BORACAY HAS NOTED an increase in tourist arrivals in the first eight months this year.

This was disclosed by Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores, also the chairman of Task Force Boracay, who said that from January to September this year, a total of 216,008 tourists visited Boracay.

"During the month of September (alone) this year there were a total of 4,765 foreign tourists who visited Boracay island, as compared with last year's 4,667 in the same period - an increase of two percent," Miraflores said.

From the total tourist arrivals for the January to September period, a total of 57,314 or 27 percent were foreigners, while 158,694 or 73% were locals.

During her visit to the island, President Macapagal-Arroyo said that Boracay remains one of the country's leading tourist destinations. Her government is committing financial assistance to improve the island's public works and highways as she "foresees more tourists to flock to the place in the coming months."