On April 7, the Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT) said that the number of international tourists arriving in the country had increased significantly, hitting 202,700 for the first time in a year.
As a result of data gathered from the One Health Pass, which comprises passenger and flight information, foreign visitors from the United States have dominated the list of visitors since the nation reopened its borders to foreign leisure tourists in February.
Canada came in second with 9,618 visitors, followed by the United Kingdom with 9,315 visitors, South Korea with 8,440 visitors, and Australia with 8,212 visitors.
Officials from the Department of Transportation (DOT) said the newest data, which have come as a result of the persistent reopening of borders and relaxation of travel restrictions, are an excellent indicator of the industry’s effectiveness in preparing for the new normal.
According to a press release issued on Friday, “our high vaccination rate among tourist employees, along with reported low instances around the country, has helped restore the trust of visitors to visit the Philippines during the summer season.”
It was also said that “continuous growth will assist our stakeholders in recovering from the consequences of the epidemic, as well as the economy.”
Despite the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF-EID) decision to allow the use of rapid antigen tests as entry requirements for travelers on the condition that this be administered and certified by a health care professional in a health care facility, laboratory, clinic, pharmacy, or other similar establishments for purification, the Philippines continues to have one of the simplest and most relaxed travel restrictions in the world, says Puyat.
Puyat also applauded the International Association of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene’s (IATF-EID) decision to increase the list of authorized and recognized national Covid-19 immunization certificates, which now includes certifications from Bangladesh, Mexico, Pakistan, and the Slovak Republic.