Boracay front liners reap praises

Tourism front liners, with welcoming spirit and big smiles, are important contributors in Boracay’s latest achievement as the world’s best island for 2016 from international magazine Conde Nast Traveler.

Take it from Malay town Chief Tourism Operations Officer Felix Gregorio delos Santos who lauded the efforts of tourism front liners in enhancing the image of Boracay in the fast growing tourism industry.

Front liners are tour guides, tricycle and tourist van drivers, boatmen, vendors, hotel workers and others who constantly interact with tourists.

“The Conde Nast award means that tourists were satisfied in the holistic aspect of their travel experience from their arrivals to departures, services of tourist establishments, hotels, resorts and restaurants,” Delos Santos said.

Similarly, other Boracay-plus that helped in regaining the international recognition are the exemplary services of health and wellness of spa clinics and masseurs, outstanding services of sea and aqua sports activities, island, land and aerial tours and the peace, order and security efforts of the Boracay police and force multipliers in the island.

Delos Santos said, “the Department of Tourism (DOT), private stakeholders and the local government units are also involved in aggressive promoting and marketing of Boracay Island as well as tourism awareness program for front liners to improve their customer service.”

More than 300,000 leisure and business travelers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine took part from April 1 to July 16 in rating their favorite islands outside the U.S. in the 29th Readers’ Choice Awards. 

Also in the top 10 best islands in the world cited in 2016 travel awards were Palawan (2^nd) and Cebu (5^th). 

The international lifestyle and luxury magazine described “Boracay as an itty-bitty island in Southeast Asia with gentle coastlines, transporting sunsets and thriving nightlife scene, and powdery white sand and shallow azure water ideal for swimming and snorkelling.” 

On the other hand, DOT officials had expressed optimism that the island will reach the 1.7-million tourists this year with the continued rising trend of arrivals from Korea, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, USA and European countries.   

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL