KALIBO, Philippines (PIA) — Boracay Island posted a whopping P13.2 billion in tourism receipts from a total of 628,243 tourist arrivals from January to August this year.

This information came from a monthly report conveyed recently by Aklan Governor Carlito S. Marquez to local media.

Marquez said the seven-month figure in tourist arrivals this year is 12 percent more than the 561,405 visitors who came to Boracay during the same period last year.

The tourist arrivals last month, August - 64,070 – was also way higher than August, 2010’s 58,022 arrivals, according to the Aklan governor.

Marquez noted that the upswing in tourist arrivals in the island shows that there are no more “low seasons” in Boracay.

“Even during the rainy season, visitors continue to flock to the island,” he said.

The governor said records indicate that of late, most of the foreign visitors who come to Boracay are from China and Korea.

During his dialogue with media, he expressed his optimism over the appointment by President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III of advertising executive Ramon Jimenez, replacing Alberto Lim, as Department of Tourism Secretary.

Marquez said the new DoT secretary’s latest statements manifest his positive outlook for the country’s tourism industry.

“As a former advertising man responsible for successful commercial campaigns of well-known brands that means that he knows how to market a product well,” said Marquez, adding that “and I hope he would be able to market the country just as well.”