% over tourist arrivals in the same period in 2017.

The government will reposition Boracay and launch green infrastructure projects in the island when it reopens on October 26, said Mr. Bengzon.

The island was one of the main seaside destinations of the Philippines

In 2017, about 3.7 million tourists flew to the island known for its powdery beaches, have shown data from the Philippine Civil Aviation Authority.

Report by Zhander Cayabyab, ABS-CBN News