DOT's Puyat expects more visitors as virus restrictions ease

by Waylon Galvez, Manila Bulletin

With the implementation of more relaxed health protocols to combat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is optimistic that more travelers will be encouraged to visit different tourist destinations in the country in the coming months.

Boracay, arguably the crown jewel of Philippine tourism. (Laimonas Keseriauskis/ Unsplash)

According to Puyat, the Philippines is the first country in Asia to accept fully vaccinated foreign travelers and under the guidelines, the country is no longer implementing quarantine procedures.

“We are proud to say that our entry requirements are delivered in a simple format, without the need for facility-based quarantine primarily for fully vaccinated visitors. Tourists are allowed to travel to all reopened tourist destinations in the country as long as they comply with the requirements from the local government units with jurisdiction over these areas,” Puyat said Thursday, March 3.

Under the guidelines of the Inter Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), the government has approved the entry of foreign nationals and returning Filipinos who wish to visit tourist destinations since Feb. 10.

The travelers, however, must be fully vaccinated from visa-free countries. Puyat said that tourist arrivals since then have been gradually picking up and the DOT looks forward to an uptick during the summer season starting this Holy Week break in April.

As of February 28, the number of international tourist arrivals has reached 47,715, of which 26,306 were foreign visitors and 21,409 were balikbayans or returning Filipinos from abroad.

Those travelers with full vaccines from visa-free countries listed under Executive Order 408 are no longer required to undergo quarantine as long as they are able to present a negative RT-PCR result.

In late February this year, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) called for the lifting of travel bans, stating that they do not provide added value and continue to contribute to economic and social stress.

The tourism department has been proactive in making proposals to the IATF that would balance the recovery of the sector and the restoration of jobs in the tourism sector without compromising the health and safety of the workers and visitors.

Along with the goal toward sustained recovery, Puyat has high hopes to yield stronger programs and partnerships with other tourism ministers and global leaders as the Philippines will host the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) global tourism summit in April.

“We only want what is best for the sector. This hosting of the WTTC Summit will benefit the country by showcasing what the Philippines can offer to the world,” said Puyat.

“More than the recognitions we received over the past years, our goal is to restore jobs and revenue streams for our tourism workers and stakeholders,” she added.