A total of 635,935 tourists visited the different travel destinations in Bolinao town, Pangasinan in 2023, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

Domestic tourists accounted for the bulk of the visitors at 613,936 while foreign tourists totalled to 21,999, Bolinao Tourism Office data showed.

Peak of tourist arrivals was recorded during the summer and Holy Week, specifically in April with 117,687 visitors, the same data showed.

Of the total, 432,058 tourists opted for day-tour while 203,877 stayed in accommodation.

Senior Tourism Operations Officer Mary De Guzman, in an interview on Friday, said most domestic tourists were from the National Capital Region, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Calabarzon.

Foreign tourists, on the other hand, were mostly from the United States of America, Canada, and Korea, she said.

The most visited destinations are Balingasay River, Bolinao Falls, and Patar Beach, she said.

De Guzman said the generated income from environmental fees alone is around PHP10 million, at PHP40 per person.

“This does not include the income of tourism establishments and taxes collected,” she said.

De Guzman said tourist arrivals last year were lower than the previous year’s 642,603 and she attributed this to tourism officials’ decision to not focus on marketing due to ongoing infrastructure projects in the town, including the convention center, and the procurement of lands in the proposed Bolinao airport.

She said the convention center is targeted to accommodate around 500-1,000 people and is scheduled to be completed in 2025.

“We are training our personnel in preparation for (the) influx of tourists once these infrastructure projects are finished,” she added. (PNA)