MANILA, Nov 2 (NNN-PNA) – The Philippines is preparing to welcome back foreign tourists to its pristine beaches and innovated “new normal” touristic attractions, as the country’s COVID-19 cases keep dropping and vaccination drive continues to improve.
The Department of Tourism (DOT), recently unveiled its “More Fun Awaits” campaign, which highlights new tourism products and packages, aiming to sustain the presence of the Philippines as a tourist destination amidst the pandemic.
Like other countries, the Philippines closed its borders to foreign tourists, when the deadly virus started to spread early last year. Except for select foreign nationals granted special visas, the Philippines still bars foreign tourists as part of the measures to curb the transmission.
With most of the tourism workers inoculated, the Philippines now looks forward to being open to international visitors once again, vowing it is “more than ready to provide visitors a safe and pleasant experience.”
According to the DOT’s plan, fully vaccinated tourists will be welcome and whisked straight to the tourist destinations without the need for hotel quarantine.
“That is why we prioritised the vaccinations of tourism workers, so we can start accepting domestic tourists and eventually foreign tourists,” Tourism Secretary, Berna Romulo-Puyat, told a recent radio interview.
For instance, in the world-famous Boracay island in central Philippines, she said, 91.09 percent of tourism workers and 62.78 percent of the island residents had been fully vaccinated, so far. Famous for powdery white sand, shallow azure water, and spectacular sunsets, Boracay is a favorite destination for international tourists.
“Our vaccination rollouts are crucial in protecting our workers, as they face visitors every day,” Puyat said, hoping that the island will inoculate its target population by this month.
“With 100 percent of tourism workers in Boracay inoculated, the DOT is confident that in the weeks to come, tourism arrivals on the island will further increase, and more tourism establishments will be able to reopen to restore jobs,” Puyat said.– NNN-PNA
