Boracay continues to reign, faces brighter prospects in 2013

Regardless of the environmental issues it faced, Boracay remained to dominate Philippine tourism in the year 2013.
Already popular because of its pristine white sand and blue water, its flourishing tourism industry has been boosted when an international publication,Travel and Leisure Magazine, named Boracay island as the "Best Tropical Resort in the World."
With the declaration, Boracay experienced unprecedented developments among which was the arrival of the Royal Carribean Cruise, the visit of seven ambassadors and for reaching one million tourists, among others.
Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson gathered in his Boracay resort US Ambassador Harry Thomas, Czech Ambassador Josef Rychtar, Greek Ambassador Constantina Koliou, Vietnam Ambassador Vu Tu Nguyen, Iraq Ambassador Wadee Al-Batti, Romanian Ambassador Valeriu Georghe, and Italian Ambassador Luca Fornari.
As the tourism industry flourished, revenues increased benefiting both the national and local government coffers.
As of October this year, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) reported of reaching P1 billion tax revenue generated from different hotels while the Aklan provincial government would earn P180 million revenue this year.
The Malay local government also generated P305 million from business permits, environmental fees, among others.
In area of sports, Boracay was chosen as the venue for the RS:One World Championship, an event which will gather Olympic medalists on windsurfing. The event, organized by Niel Pryde, aimed to catapult Boracay as the mecca for windsurfing and kite-surfing in Asia.
Boracay, was not however, spared from environmental and structural issues, one of which was the controversial demolition of an extension of the West Cove Resort.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered to torn down the expansion done by the resort.
For 2013, Boracay is raring to boost the Department of Tourism's slogan, "Its More Fun in the Philippines." The province of Aklan anticipated to reach 1.5 million tourists for next year.
It looked forward to the signing of sisterhood agreement with Bali, Indonesia. Indonesian Consul R. Toto Waspodo came had visited the resort island and met with the local government officials and discussed the matter.
In November 2013, Boracay will host the Asian Games Centennial Festival to be hosted by the Olympic Council of Asia.
Another development in the offing was the phasing out of motorcycle which gained funding following the forging of an agreement between the Department of Energy (DOE) the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
By 2015, it is expected that tricycles will be replaced by environment-friendly electronic tricycles (e-trikes).
Communication lines will also be expanded as Globe Telecom promised to upgrade its facilities and more rooms and facilities will be added with the construction of The Newcoast Resort which will house seven international hotel chains.