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The Department of Tourism (DOT) is looking to reopen most major tourist destinations before the end of the year.
In an interview on ANC News on Wednesday, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said: “Hopefully, all tourist 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 the city of Baguio and the Ilocos region, effective October 1. (See, “Sagada, Other Northern Luzon Destinations Reopening to Tourists”, in BusinessMirror, September 23, 2020.)
This unfolded as stakeholders on the island of Boracay welcomed the decision of the Boracay Interagency Task Force (BIATF) on Tuesday evening to allow more tourists, including those coming from the GCQ areas, visit the island from October 1. (See, “Boracay to Reopen to GCQ Tourists on October 1,” on BusinessMirror, September 22, 2020.)
In a statement, Ma. Elena T. Brugger, President of the Philippines-Boracay Chamber of Commerce and Industry said: “PCCI welcomes the inauguration scheduled for October 1 [of Boracay]. The success of the reopening of the island lies in strictly following all health and safety protocols to avoid a local outbreak and another closure. We call on all stakeholders and members of the business community to prioritize health and safety in general. “
Randy Salvador, General Manager of Coast Boracay, was equally enthusiastic, saying, “We all need to take a quick break from this health crisis triggered by Covid-19.” He noted that the DOT secretary “kept her word in support of the president’s state of the nation address last July that Filipinos will boost the economy by traveling locally. By opening Boracay, this can be the boost for local tourism and soon, international tourism.
He underlined: “The island of Boracay as a multi-award-winning tourist destination in the world, is in the spotlight once again to show and model as a safe but fun tourist destination… with the support of the LGU [local government units] and the stakeholders, we have to get this right and there is no other way than to go ahead and coexist with the virus. “
However, restaurateur Nowie Poteno (Sunny Side Cafe / Coco Mama) was more cautious about the development. He and his wife Odette had closed their restaurants in Boracay because the pandemic caused revenues to drop and they did not feel comfortable returning to the island. “It is still too great a risk for us to open right now. All LGUs have their own guidelines that make it very confusing for prospective travelers. “
He cited the city of Tagaytay, where the Interagency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Tagaytay LGU issued conflicting pronouncements regarding visitors’ travel passes.
He predicted the same confusion in Boracay. “I think I would like to see the number of tourists increase to a comfortable amount before reopening [our restaurants]. “
The decision to open Boracay to tourists outside of Western Visayas was agreed on Tuesday by BIATF Directors’ Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año, and DOT’s Romulo Puyat with the Governor of Aklan, Florencio Miraflores.
“The reopening of Boracay to new market sources signals a growing momentum for domestic tourism across the country. We are pleased that the BIATF and the Aklan and Malay LGUs have agreed to put health and safety as a priority as we welcome more guests to the island in a careful and safe manner, ”said Romulo Puyat in a press release.
He stressed the need for potential visitors to Boracay to have an RT-PCR test 48-72 hours before travel. Only those negative for the new coronavirus will be allowed to travel. “Additionally, travelers will be advised to undergo strict quarantine immediately after a test and until the time of travel to the island,” he added.
Tourists of all ages will be allowed to enter Boracay, the DOT chief said, noting that “Filipinos travel as a family.”
Only the Caticlan airport in Malaya will be the main entry and exit airport for tourists going to the island, according to an agreement between the directors of BIATF and Miraflores.
Since the island reopened to Western Visayas tourists on June 16, the DOT had already issued Certificates of Authority to Operate to 199 hotels and resorts, representing 4,416 rooms.
In addition to Boracay, other island destinations that are open to tourists are El Nido and Miniloc on Palawan, Pamalican Island (Amanpulo) and Polillo Island (Balesin).
