Taiwanese tourists cancel reservations in Boracay resorts

Some owners of resorts in Boracay, world-famous island resort destination, have been receiving booking cancellation requests from Taiwanese tourists amid the tension stemming from the death of a Taiwanese fisherman in Philippine waters.

“Marami kaming cancellations from Taiwanese tourists na pre-booked online. We received emails from them asking if they can cancel [the trip] because there is an advisory against traveling to the Philippines,” Nenette Graf, owner of Boracay Beach Resort, told GMA News Online in a phone interview on Saturday.

“Of course, the cancellation policy applies to them,” added Graf, former president and current board member at the Boracay Foundation, Inc. – the group of hotel and resort owners on the island.

She noted resort owners have been receiving cancellation requests since Thursday after Taiwan issued a “red” travel warning, discouraging its citizens from visiting the Philippines.

Although the Taiwanese were the fourth largest group of foreign tourists in Boracay, the resort owner expressed hope the "setback will be temporary."

“Sa ngayon, we just have to wait habang nagkikipag-uusap pa ‘yung government,” she added.

La Carmela de Boracay’s sales and marketing director Mary Love Apelado agreed with Graf, but said they can find alternative markets with local tourists.

“May mga Taiwanese [clients kami], pero sa amin, Chinese and locals ‘yung main market namin kaya 'di kami affected…. Pero same as before nung nagkaroon ng dispute with China, we weren't affected kasi we focused on local tourists and balikbayans,” she said. — LBG, GMA News