All You Need to Know About the New Boracay Tourist Pass

Planning a trip to Boracay? Starting soon, entering the popular island destination is about to get easier thanks to the Boracay Tourist Pass, a new online system aimed at simplifying the entry process for tourists. Set to launch by the first week of November, the pass will allow travellers to handle all their entry requirements and fees with just a few clicks, providing a more convenient experience for everyone.

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What we know about the upcoming Boracay Tourist Pass

Currently, tourists visiting Boracay are required to pay several fees upon arrival, including an environmental fee, terminal fee, and boat transfer fee. These fees are collected separately at different booths, which can lead to long queues and waiting times. The Boracay Tourist Pass aims to eliminate the hassle by consolidating these payments into a single online transaction, covering:

• Environmental fee: ₱150 for local tourists and ₱300 for foreign tourists, used for the maintenance and preservation of the island.

• Terminal fee: ₱150, collected at the Caticlan Jetty Port.

• Transportation fee: Ranges from ₱50 to ₱100 for the boat transfer from Caticlan to Boracay Island.

Under the current system, visitors must queue up three times to make these payments, receiving separate receipts, stubs, and tickets for each. The introduction of the Boracay Tourist Pass promises to do away with these multiple lines, saving visitors time and effort.

In addition to simplifying the payment process, the online system is expected to cope better with Boracay’s high visitor numbers, which exceeded 120,000 in September. The Provincial Government of Aklan and PisoPay, the financial technology firm developing the system, hope that the pass will not only reduce delays but also cut down on the under-the-table transactions that have become common in the entry process.

Although detailed information about the pass is still being kept under wraps, local authorities are pushing for a smooth rollout by November. This shift towards a digital entry system signals a major step forward in making Boracay a more accessible and well-regulated tourist destination.

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As Boracay remains one of the Philippines’ most popular beach getaways, this new system is expected to enhance the travel experience for visitors while ensuring that the island’s natural beauty is preserved through the efficient collection of environmental fees. Stay tuned for updates on the official launch of the Boracay Tourist Pass as it aims to make island hopping even more seamless!

Featured image credit: Pierrick Lemaret via Canva Pro