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.