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Thursday, May 24, 2007
Globalisation Hits Boracay! by jen freeman
In
a country (and particularly an island) which is often accused, at best, of
being culturally "confused" and at worst of lacking any real culture
entirely (a point which I would strongly contest) the question regularly
arises: how much of the "original" Boracay - that which drew tourists here
in the first place - should be preserved?
While
the government appears to have decided to sacrifice the island for the
sake of the tourist dollar (and many agree that if tourism has to wreck an
island, better it be Boracay) others argue that this place is still a
treasure in it's own right, even now, and plans need to be put in place to
protect those parts of it which are still beautiful.
Environmental
concerns aside - for that is a whole seperate issue, and of no less
importance - it is immediately obvious that there is a strong division
between what Filipino tourists (the summer "Bora" party crowds, for
example) want and expect, and what overseas (mostly non-Asian) tourists
would like to see here.
Scanning
through local travel forums, you'll encounter numerous postings from
Filipinos who take great delight in the fact that you can now find chain
restaurants such as Andoks, Crazy Crepes, Mang Inasal and Goodah on the
island. No doubt it would impress the average Pinoy vacationer even more
should there be a Jollibee or even a McDonalds outlet here. For them, the
globalisation of Boracay is a good thing, and is embraced wholeheartedly.
Yet
foreign tourists are turning away in droves as a result of this neon-lit
fast food revolution. For them, the point of flying long distance to a
tropical island is to experience that which is unusual and different.
Sadly, generic, uninspiring chain restaurants such as McDonalds and Andoks
are dismally (or for some, reassuringly) similar wherever you go. While
many would like to see Manila mall culture transplanted to the beach, is
this really the way forward for Boracay?
Foreign
tourists bring a significant revenue to this region. Most overseas
visitors spread their money around profusely and wish to enjoy a variety
of experiences, such as diving, watersports and high-class restaurants.
These are not the people spotted eating cheap picnics on the beach (and
leaving their trash behind them) or staying ten pax to one small room.
Should
Boracay be accessible for domestic tourists? Of course it should, and
hopefully this will remain the case in future years. There is still
value-for-money accomodation to be found here, along with decent privately
owned restaurants such as Smoke, Blueberry and Mars, catering to both
local and foreign budget travellers and backpackers. There's no weight
behind the argument that fast food joints are a necessary evil for those
who want reasonably priced food! Surely this type of local establishment
should be encouraged, so that Boracay retains it's individuality and
character - as opposed to becoming simply an annex of Manila.
The
rampant over-development of the island is also helping to squash out those
last few native-style businesses which previously dotted the White Beach.
Again, while city socialites may find these old-fashioned or cheap
looking, they are exactly what the majority of western visitors enjoy
seeing in Boracay - and other similar destinations. Rustic cabanas and
beach bars remind the long distance traveller that they are, in fact, on a
tropical island in the Philippines. This breed of tourist is mostly coming
here to escape the city, and therefore finds such structures attractive,
evocative and photogenic.
I
have even heard Manila city slickers
complain that the music at bars such as Bom Bom is too "folksy" - which is
as amusing to me as someone who leaps into the sea and then complains that
they are wet! The very point of bars such as Bom Bom is to keep
traditional Filipino music alive, and travellers flock there in the
evenings to enjoy it, as opposed to the ubiquitous hip hop and rap being
blasted out by many other establishments.
Returning
to the original question, are the powers that be (in Boracay and beyond)
content to stand back and allow the island to lose all vestiges of it's
charm and beach culture? In encouraging an Ibiza-style atmosphere to
flourish (especially those summer sponsored events which fill the island
literally to bursting point and put an intolerable strain on resources
such as water and electricity) they are scaring away the most lucrative
section of the market, as well as causing irreparable damage to our lovely
island.
Can
those in charge of marketing and promoting Boracay not see that "progress"
(the usual excuse for this sloppy, seemingly un-coordinated development)
has the potential to take many different directions, and that given the
right amount of planning, can be channeled in a more positive way?
Foreigners
travel to Boracay in search of the different, while Filipino tourists
prefer to see the familiar (albeit adorned with a sprinkling of sand). Is
it possible to have both at once, I wonder? Only time will tell.
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