MANILA, Philippines — A total of 339 establishments are now cleared to operate in the world-famous island, Boracay, according to its inter-agency task force.
This was after the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) approved 13 more establishments to accept bookings and reservations.
The latest Boracay Bulletin listed 339 establishments, which include resorts and hotels, accounting to 12,083 rooms.
Last March 20, the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Interior and Local Government and Tourism accredited 326 establishments with 11,943 rooms.
The BIATF regulated the Boracay establishment’s operation in line with its Better Boracay campaign. It asked the management of resorts and hotels to comply with its requirements before they can operate and be granted permits.
Infographic: New rules for Boracay reopening
The task force, meanwhile, advised the public to check the list of accredited establishments.
The DOT earlier said that establishments that are not accredited should cease and desist from making room bookings for sale.
Prior to the island’s closure in April last year, Boracay had around 15,000 to 16,000 available rooms. The island was closed for six months for its rehabilitation and ecological restoration.
The government, however, started to limit the number of tourists on the island when it reopened in October.
The DENR’s commissioned study revealed that Boracay’s carrying capacity is only 55,757 a day.
The DOT said only 19,215 tourists are allowed on the island at a time while only 6,405 tourists are allowed to enter Boracay per day to ensure tourism sustainability.