Travel and Tourism
DOT's 'smart tourism' programs continuous
July 14, 2021, 1:27 pm
MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT), through the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), continues to support destinations by funding their digital transformation projects in a bid to promote "smart tourism" that banks on contactless transactions. As of June 2021, the TPB has downloaded a total of… Read More
DOT-7 to launch new diving site in southwest Cebu town
July 12, 2021, 2:36 pm
CEBU CITY – The Department of Tourism in Central Visayas (DOT-7) is set to launch a new diving destination in the town of Aloguinsan in southwestern Cebu. Set for promotion is the Hermit's Cove, a popular tourist attraction in the municipality, with a beautiful cove tucked below a cliff… Read More
Boracay: Next stop for cyclists
July 10, 2021, 4:19 pm
MANILA – Boracay Island is being rebranded as a sustainable destination and the next haven for cyclists. Banking on the island's greener environment and rehabilitated roads, the Department of Tourism (DOT) is confident the soon-to-be-launched tourism program will boost arrivals and contribute to… Read More
Boracay Island gets world-recognized 'safe travel' stamp
July 8, 2021, 7:58 am
MANILA – Boracay Island just became one of the two Philippine destinations to receive the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp next to Baguio City, indicating it has adopted globally recognized health protocols. The Department of Tourism (DOT) also awarded the stamp to 11… Read More
Boracay retains RT-PCR for vaccinated tourists
July 7, 2021, 7:22 pm
MANILA – Boracay is retaining its reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) requirement for tourists even those fully inoculated amid concerns about easy-to-tamper vaccination cards. "[W]e've decided to just retain in the meantime that all tourists, all arrivals in the island of… Read More
Vogue Paris lists Siargao among top islands 'to go on holiday'
July 2, 2021, 12:53 pm
MANILA – Siargao has landed on Vogue France's list of 10 "most charming islands to make the most of the summer season," an inclusion welcomed by the Philippine government on Friday. "The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) is elated with the inclusion of the country’s surfing capital… Read More
Travelers, tourism biz near Taal Volcano told to evacuate
July 2, 2021, 11:19 am
MANILA – Travelers and tourism businesses in high-risk areas near the restive Taal Volcano are advised to evacuate as authorities placed the volcano under Alert Level 3 due to "magmatic unrest" at its main crater. In a statement on Friday, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said the health and… Read More
RedDoorz targets Gen Zs, millennials with new hotel brand
June 30, 2021, 9:14 am
MANILA – RedDoorz launched on Tuesday Sans Hotels, an "economy lifestyle" hotel brand targeting Gen Zs and millennials eager for staycations at a low cost. The first Sans Hotel is located in Sampaloc, Manila, with more properties expected to open in Tagaytay and Cebu City soon. Each hotel has a… Read More
DOT hails Davao’s ‘Bakuna by the Sea’ for tourist workers
June 29, 2021, 9:33 am
MANILA – The Department of Tourism (DOT) lauded the tourism stakeholders of Davao City for spearheading an "innovative" vaccination program for travel and hospitality employees, including A4 priority group members. Dubbed as "Bakuna by the Sea," the vaccination program will be held at the… Read More
AirAsia, Cebu hotels tie-up to rebuild tourism, air travel
June 26, 2021, 1:14 pm
CEBU CITY - Philippines AirAsia has inked a partnership with the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC) to help boost tourism and economic recovery in Cebu. “Tourism stakeholders including AirAsia are united with stakeholders such as the HRRAC, the Department of Tourism and the… Read More
Discounted swab test for tourists extended at PCMC
June 23, 2021, 5:44 pm
MANILA – The discounted reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for qualified tourists at the Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC) has been extended until December, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) announced Wednesday. This extension cuts into half the PHP1,500… Read More
DOT to tourists: Interact responsibly with marine wildlife
June 22, 2021, 7:43 pm
MANILA – In celebration of World Environment Month this June, the Department of Tourism (DOT) reiterates the need for tourists to educate themselves on sustainable interaction with marine wildlife. “Observing marine wildlife in its natural habitat is incredibly fulfilling and quite an… Read More
DOT unveils Ilocos Region tourism recovery plan
June 22, 2021, 1:10 pm
MANILA – Bicycle tours, motorbiking and other outdoor activities are part of the Department of Tourism's recovery plan to spur local tourism in the Ilocos Region, Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said Tuesday. During her three-day visit to Pangasinan, Puyat said the shift in local tourism… Read More
Vaccination key to tourism recovery
June 18, 2021, 7:29 pm
MANILA – Once tourism activities fully restart, the primary travel influence among tourists would be health and safety, the reasons why vaccination is key in the eventual recovery of the industry. Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) chairperson Margarita Munsayac said achieving mass… Read More
PH in 2 years: A 'safe, fun, competitive' destination
June 17, 2021, 12:17 pm
MANILA – For the next two years, the Philippines will be positioned as a “safe, fun, and competitive" destination, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Thursday as it banks on strong partnerships with communities and visitors. The DOT said it would develop more tourism products that focus on… Read More
Innovating, thriving during pandemic
June 17, 2021, 9:14 am
MANILA – There's a type of crisis where once resolved, eventually goes away and the business returns to normal. But how do you handle one when the crisis is the pandemic itself? For Amor Maclang, an internationally recognized crisis management and disaster risk reduction expert, the way forward… Read More
Leisure travel from NCR Plus to Boracay, MGCQ areas extended
June 16, 2021, 9:04 pm
MANILA – Tourists of all ages are free to travel from National Capital Region (NCR) Plus to Boracay and other tourist destinations under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) until June 30 subject to certain restrictions. Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat made this clarification on… Read More
Whale sharks greet Cebu paddlers in 5-day expedition
June 15, 2021, 2:10 pm
CEBU CITY – The “Paddle Forward Cebu” expedition is now halfway through a five-day sail journey around the southern part of Cebu, marking a major feat to push paddling as a new tourism draw to the island. The group of padding enthusiasts on Monday successfully reached Oslob, where they were… Read More
Payment for tourism biz loans extended to 2 years: DOT
June 10, 2021, 11:52 am
MANILA – The government has extended to two years the grace period for the repayment of loans to distressed tourism businesses as it further eased the terms for interest-free soft loans under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2), the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced Thursday.… Read More
Cebu travel operators eye fully-vaccinated tourists as market
June 9, 2021, 1:03 pm
CEBU CITY – Tour and travel operators in Cebu and Central Visayas have expressed willingness to work with the Department of Tourism (DOT) in setting directions and strategies in tapping fully-vaccinated tourists as a come-in market to revive central Philippines’ tourism industry. Desiree Chan,… Read More
