Green list tourist soon

[Jollygoodfellow]

Although this would be a start but I dont think many tourist come from the green list except for China and Japan.

Philippines to allow entry of foreign tourists soon — DOT

 

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism said the Philippines would welcome international tourists for leisure travels soon.

This development came after Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat announced on Friday that the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) “has approved in principle the entry of fully vaccinated tourists from Green List countries/territories/jurisdictions” upon the request of the agency.

She said the entry of foreign tourists would follow the guidelines that would be finalized and approved by the IATF-EID.

The DOT said a Special Technical Working Group on Travel has been tasked to craft the said guidelines for the final approval of the IATF.

It is composed of representatives from DOT, the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Health, Finance, Trade and Industry, Transportation, Labor and Employment, Public Works and Highways, Bureau of Quarantine, Bureau of Immigration and Board of Investment, according to Department of Justice Undersecretary Jon Paulo Salvahan, the deputy of the Small Working Group on Travel.

The proposed guidelines, according to Puyat, would also be based on strict conditions.

Under this proposal, the country would open leisure travel from the “green countries” classified by the Department of Health as low-risk countries to COVID-19.

Green list
Based on the latest IATF Resolution No. 148-A signed last November 11, the following countries are classified under the “green list” from November 16 until 30 https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/11/19/2142433/philippines-allow-entry-foreign-tourists-soon-dot

The tourism agency added that only fully vaccinated individuals with vaccines recognized by the country’s Food and Drug Administration under an Emergency Use Authorization or those authorized by the World Health Organization would be allowed entry to the country.

Puyat said the approval of the DOT’s proposal would help the country’s tourism industry get back on its feet.

"Allowing tourists from green countries or territories that have the majority of its population vaccinated and with low infection rate, will greatly help in our recovery efforts--increasing tourist arrivals and receipts among others. This move will likewise aid in bolstering consumer confidence, which is a large contributor to our gross domestic product or GDP growth," Puyat said.

In 2019, the Philippines recorded 8.26 million tourist arrivals, which dropped to just 1.48 million in 2020.

The tourism industry likewise contributed 12.7% to the country’s GDP in 2019 but the DOT noted a 61.2% decrease in 2020 with only 5.4% contribution to the GDP. This is reportedly the lowest in two decades.

“According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Tourism Direct Gross 

Value Added (TDGVA) dropped to P973.31 billion last year compared with the P2.51 trillion in 2019.,” the DOT said in June.

Strategies for tourism industry recovery
The DOT, however, then said it is “optimistic that this transient situation will soon be over and that with the collective effort of the private and public sectors, the Philippine tourism industry will emerge bigger, better, and more resilient in the new normal.”

It lodged the following three strategies to overcome the tourism setback which are also stated in its Tourism Response and Recovery Plans: 

Ensure protection of jobs and safety of tourism workers, visitors, and communities
 
Support the recovery of tourism enterprises
 
Rebuild confidence and grow demand in the domestic and foreign market
“The pivot towards domestic tourism that led to the gradual reopening of various local sites, the lobbying for the protection of tourism workers through their inoculation, and the marketing of destinations highlighting the safe travel 

campaign are among the many efforts of the department that aim to facilitate the slow but sure recovery of the tourism industry,” the DOT said. 

“For the next two years, the Philippines will be positioned as a ‘safe, fun, and competitive destination’ rooted in strong partnerships with communities and visitors. This will be achieved by developing and marketing portfolio of products that harness the natural and cultural endowments to benefit the present and future tourism generation,” it added.

Puyat also said the welcome development on looming entry of international travelers to the country also came as neighboring countries have already reopened their borders to international leisure travelers.

“Our ASEAN neighbors like Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia also did the same. We believe that it is also time for us to reopen our borders for inbound tourism as a way towards full recovery,” Puyat said.

The DOT has been proposing the green lane that will facilitate the entry of foreign visitors who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 since May in an effort to help the reopening of the economy.

It is also working with the Small Technical Working Group on Travel for another proposal "Vaccinated Travel Lanes or Bubbles" as a special program for 

vaccinated tourists coming from yellow list countries, who may be able to enter the country under certain restrictions and strict conditions.

As of writing, the IATF resolution classifies all other countries/territories/jurisdictions not listed on the green list and red list as part of the yellow list. So far, only Faroe Islands and The Netherlands are under the red list.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/11/19/2142433/philippines-allow-entry-foreign-tourists-soon-dot

[BrettGC]

Baby steps I guess...

[GeoffH]

The green list countries don't seem (China excepted) to be those countries which would contribute large numbers of tourists... but at least it's a small step in the right direction.

Edited November 19, 2021 by GeoffH

[Yeochief]

3 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

The tourism agency added that only fully vaccinated individuals with vaccines recognized by the country’s Food and Drug Administration under an Emergency Use Authorization or those authorized by the World Health Organization would be allowed entry to the country.

I guess this answers the question about having the vaccine.  

[BrettGC]

I'm wondering if someone was to stay in Hong Kong for a couple of weeks prior to entry into PI would that count as arriving from a green list country?

[Snowy79]

3 minutes ago, BrettGC said:

I'm wondering if someone was to stay in Hong Kong for a couple of weeks prior to entry into PI would that count as arriving from a green list country?

My friend just had to do 21 days quarantine in Hong Kong, arriving from Thailand and he's a Hong Kong national.

 

[BrettGC]

2 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

My friend just had to do 21 days quarantine in Hong Kong, arriving from Thailand and he's a Hong Kong national.

 

Ah..

[scott h]

53 minutes ago, GeoffH said:

but at least it's a small step in the right direction.

The green list is a start, but tourism wont take off as long as there is a mandatory quarantine. I looked but I dont think the article addressed that.

As long as folks have to pay and go through the hassle of getting a room for a few days they will stay away. Balikbayans regardless of green list status are allowed but wont come until they can go straight to their destination. I know, we have lots of relatives that want to come, but wont.

[Jollygoodfellow]

12 minutes ago, scott h said:

As long as folks have to pay and go through the hassle of getting a room for a few days they will stay away.

There are millions of complaints from those who want to see their girlfriend's, fiancees etc so personally I think many will do what they have to do to get here.

[Guy F.]

Here's an article from 4 hours later. It's similar to the above but seems 'definite' rather than 'proposed' and gives a definite start date, November 22.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/philippines-further-relaxes-quarantine-rules-people-arriving-from-abroad