Tourism sector lost P31B to COVID crisis

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Department of Tourism-Region 6 (DOT-6) Regional Director Helen Catalbas said the tourism industry in Western Visayas may have lost up to P31 billion amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country.

In an online press briefing, Catalbas said the region lost more than 1.4 million tourist arrivals because of the community quarantine measures imposed by local governments.

She added that the losses estimated were based on last year’s figures.

 

“At about this time, starting with the lockdown on March 17 up to [May 28], at the same time last year, we could have had about 1.4 million tourists or more than that had it not been for the lockdown,” she added.

 

Catalbas said that prior to the lockdown, the DOT-6 had been aggressively promoting the region.

 

“We had been promoting early this year, very strongly, the region as a preferred destination for both foreign and local tourists. But all of these figures are gone now, and we are starting anew as a destination,” she said.

 

TOURIST ASSISTANCE

Catalbas also shared the services that DOT-6 rendered to assist tourists throughout the lockdowns in the region.

The director said that the DOT-6 and local government units (LGU) have evacuated a total 3,231 tourists in the region – 2,838 foreign and 393 domestic tourists.

These evacuations were done through sweeper flights and boat trips, in coordination with national and regional government offices as well as LGUs.

The DOT-6 has facilitated 11 trips on its own and assisted 46 trips organized by foreign embassies.

She said that the DOT-6 has also provided P500,000 worth of cash vouchers to 250 qualified stranded domestic tourists in the region under their COVID-19 Tourist Care Plan.

 

TOURISM PROGRAMS

Catalbas said that the DOT-6 has continued tourism industry programs for stakeholders during what she coined as the “Advent of the Virtuals”.

 

“In the ‘Advent of the Virtuals’, we have had meetings with Western Visayas stakeholders, virtual tour guiding services, virtual skills trainings and seminars centered on the tourism product portfolio of Western Visayas.

 

She said that the DOT-6 will start to delve on the “new normal” of the tourism industry amid the COVID-19 crisis.

 

“We will soon have seminars on hygiene, disinfection for personnel of accommodation establishments, and the new guidelines on accommodation establishments under the new normal,” she said.

 

DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on May 22 issued Administrative Order No. 2020-002, which implemented minimum health standards in all accommodation establishments in the country.

The standards include limited occupation of up to only fifty percent of total rooms, a skeletal physical workforce, and strict social distancing protocols, among others.

She said that despite the downgrading of the quarantine status of the entire region, except Iloilo City, the DOT-6 will still maintain caution.

The national government on May 28 announced that Iloilo City will remain under General Community Quarantine (GCQ), while the rest of the provinces and Bacolod City will shift towards a more relaxed Modified GCQ.

 

“Despite the downgrading, the virus is still real and still very much alive. Maybe the virus will fool us because of this. Starting June 1, there will be a lot of ease already, considering the downgrading, and we welcome that, but the way I see it, health is still the number one priority,” she said.

 

As to Iloilo City’s retention of its GCQ status, she said she is hopeful the national government will approve Mayor Jerry Treñas’ appeal to join the rest of the region in sliding to the more permissive Modified GCQ.