Boracay now open to all Western Visayas tourists: DOT

FILE: Boracay, Philippines (Photo: @ramonkagie/Unsplash)

MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) announced that all Western Visayas travelers below 21 and above 60 years old are now allowed to enter Boracay after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on Thursday lifted the age-specific ban on the island.

Since the reopening of Boracay to tourists from the region last June 16, only those aged 21 to 60 were allowed to visit based on the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) guidelines.

“This move aims to further reinvigorate the tourism economy in the region and address the earlier clamor of Boracay tourism stakeholders to attract more tourists to the island,” Tourism chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.

Romulo-Puyat noted there were no reported coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases on the island and assured government support in ensuring that health and safety protocols are in place upon arrival of local visitors.

“The DOT will always put paramount concern on the safety of our people — tourists and residents alike,” she said.

As of July 23, the DOT Western Visayas has issued a total of 115 certificates of authority to operate (CAO) to accommodation establishments, covering some 2,635 health protocols compliant rooms.

Western Visayas (Region 6) comprises the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental, all of which are now under MGCQ.