MOSCOW, October 22 (RIA Novosti) - A Chinese travel warning advising against visiting the Philippines is negatively affecting the country's economy, BBC News Asia reported Wednesday.
"We are worried and we are affected," BBC quoted Boracay Foundation president Dionisio Salme as saying.
Since the travel warning was issued in September, the Philippine island of Boracay, a popular tourist destination, has experienced a drop in Chinese tourists. According to the BBC, Bocaray lost about 11,500 tourists in a month. The decrease continued over China's weeklong holiday in October, one of the peak seasons for Chinese tourists to visit Bocaray.
"For us, tourists are a big help and we want to really protect all nationalities," Salme added, BBC reported.
The situation is beyond Boracay's control. According to Salme, people are hoping the government will resolve the situation soon.
The tourist sector is not the only one to suffer. The airlines are also losing revenue. Cebu Pacific (CEB), a Philippine budget airline, has cancelled 149 flights till the end of the year, BBC reported.
Beijing issued the travel warning on September 12. The move followed an alleged bomb plot against the Chinese Embassy in Manila in early September.
