Thailand
Philippines: Tourism establishments ready to close shop amid virus surge
MANILA, Philippines — Several tourism stakeholders are considering shuttering their businesses for good as they anticipate another summer season without tourists from Metro Manila and overseas.
Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) president Jose Clemente III told The STAR many of his colleagues in the travel sector are ready to cease operations, but are holding on to the hope that the government would speed up the purchase and rollout of vaccines.
“For tourism to really recover, the government must ramp up the country’s vaccination program.
The Philippines on Friday logged a total of 9,838 new cases of COVID-19, the highest daily increase since the pandemic started last year.
To weather the recent surge in infections, OCTA Research suggested reverting Metro Manila to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) for at least two weeks.
Clemente lamented the sector could no longer afford a return to lockdown in Metro Manila as this would prevent its residents from taking a trip outside the region.
Tourist destinations across the country rely on the nation’s capital and its surrounding provinces for their visitor arrivals, especially this summer.
For instance, more than half of guests visiting Baguio City and Boracay Island originate from the National Capital Region (NCR) as the government has yet to allow the entry of foreign tourists in the country.
“A two-week MECQ would make it difficult to travel as it restricts people from going around. So tourism arrivals from NCR would virtually be nil,” Clemente said.
The TCP chief said requiring a negative COVID result before travel can be enforced to minimize risks in tourism. He reminded the government to respond to the sector’s needs in this health crisis as “the longer the pandemic goes, the longer our industry remains closed.”
On the other hand, Hotel Sales and Marketing Association president Christine Ann Ibaretta said the government should expedite vaccination at the local level instead of placing Metro Manila on lockdowns.
Ibaretta vowed hotels would comply with whatever additional restrictions the government puts in place as they take precautionary measures on their own to control the spread of the virus.
“We would abide by what government says, (and) we would be stricter in our hotels in cleaning and sanitizing them, protecting both employees and guests,” Ibaretta told The STAR.
Source: https://www.philstar.com/business/2021/03/29/2087611/tourism-establishments-ready-close-shop-amid-virus-surge