The Department of Tourism (DOT) has once again reminded local government units (LGUs) to implement strict health and safety guidelines in their respective jurisdictions--that is, if they want to attract more domestic tourists.

Citing a recent travel survey, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said that the primary travel influencer among domestic tourists amid the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is health and safety.

"Ang hinahanap talaga ngayon ng mga tao ay iyong trend na open air, open space so may sun and beach, nature, farm tourism. Pero noong nagka-travel survey kami, 96 percent hinahanap pa rin iyong health and safety protocol (Tourists are really following the trend of going for open air, open spaces such as those with sun and beach, nature, farm tourism. But based on our recent travel survey, 96 percent said they still prefer to have protocols to ensure their health and safety)," Puyat said on Monday, June 28.

Puyat said this survey result further justifies the vaccination of tourism workers as a vital step toward the eventual recovery of the tourism industry.

"The more people are vaccinated, the more we are protected—bababa ang kaso (COVID-19 cases will decrease)," Puyat said.

"So, the more people are vaccinated siyempre baka eventually hindi na natin kailangan magpa-RT-PCR swab (maybe eventually we will not need to require RT-PCR swab testing anymore)," she added, referring to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction tests.

The tourism chief further said that achieving "population protection" from COVID-19--which is the immediate goal of the national government--will also boost the public confidence to travel around the country.

The country's tourism sector has been among those hardest-hit by the ongoing health crisis, as travel restrictions had to be put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19.