Travel and Tourism
DOT reminds hotels to follow health protocols
August 6, 2020, 5:53 pm
MANILA -- Tourism chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is reminding hotels operating under all levels of community quarantine to strictly follow the health and safety protocols it set for accommodation establishments. "It has come to the attention of the Department of Tourism (DOT) that a number of… Read More
Puerto Princesa: A Princess of its own
August 5, 2020, 5:31 pm
By Jay Ledesma DAVAO CITY – If you’re looking for a destination that offers attraction ranging from beaches to wildlife reserves, the place to be is Puerto Princesa. We spent one Holy Week in this city capital of the island province of Palawan. The moment we got out of the airport, we… Read More
Bohol eyes 'UBE' seal for tourism establishments under new normal
August 3, 2020, 2:12 pm
TAGBILARAN CITY – Bohol’s next normal direction anchors on the “Bohol Bubble” concept as it glides on the tag “Ultimate Bohol Experience (UBE)”, with two Cabinet members commending the province’s effort to reopen the tourism economy. Governor Arthur Yap on Monday said “all tourism… Read More
Panglao Island eyes tourism reopening in Q4 2020
August 1, 2020, 9:25 am
MANILA – Bohol’s Panglao Island is planning to reopen its shores to tourists in the fourth quarter of 2020, once its local government unit (LGU) finalizes preparations for health and safety protocols, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said. "As of now, the target is the last quarter of… Read More
Pearl Farm: An Island’s jewel
July 31, 2020, 2:08 pm
By Jay Ledesma DAVAO CITY – Our adventure began with just a 45-minute boat ride from the bustling Davao City and we reached Samal Island’s jewel called Pearl Farm. Welcoming us to this beautiful resort is the imposing parola, a cultural-themed 2-storey structure that served as their reception… Read More
Tourist players assured of gov't support for slow reopening
July 30, 2020, 8:33 pm
MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) is pulling out all the stops to ensure that health and safety measures are in place in the country’s tourist destinations and to reassure all stakeholders of government support as the industry prepares to slowly reopen. Tourism Secretary Bernadette… Read More
World tourism losses $320B in Jan-May amid virus: UN
July 30, 2020, 1:20 pm
ISTANBUL – The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has announced that the tourism sector's losses reached USD320 (PHP16 trillion) billion during the first five months of 2020, as the number of international tourists dropped by 56 percent due to the coronavirus pandemic. The amount… Read More
Tourism players urged to go digital amid Covid
July 30, 2020, 12:48 pm
MANILA – The travel industry is urged to go digital as part of the transition to the "new normal". Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has made it imperative for industry players to adopt electronic commerce and contactless… Read More
Stakeholders urged to assist DOT in reopening tourism
July 29, 2020, 5:16 pm
MANILA – Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Wednesday enjoined industry stakeholders to assist the Department of Tourism (DOT) in convincing and preparing destinations for eventual tourism reopening, specifically those under the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ). "I talked… Read More
19 int’l flights to fly out of Clark Airport starting August
July 29, 2020, 3:27 pm
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga – Nineteen international flights will be flying out from Clark International Airport (CRK) starting August in support of the national government’s aim to bring home stranded overseas Filipinos. With the resumption of its commercial operations and the go signal from the… Read More
DOT welcomes Senate approval of Bayanihan 2
July 29, 2020, 11:29 am
MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) expressed optimism for the recovery of the tourism industry following the Senate's approval of Senate Bill 1564 or the Bayanihan To Recover As One Act on its third and final reading Tuesday. In a news release, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo–Puyat… Read More
Boracay Authority would sustain rehab success on the island: DOT
July 28, 2020, 2:18 pm
MANILA – Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat supported the call for the creation of Boracay Island Development Authority (BIDA) to sustain the successes the government achieved during the island's six-month rehabilitation in 2018. "The success of the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF)… Read More
PRRD urges Pinoys to travel locally once protocols in place
July 27, 2020, 9:34 pm
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday urged the public to help boost the country's economy by traveling locally when protocols are already in place. "The tourism and recreation industries, which are among the hardest hit by the pandemic, count on our full support... We enjoin our people… Read More
Towards tourism recovery: Staying afloat amid Covid-19
July 25, 2020, 9:04 am
MANILA – Adapting and innovating would be the only way the hard-hit tourism industry could survive under the current landscape brought by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. This was the collective input of acclaimed motivational speakers and business experts Josiah Go and Francis… Read More
Tourism investments hit P663.2-B in 2019
July 23, 2020, 9:39 pm
MANILA – The tourism investment from both private and public sectors in the country reached PHP663.2 billion in 2019, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed Thursday. Based on the data presented by PSA Assistant National Statistician Service Vivian Ilarina during the 2019 Philippine… Read More
Boracay now open to all Western Visayas tourists: DOT
July 23, 2020, 9:35 pm
MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) announced that all Western Visayas travelers below 21 and above 60 years old are now allowed to enter Boracay after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on Thursday lifted the age-specific ban on the… Read More
'Drive tourism' gains ground in Ilocos Norte
July 22, 2020, 8:52 am
LAOAG CITY – Following the success of the maiden drive-in concert at the Laoag sand dunes more than a week ago, the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office (INTO) is bringing in a series of pop-up activities in the province’s eco-tourism destinations amid the Covid-19 pandemic. To jumpstart local tourism… Read More
Antique LGU approves ordinance to boost airport safety
July 20, 2020, 10:45 pm
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – An ordinance that will ensure the safety of aircraft, passengers and residents at the perimeter vicinity of the only airport in the province here is expected to take effect next month. San Jose de Buenavista Municipal Mayor Elmer Untaran, in a press conference… Read More
Majority of PH tourism players expect to be back on track in 2021
July 20, 2020, 8:41 pm
MANILA – Majority of the tourism players in the Philippines remains optimistic that their businesses will return to normal within six months to over a year. According to the Philippine Tourism Survey: Covid-19 Edition conducted by Isla Lipana & Co./PwC Philippines (PwC), 63 percent of the… Read More
PH's tallest airport control tower to rise in Clark
July 19, 2020, 5:02 pm
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga – The Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) is set to build the country’s newest Airport Control Tower, said to become the tallest in the country at 54 meters. The tower will upgrade the airfield's ground lighting system at the emerging airport complex within the… Read More
