Boracay is not Bora

Bora Bora island is located northwest of Tahiti — and it’s not the same as our very own Boracay.

"What’s one more syllable to pronounce?" says island business group, Boracay Chamber of Commerce (BCCI), on the use of most Filipinos in referring to the renowned Boracay island as "Bora".

The Boracay Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged the Sangguniang Bayan of Malay to pass an ordinance banning the use of the word "Bora" in all promotional and advertisement materials.

"It is, indeed, a common mistake that has to be quickly rectified, before it is too late," they emphatically pointed out.

The Chamber said the corruption of the name of Boracay for promotional and advertising is bad for businesses.

"Boracay is also part of the Aklanons’ cultural heritage and it has always been the name of the island. Changing it to ‘Bora’ is like replacing ‘Filipino’ with ‘flip’ which is a derogatory term for Filipinos in the US," the group said.

BCCI noted that tourism industry is facing tremendous challenges with the word "Bora" in programs, events, shows, and other activities in the island.

It stressed that the government spent millions of dollars promoting Boracay as an international tourist hub through years of steady promotion and advertising campaign.

"Boracay will never be Bora. Bora Bora is an island in the French Polynesia, and if travelers will use ‘Bora’ to search they will likely find websites promoting Bora-bora and not Boracay," the group said.

About 65 percent of the visitors who enjoyed the powdery white sand of Boracay last year were Koreans.

The chamber was a recipient of the "Most Outstanding Young Chamber Award" by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry for its active involvement in ecological solid waste management and environmental protection.

Boracay VS. Bora

Bora Bora island is located northwest of Tahiti in the Leeward Society Islands. The warm shallow water of Bora Bora’s lagoon is world famous for its unspoilt beauty. And much like our very own Boracay, it also boasts of an unbroken expanse of warm, white sand surrounding the island.

Bora Bora has top luxury hotels and waterfront bungalows. For budget vacations, Bora Bora has pensions and camping on the island. The island’s other attractions include World War II cannons and bunkers, The Lagoonarium and Aquasafari.

Meanwhile, Boracay was recently listed by The Wall Street Journal, one of the world’s leading business publications, as one of the "hit" destinations in the world. In the article "The Search for the Next Hot Spot", it highlighted Boracay as a "regional vacation reinvented for luxury seekers."

The Wall Street Journal cited international travel scouts and people in the tourism industry, hailing Boracay for its exotic sights and famed white sand beaches.

The list was selected by a group of travel industry experts referred to in the WSJ article as "cool hunters" who spend their time "crisscrossing the globe in search of unspoiled beaches, great food and natural, historic, or cultural sites few tourists ever see."

Boracay is located in Aklan province 345 kms. South of Manila. The island is accessible by air from Manila or Cebu through two principal gateways: Caticlan airport or Kalibo airport.