#SupportLocal: PH banks on domestic travel for tourism recovery

Tourism had suffered greatly because of the global pandemic.

Now, to get back on its feet, it has to adapt and make changes for the new environment after COVID-19. We all have to learn to live with it to save our economy.

Boosting domestic travel seems to be the play of the Department of Tourism (DOT). They are banking on domestic travel to aid the Philippine tourism’s recovery.

“We believe that, for the rest of the year, what will really trigger the activities would be itong domestic tourism movement.”
– Benito Bengzon Jr., Tourism Undersecretary

The DOT has already estimated a 35% drop in the revenue from foreign tourist arrivals for the first three months of the year compared to 2019.

From the proposed P370-billion fiscal stimulus package to keep the economy afloat by Marikina City Representative Stella Luz Quimbo, approximately P43 billion will be used to aid stakeholders in tourism industry.

“Out of the P43 billion that will be allocated to us, siguro kulang-kulang mga P36 billion will go to ‘yung working capital kasi ‘yun talaga ang pinaka-importante,” Bengzon said.

DOT Policies and programs to be applied to the country’s tourism stakeholders:

Regular sanitation and disinfection of hotels, resorts and other accommodations, tourism transport services and other tourism-related establishments
Provision of sanitation or disinfection devices to tourism workers.
Tourism establishments will also be regularly inspected that will involve relevant agencies on health and safety standards such as the Department of Health.
Encouraged to develop online systems that can facilitate tourism-related transactions digitally.