Theory: Tourism Impacts and Challenges

Boracay Island is tourist destination in the Philippines once known for its white sand beaches and crystal blue swimming water. But a tourism boom caused various problems including unregulated development. In 2017, almost 1.7 million tourists visited Boracay in only 10 months, including many cruise line passengers (McKirdy, 2018).

Over-development has the potential to destroy their natural environment, erode culture and disrupt residents’ day-to-day life. “No build zones” were established to protect some open spaces, the natural environment, the ambiance of the natural land and the culture. Yet tourism developments continued to grow (Trousdale, 1999). Developments included mega-hotels and golf courses, which can damage large portions of the land and environment. High levels of coliform were found in the water as a result of insufficient sewage treatment (Trousdale, 1999). The majority of the island's sewage facilities prior to the closure, 716 of 834, did not have a discharge permit and likely carried raw effluent directly into the sea (McKirdy, 2018).

In April of 2018, the island was shut down to the tourist industry for six months, allowing only locals on the island. The purpose of this closure was to clean up damage to the environment, illegal construction and insufficient waste treatment. Following the closure, tourism numbers continue to be limited and new by-laws are in place. Beach parties, casinos and single use plastics are no longer allowed, changing the image of the island once again (McKirdy, 2018).