MANILA – Wellness tourism is expected to be in a good position during the post-pandemic period as tourists shift to focus on health and wellness, a Department of Tourism (DOT) official said Thursday.
"The DOT right now is looking at health and wellness tourism as one of the niche products that the Philippines can really count on once we recover from this coronavirus disease," Tourism Assistant Secretary Roberto Alabado III said during the virtual Philippine Health and Wellness Forum 2020.
He said niche tourism only requires a little to generate revenue given most visitors, particularly foreigners, are ready to shell out large amounts of money to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Although the return of travel and international market to the Philippine would take months sans the vaccine, Alabado said the DOT is now building capacity programs for health and wellness tourism front-liners as well as stakeholders.
"We're looking at developing new products which would be more on capacity building-- we would like to have a Philippine Brand of Service for all front-liners," he said.
He said wellness establishments will have to adapt to the "new normal", meaning more stringent disinfection and sanitation protocols.
Among others, physical distancing, as well as online appointments and consultation, will be followed.
"For the Department of Tourism, we are looking at a good recovery, not this year, next year pa siguro magsisimula ang international markets natin na pumasok (the entry of our international markets might be some time next year)," he said. (PNA)
