Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Boracay leading example of progress despite infrastructure restrictions

By Azer N. Parrocha


Caticlan Airport in Boracay

MANILA, June 22 (PNA) — Boracay in the Philippines is a leading example of a tourist destination in the country that has managed to evolve despite limitations in airport infrastructure, a hospitality consultancy expert said Wednesday.

C9 Hotelworks founder and managing director Bill Barnett said that despite limitations in the Caticlan airport Boracay has managed to rely on the distant larger Kalibo International Airport as a mainstream point of access.

Barnett lauded the upgrade of Caticlan’s Godofredo P. Ramos Airport, which is extending its runway by 1,800 metres, enough to accommodate Airbus and Boeing single-aisle jets.

This extended runway, he said, will see a larger passenger terminal added within the next two years. One key feature of the enhanced runway is the ability to land planes at night which will be a strong boost to airlift.

“Boracay interests us but we also ask ourselves, ‘Is Boracay going sink anytime soon because there’s so much development?’ Barnett said in an interview in Makati City.

SPREADING THE BUSINESS

Barnett said that aside from relying on another airport as a point of access in Boracay, the government is in the right track of utilising Palawan to help address overcapacity and overdevelopment.

“There’s so much focus on Boracay but Palawan can alleviate spread of the business. San Vicente (in Palawan) has potential,” Barnett said referring to the country’s flagship Tourism Enterprise Zone (TEZ).

San Vicente was identified as the first flagship TEZ for its forests, islands, coves, and most specially its 14.7-kilometre shoreline, which is said to be the longest in the world.

Among the components of the TEZ is the San Vicente Airport which will be the main entry point for most tourists once operational.

Barnett, however, suggested there should be more hotel rooms built in San Vicente to spur airport development or simply put, “make people want to fly there.”

”Tourism numbers would be stronger if there are more tourism products created that are ready,” Barnett said.

He meanwhile stressed the importance of infrastructure development to “transcend political regimes.”

”An airport takes longer than one political regime so you have to have consistency in policy. Not just after a new government comes, there will be policy and infrastructure changes. That’s the biggest backlog for tourism.

He said that while the Philippines has had well defined tourism masterplans, the key in was to execute them correctly through public-private partnership (PPP).

Hot this week

Pathways to Starting a Teaching Career in Australia

There are some careers that people frequently refer to...

Philippine Alumni Extravaganza to Feature Sports and Social Events in October

A series of gatherings for Filipino university alumni in...

Small businesses and environmental responsibility: where to start

Sustainability is no longer a buzzword — it’s a...

PAL Sydney–Manila flights turn 60, celebrating decades of friendship

Sydney, 13 October 2025 — Sixty years ago, a...

Victoria launches 10-year framework to support mental health in diverse communities

The Victorian Government has launched a 10-year plan to...

Topics

Pathways to Starting a Teaching Career in Australia

There are some careers that people frequently refer to...

Philippine Alumni Extravaganza to Feature Sports and Social Events in October

A series of gatherings for Filipino university alumni in...

Small businesses and environmental responsibility: where to start

Sustainability is no longer a buzzword — it’s a...

Top 5 Outsourced Mortgage Loan Processing Companies in Australia

In today’s competitive lending environment, many mortgage brokers and...

Tagay with first-ever Pinoy Octoberfest in Melbourne!

Prepare for a groundbreaking celebration as the globally-renowned Oktoberfest...

Top-Rated Contractors for Large-Scale Electrical Projects in Brisbane

Large-scale electrical projects in Brisbane demand skill, accuracy, and...

Related Articles

Popular Categories

spot_img