ALL FOR TOURISM. Panglao mayor Leonila Montero (left photo) and Bohol Gov. Arthur Yap (right photo) may have their differences but certainly these two political stalwarts of Bohol are united in their stand to bring back Bohol tourism to life. The governor has just bared the plan to have foreign tourists come to visit Bohol in a tourist bubble scheme. No doubt, one of the biggest beneficiaries of the plan is the Paradise Island of Panglao as Montero has also been pulling the stops to revive the tourism industry of the town badly hit by the effects of community quarantine and lockdowns related to the pandemic. Left photo also shows Montero as she takes a ride of the town’s speedboat assigned to the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources (MENRO) on her way to Balicasag Island on Saturday, Mar. 27, 2021. The lady mayor, with other members of Panglao LGU & MENRO, attended the culminating activity of Women’s Month aside from discussing tourism projects (among others) yesterday, in the said place. On the other hand, in the right photo, Yap is getting ready to affix his signature over his printed name on a piece of board bearing his commitment for clean and safe water during the Mar. 22, 2021 celebration of World Water Day. In this gathering, the governor emphasized the importance of reliable and safe water in industries that will propel the growth of Bohol’s economy including tourism. Contributed photos
Bohol is now setting its sight on bubble tourism, and this time, targeting its invitation to international travellers.
Gov. Arthur Yap, during the regular Friday, March 26, 2021 virtual press conference, presented this premise that, this time in Bohol, the bubble tourism would extend invitations to foreign tourists.
The goal is to gradually open the tourism economy of Bohol to go back to the way things were, before the pandemic. As we all know, tourism is one of the main economic drivers of the province.
The province reportedly lost at least P10 billion in opportunities last year due travel restrictions affecting the tourist arrivals and impacting the entire Boholano tourism industry, according to the governor.
With this plan, one of the biggest beneficiaries is the town of Panglao. What has Panglao to offer? It is not only the home of the international airport, but also the host of a number of world class hotels and resorts. The town is blessed with a stunning stretch of white sand at the beach front in barangay Tawala and several amazing dive sites including the one located at Balicasag Island.
As early as June 2020, Panglao mayor Leonila Montero aggressively made an effort to reopen the town’s tourism industry, even if the move was limited to Boholano tourists as the province was still closed to tourists from places outside of Bohol. Montero has been working hard to revive the tourism industry and the provincial government’s plan to gradually open Bohol to foreign tourists will infuse new life to the tourism gem of the province – Panglao.
However, the governor has not set a date for the implementation of this plan as there is one key condition that needs to be met. The governor said that the province may open for bubble tourism attracting international travellers if Bohol shall have already achieved “herd immunity”.
“With herd immunity of 70%, sa population sa Bohol [inoculated], mas dako dako ang oportunidad o tsansa nga maablihan ang Bohol sa bubble tourism,” Yap said.
The governor narrated that he spoke in a press forum hosted by members of national media and he was asked about plans of Bohol tourism moving forward.
“Akong gi-paambit kanila [national media] nga importante nga ma-konsiderar sa national government nga tugutan ang pipila ka mga destinasyon sa Pilipinas nga mag bilateral travel arrangements sa other countries. We have to be given the choice to choose about certain critical communities nga pwede natong ablihan ang local travel bubble,” the governor said during the press briefing.
He lamented that it is such a waste that Bohol has an international airport with capability to accept foreign tourists but still is deprived of the opportunity to accept foreign visitors in a tourism bubble setup.
The governor was quick to say that the foreign visitors will be allowed in the tourism bubble under strict medical and consular conditions. The consular conditions will be provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Then again, the first step in the plan for reopening Bohol tourism to foreign visitors will depend upon this condition: if the province can vaccinate at least 70% of the population and can achieve the so called herd immunity.
BUBBLE TOURISM
Bohol made initial strides to open the tourism sector under the tourist bubble scheme, with the towns of Dauis and Panglao initially included in the scheme. Later on, the town of Anda and other parts of the province were included in the bubble, too.
Last Nov. 15, 2020, Bohol opened its tourism sector to tourists engaging in meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibition events otherwise known as MICE. However, there were only few takers to the scheme.
After a month, Bohol opened the tourism industry to free, independent travelers (FIT) with limitations.
The current entry protocol in Bohol is meant to make it easier for tourists to enter.
Any regional tourist, or tourist who is a Filipino, may enter and enjoy what Bohol could offer if he/she can produce a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result taken 72 hours prior to arrival here.
In the past week, Bohol received four Miss Universe Philippines winners, actress Jodi Sta. Maria, and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray as guests here in the province. The Miss Universe Philippines winners were tapped as Bohol tourism endorsers.
SUCCESSFUL VACCINE ROLL OUT
Yap congratulated the health frontliners of the province for a 94% vaccine acceptance rate.
Bohol Inter Agency Task Force (BIATF) spokesman Dr. Tomas Cesar Lopez said that almost all frontliners listed took part in the vaccination roll out. Only a few frontliners were not able to get inoculated as they were either not medically prepared or suffering from an illness.