Booming But Not Blooming: Unequal Gains from Bohol’s Tourism Surge

Abstract

This commentary critically examines Bohol’s booming tourism industry, which recorded over 1 million arrivals and ₱75.6 billion in revenues in 2023. While heralded as a post-pandemic recovery success, the rapid growth has triggered rising living costs, environmental strain, and marginalization of local communities in tourism planning. Drawing on government statistics and community reports, the paper explores how economic gains often bypass informal vendors, indigenous groups, and coastal households—highlighting the disconnect between top-down development and grassroots needs. It calls for inclusive governance, community-based tourism, and policy reforms aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure tourism becomes a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.