The dry run for the establishment of the Baguio-Region I tourism bubble is tentatively scheduled on September 21, 2020 after the finalization of the rules and regulations governing the establishment of the tourism corridor.
Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong proposed the aforesaid date for the gradual re-opening of the local tourism industry to allow the revival of the economy to provide the needed jobs for the displaced workers in the said sector.
The tourism corridor will be known as the Ridge to Reef’ program envisioned to allow the movement from the highlands to the lowlands and vice versa as one of the ways to slowly open the local economy in Northern Luzon.
He pointed out the need to have uniform rules governing the entry of visitors in the involved local governments, Baguio, La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte, to prevent possible confusion when the different tourist destinations will be gradually opened for the visitors that will be allowed entry.
The Mayor asserted the importance of collaboration among the local officials and tourism industry stakeholders in the said places to implement appropriate adjustments that will ensure the smooth entry of tourists to their desired destinations in the involved localities.
Under the 3-phased Baguio-Region I tourism bubble, identified safe tourist destinations in the concerned local governments will be open for visitors from the said places initially before the said tourist destinations will be opened to similarly situated areas in Regions II and III and eventually to other sub-national places.
However, tourism officers from the involved local governments will be finalizing the uniform guidelines governing the entry of visitors, ranging from the implementation of online registration, the conduct of swab or antigen tests upon entry in the area of jurisdiction of the local governments, strict monitoring of the itinerary of the visitors through the assistance of tour operators, contactless payment schemes, among other related issues that need to be ironed out to prevent unnecessary inconveniences on the part of the tourists.
Magalong cited that tourism industry stakeholders lost almost P1.7 billion during the community quarantine period starting last March to date, and that such losses could drastically increase to over P4 billion if the local tourism industry will not be allowed to resume until the end of the year.
Based on the survey conducted by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB), some 70 to 78 percent of tourism-related establishments in the city had been heavily impacted by the implementation of the stringent community quarantine guidelines over the past five months, while some 5,000 workers in the same sector already lost their jobs because of the prohibition imposed of tourism activities and mass gatherings.
Baguio City and other parts of Northern Luzon had been identified as premier tourist destinations because of the scenic tourist destinations in said places that focus on nature, culture and creativity of the people living in the areas. By Dexter A. See
PHOTO CAPTION: MOU ON TOURISM BUBBLE – Local chief executives of Baguio City and Region I provinces sign the memorandum of understanding for the establishment of the tourism bubble. Signing the MOU are from left to right are Pangasinan Gov. Amado I. Espino III, Ilocos Norte Gov. Mathew Marcos Manotoc, Ilocos Sur 2nd District Rep. Kristine Singson-Meehan, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat, Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, Ilocos Sur Gov. Ryan Luis Singson and DOT Region I Regional Director Joseph Francisco Ortega. Rosalia T. See