To Restore Tourism, The Philippines Will Immediately Issue Entry Permits For Foreign Tourists Who Have Been Vaccinated

JAKARTA - The Philippines has approved a plan to immediately allow entry of foreign tourists vaccinated against COVID-19, the tourism ministry said on Friday, following moves by other Southeast Asian countries to ease travel restrictions.

The Coronavirus task force approved in principle the entry of fully vaccinated tourists from countries with low COVID-19 cases, the ministry said, adding that guidelines should be finalized.

The Philippines, known for its diving and thousands of tropical islands, saw an 83 percent drop in foreign arrivals last year, receiving nearly 1.4 million visitors, compared with nearly 8.2 million in 2019.

Of these, tourists from Japan, South Korea, and China dominate the number of tourists who come. One of the tourist areas that is a favorite of world tourists is Boracay Island.

Imposing some of the strictest entry requirements in Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines has been one of the hardest-hit countries in the region in terms of deaths and economic losses. More than a quarter of the population has been vaccinated.

Neighboring Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia have also announced varying degrees of reopening in recent weeks, following progress in vaccinating their local populations.

"Allowing tourists from green countries or regions where the majority of the population is vaccinated and with low infection rates will greatly assist our recovery efforts", Tourism Minister Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a statement.

To note, the Philippines is included in the 'green' list of approved countries including Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and India.