THE Department of Tourism (DOT) is looking to reopen most major tourism destinations before the year ends.
In an interview over ANC News on Wednesday, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said, “Hopefully, all the tourism destinations under a modified GCQ [general community quarantine] will be open to [tourists] outside their province or outside their city or municipality.”
On Tuesday morning, the DOT chief had launched the Ridge and Reef travel corridor between Baguio City and the Ilocos region, starting October 1. (See, “Sagada, other North Luzon destinations eye reopening to tourists,” in the BusinessMirror, September 23, 2020.)
This developed as stakeholders on Boracay Island welcomed the decision of the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) on Tuesday evening to allow more tourists, even those coming from GCQ areas, to visit the island starting October 1. (See, “Boracay to reopen to tourists from GCQ October 1,” in the BusinessMirror, September 22, 2020.)
In a statement, Ma. Elena T. Brugger, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Boracay said, “PCCI welcomes the scheduled October 1 opening [of Boracay]. The success of reopening the island lies in strictly following all health and safety protocols to prevent a local outbreak and another closure. We call on all the stakeholders and members of the business community to prioritize health and safety overall.”
Randy Salvador, general manager of Coast Boracay, was equally enthusiastic, saying, “We all need to take a quick break from this health crisis brought on by Covid-19.” He noted the DOT secretary “was true to her word in support to the President’s State of the Nation Address last July, that Filipinos will boost the economy by traveling local. By opening Boracay, this can be the jumpstart of local tourism and soon, international tourism.”
He underscored, “Boracay Island as a multi-awarded tourist destination in the world, is in the spotlight once again to showcase and be a model as a safe yet fun tourist destination…with the support of the LGUs [local government units] and stakeholders, we have to do this right and there is no other way but to move forward and co-exist with the virus.”
Restaurateur Nowie Potenciano (Sunny Side Cafe/Coco Mama) was more cautious about the development, however. He and his wife Odette had closed their restaurants on Boracay as the pandemic caused revenues to drop, and didn’t feel reassured to return to the island. “It’s still too big a risk for us to open right now. All the LGUs have their own guidelines which make it very confusing for would-be travelers.”
He cited Tagaytay City where conflicting pronouncements were issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Tagaytay LGU regarding visitors’ travel passes.
He predicted the same confusion in Boracay. “I think I’d like to see tourist numbers go up to a comfortable amount first before reopening [our restaurants].”
The decision to open Boracay to tourists outside Western Visayas was agreed on by BIATF principals Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año, and DOT’s Romulo Puyat with Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores on Tuesday.
“The reopening of Boracay to new market sources signals a gathering momentum for domestic tourism all over the country. We are pleased that the BIATF and the LGUs of Aklan and Malay have agreed to put health and safety as the priority as we carefully and safely welcome more guests to the island,” said Romulo Puyat in a news statement.
She stressed the need for would-be visitors to Boracay to take an RT-PCR test 48 hours to 72 hours before traveling. Only those negative for the novel coronavirus will be allowed to travel. “Also, travelers will be advised to go on a strict quarantine immediately after a test and until the time of travel to the island,” she added.
Tourists of all ages will be allowed in Boracay, said the DOT chief, noting that “Filipinos travel as a family.”
Only the Caticlan airport in Malay will be the main airport of entry and exit for tourists going to the island, as per agreement between the BIATF principals and Miraflores.
Since the island reopened to tourists from Western Visayas on June 16, the DOT had already issued Certificates of Authority to Operate to 199 hotels and resorts, representing 4,416 rooms.
Aside from Boracay, other island destinations that are open to tourists are El Nido and Miniloc in Palawan, Pamalican Island (Amanpulo), and Polillo Island (Balesin).
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