Philippines

Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite “NCR Plus” will revert to a Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from 12-30 Apr. Malls will be allowed to reopen, restaurants can operate dine-in services at outdoor areas at 50% capacity

The Metro Manila Council will implement a curfew of 8pm-5am from 12 Apr until 30 Apr

The DOT will recommend that airlines adopt the IATA Travel Pass to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) next week, a move supported by the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP)

The Philippines recorded a record number of deaths on 9 Apr of 401

All hotels under the Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) in Metro Manila are fully booked and cannot be converted into isolation facilities

OCTA Research have said that the NCR Plus R-0 rate has decreased to 1.23 from 1.88 pre-ECQ

The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) has reopened its dive resort in Bohol

The Western Visayas are calling for a week-long flight and travel restriction from NCR Plus, Cebu City and Davao City from 11-17 Apr. It had already implemented a ban from 4-10 Apr

A Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BPS) study has shown that the overall business confidence index has increased to 17.4% in Q1 2021, from Q4’s 10.6%. It is the highest reading since Q1 2020. Business optimism for the rest of the year also increased to 60.5% from 57.7%

Cebu City wants a special non-working holiday to be declared for 14 Apr, for the 500th anniversary of the First Baptism in the country

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) has said that the loan amounts released under the CARES for Travel program have so far been inadequate for the industry. The TCP suggested an increase in loanable amounts, and that companies already approved for loans are allowed to apply for additional amounts. It also urged for lenient repayment terms

The DOT has said that some travellers are using power trips to be able to enter tourist destinations, despite not following the correct entry requirements

2020 GDP fell more than initially announced in January, to 9.6%, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced

Non-essential travel for Baguio and La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay towns in Benguet has been banned for 2 weeks

The DOT has appealed to Filipinos to travel locally once restrictions are lifted

4 billion PHP of the government’s 3.1 billion PHP CAMP-Tourism fund for displaced tourism workers has still not been distributed to beneficiaries

LGUs in areas under ECQ have started to distribute financial aid to low-income residents impacted by the lockdown. Families are entitled to 1,000 PHP or in-kind assistance

Foreign parents, children and spouses of Filipino citizens cannot enter the country without them

Inflation continued at higher rates than in 2020, with Q1 at 4.5%, which could increase the country’s poverty threshold, meaning more Filipinos are living below the poverty line

The OCTA Research Group have said that cases in Metro Manila increased by “just 3%” between 31 Mar-6 Apr. However, the city was averaging 17% lower number of tests WoW

The IMF has estimated the Philippines’ 2021 GDP to grow by 6.9% in 2021, faster than its previous forecast of 6.6%. However, it warned of “substantial uncertainty”, with the potential for quarantines to “dampen economic activity”

The DOT supports the idea of adopting the IATA Travel Pass, to help safely reopen the country “when the time is right”

Just 836 tourists visited Boracay from 29 Mar-4 Apr during Holy Week, with 9/10 originating from the Western Visayas

8,000 workers have been made redundant due to the ECQ in the NCR Plus area

The DOT has praised the Malay government for investigating claims that a party with a tourist from Manila caused an outbreak in cases on Boracay Island. Boracay received 17,400 visitors in Mar, the highest since it reopened in Oct 2020. 9,913 were from the NCR Plus

The DOT has urged all travel providers to assist tourists who had made travel plans but needed to cancel them due to travel restrictions on NCR Plus areas

Vintar in Ilocos Norte has limited its tourist activities to residents only, to stop the spread of the virus

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) have estimated that the ECQ in NCR Plus will cost 0.8pp from economic growth, 252,000 jobs, income loss of 30 billion PHP and 102,000 more Filipinos will live below the poverty line

Doctors have called for hotels to be converted into isolation units for patients, in a bid to create space. In Metro Manila on 5 Apr, the DOH estimated that ICU beds were almost at 100% capacity, whilst healthcare beds in general were at 70-80%

Bicol has imposed a ban on travellers from Metro Manila and other COVID-19 spots

Boracay will continue to welcome domestic tourists, despite some localities being locked down

The DOT hopes that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) will consider the tourism sector’s success in limiting outbreaks when it comes to reopening international borders

The government will not provide additional financial aid for the extended ECQ in NCR Plus

Bulacan experienced very low visitors over the Holy Week period, thanks to the travel restrictions imposed on the NCR Plus region. Bulacan has seen 6,000 resort workers made redundant since the start of the pandemic

A new tourist attraction, Igorot Stone Kingdom, will launch in Baguio. It hopes to open in Jun

Metro Manila and Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna and Rizal “NCR Plus” will remain under ECQ until 11 Apr, with a one week extension

Philippines reported a daily record high of 15,310 cases on 2 Apr. The number included a backlog of 3,709 cases

Department of Health data has shown that a third of hospitals in the NCR region are at a “critical level” of bed capacity

Negros Occidental are asking to be allowed to enforce testing and quarantine on entrance to the province

As of 25 Mar, the P6-billion CARES for Travel program has seen 558 loan applications, with P122 million approved

Agoda has seen no international searches from Filipinos in March 2021 or December 2020 make it to the top 30 list

The president of the Philippine Hospital Association has said: “What we fear has happened. Our hospitals are overrun and overwhelmed” and “We are not losing [against COVID]. We have lost already.”

Sipalay City will ban tourists without pre-booked accommodation from 31 Mar-5 Apr, including day trippers

The Philippines and the DOT have been nominated for multiple awards at the World Travel Awards 2021

Contact tracing has declined in the past few weeks, a factor behind the increase in cases, the government has said. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) urged LGUs to use the StaySfe.PH contact tracing app for a unified system to allow efficient contact tracing

Cebu Province will allow Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and returning non-OFWs to no longer undergo a mandatory quarantine from 31 Mar. Instead, they will need to undergo an RT-PCR test on arrival, and pre-book a hotel room to await their results. If it is negative, they will be permitted to go home

Resorts in Sarangani province are fully booked for Holy Week, with many hotels fully booked too. The province from Jan-Feb has seen 186,770 arrivals in an “encouraging” sign. However, the Sarangani Bay Festival in May, a key tourist draw, will not go ahead

Foreign parents of Filipino citizens with valid visas are allowed to enter the Philippines, but must enter with their Filipino children

Negros Occidental are promoting “slow food travel” in the Philippines as a unique Western Visayas tourism product. They launched the project on 27-28 Mar at the Pop-Up Earth Market, and it is a collaboration between the province, the DOT, the Department of Agriculture and Slow Food International. They will hold virtual training sessions and map biodiversity in the region

4.2 million Filipinos were unemployed in Feb 2021, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), an increase of 0.2 million vs Jan. Unemployment is now at a 16-year high of 8.8%

Benguet’s attractions are still closed to tourists from other provinces

Moody’s Analytics forecast that the Philippine economy will be one of the worst performing in Southeast Asia in at least H1 2021, saying that it will be unable to capitalise on tourism if they cannot provide a safe environment

Boracay closed all bars and food parks on the island, after a lockdown of two subvillages from 28 Mar-10 Apr, which includes 31 hotels and resorts. The island had expected a peak of 20,000 visitors by the end of Mar before the spike in cases as by 21 Mar, it had received 16,412 visitors. However, hotels have seen a big impact from the travel restrictions for Metro Manila

From 1-30 Apr, more areas will be under GCQ, including Cordillera Administrative region, Davao City and Batangas. The rest of the country will be under MGCQ

Many malls in Metro Manila have closed non-essential shops

The Department of Health has said that a one-week lockdown is unlikely to stop the virus spike

More beaches in Pangasinan are closed over Holy Week

Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (Acap) have said that the government not providing support to local airlines will lead to them relying on private resources. They urged the government to focus on the role domestic carriers play in the country as drivers of economic growth and enabler of public services

Staycations in ECQ areas are not permitted, the DOT has clarified

Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna (NCR Plus) will be put under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), the strictest lockdown level, from 29 Mar to 4 Apr. The area will impose a curfew of 6pm-5am, and residents must stay at home except for essential trips and work in permitted industries. The government has said that it will distribute aid for those who are unable to work

Those industries permitted to operate under ECQ are medical care, manufacturers of medicine/ healthcare products, courier services, agricultural workers. Private essential goods and services must operate at 50%, whilst other key services are allowed to operate with a skeleton staff. Restaurants will be limited to takeaway only

The government launched the S-PaSS (Safe, Swift and Smart Passage), an app which allows travellers to access LGU travel information and submit any required documents

The World Bank has cut its forecast for Philippines’ 2021 GDP, to 5.5% from its original 5.9% in Dec. However, it expects 6.3% growth in 2022, higher than its previous forecast of 6%

The Philippines recorded 9,838 new daily cases on 26 Mar, the highest yet

Bohol has called for establishing its own international travel bubbles, with an immediate target of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Chinese travellers

Surigao del Norte has banned tourists from Metro Manila and its four nearby provinces

Baclaran Church’s surroundings will be declared a heritage site and tourist destination

Oriental Mindoro will ban NCR Plus tourists from entering from 25 Mar-4 Apr

Limasawa town, Southern Leyte, has banned tourists for 10 days from 22-31 Mar, to ensure that there is no overcrowding at the 500th anniversary of the First Mass in the Philippines on 31 Mar

The Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) is asking for a year extension of its mandate, as the creation of the Boracay Island Development Authority (Bida) is still a work in progress

Ilocos Norte has banned visitors from the NCR, Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite and Rizal from entering, but other visitors will still be permitted. Ilocos Norte welcomed its 1,000th traveller on the 19 Mar since it reopened around 5 months ago. It does not have any tourist bookings yet for Holy Week

The Aklan governor has said that Korean tour operators are already in touch with Boracay hotels to prepare to reopen, but that is up to the government to decide this. He said that the DOT is working to set up a travel bubble which would include Korea, China and Boracay

Hotels have started to see cancellations for the Holy Week after the Metro Manila residents were barred from traveling

Only urgent medical medicals are allowed travel outside of the “NCR Plus” bubble, clarifying that Balesin Island Club, which had been offering a medical treatment program, did not fall under this

Gyms, spas and internet cafes will be closed for the next 2 weeks in Metro Manila, despite being permitted to be open in GCQ areas by the IATF

OCTA Research have said that they do not forecast a downward trend of cases over the next 2 weeks in Metro Manila, despite the new government regulations. They estimate the R-0 is at 2.1

Leisure travellers from NCR Plus have been banned from visiting Baguio. Baguio expects a drop in arrivals over Holy Week as 70% of its source market is from Metro Manila

Masses have been suspended from 22 Mar to 4 Apr

The government has sent out mixed messages on domestic tourism in the NCR region, with the Police reminding the public that domestic tourism within the NCR Plus area is permitted, whilst the presidential spokesperson asked Filipinos to stay home, saying non-essential travel is “discouraged”

The DOT has said that it will “yield” to health concerns, despite Holy Week being “a strategic opportunity for growth in the tourism sector”

Staycation activities are permitted in the NCR Plus region

Palaui Island is looking to reopen soon, with guidelines being developed for tourists

Travellers from NCR Plus will not be allowed into Boracay or the Western Visayas

The former health secretary has blamed “unregulated” COVID-19 tests as a factor which has led to the spike in cases

Davao City will implement a test before travel policy for inbound travellers from 23 Mar. Pax will need an RT-PCR nasal or saliva test within 72 hours of flying

Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal have been placed under GCQ in addition to Metro Manila, and cross-border travel in these provinces, as well as mass gatherings, has been banned from 22 Mar-4 Apr. Restaurants in these areas will be limited to delivery and takeout, or outdoor dining

The Philippines posted its second consecutive day of record highs, at 7,999 on 20 Mar

The Philippines has detected the UK, South African and Brazilian variants of the virus

Puerto Princesa will boost tourism arrivals by organising more sports events

All Holy Week activities in Manila will be suspended

The Negros Occidental is looking into how domestic tourism can be fully reopened safely during a 2-day seminar

The DOT has said that the high number of cases could “never” be attributed to the gradual reopening of domestic tourism

After announcing that Filipino citizens, along with international arrivals, would be restricted from entering the country from 22 Mar to 19 Apr, the government has revised its previous restriction, and will now allow the entry of all Filipino citizens. Those who are exempt from the travel ban on inbound travellers include diplomats, foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens and emergency cases

The government has said that tighter restrictions may be imposed on Metro Manila, but it would not be at the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) or Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) levels of last year

All government agencies in GCQ areas must cut their operational capacity by 30-50% from 22 Mar to 4 Apr

14 barangays in the City of Manila are under a 4-day lockdown from 22-25 Mar after the rise in cases

Museums, social events, DOT-accredited establishments (except open air tourist attractions) and cinemas will be suspended once more in GCQ areas, whilst dine-in capacity will be reduced to 50%

Capacity for religious gatherings in GCQ areas has been reduced to 30%, whilst MICE must also be limited to essential gatherings at 30% of venue capacity, but LGUs will have the discretion to increase the capacity up to 50%

Boracay has now approved the use of the saliva RT-PCR test for entry to the island. They hope that this will boost tourism arrivals

Intramuros will be temporarily closed once more from 15 Mar

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has said that the Philippines’ growth target of 6.5-7.5% GDP in 2021 is achievable if vaccines are accelerated in H2

Cebu province have said that they have seen a gradual increase in bookings made through its online booking portal, particularly for weekend travel

Boracay and Baguio have seen an increase in the number of visitors. From 1-14 Mar, Boracay had 10,708 visitors, around 6,387 from Metro Manila. Baguio also saw 6,000 people enter on 13 Mar alone after the removal of mandatory tests

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines launched a 2-day hybrid event, the Tourism & Technology Forum, to help tourism businesses pivot to SMARTourism

The government has clarified that minors are allowed to travel domestically with their families, including air travel

The OCTA Research Group warned that cases could hit 11,000 a day by the end of Mar, with an R-0 of 2.03

Many popular attractions in Cordillera Administrative Region, such as the Banaue rice terraces, remain closed to tourists

Cebu Province has launched a caravan tour of the province, including South Adventure, Northern Escapade and staycation. All run for 3D2N and are held on weekdays. The launch of the first tour will be from 29 Mar

Metro Manila have imposed age restrictions on those permitted to leave their house again, falling between 18-65 years old

ITB Berlin NOW Philippines sellers saw an interest in the Philippines still

A Euromonitor report has shown that the Philippines fall in 94th place out of 99 globally for promoting sustainable tourism

Cebu Province will launch Holy Week packages on 16 Mar, Suroy-Suroy Sugbo. The packages aim to fill the weekday occupancy gap

The Philippines had 5,000 new infections, the highest since Aug 26

The Bohol governor has said that the tourism industry is still far from recovery. It is seeing on average 1,000 visitors per month, including local tourists. The only way that there is a fighting chance to return to normalcy is via vaccines

The Hundred Islands National Park is seeing on average 30-40 guests per day, with more than 200 last weekend. They have set a limit of 1,500 visitors per day

More tourism stakeholders are opposing the idea of creating the Boracay Island Development Association (Bida). 17 multisectoral groups have voiced their opposition in a position paper, saying that it would duplicate and overlap with existing powers. Instead they want the continuation of the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF)

The increase in cases in Metro Manila has been faster than predicted, OCTA Research have said

3 cities and provinces in Eastern Visayas have reopened to tourists, including Biliran, Southern Leyte, and Eastern Samar provinces; Catbalogan City in Samar, Tacloban City in Leyte, and Maasin in Southern Leyte

A group of governors have asked the government for permission to allow testing at the point of entry for travellers

Metro Manila will implement a 2-week curfew of 10pm-5am from 15 Mar

46,000 more workers have lost their jobs in the Philippines in Feb, with the number of permanently displaced workers reaching 71,744

Duterte has called for the economy to be reopened soon, and has “given a timetable of just weeks”

The Philippines reported its highest number of cases since mid-Sep, 3,749

Negros Occidental have removed its requirement for domestic travellers to have an RT-PCR test – only those with influenza-like symptoms will need to be tested on arrival

All passengers to Iloilo City will need to provide a negative test within 72 hours of the travel date

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) have said that 80-90% of LGUs are complying with the unified travel protocols

The DOT have said that the Green Corridor tourism initiative will soon be launched to link tourist destinations in Calabarzon, starting with Rizal. It will also link Antipolo, Angono, Taytay and Cainta

The DOT is working to ensure that El Nido has tourism resiliency through its Sustainable Tourism Development Project (STDP) in 2021

In 2020, Rizal recorded 7,200,454 same day tourist arrivals and 395,364 overnight tourism arrivals

The DOT have clarified that it is up to the LGU to require tests for domestic tourists, not the DOT. Tests are still required for Boracay, Bohol, El Nido, Coron, San Vincente (opening on 15 Mar), Puerto Princesa (opening on 15 Mar), Pangasinan (opening in Mar), La Union (opening in Mar), Siargao, Siquijor, Dumaguete, Iloilo City and Cebu City

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has said that it will check on reports of LGUs not allowing tourists, after the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP) said that certain provinces such as Iloilo, Kalibo, Bacolod, Tacloban and Cagayan de Oro have refused visitors

Puerto Galera will no longer require tests for tourists from 10 Mar. They just need to submit a health declaration form and make a booking at an accredited accommodation provider. Tourists below the age of 15 years old will also be able to enter

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BPS) believes that the Philippines will see another contraction of its GDP in Q1, before returning to growth

A report has shown that many employers in the Philippines are anticipating raising salaries by 5.6% in 2021, lower than the actual 5.7% increase in 2020, and 6% in 2019

Ilocos Norte will allow visitors from outside Ilocos region to visit from 4 Mar, but will still require a negative test result within 72 hours of travel, or an antigen test upon arrival at the border. In 2020, it had just 7,800 visitors, far from the 4.6 mil day visitors forecast. It lost around 17 bil PHP in potential revenue in 2020, and 3,500 tourism workers were made redundant, whilst 350 accommodations permanently or temporarily closed

After cases have started to rise in Manila, several areas have been putting neighbourhoods under lockdown, but officials have warned against wholescale lockdowns to avoid more economic damage

The Philippines’ annual unemployment rate reached 10.3% in 2020, vs 2019’s 5.1%, equivalent to around 4.5 million Filipinos

The Aklan governor made an advance request for 40,000 doses for tourism workers on Boracay. He believes that once Boracay is vaccinated, “we will open up Boracay to the world, not only to domestic tourists”

The Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu will launch an online campaign, I Love Cebu, slated to run for one month. Sales will be valid for one year. Occupancy in Cebu hotels is around 5-10% on weekdays, 30-50% on weekends

The Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu have said that if low hotel occupancy rates continue, then hotels will be forced to implement more pay cuts and redundancies

The DOT hopes that all of the country will be open to domestic tourism by the end of the year

The DOT will target females aged 31-40 years old who travel in groups of 3-5 pax, 41-50 year old females who are willing to pay for travel experiences, and males 60 years and above who travel with their spouses in its latest domestic tourism campaigns, which will serve as input for its inter and intra regional circuits

The DOT held a “Meet Israel 101” online event with the Israeli Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines to encourage travel from Israel to the Philippines

Kalibo Airport anticipate the number of passengers will increase now that there has been an easing in restrictions to Aklan province

Metro Manila mayors have agreed to close cinemas and arcades once more due to the growing cases in the region

The DOT support Coron’s sustainable tourism development under the Sustainable Tourism Development Project (STDP). It will also help with technical assistance in product development, marketing and promotions

More people have registered to travel to Baguio after the easing of testing before entry to the city, with 3,000 expected to visit over the weekend

Visitors to Cebu City will no longer require a travel authority, but they will still require an RT-PCR test

Lapu-Lapu City has removed all requirements to enter the city, including tests and travel authorisations

The Philippines registered over 3,000 cases on 5 Mar, the highest number since 16 Oct

The number of cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) are 50% higher than the previous week

Bohol have scrapped the requirement for visitors to have a repeat RT-PCR test if they stay for longer than 3 days

Tourists from outside the Ilocos region will be permitted to visit Pangasinan after travel restrictions were eased, removing travel authorities and medical certificates from required documents

Baguio City have removed the need for testing for arrivals to the city, something some locals are disappointed about due to the growing number of cases in the city

Bacolod City have reopened for leisure tourists from 3 Mar, but travellers will need a nasal or saliva RT-PCR test within 72 hours of departure

Puerto Princesa City is reopening to local domestic tourists from 1 Mar. Visitors still must submit a negative RT-PCR test result within 48 hours of travel. In 2020, 157,051 visitors came to Palawan, with 71,899 visiting Puerto Princesa City

Since the travel authority and medical certificate requirement has been removed by the IATF, Mandaue City has been receiving 50-60 enquiries per day on how to visit

Travellers to Batanes will still need to undergo a quarantine for 14 days, and it remains closed to tourists

Bicol saw 7 billion PHP of tourism revenue losses in 2020, with just 600,000 arrivals. The DOT is creating a “tourism circuit development program” to boost summer tourism, with priority sites identified as tourist-ready. 547 of the region’s 900 tourism businesses have now reopened

Newly designed Tourism Enterprise Zones (TEZs) are expected to generate 10,000 jobs and stimulate local economies, according to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). Some of the TEZs under development are La Jolla TEZ in Bagac, Bataan, the Boracay Gateway Project TEZ in Nabas, Aklan, and the Neo Aqua Town Center in Bulakan, Bulacan

A study from Knight Frank has shown that the number of high-net worth individuals in the Philippines has declined by 3% since 2015, but is expected to grow by 36% between 2020-2025

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) supports the latest decision to remove testing requirements for domestic travellers, believing that it could serve as “a catalyst” not just for the tourism industry, but the whole economy

Boracay tourists still need to provide negative RT-PCR test results within 72 hours, secure a tourist QR code and have a confirmed accommodation booking. However, the authorities have said that there may be changes to these requirements soon, as they have requested changing to a saliva test

TripAdvisor has named Boracay’s White Beach and El Nido’s Nacpan Beach in the top 25 Beaches of 2021

Museums and libraries in Manila have reopened

Vaccinated travellers still must isolate themselves for 7 days at quarantine hotels, the government has clarified

Cebu province is aiming to launch Holy Week tour packages to boost the domestic tourism industry. The government will partner with private tour operators and other tourism industry players

16,487 travellers visited Boracay in Feb, its highest numbers yet, but still -84% YoY. 10,446 of the travellers came from the National Capital Region

Ilocos Sur will no longer be imposing quarantine for travellers, unless they exhibit symptoms. A negative RT-PCR test will still be required for entry

The school calendar has been extended in the Philippines, and will now finish on 10 Jul. Initially, it was slated to end on 11 Jun

Talisay City, Cebu, has waived the need for an RT-PCR test, travel authorisation and acceptance letter for tourists

At least 50 resorts in Samal Island in Davao del Norte have been authorised to reopen

A new Airbnb Philippines- YouGov survey, Philippines Travel Trends Survey 2021, revealed that: • 6/10 of Filipinos say family vacations are their primary reason to travel • Top considerations for choosing travel accommodation include safety protocols (64%) and affordability (61%) • 51% prefer travelling to less crowded destinations away from mass tourism hotspots • Road trips are Filipinos’ first choice post-pandemic • Beachside destinations are top of the bucketlist for 2021, with Boracay the top spot, followed by Palwan, Baguio, Siargao and Tagaytay

The DOT has opened up applications for the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp for all DOT-accredited establishments and tourism destinations

Cinemas and museums can reopen under GCQ areas from 1 Mar. Tourist attractions can operate at 50% capacity under GCQ areas, 75% under MGCQ, MICE events 30% under GCQ areas, 50% under MGCQ

“Quarantine fatigue” could be why there is an increase in cases, the government has said

Duterte has said that he sees Philippines returning to normal in Q1/Q2 2023

Palawan LGUs are studying whether to remove the testing requirements for domestic travellers

Metro Manila tourists who have made use of the DOT’s subsidised RT-PCR tests have mainly visited Boracay, followed by Bohol, Baguio and El Nido. In total, Baguio has seen 47,499 tourists between 1 Oct-14 Feb, Bohol 2,331 (15 Nov-19 Feb) and Siargao 2,552 (Dec-26 Feb)

Duterte has cancelled 3 public holidays from the 2021 calendar, including 2 Nov (All Soul’s Day), 24 Dec and 31 Dec

Cebu province has stood firm on their requirement which would allow domestic tourists to enter without a swab test

Metro Manila and Apayao, Baguio City, Kailinga, Mountain Province, Batangas, Tacloban City, Iligan City, Davao City and Lanao del Sur will remain under GCQ status until 31 Mar, whilst the rest of the country is under MGCQ

The Department of Health in Central Visayas has recommended that Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu keep their testing requirement for inbound tourists

The government has approved uniform travel protocols for LGUs, which do not include COVID-19 tests for travellers unless the destination LGU asks for it, nor quarantine unless they exhibit symptoms on arrival. Travel authorities from the Joint Task Force COVID Shield and health certificates would also no longer be require

The DOT has launched a hybrid training program focusing on culinary tourism as part of its Leadership Excellence Series

The DOT has allocated 11.84 mil PHP for tourism workers in Negros Occidental, with 6.8 mil PHP disbursed already to 1,363 displaced workers

Tourism businesses in Western Visayas and Boracay have called for saliva testing to be accepted to visit the island, given the faster testing turnaround and cheaper price. Ilocos Norte has also stated that it will relax its entry measures and tourists will not need to submit an antigen test if they had an RT-PCR test within 60 hours of arrival

Siquijor is likely to reopen domestic tourism in Mar. Tourists would need an RT-PCR test/ rapid test, a travel authority from the home LGU, confirmed booed with a DOT accredited accommodation and an affidavit of undertaking

“The Philippine Travel Survey Report: The Evolving Landscape of Domestic Travel in the Philippines” has shown that tourism businesses remain worried about insufficient funds (86%), inadequate cash flow (84%) and the loss of key employees (49%). They see the various permits required from LGUs discouraging people from travelling (42%). As of 29 December 2020, only 415 loan applications of P247.52 million had been processed from Bayanihan 2’s 6 bil PHP fund for tourism enterprises

The Philippines recorded its highest number of cases since 17 Oct, with 2,673

The Philippines will meet for the right time to negotiate travel bubble arrangements with neighbouring countries, the DOT has said

Cebu City and Mandaue may also follow Cebu province’s policy of waiving tests for tourists entering from MGCQ areas

Lapu-Lapu City will harmonise its entry policy to that of Cebu province, removing the test requirement, so long as they are permitted their help desk back at the Mactan Cebu International Airport

The DOT have reminded LGUs that they have the ‘power’ to set their own protocols, and that they aim to open up tourism with “close cooperation” with them

The government has said that it will extend financial aid to those LGUs under GCQ status

The WHO has warned that removing COVID testing from domestic travel should be “carefully calibrated”

The DOT has said that Filipinos are travelling closer to home because of cost considerations, as well as testing requirements

Ilocos Norte will hire tourism ambassadors, utility personnel and senior citizen guides for the summer. Senior citizens have been involved in the city’s summer tourism for the last 5 years due to their knowledge on the area

The San Agustin Church in Intramuros will reopen on 24 Feb

Canyoneering operators in Badian, Cebu, welcome the easing of restrictions for domestic tourists

Intramuros will now offer cashless payment options via app PayMaya as a way to avoid contact and increase safety measures

Cebu province has waived the test requirement for incoming domestic tourists. Visitors will instead need to have a medical certificate within 7 days of arrivals, prebook accommodation and pass symptom screening on arrival

MICE and social events such as weddings and birthday parties, will be allowed under GCQ areas. They can only be held within restaurants or DOT-accredited accommodation or stand-alone facilities. For meetings, participants can occupy up to 50% of the capacity for up to 8 hours, with disinfection during break times. For social events, maximum venue capacity is 30% for 3 hours. The change in the rules was warmly greeted by the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association

Aklan officials are opposed to the bill which will allow Boracay Island to be governed by its own body, the Boracay Island Development Authority, instead of under the jurisdiction of LGUs

Tandag City in Surigao del Sur has asked to declare a state of calamity after severe flooding from Tropical Storm Auring

Face to face classes must wait until the government has started its vaccination drive. Duterte has said he may consider allowing schools to reopen by Aug

Aurora incurred estimated losses from tourism of 1.089 bil PHP in 2020, with receipts dropping 84.25%

51,400 people have been evacuated from southern provinces as tropical storm Dujuan (known locally as Auring) is set to make landfall between Sun eve-Mon morning

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has said that shifting the entire country under MGCQ would help with the different travel regulations imposed by Local Government Units (LGUs). DILG has organised a working group with LGUs to standardise regulations

Cebu Province has announced that they will allow domestic tourists to visit only using a medical certificate after meeting with tourism stakeholders. They will release an Executive Order next week

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has recommended that the whole country be placed under MGCQ status, and will leave it to Duterte to decide

Baguio has seen around 1,800 tourists visit since moving to GCQ, making a daily average of around 360 tourists. The Panagbenga (Baguio Flower Festival) has been suspended due to its GCQ status

The Love is Not Tourism Philippines group’s request to allow foreigners entry to be reunited with their partners is still declines by the government

Ilocos Norte is hoping to have Paraiso Ti Caribquib declared an eco-adventure park, which would ensure it regular funding from the DOT

The government has said that there has been a ‘plateau’ in new cases after the year-end holidays

2 tourists allegedly tried to enter El Nido with falsified documents

Sofitel Cebu City will open in 2025, a 195-room luxury hotel

Manila’s Intramuros opened 3 of its attractions, Fort Santiago, Casa Manila Museum and Baluarte de San Diego on 17 Feb, with a limited capacity

Manila’s Intramuros opened 3 of its attractions, Fort Santiago, Casa Manila Museum and Baluarte de San Diego on 17 Feb, with a limited capacity

The Department of Education has suggested that the summer school holidays be shortened from 2 months to 2 weeks

The ASEAN-Korean Centra have launched promotions to visit the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia, using K-pop star Kim Junsu

The DOT is hopeful that the Philippines will reopen to international tourists in 2021, but there is no defined timeline yet

A new online survey by the DOT and the Asian Institute of Management, “The Evolving Landscape of Domestic Travel in the Philippines: A study of travellers and tourism enterprises amidst the pandemic” has shown: • Travelling is seen as a way to keep sane • Travel behaviours and preferences have changed, creating new opportunities. Travellers prefer outdoor activities in well ventilated areas, as well as family travel • Travel protocols need to be standardised and • Travel should be personalised • Respondents aged between 31-50 are willing to spend 1,000-3,000 PHP for travel after the pandemic, whilst 60+ have a higher budget of 3,500-5,000 • For tourism businesses, cash flow is the main concern, and the main assistance required is advice, as well as marketing and promotions of tourism products

Household spending is expected to rise in 2021 according to Fitch Solutions, as unemployment rates are decreasing

The DOT has said that putting the whole country under MGCQ would boost the domestic tourism industry

The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) have recommended that individuals aged 5-70 years old should be allowed outside of their homes, and that pilot face-to-face classes should be started

The reopening of cinemas in Metro Manila has been pushed back to Mar

The City Garden Grand Hotel in Manila’s suspension has been reduced by 2 months

The Taal volcano has had increased seismic activities, causing the evacuation of 60 locals

The Palace backs the recommendation that all of the Philippines be put under MGCQ in Mar, after a National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) study showed that more people are suffering from poverty than COVID-19

The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) is planning to finish 35 projects this year, including the rehabilitation of Club Intramuros in Manila, and Phase 2 of the Boracay Water Drainage project

San Carlos, Kabankalan, Vallehermoso and Mabinay in Negros Occidental have opened to one another’s’ residents

2-3 million workers may benefit from a 52 billion PHP wage subsidy scheme for MSMEs. The proposed scheme would cover a part of a worker’s salary for 3-6 months

Aklan province is making its COVID-19 measures stricter for tourism workers, including workers having to wait for a negative RT-PCR test before returning to work, and any positive workers having to be transferred to isolation centres immediately. It has also passed a resolution to accept saliva RT-PCR tests on arrival

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is hopeful that the reopening of tourism attractions in GCQ areas will help to kickstart tourism, and sees the revitalisation of the MICE sector too

The government has announced that the reopening of businesses like cinemas, museums and tourist attractions (e.g. theme parks) will be allowed under GCQ areas. MICE will also be permitted, as will limited social events at establishments accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT). The final guidelines for these will be released on 15 Feb

A Social Weather Stations survey has shown that 69% of respondents believe that the worst is behind them, an increase from Sep’s survey which was at 47%

Cebu province is preparing to open to leisure travellers, with requirements to be finalised in the next week

Religious gatherings in GCQ areas will be permitted to operate at 50%, up from the previous 30%, from 15 Feb

Alfonso Lista in Ifugao has reopened its ecotourism activities, including bird watching and the 1,000 Steps

Overnight tourists in Negros Occidental decreased by 73% YoY in 2020, to just 232,899 tourists. The number of day tourists also decreased from 2,241,715 to 894,072. The region has seen 19,575 displaced tourism workers apply for the 5,000 PHP cash aid as of 8 Feb

Bicol International Airport is almost 75% complete. Once completed, it is set to accommodate 2 million pax/ year and boost Legazpi City’s potential as a MICE destination

Bohol will not require tourists to undertake quarantine for 5-14 days on arrival. Instead, they will just need to present a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of travel, have a confirmed booking and register on a portal beforehand. They will also accept the saliva RT-PCR test to lower travel costs

The DOT will focus on cultural tourism and ecotourism in the new normal as drivers for domestic tourism

Cebu province is planning to ease restrictions on Authorised Persons Outside of Residence who are entering the province, removing the need for mandatory testing or quarantine

The government has said that many parts of the Philippines would remain under a lockdown even after the vaccination drive has started. Instead, they will wait until the vaccines’ effect starts to be seen and cases fall

Philippine Airlines and AirAsia Philippines have said that they are ready to transport the vaccines across the Philippines, with AirAsia Philippines applying for regulatory approval as a Dangerous Goods carrier

Foreign arrivals in 2020 have been revised to 1.48 million tourists, down 82.05% YoY. South Korea was the highest tourist spend, followed by the USA, China and Japan. Top visitors were South Korea (338,877), the USA (211,896), China (170,432), Japan (136,664), Australia (55,330), Canada (55,273), Taiwan (48,644), India (29,014), the UK (39,980) and Germany (25,893)

Bohol has launched the Bohol Online Sale with Traveloka, where tourism businesses are offering large discounts to attract tourists

The government task force will discuss standardising the inter LGU travel requirements, acknowledging its difficulty and the need to standardise it

Surigao del Norte have approved the saliva RT-PCR tests instead of the usual RT-PCR test as a boarding requirement for air passengers

The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) is calling for the government to remove restrictions on events such as weddings, as they need the additional revenue which this would generate

The President’s spokesperson has said that the proposed Bayanihan III Act is not yet necessary, and he would prefer for the existing funds to run their course

The government forecasts the creation of 1.4-2 million new jobs from the tax breaks and incentives that form part of the CREATE bill

The Department of Health has said that the Philippines did not see a significant surge of infections due to year-end holidays

The total revenue from immigration fees in 2020 dropped 36.1% lower than 2019, but the Bureau of Immigration expects it to return gradually to normal in 2021

Pansasinan is asking for permission to reopen to leisure tourists from provinces under MGCQ. The Bolinao Business Tourism Association hopes to reopen for peak season, between Feb-May. It prefers opening to Central Luzon area tourists, In 2020, Bolinao saw just 26,000 visitors, compared to 200,489 in 2019. It was opened as part of the Ridge and Reef travel corridor, but did not see many Ilocos tourists

The Department of Tourism NCR will conduct a training webinar series for tourism stakeholders, aimed at boosting their leadership skills and hoping to “retool, reskill and reboot” tourism workers

Siquijor island is planning to restart its tourism soon, hoping that reopening will kickstart the island’s economy

The government has been called upon to reopen colleges and senior high schools in low-risk areas

Hotels are asking the government to permit regulated meetings and selected social events in GCQ areas

The Department of Tourism welcomes the initiatives of ASEAN’s updated tourism strategy, including strengthening its competitiveness as a single tourism destination

Baguio City hotels will be allowed to accept leisure guests, even though the city is under GCQ, the DOT have confirmed, due to the city’s stringent protocols

More foreigners with valid visas will be permitted entry to the Philippines from 16 Feb. This includes those with visas issued as of 20 Mar 2020, and are still valid at the time of entry, Special Resident and Retirees Visa. However, tourists are still not permitted into the country

After catching 100 tourists who have tried to enter Boracay with a fake RT-PCR test, the island is looking at a resolution which will declare these travellers to be persona non grata and banned from visiting the island for 3 years. The DOT is calling for travellers to stop faking test results, or else they could face fines or even criminal charges

The Philippines is considering ending the visa on arrival program for Chinese nationals

My EG are looking to introduce an at-home saliva based test in the Philippines

Bohol will now accept the saliva RT-PCR tests for local tourists planning to visit the province, the DOT has announced. The saliva RT-PCR test has also been subsidised 50% by the DOT

Just less than 5 million workers were retrenched due to the virus, with 3 million of those terminated temporarily

The Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) law, which will cut corporate income tax and streamline financial incentives, has now been ratified by Congress and awaits Duterte’s signature

The government has expanded the tourism workers eligible for the COVID-19 financial aid, including those in the informal sector. As of 2 Feb, 183,499 workers were approved beneficiaries

The government has said that the priority is to vaccinate 70 million Filipinos in 2021, and only once they see better numbers will “we start talking about tourism”

The DOT has appealed to LGUs to provide incentives or delay the collection of taxes from tourism businesses

The government’s outstanding debt has pushed its debt-to-GDP ratio to the highest in a decade

Baguio City’s request to still be allowed to receive tourists whilst being under GCQ has been endorsed by the DOT, but not yet enacted upon. Baguio welcomed more than 19,000 tourists in Dec

Joblessness eased in Nov, according to a Social Weather Stations survey, with the estimated joblessness rate at 27.3% compared to Sep’s 39.5%

The DOT will launch its Green Corridor Initiative, to reopen Calabarzon to domestic tourism. The majority of arrivals into Calabarzon was for Laguna, around 22% of the overnights in 2020. Operational guidelines are being worked on still, but it will include a Green Card with a QR-code which will allow pre-registration and cashless transactions

Cagbalete Island in Quezon province will reopen to tourists from 5 Feb. Visitors must book their trip at least 3 days in advance, and have an RT-PCR test 72 hours before

The DOT reported that it lost around 400 billion PHP in tourism revenue in 2020, and will focus on domestic tourism in 2021

Cebu province’s LGUs are being urged to create more programs to attract domestic tourists, and raise awareness of their attractions and safety measures

Boracay is keeping its requirement of an RT-PCR test begore entry, after fake news that these were removed

The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) has asked the DOT for an extension to the renewal of business permits

Baguio City is not allowed to accept tourists as it is under the GCQ

Baguio is reviewing a private-public proposal to build a zoo, to diversify its tourism offering

Boracay will release a new executive order which will strengthen health and safety protocols on the island, after reports of several workers at resorts were positive. One potential measure may be that larger hotels will need to build their own isolation and quarantine facilities

11,898 tourists visited Boracay in Jan, lower than Dec’s 15,307. Tourists were for the majority from Metro Manila

The Socioeconomic Planning chief has said that the Philippines is unlikely to meet its growth targets unless lockdowns are eased further

The Ambassador to the USA has said that the Philippines will receive around 56 million doses from different companies by May, with 30 million from Novavax, 20 million from Moderna and 6 million from Johnson & Johnson. An agreement with Pfizer is also in progress. The government has said that it expects 1-3 million doses arriving from Sinovac in Feb

Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region, Batangas province, Tacloban City, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Iligan City will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) until 28 Feb. All other areas will be under the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ)

Philippine tourist visas saw a 45% drop YoY to their extensions, something the Bureau of Immigration expected given the travel restrictions

The Philippines’ GDP contracted by 8.3% in Q4, meaning its full year contraction was 9.5%, the worst drop in history for the country

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) have said that a prolonged lockdown for the economy will mean more poverty and hunger for Filipinos. They estimate that quarantines have reduced household spending by 2.2 billion PHP per day, and the Asian Development Bank has said that 1 trillion PHP will be lost in productivity if children cannot go to school

2,168km of roads have been constructed or upgraded to tourism gateways and trade corridors, as part of a plan to upgrade 4,147km from 2016 to 2021

Agoda has said that couples are the dominant types of travellers for their customers so far in the Philippines

The travel ban on inbound passengers from countries with the new COVID-19 variant will be lifted from 1 Feb. Once they arrive, pax will have to stay for 7 days at government-accredited quarantine hotels, being tested on the 6th day. Foreigners with valid visas, including Balikbayans, and foreign spouses and children, are permitted to enter

Manila City government have cancelled all Chinese New Year activities

The DOT Western Visayas is calling for tourism businesses to take the financial assistance from the Bayanihan 2 act. As of 13 Jan, 10,180 displaced tourism workers have claimed the 5,000 PHP aid

The DOT is looking at Israel as an “opportunity market” for inbound travellers to the Philippines, as its visitors had quadrupled from 2011 to 2019. They plan innovative trade redevelopment and consumer activation activities

20 domestic tour operators will visit Ilocos Norte on 1-3 Feb on a fam trip to understand the new normal practices in place. The region has seen just 600 visitors since reopening in Oct 2020. 2,000 tourism workers will also take RT-PCR tests, funded by the DOT

The Philippine Hotel Owners Association has said that it is saddened by news of Makati Shangri-La closing, but this was a “very uncertain business environment” to operate it, and other hotels could be at risk of temporarily shutting down, too

A hotel in Baguio has had to explain itself after a controversial celebrity party was held after photos went viral showing guests not wearing masks

The Philippines recorded 2,245 new cases, the highest daily number since 8 Nov

Oxford Economics group forecasts that the Philippines’ economic revival will be faster than other ASEAN countries, as it is coming from a low base, and expects growth of 7.7% in 2021 GDP

An indemnity fund to compensate vaccine recipients who experience adverse side effects is in the process of being negotiated

The Mayor of Malay, has reassured the public that Boracay is safe, and warned visitors against trying to visit with fake test results

Philippines is the 4th country in the world most affected by extreme weather between 2000 to 2019, Greenwatch has said

The local transmission of the UK variant has been confirmed in Bontoc, Mountain province

Ilocos Norte will allow provincial buses from Metro Manila to enter, starting with 20 buses per day

2 Metro Manila hotels, the Joy Nostalg Hotel & Suites Manila and Grand Hyatt Hotel, have been awarded the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safe Stamp

Saliva tests will be permitted, but should be conducted only by the Philippine Red Cross initially. They will be used as an alternative to RT-PCR tests, once the results of a validation test has come out

The Shangri-La Boracay Resort & Spa has been ordered to temporarily close for a week after mass testing showed that some of its workers tested positive, and employees did not quarantine before the test results came out, endangering guests

The DOT will fund projects for Negros Occidental, similar to the VISITA app provided to Baguio City, as well as RT-PCR tests for tourism workers

Nearly 50% of job losses in 2020 occurred in Q4

Passengers from countries which have detected the new variant of COVID-19 will need to undertake a 2nd RT-PCR test on day 5 of their quarantine

The Department of Foreign Affairs staff have been ordered to stop foreign travels due to waning funds

Age restrictions on those in MGCQ areas has now been modified to 10-65 years old who are allowed to leave their homes

Tourism stakeholders have called for the deferment of local tax payments, supported by Senator Binay

The Hilton Clark has now opened in Clark Freeport, part of a vision to make Clark as a MICE destination

The Makati Shangri-La Hotel will temporarily close operations in Feb due to financial pressures. Its closure length was not announced

BBDO Guerrero will be in charge of 2 Philippines tourism campaigns, “Domestic Tourism Welcome Back” and “The New Normal for Travelling”

Negros Occidental have instructed the provincial tourism officer to accept displaced tourism workers allowing them to benefit from the 5,000 PHO cash assistance

More than 10,000 have now died due to COVID-19

Bicol International Airport is now at 72.2% complete. Once completed, it is expected to serve 2 million pax/ year

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is looking to expand its subsidised COVID-19 tests after requests from the industry. They will look at expanding it outside of Metro Manila. The Boracay Governor has also called for removing the requirement of an RT-PCR test for incoming tourists from Western Visayas

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) is preparing guidelines for a new classification for COVID-free areas, which they call the “new normal”. It would be ready for the February classifications

The DOT sees diving as a way to boost tourism through increased visitors, extended stays and higher spend

Ilocos Norte tourism workers will benefit from a fund of 7 million PHP for their COVID-19 testing, covering at least 2,000 people

The Department of Health have said that they will probably provide a vaccine passport, as well as a data registry for all recipients. A QR code will be issued to recipients

Local government units (LGUs) are being advised to purchase vaccines only for 50% of their population, and let the national government provide the rest

Cebu City have seen cases quintuple in just 2 weeks, with the surge attributed to the holiday season

The National Economic and Development Authority have said that reasons to open up the economy outweigh those which for closure

The Bureau of Immigration has now extended the inbound travel restrictions on 33 countries’ residents until 31 Jan, including the UK, Japan, Australia, China, France, Singapore, South Korea, Canada and the USA

City Garden Grand Hotel is still operating, despite having its accreditation suspended by the Department of Tourism (DOT) for 6 months

Private sector groups are calling for lawmakers to enact the CREATE bill, which will cut corporate income tax and streamline financial incentives

Megawide Construction is awaiting news on its proposal to rehabilitate Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), after submitting a Motion for Reconsideration

Hungary and the UAE will now be included in the Bureau of Immigration’s ban on foreigners until 31 Jan

Tourism players are campaigning for uniform travel requirements to enable domestic tourism

Hundred Islands National Park only received 93,344 tourist arrivals in 2020, -82% YoY

The Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) has said that the country is open to creating international travel bubbles with neighbouring countries, with “the main consideration of proximity”

The DOH is now finalising the list of vaccine recipients

Cebu City has limited the number of people allowed to stay in a hotel room, to avoid private gatherings

Only 77,724 workers have received the joint DOT- Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) assistance, with just 13% of allocated funds now disbursed. The Small Business Guarantee Corp. has also processed only 415 loan applications for a total of 247.52 million PHP as of 29 Dec, out of a 6 billion PHP fund. The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has blamed the poor take-up on limitations if claimants had already received funds under Bayanihan I, that the company of the displaced worker has to apply for the assistance and that tourism businesses don’t want to borrow in case they cannot repay the loan

A new road will allow tourists to vIsIt Tagoloan, Lanao del Norte, more easily, boosting growth

Mastercard and Pine Labs will introduce a new installment payment scheme for both in-store and online sellers

Octa Research have seen a “clear upward trend” in cases in Metro Manila since the year-end holidays

The DOT has said that the plan to reopen Lapu-Lapu to international arrivals may not be permitted by the government due to the new variants of COVID-19

The DOT will continue to focus on domestic tourism in 2021. They will focus on product diversification, and enhancement with regional products, as well as work to standardise domestic travel protocols required

The Philippines’ international inbound arrivals were just 1,323,956 in 2020, a drop of 83.97% YoY. Tourism receipts also dropped to 81.4 billion PHP, a decline of 83.12%

Metro Manila has banned street events for the Santo Niño de Tondo and Pandacan festivals

The Philippines Red Cross has launched a pilot of saliva-based COVID-19 testing, which would be faster and cheaper than RT-PCR testing

Cebu City declared that the Sinulog Grand Parade would be cancelled, just one week prior

91% of Filipinos in a November Social Weather Stations survey are worried about catching COVID-19, the highest yet

Retail sales are expected to be 20-30% lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2021, as consumers stay home

White Beach, Boracay and El Nido, Palawan, have placed 2nd and 9th place in Conde Nast’s Traveler’s 25 Best Island Beaches in the World: 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards

The government has said that a saliva test for COVID-19 may be approved, although the accuracy needs to be validated still

The government has said that the travel ban from certain countries may be lifted if hospitals are not overwhelmed by cases after the year-end holidays

Spending more quality time with loved ones is what Filipinos are most looking forward to for travel in 2021, according to a new survey from Agoda. Travelling in a sustainable way is also important

6 more countries will be added to the list of countries and territories banned from entering the Philippines due to the detected of the new COVID-19 variant

Government agencies and local government units (LGUs) will still be able to spend the funds allocated to them in the Bayanihan 2 Act

The government is aiming to complete its vaccine procurement process for the first tranche in Jan

YouTrip, a mobile multi-currency wallet, is looking to expand into the Philippines in the next 6-12 months, in partnership with Visa. It sees a $12.4 billion USD outbound market in 2021

Individuals who have had the COVID-19 vaccine will still need to be tested and undergo quarantine on arrival to the Philippines

42% of Filipinos believe that the economy will improve in the next 12 months, with a net optimism score of +24, classified as “high”, and a improvement from Jul’s -9, according to a Social Weather Stations Survey

Quezon City residents who want to travel outside of Metro Manila must secure health clearance from their local health centre

The improvement of an access road to Bataan National Park is expected to increase the number of visits once it is completed in Apr 2021

Quarantine hotels in Metro Manila are running out of rooms as balikbayans are still arriving and stay longer than then the 14-day quarantine period. The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) has said that quarantine hotels are at 70% occupancy

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has called for the City Garden Hotel in Makati, where a Philippine Airlines flight attendant was discovered dead, to explain why a New Year’s party was held in the premises when it is a quarantine hotel

Metro Manila may move to a modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) by Feb/ Mar 2021, depending on the number of cases, the Makati Mayor has said

The Department of Health has said that they will know by mid-Jan whether the holiday period has caused a spike in cases

The hand feeding of whale sharks in Oslob by the tourism industry is failing to comply with regulations to protected the endangered species, a study has shown

Manila residents returning from holidaying in the provinces wll be required to have a swab test before they are allowed home. They must stay at quarantine facilities until their test results are released, which could be within 1-2 days. The cost of testing will be borne by the government

Philippine embassies have suspended processing and issuing of visas until 15 Jan for residents from the UK, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Hong Kong. Filipino residents in those countries will be required to undergo a 14-day quarantine on entry to the Philippines

The USA will now also be included in a list of countries where travel restrictions are imposed, from 3-15 Jan

The Philippines received just 3.5 million passengers from Jan-25 Dec 2020, down 79% YoY. Of those, 1.54 million were foreigners, whilst 2.03 million were Filipinos

DOT-accredited quarantine hotels have been reminded that they should not accept guests for leisure purposes, after some reports that quarantine hotels are offering staycation packages

The Department of Tourism have now partnered with the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) to subsidise 50% of the RT-PCR test costs for 11,600 tourists, bringing down the price to 750 PHP

More tourists have submitted fake negative test results on Boracay Island. The island also expects to finish testing 2,500 tourism workers next week

91% of Filipinos are entering 2021 with hopes, rather than fears, according to a new Social Weather Stations survey. Last year, 96% entered 2020 with hope

Hotel occupancy rates in Metro Manila are forecast to remain below 50% in 2021, according to Colliers International Philippines

Metro Manila will remain under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) until 31 Jan, as will Isabela; Santiago City; Batangas; Iloilo City; Tacloban; Lanao Del Sur; Iligan City; Davao City; and Davao Del Norte

The Philippines will block visitors from Sabah, Malaysia, from visiting Sulu province in the Philippines after a new strain of the virus has been reported

Senators have warned the government about accepting the Sinovac vaccine as Brazilian trials have shown it to be minimum 50% effective

A travel ban on other countries who have had community transmission from the new variant will be considered, after it imposed a ban on arrivals from the UK until mid-Jan

Pfizer has applied for emergency use authorisation in the Philippines

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) will decide on the new quarantine classifications for the country on 28 Dec

Duterte has cancelled his approval of the face to face education pilot due to the new, more infectious strain of COVID-19

Boracay’s arrivals from 1-15 Dec reached 4,359, almost triple the arrivals from 1-15 Nov and 5X from 1-15 Oct. 79% arrived from Metro Manila

The Davao government has warned travellers against fake labs offering cheap tests after it appears passengers who arrived into the airport with invalid tests were scammed

Tourism workers on Boracay Island should be tested for COVID-19 from a special 10 million PHP budget, to ensure that the island remains COVID-19 free

26,972 displaced tourism workers in the Cordillera Administrative Region have been endorsed by the Department of Tourism (DOT) to receive cash assistance

The Microtel by Wyndham Baguio hotel is offering to reimburse antigen tests for guests who stay a minimum of 2 nights

Metro Manila hotels are preferring to stay as quarantine hotels, as it is “not sustainable to become staycation hotels”. Staycation hotels are reaching an occupancy of just 3% on weekends, compared to 50% in quarantine hotels

Antique has closed its tourism sites in Barangay Aningalan, Tubudan and La Union after an increase in locally detected cases

The Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP) support the idea of COVID-19 passports, to help “hassle-free” travel

62% of Filipinos have said their quality of life has worsened over the last year in a Social Weather Stations survey. This has improved from Sep’s 82%

10,555 workers who have been displaced from tourism-related businesses have now received a certificate of eligibility to receive their 5,000 PHP cash aid. Others are being processed

5,269 tourists are expected in Baguio from 20-31 Dec, with 31,418 requests received from 18-31 Dec. The highest daily arrival is 23 Dec with 843 arrivals. Pre-pandemic, the city would receive 6,000-8,000 arrivals daily

2 people were killed and hundreds had to leave flooded homes due to a storm hitting a coastal village on Lapu-Lapu Island

The DOT has said that there are too many travel apps from individual Local Government Units (LGUs), as well as too many different protocols, calling it “confusing and cumbersome”

Foreign nationals who leave the Philippines will be permitted to reenter, so long as they have a valid visa, pre-booked quarantine facilities and a test on arrival

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has launched a domestic travel campaign, Pasko Na!, which focuses on Filipino Christmas traditions through music. They will also run a Kain Na! Christmas Cravings food and travel hybrid festival from 17-20 Dec, with webinars and a physical food tourism Christmas market

Boracay tourists must wear face shields on top of face masks, except for when swimming

The government should reach its goal of testing 10 million Filipinos, by early 2021

The DOT has partnered with Food Safety and Hygiene Academy of the Philippines to provide training, sponsorship and information to tourism businesses free of charge

The DOT has signed an MoU with the Philippine General Hospital to subsidise 50% of the costs of RT-PCR testing. To obtain the subsidy, tourists will need to register online 5 days before their departure, and submit a confirmed accommodation booking and proof of transportation. The hospital can only accommodate 100 tests per day

The Department of Health has warned that Metro Manila could see spikes of up to 4,000 cases/ day during the festive season, with risks of transmission in shopping malls and churches

The Health Secretary has warned that there are already signs of a “beginning surge” of cases, and they are increasing their daily testing output

Deals with Pfizer and Moderna for vaccines are still under negotiation, with delivery likely to be delayed for a few months from the initially announced January date

Everyone leaving their house must wear full-coverage face shields together with face masks

The Cebu Governor supports Lapu-Lapu City government’s proposal to reopen Mactan airport to international tourists

10.9 million Filipinos have lost their jobs, had lower incomes or had working hours reduced in 2020 according to the ILO

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has agreed to a clinical and exposure assessment of travellers, and simplify protocols for inbound international travellers as well as interzonal domestic travellers

The Bureau of Immigration supports the Department of Tourism’s initiative for a global COVID-19 passport

The number of tourists diving in the Batangas has not yet increased after 2 months of reopening. The provincial tourism administration put this down to the requirement for prebooking accommodation, as well as the cost of the test. They will now lower the price for an antigen test to 1,000 PHP

Leisure travellers to Bohol from 15 Dec will only be permitted to move around the “Panglao island bubble”, limiting tourists from visiting attractions such as the Chocolate Hills or the Tarsier conservation. Once other parts of the province have proven that they are accredited, then the scheme may be expanded to include them too

The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association has said that some Pasay hotels are picking up bookings from balibayan (returning Filipinos), both for quarantine and staycation. Hotels are also seeing an interest in ‘managed’ buffets and takeout meals

The DOT and the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) have expanded the coverage of categories tourism workers who are eligible for financial assistance

Duterte has certified as urgent 2 measures to extend the validity of the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act

48% of Filipino families rate themselves as ‘poor’ and 36% ‘borderline poor’ in a November Social Weather Stations poll. 31% also rated themselves as ‘food poor’

Face to face classes at schools will be permitted in certain areas in 2021

Medical and wellness tourism are expected to bounce back ahead of others, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has said

The DOT wants uniform travel protocols to make it easier for domestic tourists. So far, 8 destinations have opened to domestic tourists: Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Baguio City, Bohol, Boracay, Siargao, El Nido, and Coron, Palawan

The DOT will provide additional support to Zambales as it prepares to open to domestic visitors, and will fund a Visitor Management System

The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Central Visayas will promote Cebu and Bohol to the Vietnamese market as part of a product update

New Clark City’s sports complex has been named the 2019 Sports Tourism Venue of the Year

Negros Occidental have lost 1.3 billion PHP in tourism revenue in diving, adventure tours and sightseeing, and 35.5 billion PHP in foreign tourism revenue

The DOT will partner with Makati Medical Center Foundation to ensure tourism destination safety as the Philippines opens up. It had previously partnered with Boracay, donating medical equipment and training staff

Cebu province may reopen its borders to Central Visayas residents, the governor has announced, and she hopes to implement it in the next 2 weeks. However, it may be one-way only, allowing Central Visayas travellers to enter Cebu, but not vice versa

The consumer confidence index grown in Q3, moving to -47.9% from -54.5% in Q2. For Q1 2021, it is at 4.3%. Business sentiment also improved, with the confidence index moving to 37.4% in Q3 from 16.8% in Q2

The Department of Tourism (DOT) supports the idea of a COVID-19 passport, and will look into it to facilitate international travel

The DOT in Region 11 (Southern Mindanao) has launched a new campaign, ‘Ampang Kita’ (Let’s be careful), to encourage traveller confidence

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has elected a new board – its president remains Jose Clemente III

The OCTA Research Group has warned of a possible increase in cases ahead of the holidays, but have added that the latest data shows that COVID-19 numbers in the country have decreased

A 22.6 million PHP road to a tourist site in Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, is now finished, giving tourists easy access to a viewing deck on Anas hill

The Trade and Industry Secretary hopes that unemployment in the Philippines will return to pre-COVID levels by Q1 2021, as the economy reopens

The Asian Development Bank has downgraded its forecast for the Philippines’ GDP, forecasting it to contract by 8.5% instead of 7.3% as their September estimate

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is supporting dive tourism development in Anilao and has said that the Philippine’s commission on Sports Suba Diving ins mandated to implement safety standards. They will continue to waive accreditation fees for dive establishments and professionals, subsidise dive professionals and provide an online/offline platform to promote dive packages

Bantayan Island in Cebu is free from active cases of COVID-19

Tourism arrivals to the Philippines from Jan-Nov dropped 82.4% to just 1.32 million, with tourism receipts falling 81.5% to 81.05 billion PHP. The government anticipate there may be a lift in Dec, with the foreign children and spouses of Filipinos, as well as returning Filipinos “balikbayans” to the country

Tourism businesses are still not applying for the government’s financial assistance, with just 281 loan applications received, totalling 175 million PHP, for a 6 billion PHP fund. The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has said that this is down to approved loans being for small amounts and concerns about borrowing and being unable to repay

The Plantation Bay & Resort Spa in Cebu has issued an apology after the alleged poorly handling of a customer who had autism

Australia and China may be willing to share their excess of vaccine doses with the Philippines

The World Bank forecasts that 3 million Filipinos will fall into poverty in 2020, with poverty incidence increasing to 22.6% from 20.5% in 2019

Duterte wants the government to provide free testing for those who cannot afford private labs, and is looking for the funds to be able to do this by Q1/Q2 2021. Bohol will also be granted a 10 million PHP subsidy for tourist arrivals and tourism workers’ tests in 2021

Bohol will reopen to local tourists on 15 Dec, including those from Metro Manila. Travellers will need a negative test 72 hours prior to travel and pre-booked accommodation, transport and tours

A beach party held in Batangas has been condemned by the DOT. The event saw a large number of people not maintaining social distancing or wearing masks

The vaccine will first be distributed to 24 million Filipinos, including the poor, senior citizens and health workers. Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Davao would be given priority. Other sectoral priorities include teachers, government workers and transportation and tourism

5 tourists on Boracay Island were found to have submitted false COVID-19 test results

Duterte has appealed to the public to stay at home over the festive season

The subsidisation of tests for tourists is “almost a done deal”

Central Visayas have lost $713 million USD in tourism revenue. The four worst subsectors hit have been accommodation, restaurants, shopping and local transport

Cebu City will relax its border control over the Christmas season, allowing people into the city to shop, do business and visit families

7,477 of 600,000 displaced tourism workers have received financial assistance from the government, a total of 37.385 million PHP, only 1.24% of the usage rate. A total of 36,466 workers have applied for the assistance, and 81,46 of those have been denied

STR have revealed that some recovery in the Philippine’s hotels are starting to be seen, with occupancy reaching up to 50%

The national government wants all local government units to have moved to a Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) by Q2 2021

Tourists visiting Boracay Island will now have their RT-PCR tests partly subsidised by the government. 4,154 tourists visited Boracay in Nov, 69% from Metro Manila

Workshops, trainings, seminars, conferences and consumer trade shows are now permitted in areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) at 30% capacity

Tourists visiting Boracay Island will now have their RT-PCR tests partly subsidised by the government. 4,154 tourists visited Boracay in Nov, 69% from Metro Manila

The government is planning a wage subsidy scheme for MSMEs, as well as cash aid for the youth, which could pay up to 25-50% of wages for 3-6 months

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) now owes roughly $5 million USD to some members of the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) for quarantine facilities for returning overseas Filipino workers

3.8 million Filipinos are unemployed as of Oct, the Philippine Statistics Agency has stated, equivalent to 8.7% unemployment rate, lower than Apr’s 17.6%, but higher than Oct 2019’s 4.6%. Accommodation and food service employment was down 33.2%

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has launched an online mystery tour, called “Where in the Philippines is Sam San Mateo”, a virtual tour that uses actual tour guides located across the country to lead the game

South Cotabato government have allocated 10 million PHP to upgrade the tourist facilities at the seven waterfalls of Lake Sebu town

The establishment on Boracay Island which held a Halloween party which violated health protocols has been closed down

The government has said that domestic travel may help to lower the unemployment rate, and are promoting places open for tourism to support job creation

Baguio City will now accept up to 1,000 tourists per day, doubling its previous limit of 500. They are opening up to Mindanao and Visayas regions

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) have urged displaced tourism workers to claim financial assistance from the government

Lapu-Lapu is lobbying the COVID-19 task force to allow a travel corridor between the island and South Korea. Philippine Airlines would run the special flight, which would see tourists being confined to Lapu-Lapu City

Losses in the Philippines would exceed 10% of its GDP in 2020 and 2021, according to the Asian Development Bank

An RT-PCR test is still required for travellers to Boracay Island, but the Department of Tourism (DOT) has said that they may allow antigen testing eventually once contact-tracing and safety protocols are in place

The DOT is considering subsidising the cost of RT-PCR tests for tourists, and will partner with the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), as they currently offer tests for 1,900 PHP, which they could further subsidise by 50% with travel vouchers

Metro Manila will remain under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) for December, along with Batangas, Iloilo City, Tacloban City, Lanao del Sur, Iligan, and Davao City. The rest of the country will be under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ)

The government is aiming to vaccinate 75-80% of the Filipino population to achieve herd immunity

Sinovac Biotech and Clover Biopharmaceuticals may start Phase 3 clinical trials in the Philippines by early Dec or Jan

The public are being urged to stay at home during Christmas, and defer plans to return to their home province

The DOT has recognised that different requitements for tourists from different destinations is confusing to tourists, and they hope for uniform requirements across all destinations

Philippines has won the World Travel Awards “world’s leading dive destination” and Intramuros “the world’s leading tourist attraction”

Local government units must now use the StaySafe.ph app for contact tracing, and usage be mandatory

The DOT has condemned a party that took place on Boracay for Halloween, saying that “jobs and livelihoods that were recently restored in these sites will be affected once again if an outbreak occurs in the area due to the LGU’s negligence”. 100 partygoers took part, and were not wearing face masks or social distancing

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and Nissan partnered to launch the Safe Trips campaign, promoting land travel to reopened destinations. They took media and influencers on a road trip to Baguio City, hoping to encourage travellers to take road trips

Filipino’s foreign spouses and children, as well as returning Filipinos will be permitted entry to the Philippines, so long as they book a quarantine facility and have a swab test at Philippine airports

The DOT has launched a new video campaign, “Have a Safe Trip Pinas”, which encourages Filipinos to travel in a safe way

A new campaign, MOTOTOURISMO, has been launched by the Department of Tourism (DOT) to showcase exploring the Philippines by motorbike

The lockdown restrictions for Dec will be announced on 30 Nov

The Tourism Secretary is looking at doing fam trips with neighbouring SE Asian countries to speed up tourism recovery. She is also talking to South Korea and Japan

Masungi Georeserve in Baras, Rizal, has now reopened to tourists. The Tourism Secretary attended the reopening, and said as it was close to Metro Manila, residents will be able to visit the area. It will be limited to 50 visitors per day for each trail

The government hopes that they could have vaccinated 60-70% of all Filipinos within 3-5 years. Priority recipients include healthcare workers, police and military and essential workers

Baguio has approved 4,000 travel requests since 22 Oct, with the number of tourists far lower than the average of 120,000/ month pre-pandemic. The city is also suffering from hotel cancellations after media reports that Baguio and Davao were high-risk areas

The chief of the National Task Force COVID-19 Response has said that Philippines could only roll out a vaccination program realistically from end 2021 to early 2022

The price range has been set for RT-PCR tests by the government, with public laboratories allowed to charge 3,800 PHP per test and private laboratories up to 5,000 PHP

Displaced tourism workers in Bohol have rejected 10kg rice aid given from the government, after finding it smelled of mould

Guimaras province will start to open up to domestic tourists, but will have different requirements for those arriving from outside the region, who will need to have a 14-day quarantine and an RT-PCR test

The Tourism Ministry has said that they know which destinations in SE Asia or Asia will be part of their international travel bubble plans, which will “most likely involve our resort destinations”

Jan-Oct international tourist arrivals fell by 80.6% YoY to 1.32 million, with tourism receipts falling to 81.05 billion PHP, down 79.7% YoY

Coron, Palawan, will open to domestic tourists on 1 Dec, but visitors must have a negative swab test result, prebook accommodation and register first

The DOT is promoting Baguio’s cultural tourism and events such as the Ibagiw Festival

The Philippines has had its GDP forecast for 2020 slashed by Bloomberg economists to -8.9%

A startup in Australia is launching a competition in conjunction with the DOT in the Philippines to promote the Philippine as a wedding destination

The Bureau of Immigration has said that 2 million foreigners have left the Philippines from Jan-Sep, but only 1.5 million entered, mainly before the travel restrictions were implemented. They have said that this will have a major impact on tourism

Siargao will open to local tourists from 23 Nov. An RT-PCR test will be required for those tourists arriving from Surigao City or Sayak Airport, and those from Surigao del Norte will need a certificate from a Barangay Captain that they are not a close contact of a COVID-19 patient

Philippines’ health workers will now be allowed to be deployed overseas, lifting the ban that was previously in place. However, only 5,000 will be permitted to leave every year

Ilocos Sur has now reopened to tourists, with 50 visitors per day permitted

Only 62.8% of the Bayanihan II funds have been released, with the expiry of the law in a month’s time

Baguio healthcare professionals are calling for a “timeout” for public activities, as the number of new cases is rising

Tourist arrivals to Boracay have increased slightly, from October’s daily average of 80 to 1-17 Nov’s average of 95 (1,611 tourists in total). 72% of those came from Metro Manila

A 45 million PHP hotel investment in Cebu City has been approved by the Board of Investments, a 63-room SureStay Plus Hotel

The Bureau of Immigration will now allow foreigners to enter with visas issued pursuant to Section 9(d) of Commonwealth Act No. 613 and those with visas issued by the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan, Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, and Clark Development Corporation

The requirement for airlines to reserve areas on the plane as isolation areas has now been removed for domestic flights, as tests are already required before passengers board the plane. Age restrictions for those travelling in MGCQ areas for domestic tourism will also be relaxed, according to local government unit’s discretion

Baguio has restricted entry of people from neighbouring towns from 21 Nov with the increase in cases

Manila has been chosen as a “pioneer city” for the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance, helping give the city quality data needed to make well-informed decisions

The Philippine Red Cross will cut the cost of COVID-19 tests to 3,300 PHP and eventually 3,200 PHO to support tourism. Its current price is 4,000 PHP for an RT-PCR test

Philippines will lag behind other APAC economies in 2021, with Moody’s Analytics saying that India and the Philippines will have the “deepest holes to climb out of”

Luzon island has been placed under a state of calamity after the recent typhoons. The proclamation makes it easier for local governments to access calamity funds

Only 1,660 MSMEs have been granted loans under the Bayanihan II Act, with 26,000 applications still pending. Senators have asked the government to speed up the funding

The Quincentennial celebration of the arrival of Christianity into the Philippines is a chance for Cebu to boost its tourism, with activities scheduled between Apr 2021 to Jan 2022

Samar has reopened 7 eco-tourism destinations to local tourists from Eastern Visayas from 16 Nov. The destinations must keep to 50% capacity, and tourists must be 16-64 years old

Cebu City Tourism Commission is planning to offer new tourism products, including coastal tours in the city, mountain tours, historical tours and experiential creative tourism

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is aiming to update the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2016-2022 through consultations with tourism stakeholders

Philippines generated interest at the World Travel Market (WTM), from the BBC’s Travel Show, as well as many international buyers

The Department of Health has still not even discussed the DOT’s proposal to carry out a pilot-test of a saliva test pioneered by Japan. The Compliance Association of Boracay has said that the high price of RT-PCR tests is discouraging visitors, and that only high-end tourists resorts are travelling to the island’s high-end resorts

Applications are low for the working capital loans with SB Corp., according to the Tourism Congress of the Philippines. Only 426 tourism MSMEs have applied, with 160 completing requirements, accounting for 100 million PHP out of 6 billion PHP allocated

Cebu City will use granular lockdowns instead of blanket lockdowns

The Bureau of Immigration has clarified that investors intending to enter the Philippines must obtain a Special Investor’s Resident Visa before they can enter. However, SIRV holders with tourism-related projects and establishments are still barred from entering

The Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) has confirmed that its annual show, the Philippine Travel Mart, will go ahead on 4-6 Dec, focused on domestic tourism. It will take place at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall in Manila

The recent typhoons have cost the Philippines 25 billion PHP and killed more than 100 people

Storm Vamco has killed 67 people in the Philippines in the deadliest typhoon this year yet, with 12 people still missing. Cagayan Valley was heavily flooded with many areas still submerged. 26,000 houses were damaged

Baguio City has opened its annual Christmas Village

Cebu City will be closed to visits from 16 Nov from individuals with non-essential reasons to visit the city, including leisure and non-official business

Cebu City officials are considering whether to place the city under a stricter lockdown again, as daily case numbers are increasing once more

80% of Filipinos surveyed expected there will be a vaccine at some point in 2021, and 80% expect an effective treatment for COVID-19 to be available in 2021

The creation of a Boracay Island Development Authority (BIDA) has been approved by the government. BIDA will develop plans and projects for rehabilitation whilst ensuring environmental management. The government also approved the creation of Lamon Bay Development Authority and Kapatagan Valley Development Authority

The idea of a government office responsible solely for coastal tourism is being mooted, to create concrete national policy making

International arrivals from Jan-Sep fell 80.61% YoY to just 1,318,719, and a decrease of 79.68% in visitor receipts, losing around 317.88 billion PHP

Visayas’ 3 major festivals: Sinulog in Cebu, Dinagyang in Iloilo and Ati-Atihan in Aklan will still take place in Jan 2021, but will be toned down, with more limited numbers involved

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has said that more than 7,200 accommodation establishments have been accredited to restart operations

A resort owner on Boracay Island has been arrested for allegedly violating environmental laws, in a crackdown on violators

The Philippines economy shrunk by 11.5% in Q3, more than expected, but the government has noted that the “worst is over”

The Department of Trade and Industry hope that the ceiling price for COVID-19 tests will be released this week

Ilocos Norte will start to use the SafePass app for contact tracing

The Institute of International Finance (IIF) predict that the Philippines’ tourism revenue inflows will decline by 2.1% of GDP in 2020, and that they remain pessimistic for the industry in 2021, with weak travel demand

Hotels used to house overseas Filipino workers as quarantine facilities will be paid, after they complained that the government owed them 200 million PHP in unpaid bills

889 people have had to be tested after having direct or indirect contact with the Hungarian minister who tested positive for COVID-19

Batanes’ local government is looking to reopen doors to tourists, but are currently examining which areas to open it up to, saying they will reach an assessment by Dec

Sipalay City in Negros Occidental has reopened its tourism to non-resident tourists, who must follow strict protocols, including a RT-PCR/ rapid antigen test result

An inter-province promotional event between Cebu, Siquijor, Bohol and Negros Oriental is being planned, to promote the Central Visayas

Tourism training will be added to the high school technical and vocational curriculum, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has said

82% of Filipinos have said that their life has got worse over the past 12 months, according to a Social Weather Stations survey, with just 6% saying it got better

The government plans to start its inoculation by May 2021

The DOT is happy that the government have decided to ensure that COVID-19 testing kits are both accessible and affordable, after lobbying for the standardisation of test pricing. They say that it “shows the government’s commitment to revive and boost the economy through the slow but safe, and sure revival of domestic tourism.”

The Bureau of Immigration has reminded airlines with passengers bound to the Philippines not to let them board unless they have the correct visas to enter

Philippines was recognised as Asia’s leading beach destination and Asia’s leading dive destination at the World Travel Awards. The Philippine DOT also won the leading tourist board in Asia, and Intramuros Asia’s leading tourist attraction

More iconic businesses on Boracay Island have been forced to close, from resorts to restaurants. Tourism businesses continue to blame the lack of arrivals on the RT-PCR test requirements, and its necessary validity of 48 hours

The Philippine Association of Convention/ Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers (PACEOS) have revealed that switching to online formats, rather than physical ones, was crucial for their survival – but that earnings from digital events are far lower than physical ones

The Department of Health is seeing signs that Cebu province may achieve herd immunity, but more investigation is needed

Pangasinan has reopened its 20-hectare agro-tourism farm, to encourage economic activities. It can accommodate 500-1,000 visitors under a 50% capacity reduction

Typhoon Goni (Rolly) has caused 5.89 billion PHP of damage to public infrastructure, with 79,639 houses damaged, and at least 22 people killed

Bantayan Island in the Philippines has now reopened

Bohol is planning to reopen its tourism on 15 Nov – tourists will need a negative RT-PCR test at least 72 hours before their arrival into the province and will need to register online to receive a QR code. Do it yourself tours are not yet permitted

Displaced workers who could not get support from the cash assistance scheme of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), can now apply again and will be prioritised in the 2nd phase of implementation. Tourism workers under the DOT-DOLE can apply for cash-for-work schemes, or a one-time cash assistance of 5,000 PHO, under a 3 billion PHP budget. Employees from an estimated 7,951 DOT-accredited tourism companies and 8,433 LGU-licensed tourism companies could stand to benefit

19-31 million people may be displaced by the Super Typhoon Goni (or Rolly as it’s been named in the Philippines)

All local governments may be placed under the lowest quarantine restrictions By Q1 2021

The Bojo River Cruise in Cebu has now reopened, running at 50% of capacity

Google Philippines is providing travel agents with free advertising credits, as well as training to help tourism MSMEs

The House Committee on Tourism has approved the declaration of 2020 as the “National Golf Tourism Year”

The majority of tourists visiting Baguio is from the National Capital Region (NCR), the city has confirmed

3 El Nido Resorts (Apulit, Lagen and Pangulasian) have won one of the 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Resorts in Asia by Conde Nast Traveler

The Philippines has ordered thousands of residents in southern Luzon to evacuate from their homes ahead of Typhoon Goni

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has said that another 3.1 billion PHP from the Bayanihan 2 was allocated to provide subsidies and training to 616,000 tourism workers

Northern Luzon tourism businesses which have reopened are still welcoming few tourists

Fitch estimates that household spending will increase by 5.7% in 2021, after contracting by 8% in 2020. The highest growth is expected in recreation and culture, at 15.3%

Boracay Island has seen a slow number of tourist arrivals for the All Saints’ Day, 1,944 arrivals, 57% from the National Capital Region (NCR)

The CARES for Travel financial program is now open for MSMEs to obtain loans

The National Museum of the Philippines is celebrating its 119th anniversary with a virtual tour

The DOT has launched a Travel Philippines app, which gives up-tp-date destination information, allows itineraries to be created and see which destinations have reopened

Airline passengers must now download the contact tracing app TRAZE before entering airports

Business owners on Boracay continue to call for the RT-PCR test requirement to be scrapped, as they believe it is putting people off visiting

Baguio City’s travel bubble will now include the whole of Luzon and will increase the number of visitors from 200 to 500 per day from 28 Oct. Visitors of all ages can now visit, book directly with hotels, and do not need to state their itinerary and booking confirmation. They will also no longer need to use a tour operator or travel agent for staycations. However, registering their arrival and a negative test result will still be needed. The VISITA registration system has had 877 applications with just 60 approved as of 28 Oct

Bohol will open to local tourists on 15 Nov. Visitors will need a negative RT-PCR test, register beforehand, and do-it-yourself tours are still not permitted

Boracay island visitors are gradually increasing, with 1,944 arriving between 1-25 Oct. 57% of these came from the National Capital Region. The highest number of tourism arrivals was 208, on 25 Oct

The Department of Tourism’s Leadership Excellence Series 2020 will return on 30 Oct, as part of their collection of courses to reskill tourism professionals

The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has disbursed 11.8 billion PHP in credit assistance for 178 tourism businesses in H1

Filipinos are amongst the most optimistic about household income recovery in SE Asia, with 44% estimating that it will improve in the next 6 months

The Philippines will host the 2021 WTTC Global Summit, an annual event that usually has 800 delegates from around the world

Pangasinan province is looking at how it can reopen to tourists from outside of the Ilocos Region

Oxford Economics has said that the Philippines is one of the 5 countries most vulnerable to COVID-19 impact

Metro Manila, Batangas and Lanao Del Sur provinces and the cities of Iloilo, Bacolod, Tacloban, Iligan will be placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) until 30 Nov, whilst the rest of the country remains under Modified General Community Quarantine

The Department of Tourism (DOT) wants a price cap to be imposed on RT-PCR and antigen tests, to make travel “affordable to all”

2,637 tourism workers in Negros Occidental have been displaced, with the majority from accommodation (1,218)

The Philippines has ordered 3,000 Chinese nationals to leave after overstaying their tourist visas

Bacolod and Iloilo cities can resume travel between the two from 31 Oct on fastcraft trips, but the passengers must be residents of Western Visayas

Typhoon Molave hit the Philippines, forcing 100,000 people to evacuate

14,000 employees of Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport could lose their jobs in the rehabilitation process under Megawide Corp of the airport, the Department of Transport has said

State auditors have flagged Department of Tourism (DOT) spending of 6.67 million PHP for “extravagant” expenses

Google Philippines is offering free help for MSMEs, as well as listing places to go and things to see recommended by the DOT on the Explore section of Google Maps

The DOT welcomes the opening of El Nido to allow more tourists to visit from 30 Oct in its second phase of travel bubble

The Department of Transport’s Aviation Infrastructure Program has had just 1 million PHP in new capital allocated to it in the 2021 budget, a reflection of the “harsh reality” the industry is in, the Deputy Speaker has said

A special police task force just for tourism spots in Cebu is being planned by the Cebu Police to help monitor protocols adherence

Displaced tourism workers on Samal Island will be offered free skills training

Microtel and Wyndham hotel groups have delayed the opening of more hotels under their chains in the Philippines

A group of hotels, the One Boracay Hotel Group, will promote Boracay’s image as a fun and safe destination, under the campaign: “Boracay Better Than Ever”

Eastern Visayas tourism stakeholders are drawing up a new 1-2 year plan for local tourism, as it is no longer realistic to follow a 15% annual growth rate target. They expected in 2020 that it would hit 2 million visitors

123 tourism businesses in Cebu province have reopened as of 21 Oct

The Philippines government has said that it will pay the $19.3 million it owes to the Red Cross, after the Red Cross stopped conducting tests

Philippines will allow foreigners with investment visas from Philippine agencies to enter the country

Fitch Ratings has said that the Philippines may only see a significant increase in tourists in late 2021 or early 2022

Shopping malls have been allowed to switch back on their free wifi and lower the air conditioning temperature as part of easing measures – the public still need to wear face shields and masks, and observe social distancing

The rehabilitation of the Banaue Rice Terraces is now complete, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) has said, after 2 years of work

Just 95 Filipinos left the country on 21 Oct, the first day that non-essential outbound travel was permitted, but the Bureau of Immigration expects that number to increase during the Christmas season for visits to relatives overseas

The drainage project on Boracay has been delayed further by TIEZA, but are still committed to completing it by Dec 2021

The Department of Tourism (DOT) wants to amend the age limit of foreigners granted Special Resident Retiree’s Visas (SRRV), after alarm was raised at many young Chinese retirees who are 35 years old

The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) is calling for airlines to give them the full refund for cancelled flights, as travel agents are now allowed to resume. The latest estimate of refunds owed is 315.55 million PHP, but this is likely to be much higher. Top airlines who owe refunds include Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, AirAsia, Emirates, and All Nippon Airways. A survey they conducted amongst members showed that 74% of agents will open when there is enough business to sustain operations

Hotels in GCQ and MGCQ areas will now be able to operate at 100% capacity, the DOT has said, subject to the hotel’s decision

The Enchanted Kingdom, a theme park in Santa Rosa City, has reopened to a small crowd of weekend visitors of 200. The theme park will allow 50% of its regular capacity

Whether Bicol will open to domestic tourists from other regions will be decided in a tourism stakeholders’ meeting next week

The Ridge and Reef Corridor is a “milestone”, according to the DOT, showing that “through close collaboration between local and national government units and the private sector, we can slowly piece the tourism industry back together.”

The Department of Tourism (DOT) will launch a pilot study of saliva based tests for tourists, as a survey showed that 77% of respondents wanted to travel bit could not afford RT-PCR tests

The DOT in Central Visayas is encouraging its LGUs to look into outdoors and wellness and medical tourism. The LGUs should also prepare cashless payments

The Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon revealed that the whole 10 billion PHP allocated for tourism under the Bayanihan to Recover as One has not yet been released. He also advocated for an increase in the DOT’s 2021 budget

Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) generated 42 million PHP from on site bookings as of 19 Oct according to the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB)

Ilocos Sur will now accept guests from all over Luzon, starting 15 Nov after growing interest from Metro Manila tourists

21 accommodation facilities in Negros Occidental have resumed operations from 19 Oct, but are only open to local residents

Resort owners in Zambales are asking the DOT to allow them to open up to tourist from outside the province, as well as island hopping for residents

Many tourism destinations are “still hesitant” to reopen without COVID- testing laboratories in their area, the DOT has said

TIEZA have announced that travel tax collections as of 30 Aug were down 83% YoY

Metro Manila will shorten its curfew hours from 12am – 4am, but the curfew of 8pm for minors would remain

Coron in Palawan will reopen to local visitors by 26 Oct, and by 16 Nov, visitors from the Calamian Islands Group would be allowed to visit. The tentative date of 1 Dec has been set to allow visitors from the rest of the Philippines

Data from 1-11 Oct has shown that there were 536 travel requests from Ilocos to Baguio, but only 4 were approved

Bantayan Island has now opened to visitors from Cebu province

Returning Filipinos from countries with low-middle prevalence of COVID will not have to undergo testing on entry, so long as they pass the symptom screening

Minors and senior citizens in Lapu-Lapu City will be allowed to check in to hotel and resorts

Baguio will reopen to tourists from Luzon, including Metro Manila, from 23 Oct, limited to 200 pax/ day, and increased gradually. The Mayor said that they and other LGUs could no longer afford to be “risk averse”, and that all tourists will need to book ahead and be tested

Tourists wanting to visit Bantayan Island in Cebu must book accommodation ahead of their trip. The island officially reopened on the 16 Oct

Lapu-Lapu City has reminded tourists that they must make reservations before coming to the beach, as capacity is still limited to 50%

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has welcomed Baguio’s decision to accept tourists again from 22 Oct, and will be limited to 200 pax/ day

The Department of Labor and Employment has ruled out deferment and exemption of payment of the 13th month pay for 2020, after considering allowing employers to defer the payment – however, they may provide subsidies or bank loans to micro and small enterprises to pay it

A private sector tourism council has been organised for Baguio and 5 neighbouring towns in Benguet province (Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay), as the towns prepare to join the Ridge and Reef travel corridor with Baguio and Ilocos. The tourism destinations have not yet been identified from the 5 towns for the corridor

The Lapu-Lapu City Mayor is appealing to the Inter-Agency Task Force to allow those under 21 years old and senior citizens to be able to check in to hotels and resorts with their family

Travel agents, tour operators and reservation services can resume operations at 50% capacity in GCQ areas, 100% in MGCQ areas. Mall-wide sales will also be allowed in both GCQ and MGCQ areas, and the age restrictions for those to go out is now 15-65 years old

Travel between GCQ and MGCQ areas will now be allowed, subject to LGU approval

The Department of Health (DOH) has said that the Baguio pilot for antigen testing needs more samples before reaching a final conclusion – only 200 have been collected, but it needs almost 1,000 to be conclusive

In Manila, there are 10 hotels which have been accredited for staycations, whilst Calabarzon has 4. Hotels which are being used as quarantine facilities cannot also offer staycations. Staycation hotels can operate at 100% occupancy, so long as they observe the staffing guidelines of 50% in GCQ areas

The Baguio City representative has proposed that the 3.9 billion PHP 2021 budget for the Department of Tourism should be restored – it is currently allocated 3.8 billion

Tourism will suffer bigger declines than expected, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has updated. They expect it to generate just one third of its 2019 revenue, but they see a 12% recovery in 2021

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has said that it expects the number of inbound visitors to increase from Jan, once vaccines become more available. Arrivals from Jan-Sep were just 3.5 million pax vs 2019’s 13 million pax

The DOT announced that divers from GCQ areas will now be welcome to visit the Batangas for diving

4.8 million Filipino workers have been affected by the pandemic – last year, 5.7 million were employed by the tourism industry. The DOT have said that either the tourism workers have been made redundant, or they have had salary reductions

A study has shown that 95% of Oslob’s endangered whale sharks have been injured due to tourism activities, significantly more injuries than other places where whale shark feeding is prohibited

Cebu Safari Adventure Park will be declared a tourism destination

Talisay City Mayor is pushing for the development of tourism in his city, including building a lechon park for tourists to sample the best lechon in the city. They are also looking at agro-tourism opportunities

LGUs in Iloilo should start planning their tourism development and promotions, the provincial government has told them

52 tourism businesses in Cebu province have been allowed to operate under MGCQ, spanning 14 towns and cities

The DOT will allocate 8 million PHP to pay for RT-PCR tests for Boracay workers as part of a campaign to show that safety is the “unparalleled priority for reopening domestic tourism.” The latest domestic tourist arrivals to Boracay are 658 as of 11 Oct, with 289 coming from Metro Manila

The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) sees some recovery by Q1 2021, whilst the Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) says that for a tourism recovery to be in place, it needs “public reassurance that safety guidelines are followed, as well as reasonable costs and ease of travel”

The “CARES for Tourism Rehabilitation and Vitalization of Enterprises and Livelihood (TRAVEL)” program will offer tourism MSMEs zero interest, no collateral loans, with the terms up to 4 years including a 1 year grace period

Lapu-Lapu City will hold a tourism fair, Balik Turismo Fair, on 17 Oct

The DOF has said that they are still waiting for airlines to submit their loan plan and that as of 12 Oct, no airline had submitted the full loan package paperwork

: The World Bank sees Philippines’ GDP recovering to pre-pandemic levels by 2022, due to its large number of informal workers in the service sector. It predicts that GDP will decrease by 6.9% in 2020, the worst result in 35 years, and 2021 growth would be 5.3%

Lapu-Lapu City has ordered its hotels and resorts to implement digital contact tracing by 30 Nov

The Enchanted Kingdom theme park, the only theme park in the Philippines, will reopen in Oct

The DOT has permitted 8 luxury hotels in Metro Manila to reopen for staycations

Ilocos Norte will open up for tourists from Luzon from next week, even those under GCQ areas. Visitors would need a negative test result, and the Department of Tourism (DOT) will help to provide a system for visitors to register. Baguio City has now received 179 travel requests, and had 1,701 registrations on their visitor system, VISITA

Diving establishments under GCQ areas, such as the Batangas, will be able to operate for recreational visitors

The Foreign Minister of China and Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary have “confirmed the prospective establishment of a Fast Lane for Urgently Needed Personnel Exchanges between the Philippines and China to facilitate, with due safeguards, the movement of essential official exchanges and travel by personnel in crucial industries such as business and trade, infrastructure, logistics, production, and technical services.”

A road leading to a tourist site in Biliran, costing 92 million PHP, has been completed

5 Local Governmnt Units (LGUS) in Pangasinan are now open for Region 1 guests: Bolinao, Dasol, Manaoag, Sual and Alaminos City, under the Ridge and Reef Travel Corridor initiative. The DOT is planning to launch a universal website similar to Baguio’s VISITA registration system for the whole Region 1

Palawan will open Coron to tourists only if there are no more cases in the area

The Philippine Genome Center’s COVID-19 testing lab will open for drive-thru and on foot swabbing for elective testing, for those who need it for travel clearance

The Aklan governor is sad about the low arrival numbers to Boracay island, averaging around 50 visitors per day compared to its previous 50,000. They admit that needing a swab test is the biggest obstacle for recovery. They are now working on a requirement that Western Visayas tourists will not need a swab test, as they previously did not require that before the island was reopened to all domestic tourists

The ban on commercial flights to Negros Oriental still stands

El Salvador city in Misamis Oriental has allowed the reopening of a pilgrimage site, the Divine Mercy Shrine, at 50% capacity. Northern Mindanao is also permitting tourism businesses to reopen, with 281 approved

14.1 million PHP was generated in the September Online Sale of the Hotel and Marketing Association, with over 1,000 vouchers sold. 36.3% were for Pasay and Manila hotels, 13.3% for Boracay Island

A new campaign, Ingat Angat Tayong Lahat, has been launched by the private sector to encourage consumer confidence, and is across retail, F&B, banking, leisure and telcos

Bohol may open Panglao island by Nov, the governor has said. Tourists who want to visit need to register on a website to obtain a QR code, and will need a negative RT-PCR test. They will initially target group travellers, as they are easier to monitor

8/10 Filipinos think positively about the government’s response to COVID-19

The Bureau of Immigration has stressed that foreigners are still not permitted to enter the Philippines – only spouses and minor children of Filipinos are allowed to enter

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the Department of Tourism (DOT) will launch a new app which will allow booking of hotels, flights and tours, as well as provide updated information about pre-travel requirements. It is aiming to launch in Oct and will be able to integrate with different local government unit (LGU) apps such as VISITA in Baguio and the Ultimate Bohol Experience (UBE)

38 tourism businesses will reopen in Pampanga, including 7 hotels

86% of Filipinos have been stressed over COVID-19, a Social Weather Stations survey has revealed

A World Bank survey has shown that 4/10 companies in the Philippines temporarily suspended operations in Jul, whilst 15% permanently closed. 1 in 5 of companies in arts, entertainment and recreation, tourism and food services permanently closed in Cebu, the National Capital Region, Calabarzon and Central Luzon. Companies reported uncertainty over reopening, with 36% saying they could remain open only for the next 3 months

A maximum of 50 tourists per day are permitted to visit Ilocos Norte, which opened on 1 Oct

Cebu City is working on a mobile app for tourists, due to be launcvhed in 2021, which would reduce the need for physical contact

The Department of Health has said that rapid antigen tests may not be suitable for tourists, frequent travellers and cross border workers, as the Baguio pilot revealed that it did not have the same accuracy as the RT-PCR

Cebu, Palawan, Siargao and Boracay island have been named in the top 10 Asian islands list for Condé Nast Traveler

San Miguel Corp this month will start working on the new Manila airport in Bulacan this which is expected to be ready in 5-6 years

The government is calling for Filipinos to support domestic tourism

General Santos city will continue to implement priority tourism infrastructure projects, including the Queen Tuna Park and pocket parks projects

Boracay resort owners are asking for the requirement for RT-PCR tests be replaced by antigen testing instead, to allow more visitors. 53 tourists arrived on 2 Oct

Bohol is encouraging airlines to fly back to Bohol Panglao International Airport with regular flights, and a “calibrated reopening of commercial domestic flights”

Visitors to Boracay could get up to 75% discount on hotel accommodation, to offset the cost of the mandatory RT-PCR test

A Social Weather Stations survey has shown that the unemployment rate has dropped slightly from Jul, to 39.5% in Sep, around 23.7 million Filipinos

The government is working on the Phase 3 easing restrictions roadmap, but for now it will remain at DORSCON Orange levels

The Philippines reported 3,190 new cases on 4 Oct, its largest increase since 21 Sep

Baguio is running parallel RT-PCR and antigen tests on arrivals to see if antigen tests could be used for tourists with a great enough level of accuracy

1,249 prospective visitors have registered on the Baguio VISITA portal, with 107 making travel requests. 43 have been approved from Region 1 to visit, and will be spread out throughout Oct. There are also approved requests for Nov and Dec

17 business sectors will be permitted to operate at 100% capacity in GCQ areas, including non-leisure activities in malls and commercial areas. Dine-in at restaurants will be allowed at more than 50% capacity with social distancing, and food delivery is allowed 24 hrs/ day

Just 35 tourists visited Boracay on its first day of reopening to tourists from all regions. Just 7 of these came from Metro Manila

The regular Palace briefings by Duterte’s spokesperson will be held in Boracay on Monday 5 Oct, to help attract more tourists

The Tourism Secretary has reassured the public that the results of RT-PCR tests cannot be faked, as they are linked to a QR code which can verify its authenticity

Discovery World, a hospitality company, will invest 5.8 million PHP in Cay Islands corp, an owner of real estate property in El Nido, Palawan

More tourism businesses are signing up for accreditation by the Department of Tourism (DOT) through its digitisation program, up 32.36% YoY as of 15 Sep

The need for an RT-PCR test for Western Visayas tourists to visit Boracay may lead to a decline in their number, due to the difficulty in obtaining the test and the expense involved. Previously, tourists required just a health declaration form. 3,780 tourists visited Boracay between 16 Jun-20 Sep

Dive operators in Mabini, Batangas, are asking for the government to reopen diving in Anilao

Batanes is not planning to open up to domestic tourism in 2020, the Tourism Secretary has confirmed. The province has had its first case in the province, after remaining COVID-free

Ilocos Norte is now open to tourists, with an Ilocos Norte Tourist Triage South located near the Badoc gateway for arriving travellers to have their safe pass checked

Philippine Airlines will resume its flights to Boracay on 4 Oct, delayed from the original plan of 1 Oct. They will fly to Caticlan twice/ week

30.7% of Filipinos went hungry at least once in Q3 due to not enough food to eat, according to a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, a jump of 20.9% in the July survey. The Department of Social Welfare and Development also admitted that they had not distributed a 2nd tranche of 10 billion PHP allocated to poor families

Travellers from Palawan will now be able to visit El Nido after an executive order from the Local Government Unit (LGU). Tourists will need health checks, fill in a health declaration form and pre-book accommodation. Island hopping tours will also open but visitors will need their own snorkelling equipment as rentals are banned

Changing Metro Manila’s status from GCQ to MGCQ may be possible by November, the Presidential spokesperson has said

Philippine hoteliers are questioning the strict measures implemented for staycations, which include every family member who live in one household to undergo screening. They pointed out that the cost of antigen testing for a family of 4 could cost the same as the room rate

Fines of 5,000 PHP and one year imprisonment face tourists in Cebu who do not follow the health protocols. The governor said that they are not going for “quantity but quality” tourists

Baguio City will open to domestic tourism from Region 1 on 1 Oct, despite the increase of cases in the city. The tourists who visit initially will be limited in the places to which they can visit, including the public market and residential areas

Local tourists visiting Boracay will not need a travel authority from the Philippine National Police, the Tourism Secretary has clarified

The Indonesian Travel Agent Association (ASTINDO) is calling for the government to reopen Indonesia’s borders with low-risk countries

Metro Manila will remain under GCQ from 1-31 Oct, along with Batangas, Tacloban City, Bacolod City, Iligan City and Iloilo City

Bohol might reopen next in Oct, the Presidential spokesperson said

Staycations will be permitted from 1 Oct. The regulations have now been clarified: • Must only be in 4 or 5* hotels with Certificates of Authority to Operate for Staycations by the DOT • Negative result from antigen test on the same day as check-in • Guests can only staycation in the province where they are located • A maximum of 2 guests from the same household can be in a rom of 20-29 sqm, 3 in 30-39 sqm and 4 in 40-49 sqm rooms • Cashless payment only • Hotels are able to operate restaurants, but not their bars, gyms and swimming pools

The Presidential spokesperson has said that the reopening of Boracay means that it is possible for the Philippines to work, if health is taken care of. The Tourism Secretary said that “the reopening of Boracay to new market sources signals a gathering momentum for domestic tourism all over the country.”

The Tourism Secretary has said that capacities at tourism destinations have been scaled down, with sustainability at its core

Dinagat Islands have launched a new type of tourism based on community conservation, trying to harmonise the relationship between communities and the environment

The Philippines crossed the 300,000 case mark on 26 Sep, but the cases seem to be slowing down

PHITEX generated 15.6 million PHP from initial deals, preliminary numbers which were released that cover 20% of the sellers. It was the first hybrid event in the Philippines. The Tourism Secretary thinks that MICE travel “might take the lead” over leisure travel, judging from the results of the show

Lapu-Lapu city is discouraging the use of homestay apps such as Airbnb as they have “weak monitoring mechanisms on the compliance of minimum public health standards.”

Davao City is looking at opening up 3 additional flights to/ from Manila

Baguio City has had a record number of cases on 24 Sep, 52, linked to a slaughterhouse

Baguio City will trial the use of antigen tests for tourists, as a faster and cheaper alternative to RT-PCR tests

Consumer confidence in Q3 has fallen to record lows, and businesses are at their most pessimistic for 11 years

The Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) opened on 23 Sep

The DOT has proposed that there should be no age restrictions on tourists visiting Boracay Island as “Filipinos travel in families”. They have also revealed that 4.8 million of 5.7 million tourism workers have either lost their jobs or have had salary cuts

104 tourism sites in Bicol have now been reopened, including resorts, natural tourism areas and historical landmarks

Boracay will open to travellers from GCQ areas, including Metro Manila, from 1 Oct. Boracay’s hotels will offer discounts of up to 75% as it prepares for visitors from outside the Western Visayas. Travellers will need to have reservations, and will need a health certificate and RT-PCR test result before they are allowed entry. From 16 Jun – 20 Sep, just 3,780 tourists visited the island

Manila’s Mayor has said that he is focusing on helping businesses survive the pandemic, with high-impact projects continuing

Foreign arrivals from Jan-Aug are down by 72.26% to just 1,318,719

The trade is welcoming the reopening of Boracay, but concerned about potential clashes between local government units’ (LGU) guidelines

The Manila Bay project has had more red flags raised by Infrawatch, a nongovernment think tank, who says that the project was likely overpriced, and there was just one bidder

Pangasinan town has reopened its ecotourism site at the Bangrin Marine Protected Area. It has extended the boardwalk from just 300m to 1km to the mangrove forest

Hotels and businesses along the Roxas Boulevard will benefit from the new Manila Bay white sand project, which partially opened on 20 Sep

The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) have announced that they are negotiating an agreement with the Korean Association of Travel Agencies, in the hope of standardising tour costs, set up a complaints committee and a recommended list of destinations

The Baguio-Ilocos travel corridor might change into a two region travel bubble to include the Cordillera. The government is aiming to “jumpstart the local tourism industry [and] allow it to become the major driver for socioeconomic growth once more”. Tourism will be permitted in the Baguio-Ilocos travel corridor from 1 Oct, with a limit of 200 tourists per day into Baguio and 50 per day into Ilocos

PH Resorts Group are expecting to launch the Emerald Bay integrated resort in Mactan, Cebu by Q2 2022, which will have casinos as well as hotel rooms along the beachfront

According to the Amadeus Travel Insights Bulletin, Filipino travellers’ lead time for booking domestic flights has increased by 22% compared to pre-pandemic

Tourism tax paid by Filipinos and foreigners leaving the Philippines is estimated to drop by 83% in 2020. The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) estimates that this will normalise in 2024

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has reassured local government units (LGUs) that they will have the final decision on tourism in their area

Resort owners in Mabini town in Batangas have appealed for the Department of Tourism (DOT) to reopen their operations, after they were all ordered to close after a few resorts had exceeded the regulations on operating capacity

The Philippines reported its lowest case numbers in 15 days on 22 Sep

The moratorium on loans repayments will remain as part of the extension of the declaration of calamity in the Philippines, with a 60-day extension. The state of calamity has been renewed until 12 Sep 2021, unless earlier lifted

The government has approved the pilot use of antigen tests to screen travellers

The Philippines has become one of the latest destinations certified with the WTTC’s Safe Travels stamp

The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) predict a drop in tax collections in 2021 of about 90% vs 2019

The loan program as part of Bayanihan 2 will be interest-free with zero collateral, the Tourism Secretary has announced. They will be payable in 3 years, with a one-year grace period

The DOT will earmark 1.44 billion PHP to market the Philippines to both international and domestic tourists, with domestic receiving the majority, 915 million PHP, international marketing 360 million PHP. They plan to develop regional circuits for domestic tourism, including North Luzon Circuit, Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao

Quezon has reopened to domestic tourism, but health protocols will be in place. Tourists will need to show medical certificates, health clearances and travel passes if coming from another region

Visitors to Tagaytay from areas under GCQ such as Metro Manila will need to show a travel pass

Duterte will “definitely” extend the state of calamity declaration in the Philippines, which was previously set to expire by 30 Sep

The Philippines may allow nurses and other medical professionals to travel abroad for employment after a ban was imposed earlier in the year

The representative for Aklan has called for the DOT to pay attention to the province beyond Boracay, highlighting underdeveloped tourism sites which are lacking in infrastructure

The DOT prefers antigen testing to RT-PCR tests prior to travel because of the faster result, despite WHO cautions against using it

The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) have forecast that “normalcy” in tourism would only resume by 2024

Baguio is forecasting that it may receive 200 tourists/ day once it reopens on 22 Sep. It will not allow pregnant tourists, nor those 60 and above. All tourists will need to take an RT-PCR test before entering

International arrivals from Jan-Aug fell by 76.3% YoY, with just 1.32 million tourists. Inbound tourism receipts also fell 75.2%, to 81.05 billion PHP

Lapu-Lapu is preparing its regulations for tourism reopening

The Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) will be held in Bohol as a hybrid virtual-physical event on 22-24 Sep

Other regions will be watching how successful the Baguio-Ilocos bubble (ridge to reef) scheme will be, before choosing to reopen domestic tourism. These regions are also awaiting for COVID-19 laboratories to be established, something which the DOT has requested from the Health department

Workations will be a new trend at Philippines hotels, the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association has said, as will families seeking stable internet connections so that their children can study

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey has shown that 57% of Filipinos believe “the worst is yet to come”, an increase from just 10% in May

The Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP) has said that its airline members (Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Philippines AirAsia) expect to get 140 million PHP loan assistance and 10 billion PHP for loans/ equity under the Bayanihan 2 Act, but that they may only get the money in Dec due to the long loan application process

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the DOT and motorcycle clubs in the Philippines will join together in a motorcycle caravan to showcase hard-to-reach tourism destinations. It will also encourage this niche product

Bohol has lost 10 billion PHP and around 200,000 (42%) of its workforce have lost jobs

The DOT has partnered with The Powerpuff Girls in a safe tourism campaign S.A.F.E. T.R.I.P. to promote health protocols

Puerto Princesa City has allocated 205 million PHP for tourism recovery, initially used for safety measures such as traveller health screenings. Its tourism revenue has dropped by 80%

A new survey by McKinsey in Jul shows: • 59% of Filipinos have had their income negatively affected • 74% have cut back on spending until conditions improve • 53% are afraid to go out in case they get infected

10,000 business process outsourcing industry jobs will be made available for displaced workers from the tourism industry in a partnership between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Concentrix Philippines

The HSMA welcomes staycations being permitted under GCQ areas, saying that this will help stimulate tourism

Hotels can receive guests under “specialised programs” of the Department of Tourism, although the exact nature of the programs and number of guests is yet to be announced

Staycations will now be allowed in hotels under GCQ areas, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has confirmed. The exact regulations have not yet been released, and it is also subject to the Local Government Unit’s approval

The Bayanihan To Recover as One Act, with its funds for tourism, has finally been signed into law by Duterte

Beach marshalls will be deployed once beaches reopen, who will ensure physical distancing amongst guests, but concessions, shops and vendors will be strictly banned

The Hotels Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) have launched a 2-week sale focusing on flexible hotel and resort bookings across the country. These bookings will have a one-year validity

The HSMA have seen an increase in the number of customers looking for staycations with a stable wifi, allowing children to study, under a concept of Work + Study + Play

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park has estimated that they have unrealised income of 80 million PHP, with zero arrivals from 15 Mar to the present. The park needs 50 million PHP to survive the year – currently it has only generated 20.68 million PHP

An Asian Development Bank (ADB) report, “Reviving Tourism amid the COVID-19 pandemic”, noted that promoting domestic tourism in the Philippines could generate a 20% surplus of local tourists replacing foreigners, as well as a 30% surplus in expenditure

A North Luzon travel fair will be held to promote the opening of a tourism corridor of Baguio – Ilocos on 22 Sep

Antigen tests will be allowed to screen local tourists prior to travel, should there be no RT-PCR or swab tests available

The Department of Health has said that regulations and guidelines on antigen tests will have to be developed before the tests are allowed. They reminded the public that the test must be registered with the FDA and validated by an institution that they have sufficient sensitivity (80% at least)

The DOT has moved its food and travel festival, “Kain na”, online this year, from 15-18 Sep. It will include food tourism exchanges, online sales platform, digital training and food demonstrations

The DOT has clarified that Local Government Units (LGUs) are the ones who will decide whether tourism should reopen, and that just because an area is under MGCQ does not mean that tourism will resume

Bicol International Airport is expected to open in Q1 2021, with the project now 68% complete

There are signs that the Philippines has succeeded in flattening the curve, a University of the Philippines research team has said. The reproduction number is also falling, as is the positivity rate

The government will stop the white sand rehabilitation of Manila Bay if it is proven that it is harmful to visitors’ health

Talisay is preparing for the reopening of Barangay Tapul for tourists who are seeking nature

Many furloughed Filipino cruise ship workers are expected to remain without jobs until Mar 2021

The DOT will hold the Philippine International Dive Expo virtually in Oct, aiming to position the country as a leading dive travel business hub

The Cebu Alliance of Tour Operations Specialists (CATOS) is calling for a tourism-specific recovery package, including financial assistance, to maintain jobs

Next year’s government budget may see 35.7 billion PHP for tourism development, including bounce-back aid for tourism businesses

The DOT is identifying more tourism circuits that can be activated now that many provinces are under MGCQ and tourism is allowed once more. These would be similar to the Ridge to Reef tourism corridors

Rajah Travel Corporation are launching a new training program for tourism students, aiming to bridge the gap between academic courses and the actual workplace. It will launch 5 Oct and will include sessions on jargon, fares, pricing and tariffs beyond GDS, as well as soft skills

The national government and local government units (LGUs) are working closely together to decide on tourism reopenings to ensure that it is done in a safe manner, the Presidential spokesman has said

White sand” beaches that are to be created on Manila Bay’s naturally grey coloured shores have caused controversy. It is part of Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program to save the bay from pollution

Moody’s now predicts that the Philippines economy could see a 7% contraction in 2020. Its earlier prediction was a decline of 4.5%

July’s unemployment rate declined vs April’s levels, at 10% vs 17.7%. The Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary forecasts that by 2022 it should return to 4-5%

Ilocos Sur has seen 2 hotels closed and Vigan City, a UNESCO world heritage site, is now like a “ghost town”

The Tourism Secretary has said that she hopes to see the Ridge to Reef tourism bubble emulated across the country. The DOT is also working to collaborate with the Baguio City Tourism Council to implement Baguio’s monitoring app, to sponsor a photo contest, establish Baguio rebranding marketing and promotional projects, set up the baguiocreativecity.com platform and revive the weaving and fashion industry. They will focus on sustainable growth, and quality over quantity for tourists

Tourist sites in Cebu City are being closely monitored to check for adherence to the health protocols, as they start to reopen for tourists now that the city is under MGCQ

The Philippines reported its lowest daily case numbers for a month on 3 Sep, at 1,987 cases

The Philippines Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) estimated that travel agents and consumers are owed 940 million PHP in airline refunds. Cebu Pacific has explained that refunds are taking up to 5 months from the date in which they were filed to be paid out, due to the high cancellation rates still ongoing. The PTAA has said that only 20 of its members are currently operating, serving overseas Filipino workers and seafarers

Baguio will open to tourists from the Ilocos region from 21 Sep. Entry will be regulated and visitors’ movements monitored

The Bayanihan 2 Act will not be sufficient to sustain workers and companies, according to a think tank, with the cash subsidies putting recipients below the poverty line. They estimate 27% of Filipinos ae jobless or have been forced to take reduced pay

The Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) has said that Phuket tourism businesses have lost $5.72 million USD in H1 2020

The reopening procedure for Ilocos Norte to tourism includes protocols such as pre-booking and pre-registering their travel itinerary using the Stay IN Tourist Registration System and limiting the tourists’ arrivals between 6am – 10am. Tourists will also need to have a travel authority, medical certificate, a health declaration form no earlier than 48 hours prior to departure, and a negative rapid antigen test

The DOT will not force local governments to reopen to tourism, saying that “health and safety are still our priority”

Leisure trips are allowed for Metro Manila residents to certain point-to-point destinations, such as resort islands. These islands require a negative RT-PCR test result, and the resort islands operate strict health and safety SOPs

Tacloban City has had to suspend its tourism activity after being placed under GCQ for one month until the end of Sep

Sipalay in Negros Occidental has extended the ban on tourism for another 15 days, until 15 Sep

Businesses on Boracay Island are really suffering, with several of the oldest stores and restaurants deciding to close permanently. Businesses say that the situation had already worsened by the choice to attract low-end Chinese tourists to the island pre-pandemic. As of 13 Aug, just 1,303 tourists have visited the island

Religious gatherings will be allowed in Metro Manila once more at 10% of the venue capacity

Mactan-Cebu International Airport now has a dedicated RT-PCR test facility for departing passengers, but hat this wasn’t mandatory. Test results are available within 36-48 hours

The DOT will revise its targets under the National Tourism Development Plan 2016-2022. Its previous targets were 10.4 million foreign visitors and 776 billion PHP revenue in 2021, and 12 million and 922 billion PHP by 2022

The DOT may face a budget cut of -5.33% in 2021, with other government departments also facing cuts, especially to their budgets for Travels, Conventions and Seminars

Metro Manila will remain under GCQ, whilst Cebu City has had its lockdown relaxed to MGCQ until 30 Sep

Baguio City will reopen all parks, the night market and start the weekly pedestrianisation of certain areas of the city from Sep for local residents, but the plan to reopen to other visitors, especially from Manila, is suspended

The Philippine Association of Convention/ Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers estimates opportunity revenue losses of 2.1 billion PHP to date, and 9,000 jobs at risk

Farm tourism is suffering just as much as other tourism products, the National Farm Tourism Program has said

Thee hotels at Resorts World Manila, in partnership with Cebu Pacific, will offer accommodation with COVID-19 testing packages for Cebu Pacific passengers, from 27 Aug

The Philippines will host the 3rd international conference on ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals on 4 Sep

Travellers from Metro Manila to Cebu will need to get a “letter of coordination” prior to travel

Cebu City should continue to expect strict measures, even if its lockdown status is downgraded to MGCQ

El Nido has opened its first government medical facility, with the Tourism Secretary set to donate lab equipment, as a step to be able to reopen to tourism

El Nido has opened its first government medical facility, with the Tourism Secretary set to donate lab equipment, as a step to be able to reopen to tourism

A new project has been launched to help the DOT get input from the public to create research-based projects and policies for its current domestic tourism programs. They are looking for case studies on cultural heritage, creative industries and ecotourism, amongst others

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines recognises that tourism players’ expectations for funding needs to be managed, as they estimated that they would actually need 80 billion PHP, compared to the Bayanihan 2’s 10 billion PHP and the 38.4 billion PHP capital infusion for general SMEs. Nevertheless, they will work with the DOT on the guidelines for loans and fair distribution

Baguio City has lost around 1.6 billion PHP in gross revenue from tourism

The Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) will be a hybrid event this year, with 100 Philippine sellers and 100 foreign buyers from 22-24 Sep

Baguio City is considering opening up to visitors from the Ilocos region first when it reopens – this is unlikely to be in Sep, the tourism offer said. It may develop a tourism corridor with La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur

Two explosions by suicide bombers in Jolo, Sulu, killed 11 people and left 24 wounded

Negros Occidental will be under a 4-day lockdown from 28-31 Aug, to allow testing of 10,000 people with COVID-19 symptoms, with record high new cases

The Tourism Promotions Board has praised Manila’s initiative of clearing up public spaces, which will make it more interesting for tourists, enabling outdoor walking tours once tourism reopens

The tourism sector will be able to access concessional loan terms under Small Business Corp CARES program, the Trade and Industry Secretary reassured the industry. SMEs can borrow up to 500,000 PHP

The Central Visayas lost the opportunity for $700 million USD from foreign tourist arrivals

The House and Senate came to a compromise for the 10 billion PHP allocated to tourism in the Bayanihan 2 bill, deciding to allocate 1 billion PHP for infrastructure, 3 billion PHP for financial aid for displaced tourism workers and 6 billion PHP for loans through Small Business Corp

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has thanked Congress for approving the 10 billion PHP budget for tourism under the Bayanihan 2 bill, saying “This will help over 4.8 million direct and indirect workers that have been affected by the various stages of community quarantine since last March.”

Only 3.3 million Filipinos have been made jobless due to the pandemic, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced, much below the numbers quotes in the Social Weather Stations survey which showed that 27.3 million have become unemployed

Megaworld Hotels Group has said that they have managed to survive thanks to embracing new business models, hosting the employees of Business Process Outsourcing Firms, as well as take business online, with a virtual events management platform

The Philippine MICE conference, will be held virtually in Oct, with this year’s theme: Future-ready MICE: Renew, Reboot and Revitalise. It will be held free of charge to industry professionals

The Department of Tourism launched the Philippine Harvest e-commerce site, to promote Filipino culture through local food

The Civil Aeronautics Board has said that they may need to change the air passenger bill of rights to fit current developments, advocating for more support for passengers

A curfew between 8pm to 5am will be imposed in Metro Manila, as well as groups limited to 10 people instead of 10% of a venue during their “stricter” General Community Quarantine (GCQ). Metro Manila was downgraded from the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) to GCQ, which will run until 31 Aug

Cebu City residents returning from Metro Manila will need to undergo a 14-day quarantine in isolation centres to prevent the spreading of COVID-19

AirAsia Philippines has said that its Q2 passengers declined by 99% YoY, with just 29,111 pax carried

The DOT of Central Visayas will help Lapu-Lapu City to reopen to tourism, with hotels forecasting being able to open in Sep

Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro province is allowing domestic tourists to visit, with the first group expected to arrive on 19 Aug. Visitors must have a recent negative test, as well as point to point travel proof from their origin to their accommodation. On the island, they will only be allowed to use hotel provided vehicles to get around the island. The town has lost around 2.09 billion PHP from Mar to Jun

Cebu Pacific has resumed its domestic flights from Manila, as the city reverted to GCQ

Officials and business owners in Boracay are planning to open the island to selected domestic and foreign tourists by Oct. The initial travel bubble is tipped to be with South Korea, as Philippine Airlines flies between Seoul and Kalibo International Airport. Since reopening, only 1,303 tourists had visited from 16 Jun to 13 Aug

Workers in the hospitality and tourism sector with symptoms of COVID-19 would be required to undergo swab tests, the government has clarified, after confusion where it seemed that all tourism workers would need to have swab tests on a regular basis

A House leader called on tourism players not to drag Congress into in-fighting after the Tourism Congress of the Philippines criticised the diversion of funds from the Department of Tourism (DOT) to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA)

Support for the tourism sector is increasing, as a Cabinet secretary, lawmaker and former tourism secretary all calling for the 10 billion PHP allocation to remain with the DOT

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has called for the allocation of 10 billion PHP to the DOT to remain in the Bayanihan bill, saying “Who will use those infrastructure when we’re all dead?”

The DOT has said that the tourism industry is in a “critical status”, as she pushed for a change to allocate Bayanihan 2 bill funds for credit facilities, rather than infrastructure. Latest statistics show that Jan – Jul tourism receipts dropped to 81.05 billion PHP, 71.5% down YoY. Jan – Jul foreign arrivals were at just 1.32 million. This comes after the bill was passed, but reallocated 10 billion PHP earmarked for the DOT to TIEZA

The Department of Agriculture is strengthening ties with the DOT to support farm tourism

A Social Weather Station Survey has shown that 79% of Filipinos believe that their lives have worsened in the past year

The DOT forecasts tourism arrivals in 2021 to be renewed, and once travel restrictions are lifted, they will engage with top tourist markets such as South Korea, China, Japan and the USA

A tourist guide has set up a fund for the coach men of Intramuros, Manila, to help buy food for the horses and support their livelihood

If the MECQ is lifted in Metro Manila, more granular lockdowns may be implemented, imposing restrictions in smaller areas instead of whole regions

The Philippines will have the highest unemployment rate in SE Asia by the end of the year, with Maybank expecting it to reach 18.5%

Residents of Boracay have been roped into cleaning up the wetlands, with volunteers receiving 5kg of rice per household for the weekly cleanup

Some Manila malls are considering converting into car storage or e-commerce backend facilities, with a drop in footfall

Lapu-Lapu City is preparing to reopen its tourism industry for domestic travel, with the local tourism authority starting checks on hotels and resorts

Panglao in Bohol is preparing to open to domestic and international tourists, partnering with neighbouring source markets. No date has been decided upon yet

The Pavilions Hotels and Resorts will open their first property in the Philippines in El Nido, Palawan, in Q1 2022

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines estimates that the industry has lost 190 billion PHP from Mar to Jul

Cebu Pacific is increasing the frequency of its flights to Dubai

The Filipino Consul General in Thailand has attacked a Thai newspaper after it called Philippines the “Land of COVID-19” in a headline referring to Filipino international school teachers being allowed to enter Thailand for work

The US Embassy in the Philippines has warned American citizens to reconsider travel to the Philippines

The Philippines has disputed the claim that it now has the most COVID-19 cases in SE Asia, and that this was simply because Indonesia was not testing enough

Oslob town is seeing just 8-10 visitors daily since 1 Aug, a big drop from the 1,000 tourists it used to see pre-pandemic. The town has lost 35 million PHP in tourism income

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) have revealed that the economy contracted by 16.5% in Q2. Business leaders are calling for a recovery plan focusing on health to regain public confidence, as the key to reviving the economy

The Hundred Islands National Park will reopen to Pangasinan residents from 8 Aug. Requirements to visit including an age limitation from 21 – 59 allowed to enter, health certificates and registration. Online reservation is encouraged and will be prioritised. Only 1,000 pax will be allowed per day, distributed across the 3 parks

Asturias in western Cebu has been developing its marine tourism. A province not previously known for its tourism products, it has retrained fishermen to lead dolphin watching cruises, and is building ziplines and other activities

The Cuatro Islas has had a new tourism infrastructure development plan endorsed by the regional council, which will position it as a prime tourist destination in the Eastern Visayas

No additional restrictions have been imposed after the MECQ was reimposed in Metro Manila, with existing travel restrictions unchanged. International flights to Manila, Cebu and Clark continue

The Eastern Visayas are planning for a restart for domestic tourism, becoming known as a fun yet safe place

Consumer spending will decline by 7.8% this year, according to new research, rebounding to 5.5% in 2021

Many were left stranded at Manila airport after the cancellation of domestic flights from the capital

Baguio is planning what regulations need to be in place for when it opens to tourism, which will include advanced registration, COVID testing and expecting isolation whilst waiting for test results. The city will also limit the number of visitors per day

All commuters must wear face shields as well as masks on public transport. Talking on mobile phones is also discouraged

3.5 million Filipinos have been stranded across the country due to lockdown rules

The House of Representatives have approved the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, which contains vital tourism funding

Hospitality workers have been told to upgrade their skills to ensure their employability

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines is backing the idea of travel bubbles direct to destinations, bypassing Manila to avoid impact from lockdowns

Some hotels are refusing to accommodate returning overseas Filipino workers as the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has not settled its financial obligations which amount to 17.5 million PHP

Davao International Airport will have holding facilities with up to 1,000 beds and a lab equipped to handle RT-PCR tests for arriving air passengers. However, international flights to the airport remain unavailable

Metro Manila will return to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from 4 – 18 Aug, after a record increase of COVID-19 cases

Philippines has now surpassed the 100,000 cases mark, with its highest spike of cases on Sunday of 5,032

The country experienced its highest spike in cases with 4,963 being detected on 1 Aug

Ilocos provincial government is not aiming to build up tourist confidence yet, but is rather focusing on educating tourism businesses, as well as run hyperlocal pop-up activities targeting residents. The province has also distributed cash assistance to 1,000 displaced tourism workers. It estimates it has lost 250 million PHP from Mar – May

80 groups representing 80,000 doctors and a million nurses have urged President Duterte to reimpose stricter lockdown in Metro Manila, warning of a collapse in the healthcare system from fast increasing COVID-19 cases as Friday saw the biggest daily jump in cases of 4,603

Passenger ships will now be allowed to dock in Cebu, so long as pax and crew follow the health and safety protocols of a GCQ area

President Duterte has said that a vaccine is required for COVID-19 before he could draw up a roadmap for the country’s recovery

Bohol has lost at least 1.014 billion PHP during the time that Panglao island was closed for 4 months. But despite the island reopening for domestic tourism, it has seen little arrivals

8 policemen will be assigned to each tourist destination in Cebu to ensure tourists are obeying the health protocols

The average daily rates (ADR) of Metro Manila hotels are expected to fall by 30% by YE to $55 USD, with ADR already dropping by 16% in H1. Hotel occupancy has fallen to 25% in H1, and is only expected to increase to 30% by YE. 5* hotels have seen the largest decline in occupancy

Metro Manila will continue under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) until 15 Aug, and Cebu City will be downgraded to GCQ, too. Bulacan, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Talisay City, Minglanilla, Consolacion, and Zamboanga City are also under GCQ, whilst the rest of the Philippines is under the more relaxed Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ)

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) has had a net loss of 1.596 billion PHP

The wearing of face shields will be imposed as a minimum health standard, in addition to wearing a face mask in Metro Manila and Calabarzon, although a date for implementation has not yet been set. Localised lockdowns will also take place in those areas where 80% of cases are located

Bohol is targeting to reopen tourism by Q4 2020, although this is a “moving target” and subject to which travel bubbles the Philippines negotiates. The areas which would be likely to be reopened include Panglao Island and the Dauis municipality, and the governor has also launched a Unique Bohol Experience (UBE) accreditation program, which will also focus on sustainability. Bohol is expected to receive $62 million USD from the World Bank in Q1 2021 for tourism projects

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has reassured all tourism stakeholders that they have the government’s all-out support after President Duterte called on Filipinos to travel locally and boost the economy

The DOT has called for tourism players to “think out of the box if we want to go back to business as usual.”

Tourism players should go digital and adopt contactless payments, the DOT has urged. All registered tourism companies will have access to SafePass, a digital contact tracing, health declaration and incident management solution

Cebu province has reopened to domestic tourism, but with certain conditions. Visitors will need to register in advance, make cashless payments and wear an RFID bracelet to help limit the number of visitors and contact tracing. Visitors will be given a refillable water tumbler (disposable water bottles will be banned), and freshly squeezed juice to boost the immune system will welcome guests on arrival. A curfew from 12am – 5am will also be in place

More businesses will be allowed in MGCQ areas, including live events, museums, tourist destinations, massage parlours and language schools. Gyms, drive-in cinemas will be permitted under GCQ areas from 1 Aug

Cebu has now launched its online booking tourism portal, discover.cebu.gov.ph, where all the tourism activities offered by the province will eventually be available. As of 29 Jul, it had 11 activities listed, and aims to have over 50. Whale shark watching in Oslob will be the first activity to reopen Cebu’s tourism on 31 Jul

The DOT is seeking support from tourism players to convince LGUs and residents to reopen their destinations to tourists

Residents of Boracay Island have negatively reacted to new rules which will remove age restrictions for tourists to enter the island and swim in the beach, whilst residents in the same age brackets (below 21 years old and above 60 years old) are still barred. The island had 357 visitors from 1 – 26 Jul

President Duterte in his State of the Nation called on congress to pass the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act

95% of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) members have temporarily closed down their businesses, with 200 employees laid off. Some members are also thinking of permanently closing down

A creation of a travel corridor between Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor in Central Visayas is being considered by the provincial governments, with a meeting set to take place on 12 Aug to further discuss the possibility

The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) Philippines will hold an online travel mart, called the September Online Sale, and is asking its members to offer up to 70% discounts at hotel

The Western Visayas, an area heavily reliant on tourism, will need 380 billion PHP for rehabilitation and recovery of the region, which would be implemented from 2020 to 2023. Tourism in Q1 fell by more than half from 1,020,306 to 453,347 visitors, and the state government does not see much tourism activity, even in Q4

Moody’s Analytics expect the Philippines to lag behind its SE Asian peers in terms of economic recovery, and does not forecast a bounce in Q3 for its economy, unlike other countries in the region

600 tour guides have lost their jobs in Badian, Cebu province, with 20 million PHP lost in revenues from tourism in total in the town. Famous for its canyoneering, they have set out social distancing measures, including 5 guests per group, 10 mins gaps between groups and online bookings

The Department of Tourism (DOT) are asking for cooperation from local government units (LGUs) and the private sector to digitise tourism-related data. This would allow the DOT to gather information and analyse recovery faster

Private sector investment in Philippines’ tourism grew by 3.6% in 2019, whilst government investment in tourism infrastructure grew by 23.5%

The age limits for visitors to Boracay island have now been lifted in a move to stimulate travellers, but only Western Visayas residents are still permitted to visit the island

2,000 hotel rooms have been booked by the government in Manila as isolation areas as the temporary health centres are near capacity already

The Bayanihan to Recover As One bill will be certified as urgent by Duterte. It is expected to be included in his State of the Nation address on 27 Jul

The Asian Development Bank believes there will be a soft rebound of the economy in H2, but not enough to ensure 2020 returns to growth. They also project that unemployment could reach 22% in Jun

Non-essential overseas travel for Filipinos is once again suspended, and only those with plane tickets confirmed as of 20 Jul will be allowed to continue their trips, as only one travel insurance agency has agreed to provide the insurance required by government guidelines

A national tourism congress made up of government officials as well as major tourism players has been mooted by Rajah Tours Intl. This congress could then guide the government’s Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) in their decisions. They also said that a “crisis fund” would be essential to support SMEs

The requirement to have RT-PCR swab tests for pax prior to flying to Davao has been rescinded – instead pax who do not have a test prior to departure will need to have a test upon exit of Davao airport. The testing on arrival will be free of charge, but results may take up to 24 hours

The DOT has estimated that tourism revenue dropped to 81 billion PHP in H1 from 2019’s 243 billion PHP, a 66% decline

The Cebu Governor has said that waterfalls, one of the top tourism attractions in the province, will be just for sightseeing, not swimming. The regulations for tourism reopening are still being drafted, and the first visitors allowed will be from within the province itself

A joint survey of tourism players from across the industry undertaken by PwC and the DOT in May revealed: • 97% say COVID-19 has the potential for significant impact on their business and is causing great concern • Top concerns included: financial and operational impact (86%), decline in tourism demand (76%) and decrease in tourism confidence (70%) • 78% have temporarily stopped offering their product/ service due to current restrictions • 43% have reduced employee headcount • 88% expected losses of over 50% in their 2020 revenue • 63% expect their businesses to normalise within 6-12 months, whilst 21% expect it to normalise after 12 months • 78% of respondents said they need up to 5 million PHP in additional funds to help operations, with 73% expecting to obtain help from government grants/ subsidies • The majority of businesses can only sustain their operations and cash for up to 6 months • 79% expect international tourist arrivals to decline by over 50% in 2020

The International Institute of Finance has said that smaller and medium sized travel firms in the Philippines may find it harder to survive than larger enterprises

The Baguio mayor hopes to reopen tourism businesses soon. They are looking at adopting “new normal” practices such as touchless transaction and services, with payment via QR codes. They have also proposed an inter-travel tourism bubble with domestic tourists in North Luzon province

Foreign nationals with long-term visas in the Philippines will be allowed entry from 1 Aug. They must pre-book accredited quarantine facilities, as well as pre-book a COVID test provider

The government is encouraging Western Visayas residents to visit Boracay after having few visitors since reopening

The National Capital Region (NCR) of Manila will remain under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) status, whilst Cebu City will be downgraded to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from 16 Jul – 31 Jul. However, Manila has been warned that should numbers continue to rise that they will be put back under MECQ. Davao City is under MECQ status

The Tourism Promotions Board will waive its membership fees until Dec 2021

Farm tourism will be jointly promoted by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. They will focus on capacity building, marketing and technological development to promote the farm tourism, with select pilot areas

MICE is now allowed at 50% capacity under Modified General Community Quarantine. Participants below 21 years and old and above 60 are not allowed to take part. MICE organisers must designate an isolation room or area for unwell persons, and regulations cover the type of seating arrangements for social distancing. Buffets and self-service are still not allowed

Just 180,000 pax arrived into the Philippines from 16 Mar – 30 Jun, a drop of 96% YoY

Cebu province are refining their guidelines for the resumption of tourism businesses. Potential measures will include wearing of face masks, regular disinfection of equipment and no sharing of mouthpieces and diving tubes

There has now been 30,000 permanently displaced workers in Manila as of 1 Jul, a doubling since last month

Travel agents will be permitted to run temporary businesses from their offices – but once they resume operations, they will need to comply with the DOT standards. The Philippines Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) have confirmed that a majority of its members have started food trading and deliveries

The Tourism Congress of the Philippine have reminded tourism organisations that if they want to receive financial assistance, then they will need to be accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT)

Critical care capacity for ICU beds is now in the danger zone in Manila as cases continue to rise

Mactan-Cebu International Airport is the first airport in the Philippines to now have its own COVID-19 laboratory which can process 1,500 – 3,000 RT-PCR tests per day

Passengers bound for Cebu on international flights will be required to register online at least 2 days prior to departure

Tourism activities are due to restart in Cebu Province, where most parts are now under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) as of 10 Jul. An executive order is expected for the guidelines for tourism activities on 14 or 15 Jul. Cebu City remains under ECQ

The Department of Tourism has reiterated that domestic tourism will be a “catalyst” to restart the industry

Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) members have refunded customers close to 30 million PHP for hotel cancellations. Philippine Airlines has also appealed for understanding for the slow refund process as they are dealing with “more than a million affected customers”. Cebu Pacific have also reassured customers that they are doing all they can to refund customers

The DOT is creating specific MICE protocols, as well as travel and tours, tour guides, tourist attractions and beaches

Leisure travellers are still not permitted to visit tourism sites in Central Luzon, as the majority of destinations prefer to restart for their own residents first

H1 foreign arrivals reached only 1.32 million, 68.1% down YoY. June arrivals were expected to remain at zero. Revenue for H1 has also dropped 66.7% YoY to 81.05 billion PHP

The Philippines Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) has appealed for the public to understand that they are unable to issue refunds, despite the government allowing agents to reopen under GCQ areas. “Travel agents still cannot generate income to sustain even minimal skeletal operations without travel demand and with zero revenues. Please understand why we choose to have our offices remain closed,” they stated

El Nido will reopen on 6 Jul as a test for a Palawan-wide reopening of domestic tourism activities. Travellers must travel from an MECQ area point-to-point directly from Clark with AirSwift, as well as have COVID-19 negative test results valid from 48hrs of departure

Baguio Tourism Councol has approved a resolution with 6 million PHP worth of tourism projects to revitalise the destination

50 hotels and accommodation have reopened in Ilocos Norte