New casino deal will put more of Boracay at stake – and peril

The travel trade is baulking at the consequences of allowing a multi-million dollar casino project in Boracay, approved by the Philippine government at the same time that it announced closing the island next month for rehabilitation from environmental problems caused by unbridled development.

While the industry’s current focus is taking care of the island’s rehabilitation and determining its real carrying capacity, “for years we have been calling for a moratorium on buildings” and adding more facilities “might not be to the best interest of Boracay”, Tourism Congress of the Philippines’ president Jojo Clemente said yesterday in a joint press conference by Boracay’s stakeholders who favour its rehabilitation but not its closure.

The industry expressed concern that Boracay is being stretched to its limits as the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) earlier this week approved the US$500 million casino to be built by Hong Kong-listed Galaxy Entertainment Group and its local partner Leisure & Resorts World Corporation, following the approval of another casino in 2014 as well as the mammoth 1,001-key Hotel 101 Resort-Boracay.

It is “ill-advised to spread the casino footprint” to Boracay, said Bill Barnett, managing director of hospitality and consulting firm C9 Hotelworks. “I’d be very concerned by the prospects of gaming on Boracay, as the sheer scale conflicts with environmental issues being faced”, he explained.

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