Manila, Mar 4 (Prensa Latina) The Philippine Department of Tourism reported today that it sees a sustained recovery in the sector as it becomes the first country in Asia to accept fully vaccinated foreign travelers.
Tourism Secretary Berna Puyat stressed that her country exhibits the most relaxed entry protocols, including quarantine-free entry, and also allows visitors to travel freely to reopened destinations across the Asian nation.
We are proud to say that our entry requirements are delivered in a simple format, without the need for quarantine at the facility, primarily for fully vaccinated visitors, he said.
As of February 10, the Philippines welcomed fully vaccinated foreign leisure travelers from visa-free countries, and according to Puyat, an uptick is expected during the summer season and Easter break this April.
At the end of February, the number of international tourist arrivals reached 47,715, figures much higher than those averaged over the last two years, in which the sector suffered enormously from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Apart from the suspension of the country classification system, fully vaccinated tourists are no longer required to undergo quarantine as long as they can present a negative RT-PCR result.
Along with the goal of a sustained recovery, Puyat has high hopes for stronger programs and partnerships with other tourism ministers and world leaders when the Philippines hosts the World Travel & Tourism Council summit in April.
We only want the best for the sector. This Summit will show what the Philippines can offer the world. Our goal is to restore jobs and sources of income for our workers, he noted.
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