Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat has assured to closely monitor the compliance of tourism establishments with health and safety protocol as the agency is gearing up for the country's reopening to foreign leisure travelers next week.
"We recognize that we are still in the midst of a pandemic so, in partnership with other concerned national agencies, local government units (LGUs), and our industry stakeholders, we are taking all necessary precautions to ensure that this much-anticipated resumption of international leisure travel from visa-free countries will not cause another surge," Puyat said in a virtual press briefing on Monday, Jan. 31.
"We will be closely monitoring developments in the sector and keeping a close watch on tourism establishments to ensure their compliance with health and safety protocols," she added.
The DOT earlier announced that the Philippines will start to accept fully-vaccinated foreign leisure travelers from visa-free countries beginning Feb. 10.
This, after the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases approved the Department's proposal to open the country's borders for international travelers.
The tourism chief welcomed the IATF's decision, adding that this positive development will further help in the revival of the country's economy and the tourism industry amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
"This is a welcome development because this is something the entire tourism industry has been looking forward to because we have been closed for nearly two years," Puyat said.
Under the guidelines, Puyat said that only fully vaccinated leisure travelers from visa-free countries will be accepted as quarantine upon arrival is no longer required.
Tourists should also have a passport valid for at least six months at the time of arrival, as well as an outbound ticket to their country of origin or their next country of destination.
International visitors are also required to present a valid proof of vaccination against COVID-19 and a negative RT-PCR test taken 48 hours before departure.
"Our confidence to ease travel restrictions comes from various initiatives undertaken over the last two years and of course, we are very strict with the implementation of health and safety protocols," Puyat noted.
"The re-opening of our borders to international travelers in just a few days time would be the strongest sign yet that the country's tourism industry is on its way to a full recovery," she said.
Puyat earlier assured that the country's tourism workers are already prepared to welcome foreign tourists as many of them are now getting their booster shots.
The Department has also started rolling out booster shots for fully vaccinated workers in the tourism industry as an added protection against the recent spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
As of the end of 2021, data from the DOT showed that a total of 282,780 individuals or 88.38 percent of the country’s initial target population of 325,489 tourism workers from various tourism-related industries have already been inoculated against COVID-19, leaving only 12.17 percent or 38,931 individuals who have yet to receive their first dose.