Travel and Tourism

PH, DOT net accolades at 2020 World Travel Awards Asia

PH, DOT net accolades at 2020 World Travel Awards Asia

November 3, 2020, 10:51 am

MANILA – The 27th World Travel Awards recognized the Philippines as Asia's leading beach destination and Asia’s leading dive destination in 2020. The award-giving body also declared the Department of Tourism (DOT) as this year’s leading tourist board in Asia, besting 11 nominated countries.… Read More

Travel PH app to keep tourists updated on open destinations

Travel PH app to keep tourists updated on open destinations

October 30, 2020, 8:56 pm

MANILA – The newly-launched Travel Philippines web application will keep tourists updated on the status of destinations that recently reopened, providing them one digital stop when planning leisure trips under the "new normal". The easy-to-use platform allows users to create itineraries, find… Read More

Palawan, Boracay listed among world's most beautiful places

Palawan, Boracay listed among world's most beautiful places

October 30, 2020, 5:13 pm

MANILA – Palawan and Boracay, two of the Philippines' famous destinations, were cited anew, this time as among the 50 "most beautiful places in the world" by Big Seven Travel. The global travel site ranked Palawan in eighth place, praising its "immaculate string of islands". "Palawan is a… Read More

Travel bubble in Palawan 'successful': DOT exec

Travel bubble in Palawan 'successful': DOT exec

October 28, 2020, 5:31 pm

MANILA – The pilot travel bubble in Palawan since July 2020 had been a "success", a ranking Department of Tourism (DOT) executive said, days before the island expands the program to more areas in El Nido. "(It is) successful as we are able to enter and exit Palawan having an assured feeling of… Read More

Avail of SB Corp's loan program, tourism biz urged

Avail of SB Corp's loan program, tourism biz urged

October 28, 2020, 1:31 pm

MANILA – Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat urged micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to avail of the CARES for Tourism Rehabilitation and Vitalization of Enterprises and Livelihood (CARES for TRAVEL) Program to help them sustain their businesses and keep… Read More

El Nido expands travel bubble starting Oct. 30: DOT

El Nido expands travel bubble starting Oct. 30: DOT

October 24, 2020, 3:28 pm

MANILA – El Nido is easing its travel restrictions to welcome more tourists starting October 30, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced Saturday. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the provincial government of Palawan agreed to move on to the "second phase of El Nido's travel… Read More

CNTraveler award to help revive tourism in Cebu, Visayas

CNTraveler award to help revive tourism in Cebu, Visayas

October 22, 2020, 3:45 pm

CEBU CITY – The recognition from an international travel magazine for Cebu and the Visayas islands as Top Islands in Asia is a good platform for the tourism industry to recover from the impact of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino said on Thursday. The… Read More

DOT-Bicol plans reopening of tourism sites to 'outsiders'

DOT-Bicol plans reopening of tourism sites to 'outsiders'

October 21, 2020, 1:58 pm

LEGAZPI CITY – The opening of over a hundred tourism sites in Bicol to domestic tourists from other regions would depend on the outcome of a tourism stakeholders' meeting set next week by the local Department of Tourism (DOT) office. Fe Buela, DOT Bicol, officer-in-charge, said plans are being… Read More

Hotels in GCQ, MGCQ areas may soon open at full capacity: DOT

Hotels in GCQ, MGCQ areas may soon open at full capacity: DOT

October 21, 2020, 1:55 pm

MANILA – Hotels in areas under general community quarantine and modified GCQ may soon open at full operational capacity, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced Wednesday. This, after the DOT was given the authority by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious… Read More

Travel agencies plead for 'full refund' from airlines

Travel agencies plead for 'full refund' from airlines

October 21, 2020, 1:47 pm

MANILA – The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) on Wednesday "strongly urged" airlines to provide full refunds for canceled flights since March when the government imposed travel restrictions as a response to the coronavirus outbreak. As of September 2020, the estimated pending… Read More

Hybrid 2020 PHITEX generates P42-M amid pandemic

Hybrid 2020 PHITEX generates P42-M amid pandemic

October 20, 2020, 9:01 pm

MANILA – The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) on Tuesday reported that the hybrid Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) last month has generated a total of PHP42 million in confirmed bookings, a success amid the restrictions posed by the pandemic on the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and… Read More

UNESCO features PH’s Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

UNESCO features PH’s Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

October 20, 2020, 8:10 pm

MANILA – The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched a photo exhibition entitled “Protecting UNESCO’s Marine World Heritage through scientific research” at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France Oct. 7, 2020, and will run until Oct. 30, 2020.… Read More

‘Ridge to reef’ corridor milestone in PH tourism amid Covid

‘Ridge to reef’ corridor milestone in PH tourism amid Covid

October 20, 2020, 12:58 pm

MANILA – The developments in the Ridge and Reef Corridor in Luzon serve as a "milestone" in the country’s bid to spur domestic tourism recovery amid the pandemic, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said Tuesday. “The combined initiatives under the Ridge and Reef Travel Corridor have… Read More

PAL hopes non-essential travel boosts passenger demand

PAL hopes non-essential travel boosts passenger demand

October 19, 2020, 8:41 pm

MANILA – Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is hopeful that the resumption of non-essential travel beginning Oct. 21 will boost passenger demand, spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said on Monday. During the Laging Handa public briefing, Villaluna said PAL is currently operating 15 to 20 percent… Read More

Baguio reopening to spur 'swift' PH tourism recovery

Baguio reopening to spur 'swift' PH tourism recovery

October 17, 2020, 6:06 pm

MANILA – The reopening of Baguio City to travelers from Luzon would spur a "swifter" recovery of the Philippine tourism industry that had been reeling from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic since March, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Saturday. Baguio is set to start accepting… Read More

Eased travel movement between GCQ, MGCQ areas welcomed

Eased travel movement between GCQ, MGCQ areas welcomed

October 16, 2020, 2:40 pm

MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Friday welcomed the amended guidelines from the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on the easing of movement of persons traveling between areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified… Read More

Local tour guides welcome tourists in Ilocos Norte

Local tour guides welcome tourists in Ilocos Norte

October 16, 2020, 11:22 am

LAOAG CITY – Wearing her favorite personalized tour guide shirt she has not worn for months, Karen Lucas said she is excited to welcome tourists once again in the province. After seven months of lockdown, Lucas and other tourist guides from Ilocos Norte are as excited as their visitors from… Read More

Travel agencies, tour operators now allowed in GCQ areas

Travel agencies, tour operators now allowed in GCQ areas

October 16, 2020, 10:59 am

MANILA – Travel agencies, tour operators, reservation services, and other related activities are allowed to operate in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) at limited capacity starting Friday. This came after the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued Memorandum Circular 20-53… Read More

Lapu-Lapu City mayor assures visitors of Covid-free destinations

Lapu-Lapu City mayor assures visitors of Covid-free destinations

October 15, 2020, 7:31 pm

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – Mayor Junard Chan on Thursday assured visitors that all destinations and amenities in the historical island city are coronavirus disease (Covid-19)-free. In a radio interview, Chan said 249 hotel and resort workers and boatmen have undergone reverse… Read More

Antigen testing policy ensures 'safer' staycation: DOT chief

Antigen testing policy ensures 'safer' staycation: DOT chief

October 14, 2020, 8:30 pm

MANILA – The Philippines' test before "staycation" policy is touted to ensure safer operation of leisure hotel stays in areas still under general community quarantine (GCQ). During an inspection at the Grand Hyatt Manila on Wednesday, Tourism chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the Philippines… Read More