The Department of Tourism (DOT) said about 92 percent of tourism workers in the Philippines have already been vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

DOT Director for Tourism Standards and Regulation Virgilio Maguigad said that the number of vaccinated tourism workers nationwide is now at 317,892, which is equivalent to 92.51 percent of the “initial workers targeted for vaccination, which is 349,534.”

In a text message, DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said that the 317,892 tourism workers were “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19.

The National Capital Region (NCR) registered the highest number of tourism workers vaccinated, said Maguigad.

“NCR still has the highest percentage of tourism workers vaccinated at 99.91 percent, followed by Region V at 99.61 percent, and Region III at 99.24 percent,” said Maguigad in his presentation during a forum hosted by the Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday, Feb. 10.

“Particular accomplishment is that 100 percent of tourism workers are vaccinated in major tourism destinations like Baguio. Aurora, Coron, El Nido, Puerto Princesa, San Vicente in Palawan, Mandaue, and Camiguin,” he added

Some tourism workers also received their booster shots, said Maguigad.

In NCR, 19,021 tourism workers got their booster shots. Also, 7,928 tourism workers in Region III and 5,286 workers Region VII also received their booster doses.

“Boosters are also on the pipeline for these tourism workers. All of these are being done in conjunction with the reopening of the tourism industry,” he said.

“We are particularly excited because we are now opening inbound tourism and all these programs: safety seals, vaccination—all those confidence-building measures in the industry will help us restart our tourism industry not only for domestic but also inbound,” he added.