After eight (8) months of tourism industry shutdown, Bohol is making a bold step in reopening the province to tourists at least for those engaging in meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) and similar events.
Gov. Arthur Yap has just issued Executive Order (EO) No. 53, and a copy of this EO is found on page 20. The EO stipulates the complete guidelines for the reopening of the tourism industry here but limited to MICE events in a travel bubble.
EO No. 53 lays out the foundation of the calculated and gradual reopening of tourism in the province starting today, November 15, under the new normal situation.
The governor signed the EO on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020. The EO puts into effect the implementing rules and guidelines (IRR)of the new Bohol New Normal Tourism Industry Ordinance of 2020, principally authored by Third District Board Member Jade Bautista.
The ordinance, which is now a provincial law, and its IRR were crafted in consultation with the different government agencies, tourism industry stakeholders, the medical and health sector, among others.
Starting today, Bohol accepts tourists for MICE and events such as weddings, reunions, anniversaries, birthdays and similar events with at least six (6) attendees coming from outside the province.
The limitations imposed on minor and senior citizen attendees are relaxed, but restriction to persons with co-morbidities remains enforced.
The events that will be held here need to be coordinated with the Bohol Tourism Office (BTO).
REQUIREMENTS
Under the guidelines, tourists need to secure confirmed bookings with the accommodation establishments located in Panglao island.
Panglao Island hosts the towns of Panglao and Dauis.
The two (2) towns are included in the so-called travel bubble within a bubble. The towns are contained in a small bubble where Bohol serves as the larger bubble, as pronounced several times by the governor.
Moreover, in order for an establishment to be allowed to operate, it needs to secure a certificate of authority to operate (CAO) from the Department of Tourism (DOT) or an Ultimate Bohol Experience (UBE) seal from the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh).
Furthermore, tourists who are able to produce a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test from laboratories accredited by the Department of Health (DOH) and dated not earlier than 72 hours prior to their date of arrival in Bohol shall be allowed entry.
The tourists are strongly advised to observe strict quarantine and follow minimum health standards immediately after getting an RT-PCR test until the date of travel to Bohol.
Tourists who have cancelled their original bookings or have last-minute changes in flight schedules may opt to undergo a swab test upon arrival in Bohol at their own expense.
However, they need to fill out and sign an undertaking or affidavit stating their willingness to undergo strict hotel quarantine until their negative RT-PCR test results are released.
For tourists who are staying for more than five days here, they are required to undergo repeat RT-PCR test on their fifth day of stay.
Local residents may join the MICE and similar events, provided, that after the activity they will be quarantined for five (5) days and will undergo a swab test on the fifth day.
A local resident who joins a MICE event with tourists from outside Bohol may leave the quarantine facility once the negative RT-PCR result is released.
SITE VISITS
Tours or site visits may only be done through the DOT-accredited travel and tour organizers and may only visit places with the UBE seal.
The establishments with UBE seal are listed in the Bohol tourism website, which is tourism.bohol.gov.ph.
Tourists who want to visit Bohol need to register in the Bohol Tourist Registration portal through tourism.bohol.gov.ph.
The tourists who will register via the portal receives the necessary information related to the stay in the province through their respective email addresses, after which, a personal quick response (QR) code will be assigned to each registered tourist to serve as his/her electronic visitor’s identification. It should be noted that walk-in tourists are not allowed.
ARRIVAL PROTOCOL
The health protocol at all times shall be observed such as the wearing of face mask, frequent handwashing/sanitizing of hands, and physical distancing.
Tourists need to present copies of their negative test results upon check-in or their signed undertaking or affidavit agreeing to take the RT-PCR test upon arrival and to undergo strict quarantine until their negative test results are released.
The unique QR code given to each tourist, regardless of age, after the online registration shall be scanned upon arrival at the Bohol Panglao International Airport or any port of entry in the province. The tourists are obliged to carry electronic copies of their documents during their stay here.
The QR codes are scanned in all entrances and exits of all establishments and sites where the tourist will visit.
Upon arrival in Bohol, all tourists shall be fetched at the arrival area by the transport service units of the accommodation establishments where they are booked to stay,
The tourists can also be fetched by their pre-booked tourist transport services. The transport service provider should be in the list of accredited service providers.
The tourists who are fetched from the port of entry shall be brought sraight to their booked accommodation areas. Stopovers are not allowed. The tourists are not allowed to see their friends or relatives in Bohol who reside outside the bubble.
Accommodation establishments, restaurants, dive centers, sites, attractions, tourist transport, event venues and other tourism-related establishments must observe the following:
a.) strictly implement all health and safety protocols as stated in the national and local government regulations;
b.) require all tourists to present their QR codes for scanning at the entrance and exit using the contact tracing application provided by the PGBh;
c.) implement crowd control measures to ensure that physical distancing is followed at all times; and
d.) prepare an incident management plan and isolation area for guests who may exhibit symptoms during their stay.
Only the DOT-accredited and UBE-certified tour operators are allowed to handle tours.
Tour operators should work only with DOT-accredited tourist transport providers, tour guides and local government (LGU)-certified community guides in specific areas where tourists will visit during their stay here.
It is important to note that tour operators must strictly follow the pre-set itinerary.
Tour operators must book their tours through the reservation system provided by the PGBh.
They must submit to the BTO the list of all tour itineraries offered to guests.
All the staff members of accommodation establishments and tourism service providers shall strictly comply with the existing guidelines issued by the DOT, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Labor and Employment and PGBh.
The PGBh Telephone and Radio System Integrated Emergency Response (TaRSIER 117) and Provincial Health Office-Operations Center (PHO-OpCen) are tasked to form a tourist emergency response team to respond to medical emergencies.
In the event that a tourist shows Coronavirus disease (Covid) symptoms, he/she will immediately be placed in isolation and will undergo an RT-PCR test.
The tour guide/operator must promptly contact the medical response team for further assessment and needed care.
The BTO shall monitor the implementation of the Bohol bubble protocols.
Violations of the order are penalized under existing applicable laws and ordinances.
Bohol makes bold move to reopen MICE-based tourism industry today
