Travel and Tourism
Centuries-old church in Ilocos Norte declared a 'diocesan shrine'
September 4, 2020, 3:55 pm
LAOAG CITY – The Diocese of Laoag is elevating the centuries-old San Nicolas de Tolentino Church in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte as a "diocesan shrine" in time for the feast of the town’s patron saint on September 10. Featuring a baroque facade and bearing the Spanish coat of arms, the San… Read More
DOT W. Visayas food expo to showcase Antique’s local cuisines
September 4, 2020, 2:27 pm
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Famous local cuisines in this province will be featured during the Department of Tourism (DOT) Western Visayas Kaon Ta! (Let’s Eat!) to be held next week. DOT accredited resource person for Kulinarya training, Antiqueño chef Jose Ramlo Villaluna, in an… Read More
DOT hails Lonely Planet mention of 3 top PH dive sites
September 3, 2020, 10:31 pm
MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) celebrates the mention of multiple Philippine dive sites in the Lonely Planet's article entitled "6 national parks around the world with surprisingly spectacular diving". "This citation from the largest travel guide book publisher, Lonely Planet, is… Read More
DOT eyes to expand Baguio’s travel bubble plan across PH
September 2, 2020, 9:30 pm
BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) threw its full support behind the Ridge to Reef Corridor Plan, one of the key strategies being explored to ensure Baguio City's gradual and safe reopening to tourists from nearby provinces within the year. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat… Read More
Ilocos Norte braces for reopening of tourism sites
September 2, 2020, 1:05 pm
LAOAG CITY – The province of Ilocos Norte is getting ready to reopen its doors to tourists from nearby provinces but in a highly regulated manner. Aianree Raquel, provincial tourism officer of Ilocos Norte, said in a phone interview on Wednesday that Baguio City, La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos… Read More
Cebu's fishing town reopens tourism industry amid pandemic
September 1, 2020, 9:35 pm
CORDOVA, Cebu – The tourism industry in this fishing town on Mactan Island has reopened, joining other municipalities in Cebu that have slowly resumed tourism activities. Mayor Maria Theresa Sitoy-Cho on Monday said Cordova has already prepared for a "better normal" setup in carrying out its… Read More
Swab test available but not mandatory at Cebu airport
August 31, 2020, 7:34 pm
CEBU CITY – The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has announced that its dedicated coronavirus disease or Covid-19 RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) testing facility is now available for departing passengers. The GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) however,… Read More
Lapu-Lapu City to promote Olango Islands' seaweed ecotourism
August 29, 2020, 2:47 pm
LAPU-LAPU CITY – The city government is bent on repackaging the Olango group of islands as an “ecotourism hub” in the Visayas, featuring its fishing and seaweed farming as an added tourist attraction. Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan said Friday that soon after the Inter-Agency Task Force for… Read More
Cebu tourism firms told to get clearance before resuming ops
August 27, 2020, 9:16 pm
CEBU CITY – The Cebu Provincial Tourism Task Force (CPTTF) has released a new set of requirements for hotels, resorts, homestay establishments and tour operators wanting to resume operations in the province which is now under modified general community quarantine. Maria Lester Ybañez,… Read More
Travel agencies ask airlines to expedite P141-M refund
August 26, 2020, 8:10 pm
MANILA – Members of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) on Wednesday asked some 27 airlines for a full refund of at least PHP141 million from canceled flights due to various travel restrictions imposed since March 2020. “We hope the airlines can expedite the process and release… Read More
Massive loss in tourism can cut global GDP by 2.8%: UN
August 25, 2020, 4:54 pm
ANKARA – The massive drop in revenues from tourism, which accounted for 7 percent of global trade last year, could reduce global gross domestic product (GDP) by as much as 2.8 percent in 2020, the UN secretary-general said Tuesday. Citing the latest data from the World Tourism Organization… Read More
DOT welcomes P10-B Bayanihan 2 allocation for tourism
August 25, 2020, 2:29 pm
MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Tuesday welcomed the approval of the PHP10-billion allocation for the tourism industry under the Bayanihan To Recover As One or the Bayanihan 2 Bill. In a statement, the DOT said the allotment signifies the recognition of the tourism sector by the… Read More
Online selling site for Philippine harvests launched
August 20, 2020, 3:43 pm
MANILA – Online shoppers can now enjoy varied Philippine flavors, quality-sealed fresh and processed food selections, and other essentials all under one platform which provides a seamless shopping experience for the customer. The Department of Tourism (DOT) launched the Philippine Harvest… Read More
DOT-7 to help Mactan Island revive tourism sector
August 19, 2020, 8:51 pm
LAPU-LAPU CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Central Visayas is ready to assist the city in reopening its hospitality industry after the months-long hiatus.Shalimar Hofer Tamano, DOT-7 regional director, said he met with Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan and his wife, Cindi King-Chan, to… Read More
Keep P10-B credit facility for tourism in Bayanihan 2: groups
August 19, 2020, 8:44 pm
MANILA – More tourism groups joined the call on the bicameral conference committee to retain the PHP10-billion loan facility for micro and small industry players in the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One or Bayanihan 2 bill. In a joint statement on Wednesday, the Tourism Congress of the… Read More
Emirates' 1st commercial flight lands in Clark
August 19, 2020, 7:25 pm
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga – The one-off A380 service of Emirates landed at the Clark International Airport on Wednesday, with 405 passengers on board. The first A380 commercial aircraft to operate from Dubai to Clark aims to meet the demand for flights to and from the Philippines. Welcomed with a… Read More
Albay Tourism industry loses P.5-B due to Covid-19
August 15, 2020, 5:07 pm
LEGAZPI CITY – The tourism industry in Albay could barely recover from the huge revenue losses it suffered due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO) in Albay has reported. Dorothy Colle, PTCAO chief, said on Friday the… Read More
P10-B tourism infra fund to create jobs in provinces: solon
August 14, 2020, 6:14 pm
MANILA – A party-list lawmaker on Friday said the allocation of the PHP10-billion fund to Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) in the Bayanihan to Recover as One (Bayanihan 2) bill will provide employment to thousands of workers in the provinces. Kabayan Party-list Rep.… Read More
Restore P10-B for tourism aid, bicam urged
August 12, 2020, 8:19 pm
MANILA -- Several tourism industry leaders are calling on Congress to restore the PHP10 billion originally allocated for working capital loans in the reconciled Bayanihan 2 bills, which was realigned to infrastructure in the House version. A joint statement read by Philippine Travel Agencies… Read More
PH records 73% drop in visitor arrivals in first 7 months of 2020
August 11, 2020, 7:44 pm
MANILA – The Philippine tourism industry continues to feel the impact of the coronavirus pandemic as reflected in the 73 percent drop in foreign visitor arrivals for the first seven months of 2020 from the same period last year. Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. said only about 1.3… Read More
