Travel and Tourism
Diving now allowed in Batangas: DOT
October 14, 2020, 3:05 pm
MANILA – Batangas is now permitted to accept guests for recreational diving, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced Wednesday. “Dive establishments in Batangas Province, insofar as the area is still under General Community Quarantine (GCQ), are hereby determined to be permitted to accept… Read More
DOT guidelines issued for recreational diving under 'new normal'
October 13, 2020, 6:49 pm
MANILA – Bring your own gear and use a defog solution for your mask. These are among the health and safety rules for recreational diving set by the Department of Tourism (DOT) as the country eases into the reopening of sports tourism activities with the easing of quarantine restrictions. "Our… Read More
DOT, SB Corp. ink loan program to aid pandemic-hit MSMEs
October 13, 2020, 1:45 pm
MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Small Business Corporation (SB Corp.) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to finalize the CARES for Tourism Rehabilitation and Vitalization of Enterprises and Livelihood (TRAVEL) program that will extend loan assistance to micro, small and… Read More
Lapu-Lapu City slates travel fair to revive tourism
October 12, 2020, 8:38 pm
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – The city government here launched on Monday a travel fair aimed at helping the tourism industry bounce back from losses due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). The Balik Turismo Travel Fair is happening this Oct. 17 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hoops Dome in… Read More
DOT funds swab test of Boracay tourism workers
October 12, 2020, 4:15 pm
MANILA - The Department of Tourism (DOT) will provide PHP8 million for the swab testing of some 4,000 Boracay Island tourism workers. In a statement Monday, the DOT said Boracay is expecting more local tourist arrivals in the coming months. "By supporting RT-PCR testing among workers in Boracay,… Read More
Ilocos Norte opens door to Luzon tourists starting Oct. 15
October 9, 2020, 4:20 pm
MANILA – Ilocos Norte will start accepting tourists from the rest of Luzon beginning October 15, the Department of Tourism (DOT) confirmed Friday. “We’re elated with the decision of Governor Manotoc to finally welcome visitors from Luzon to Ilocos Norte, even those coming from areas that are… Read More
Hotel sales award to proceed amid pandemic
October 9, 2020, 9:38 am
MANILA – The holding of the annual Virtus Awards that recognizes the best among hotel marketing professionals across the country will proceed amid the pandemic to prove the industry’s “pandemic-proof” resilience, according to the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA). As the… Read More
Condé Nast lists Cebu, the Visayas as top islands in Asia
October 7, 2020, 10:58 am
MANILA – Cebu and the Visayas islands have been named Top Island in Asia, leading three other Philippine islands in the Top 10 of the Condé Nast Traveler's (CNT) 2020 Readers' Choice Awards. Palawan, Siargao, and Boracay also made it to the Top 10 in Asia list, ranking fourth, fifth, and sixth,… Read More
Tourism boom in Baguio seen with affordable antigen testing
October 3, 2020, 12:25 pm
MANILA – Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat welcomes the adoption of antigen testing as a way to determine if Baguio City's visitors are coronavirus disease (Covid-19) free. "Together with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Department of Health (DOH), and Baguio… Read More
Boracay, PH's world-class resort island reopens
October 1, 2020, 6:36 pm
MANILA – Boracay, the country's world-class resort island, has finally opened its shores to domestic tourists, with the Philippine government touting a "safe" and "gradual" tourism revival amid the pandemic. In a press conference on Thursday, Tourism chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said travelers… Read More
DOT digitizes accreditation for tourism establishments
September 29, 2020, 3:44 pm
MANILA – Tourism enterprises can now apply for accreditation online after the Department of Tourism (DOT) on Tuesday launched its digital accreditation system. The system, accessible through accreditation.tourism.gov.ph, would facilitate accreditation requests, contactless transactions, and… Read More
DOT releases guidelines for 'staycation' in GCQ areas
September 29, 2020, 10:25 am
MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) has issued strict guidelines for “staycations” as part of the government efforts to re-start the economy through tourism. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat signed the administrative order which allows “staycations” for persons of all ages,… Read More
1st hybrid PHITEX 'successful'; generates P4.5-M: DOT
September 26, 2020, 4:30 pm
MANILA – The Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) 2020, the first-ever MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) event staged in the country since a lockdown in March, was a "success" after it generated PHP4.5 million worth of confirmed bookings for 2021 onwards. "Nobody thought… Read More
DOH exec calls for cautious approach to tourism reopening
September 25, 2020, 6:50 pm
DUMAGUETE CITY – As many areas in the country are now slowly opening tourism areas amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, a key official of the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday called for a cautious approach toward reviving the sector to prevent the spread of the dreaded… Read More
104 tourism sites in Bicol now open to domestic travelers
September 25, 2020, 2:39 pm
LEGAZPI CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Bicol on Friday said over a hundred tourism sites have been opened in the region after it was placed under the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) classification. Fe Buela, DOT officer-in-charge, in an interview said by placing the… Read More
DOT reminds Manila Bay visitors to follow health protocols
September 23, 2020, 3:45 pm
MANILA – As people flocked to the newly opened Manila Bay "white sand beach," the Department of Tourism (DOT) reminded the public to follow all safety and health protocols to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) while appreciating the beach nourishment project. "What we need here… Read More
Boracay Oct. 1 reopening to drive PH domestic tourism: DOT
September 23, 2020, 1:42 pm
MANILA – The reopening of Boracay to more markets on October 1 would jumpstart the Philippines' domestic tourism, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Wednesday. “The reopening of Boracay to new market sources signals a gathering momentum for domestic tourism all over the country. We are… Read More
Boracay to soon allow tourists from GCQ areas
September 23, 2020, 8:43 am
MANILA – Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat confirmed on Tuesday evening that tourists from areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) may soon travel to Boracay for leisure. This was after the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) decided to endorse the island's reopening to the… Read More
PTAA seeks partnership with Korean counterpart
September 22, 2020, 6:56 pm
MANILA – The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) wants to boost operations of travel agencies, which the association expects to slowly resume operations in the coming months, by formalizing an agreement with its Korean counterpart. In his presentation during the Korea Tourism… Read More
19th PH Travel Exchange in Bohol features via online B2B sessions
September 22, 2020, 4:43 pm
TAGBILARAN CITY – The 19th edition of the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) commenced on Tuesday through a virtual gathering at the Bellevue Resort in Panglao, Bohol. This year’s travel exchange carries the theme “PHITEX Pivots: Business Unusual”, seeing 161 resellers, 124 buyers, and… Read More
