95% of Boracay establishments are DOT-accredited

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

CLOSE to a year after Boracay Island in Aklan reopened following six months of rehabilitation, around 95 percent of accommodation establishments and tour operators have been accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT)-6.

This was confirmed by Atty. Helen Catalbas, regional director of DOT-6 in a press conference on Wednesday.

“Almost 95 percent of the accommodation establishments, travel and tour agencies, and tourist transportation, have already obtained their accreditation from the Department of Tourism,” she said.

According to Catalbas, this means that they are already compliant with the regulations set forth by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), local government units (LGUs) and standards set by the tourism department.

She explained that accommodation establishments and tour operators are mandated to secure their accreditation.

“For restaurants and secondary tourist facilities, their accreditation is not yet mandatory at this time, only the accommodation, establishments and tour operators,” she said.

Catalbas added that less than 50 mandatory establishments are yet to secure their accreditation.

Data from the tourism department that 374 accommodation establishments, 78 travel and tour agencies and four water transport operators in Boracay island have already been accredited by DOT as of August 31,2019.