Baguio tourists increasing sans strict restrictions

BAGUIO CITY – As summer beckons, more than 5,000 tourists have registered to visit the county’s Summer Capital this month with the local government easing travel restrictions.

Aileen Refuerzo, Public Information Office chief, said Friday that 5,140 registrations are posted at visita.baguio.gov.ph as of March 3, the day after travel authority and testing requirements were scrapped.

Of the total registrants, 980 arrived on March 4 and 1,981 on Friday. On Saturday, 983 were expected and 380 on Sunday.

“While we are receiving more travel requests through Baguio’s Visita portal, the number is still not even half of our usual tourist arrivals,” City Tourism officer Aloysius Mapalo said in an interview.

“It will take time to pick up and we may see larger numbers towards the Holy Week at the end of the month if we will continue with the entry guidelines we have now,” he added.

Baguio’s peak tourism days are usually on weekends. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the city had an average tourist arrival of 10,000, which sometimes double, on regular weekends.

“It's different during peak season weekends when it’s the Holy Week, Christmas, or Panagbenga seasons. We can have up to 100,000 on weekends,” Mapalo said.

The city government relaxed entry travel protocols after the Inter-Agency Task Force issued Resolution No. 101-2021 that prescribed uniform travel rules nationwide. Travel permits and test results are no longer required.

Starting March 2, travelers entering Baguio City need only to register at hdf.baguio.gov.ph and upload an identification to be able to generate a quick response (QR) code. They must also register at visita.baguio.gov.ph and upload valid identification cards.

For a work-related trip, a copy of the travel order and proof of employment must be included in the health declaration form registration.

City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit chief Dr. Donnabel Tubera-Panes also called on residents to still observe minimum health standards, particularly the wearing of masks and face shields, and observing physical distancing as basic protection against the coronavirus disease. (PNA)