It’s not only the mode of leisure travel that would change under the new normal scenario, but also the way people gather for official business.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is now crafting health and safety protocols for other tourism sectors, including the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) destinations.
“We will also be issuing very soon guidelines for MICE facilities, meeting facilities, travel and tours, tour guides, even guidelines for island and beach destinations and tourist attractions,” Department of Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Arturo Boncato Jr. said.
Boncato represented tourism chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat during the pre-State of the Nation Address (SONA) forum for the Economic Development and Infrastructure clusters on Wednesday, which was also participated by other cabinet officials such as Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Sonny Dominguez, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Acting Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar, among others.
He echoed Puyat’s previous sentiments that the only way to survive “the future” is to follow the new norms.
The tourism chief had earlier called for collective efforts to boost the MICE destinations, especially now that the industry suffered major losses due to COVID-19 pandemic.
In the previous weeks, the DOT has also issued health and safety guidelines for the operations of dine-in and accommodation establishments, as well as for the resumption of transport services in domestic tourism sites.
In the same forum, Boncato also stressed that the future of tourism will depend largely on the “trust and confidence” of tourism markets.
“And Secretary Puyat really believes that domestic tourism should be the catalyst of restarting the industry all over the Philippines,” he added.
The DOT and other key players in the industry have reiterated that despite the pandemic, they want to reopen tourism “slowly but surely,” which will focus on the efforts of reviving first the country’s domestic economy.