University of the Philippines Visayas

University of the Philippines Visayas

College of Arts and Sciences

Division of Social Sciences

Miagao, Iloilo

A Research Paper on the Awareness of Tourists of the Various Effects of Tourism in Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan and their Willingness to Pay

Presented to:

Ms. Kezzie Lyn R. Bacalocos

Presented by:

Clyde Ben Gacayan

Mary Pauline Hilado

Joan Mababangloob

Renan Quimsing

March 13, 2012

I. Introduction

Boracay is an island which is among the Panay Island Group in the Western Visayas, Region VI of the Republic of the Philippines. It is an island on the northern part of Panay located northwest of Caticlan, Aklan. Three out of the seventeen barangays in the municipality of Malay, Aklan comprise Boracay. These three barangays are Manoc-Manoc, Yapak, and Balabag. It is said said to have a butterfly shape or a dog-bone shape and the narrowest part of the island is less than a kilometer. The island is approximately seven kilometers long and has a total land area of 10.32 square kilometers. This 10.32 square-kilometer land area of Boracay Island features white sand beaches, tree-covered areas and some land formations such as hills and mountains. Its shores are composed of powder-like white sand beaches and blue waters.

There are several versions on how Boracay got its name. One account states that the word Boracay is derived from a local word borac, meaning white cotton, closely relating it to the fine, white sand of the island. Another version says that it came from two local words bora and bocay meaning bubbles and white respectively. Another account claims that Boracay came from the two words sigay, a name of a shell, and boray, a vegetable seed.

Originally, Boracay was home to the Ati tribe. Atis and Negritos were the first settlers in Boracay. They live by farming and fishing in the island for centuries. They were largely dependent on coconut plantation and fishing during 1940s-1950s. However, they were slowly driven away from their homes when Boracay became a popular tourist spot during the 1960s-1970s. Being home to Atis, the island used to be a private destination for travelers only. But, tourism industry grew because of the potential of Boracay to compete globally. Tourism changed Boracay when it became a popular tourist destination internationally.

Today, Boracay Island is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Though there are several beaches in the island, two of the primary tourist destinations are White Beach and Bulabog Beach. These two beaches are located opposite each other on the narrow area near the central part of the island. White beach faces Sulu Sea by the southwest while Bulabog Beach faces Sibuyan Sea by the Northeast. Bulabog Beach area is known for adventures such as kite boarding and windsurfing. Though Bulabog Beach is a popular spot when it comes to adventure, White Beach is still the main tourism beach in the island. White Beach is where local, domestic and even foreign tourists go mainly to relax, unwind, sight-seeing, experience adventure, party and fun during holidays and vacation periods. White Beach has about 4 kilometers of shoreline with buildings and establishments for resorts, restaurants, hotels, lodging houses and other businesses on the beachfront.

Tourism

Over the past decade, it has been recorded that the volume of tourists and the accounts in the tourist receipts generated (in millions) have indeed spiked. According to the Department of Tourism, as of November 2010, the island of Boracay ranks sixth (6th) among the most visited places in the Philippines.

A statistic of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in 2010 also showed that most of the tourists were of domestic base, accounting for 60.8% of the total influx, while the foreigners and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) comprised only 35.7% and 3.47%, respectively. It was averaged that about 2, 136 people come to the island every day and the numbers shoot up during the peak season. As of that year, most of the tourists were from East Asia, specifically China and Taiwan due to increased number of flights catered by airline companies such as China Airlines, Shanghai Air and Philippine Airlines (PAL). There was a 72% increase in the number of Taiwanese tourists, and a considerable 26% increase in the number of Chinese arrivals, too (DOT, 2010). Latest statistics show, though, that Koreans now dominate the percentage of tourist arrivals in 2011, accounting for 23.62% of the total number of tourists visiting the island, which compared to the previous year, increased by 24.92% (DOT Statistics, 2011). An arrival of 925, 204 Korean tourists was recorded by the Department of Tourism. A total of 3,917, 454 tourist arrivals were recorded for the year 2011, posing an 11.27% increase.

The opening of the luxury hotel, Shangri-La, also boosted the tourism of Boracay as it provided more amenities and resort options for the tourists. Over the past years, there have been many developments that have significantly boosted the tourism in the island, though some sources show that the Municipality of Malay (the town where the island is included) still remains poor despite the investments.

The Downsides of Commercialization

Global Coral Reef Alliance says that though developments within the island have indeed contributed to the boom of tourism, these have been done without effective planning and controls. In the process of these developments, the Ati natives have been driven away and not relocated well, and these natives mainly suffer the other effects of commercialization in the island such as the contamination of their water supply (where they get from deep wells) and poor sanitation. Francis Gentoral from the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) in the country points the blame to the algal bloom during the peak season (Global Coral Reef Alliance, n.d). Furthermore, basing from the soil quality in the island, sewage wastes could easily seep in to the water supply, and this claim is supported by a British marine scientist named Pierre Pillout in his study in 1996. Other adverse affects cited by the Alliance are: coral bleaching, overfishing and beach erosion. Several measures have been undertaken to answer these problems, yet the condition of the island still remains, or is actually even worse today.

II. The Study

This study aims to assess how aware the tourists are of the environmental effects of tourism in the island of Boracay, Malay, Aklan Province, as well as their willingness to pay to address these problems. This entails knowing which are the most observed environmental effects of commercialization in Boracay, as well as the amount they are willing to pay in addition to the basic fees, and the problems that they want their additional payment (if they are willing to pay, that is) to be used for.

This study was conducted in the island from February 17 to 19, 2012. A mixture of survey and personal interview method was used, and the selection of respondents was random, coming from different age groups, sexes and places of origin. A total of 25 respondents participated in the study. They were made to check five (5) of the problems they were most aware of, check if they were willing to pay more (and were given a price range if they were).

III. Results and Discussion

Tourist Profiles

Results showed that most of the respondents were domestic tourists, accounting for twenty-one (21) out of the twenty-five (25) respondents. Two (2) out of the four (4) foreign tourists were from Europe (Austrian and Russian), one was Canadian, and the last was a Taiwanese. Seventeen (17) tourists were female, six (6) were male, and two (2) chose not to disclose their sex. Thirteen (13) tourists belonged to the age group of 0-20, eight (8) belonged to the 21-40 age group, three (3) from the 41-80 age group, and only one (1) belonged to the 61 and above age group. Twenty-one (21) respondents were Philippine-based (mostly from Luzon), and four (4) were from other countries, one of which was a balikbayan from California. Most of the tourists came to Boracay for a tour (56%), 40% were in the island for a vacation, and 4% did not state their purpose of staying in the island.

Effects of Tourism

Ten (10) effects were provided by the researchers. These were:

i. The denting of the shoreline

ii. The displacement of the natives

iii. The shortage of clean water supply

iv. The destruction of coral reefs

v. The sewage/ sanitary problem

vi. Noise pollution

vii. Garbage/ waste disposal

viii. The clearing of mangrove areas for resort developments and other construction-related activities

ix. Air pollution

x. Overfishing

The effect of commercialization of which the tourists were most aware of was the garbage/ waste disposal, accounting for 17.39%, followed by the sewage/ sanitary problem (15.65%), third was the destruction of the coral reefs (14.79%), then the displacement of the natives (13.91), and last was the denting of the shoreline, which garnered 12.17% of the results.

Willingness to Pay

Ninety-six percent (96%) of the respondents were willing to pay more than the basic fees collected so to restore the condition of Boracay Island. The price ranges stated started at Php 50.00, which increased by Php 50.00 until Php 500.00 (the researchers did not cite Php 501.00 and above since this was not feasible). Among the price ranges presented to them, the forty percent (40%) were willing to pay Php 50.00 more. Twenty percent (20%) of the twenty-five respondents were willing to pay Php. 51.00- Php 100.00 more, another twenty percent were willing to pay Php 101.00-150.00, only eight percent (8%) were willing to shell out Php 201.00-Php 250.00 more. Only one respondent was willing to pay Php 251.00- Php 300.00 more, and one other respondent was generous enough to pay Php 451.00- Php 500.00 more than what is usually required of them. Given their willingness to pay, the tourists wanted the problem of garbage/ waste disposal to be addressed first using their additional payment, grossing 20%. The problem of overfishing came last.

IV. Summary and Conclusion

Boracay Island has been a popular tourist destination for both domestic and foreign tourists. Known for its white sand beaches, Boracay is considered as a place of paradise. The island became popular globally because of its beauty, services and fun that it can offer to the tourists. Tourism has been dominant in the island and the industry is still going on very well. Tourism has helped Boracay island a lot. However, the Atis, the original inhabitants of the island, were driven away from the paradise that used to be their home.

Boracay has been one of the most visited places in the country. Most of the visitors or tourists in the island are from within the country. Domestic tourists account for approximately 60.8% in 2010 while the rest are composed of foreign (35.7%) and Overseas Filipino Workers (3.45%). These tourists does not only go to Boracay for its white sand beaches but also for services that resorts and other businesses can offer them. The establishment of Shangri-La, for example, is one good reason for tourists to go to Boracay.

Development of businesses and the boom of tourism in Boracay is good but we cannot deny the fact that there are negative effects or downsides. This has already resulted to the displacement of the natives from their homes. Such developments and flocking of tourists could further have adverse effects on the water supply in the island, poor sanitation, destruction of coral reefs, denting of the shoreline, and many more.

The study conducted is concerned on the awareness of the tourists in the effects of tourism to the island. They were asked to answer a survey form where their awareness was put into test. They were first asked whether they are aware of the negative effects of tourism in the island and what are they. They were then asked how much they are willing to pay in order to address and solve the problems that they are aware of.

Respondents were mostly domestic tourists and some were foreigners. The main purpose of most of them in going to the island is for tour and vacation. They came from different places with different purpose of going to Boracay then we can infer that the respondents are diverse. The respondents have different perspectives towards the problems faced by Boracay due to tourism. Their awareness regarding the problem faced by the island varies as well as their willingness to pay to address the problem. The respondents were most aware of the garbage/waste disposal (17.39%) problem brought about by commercialization and tourism. Forty percent (40%), which is the highest, are willing to pay an additional Php 50.00. This additional payment of Php 50.00 is for the garbage/waste disposal problem. The respondents have varying answers but it seems that the problem on the garbage/waste disposal is what they are most aware of. Appendix 1.1

GEOGRAPHICAL MAP OF BORACAY ISLAND, MALAY, AKLAN PROVINCE

Source: Asiantravels.com, 2012

Appendix 2

VISITOR ARRIVALS AND RECEIPTS FOR 2001-2010 (BORACAY)

REGIONVISITOR ARRIVALS% CHANGERECEIPTS (in Php)

ForeignDomesticOFWsTotal

200176, 475188,3320264,80715.214,868,053,003.80

200277,892221,6001,300300,79213.595,529,579,652.60

200384,747251,7042,983339,43412.856,239,950,995.20

2004121,023291,27916,453428,75526.317,881,974,666.20

2005155,744321,89321,820499,45716.499,181,717,813.80

2006183, 427340,60230,152554,18110.9610,187,730,995.40

2007208,870359,43328,404596,7077.6710,969,503,463.80

2008197,376404,80732,080634,2636.2911,659,910,434.20

2009192,873432,27124,415649,5592.4111,941,102,920.60

2010278,531474,09727,038779,66620.0314,332,911,944.40

Source: The National Statistical Coordination Board Regional Division VI, 2011

Appendix 2.1

TOURIST ARRIVALS BY MONTH (2011)

Sourced from: The Department of Tourism, updated February 10, 2012.

Appendix 2.2

TOP TEN TOURIST GROUPS BY NATION FOR THE YEAR 2011

Sourced from: The Department of Tourism, updated February 10, 2012.