TOURIST RETREAT. The Kalanggaman Island in Palompon, Leyte, one of the most popular destinations among foreign tourists in the Eastern Visayas region. The impact of the 2019 novel coronavirus to the Eastern Visayas tourism industry may be minimal, the Department of Tourism regional office here said on Thursday (Feb. 6, 2020). (PNA file photo)
TACLOBAN CITY -- The impact of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) to the Eastern Visayas tourism industry may be minimal, the Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office here has estimated.
DOT Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes on Thursday said the arrival figures for the first quarter may decline but the tourism department is hoping that when the travel ban on China and its administrative regions is lifted, the number of foreign arrivals will increase.
Chinese tourists rank fourth among foreign arrivals with 1,981 of them visiting the region in 2018.
Most of the Chinese tourists stay in major cities such as Tacloban in Leyte, Calbayog in Samar, Catbalogan in Samar, and Borongan in Eastern Samar.
“Using the 13.37 percent historical average growth rate, we projected our 2019 Chinese nationals’ arrival at 2,368 in 2019 and 2,685 arrivals in 2020,” Tiopes told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The 2020 projected figure would represent 4.09 percent of the total target foreign arrivals for 2020 at 65,580.
Tiopes said part of the contingency amid the 2019-nCoV scare is to closely coordinate with the Department of Health and other concern government agencies. The DOT also disseminates to tourism stakeholders the official protocols and advisories issued about the illness.
The tourism department also links with local government tourism officers, tourism associations and enterprises providing them with the protocols and guidelines to assure that precautionary measures are being instituted to ensure the safety of locals and visitors.
“We also ask them to make sure that their personnel and guests are aware of the measures to prevent the spread of the virus. And most importantly, we ask them to be fully aware of the protocols on reporting guests or personnel who will show symptoms of being infected by the virus. We enjoin everyone to give their full cooperation,” she added.
Part of the mitigation measures to prevent the spread of 2019-nCoV was to encourage hotels to take immediate protective measures to avoid or remove imminent danger in areas where tourists are evidently at risk of infection.
This includes asking guest guided questions on 2019-nCov formulated by the Department of Health and following hygienic practices recommended to prevent further spread of the virus which includes proper handwashing, proper cough etiquette, ensuring that food is cooked well, maintaining a healthy lifestyle to build up immunity, among others. (PNA)
