Tourism sector to implement discounts on tour packages, domestic flights amid nCoV scare
MANILA, Philippines— The Department of Tourism and Tourism Congress of the Philippines, which represents the country’s tourism stakeholders, on Tuesday said it agreed "to roll-out programs that would offer value-added tour packages, discounted accommodation rates and marked-down prices for domestic flights" amid the novel coronavirus scare.
The tourism sector said the move is made to mitigate the economic impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
They said that the DOT will intensify its marketing and promotions domestically and internationally in key markets such as South Korea, the United States and Japan, and opportunity and emerging markets that cover Western Europe, the Middle East, Russia and the CIS, and neighboring Southeast Asian countries.
“In these challenging times, the tourism sector spanning airlines, hotels and tour operators, have banded together for the continued growth of the industry,” the tourism sector said.
“We encourage everyone to take advantage of these special offers and continue to experience why it's still more fun in the Philippines,” it added.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the temporary ban of tourists coming from China, Hong Kong and Macau as well as Taiwan, affecting the country’s tourism.
The government is also implementing a 14-day quarantine for Filipinos from the same countries.
As of Tuesday, the World Health Organization said there are 40,554 confirmed cases worldwide.
Meanwhile, there are more than 300 persons under investigation in the country and the confirmed cases remain three with one death.
The DOT and TCP assured the public, especially the foreign and domestic tourists, that “the Philippines remains a vast, diverse and most importantly safe destination for travel.”
“The safety of the public, especially our tourists and employees in the tourism sector, remains the priority of DOT and TCP,” they also said.
The tourism agencies said that even before the temporary travel ban, the tourism sector has already imposed safeguards to prevent the spread of nCoV.
The tourism agency earlier released guidelines on handling guests in tourism enterprises.
It said that airports and tourism establishments are taking the temperature of guests entering and also providing hand sanitizers for the public.
“As we monitor the situation closely, we remind the public to maintain proper hygiene. Wash your hands regularly, wear a surgical mask when going to crowded areas if you have a cough or a cold, and stay indoors or seek medical help if you have a fever,” they advised.
On Monday, the Department of Health recommended the cancellation of big events or mass gatherings such as concerts, among others, because of the risk of spreading the 2019-nCoV.
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