SAGADA, Mountain Province – The dry run of the municipal government’s online registration for tourists is now underway to identify the possible glitches and address the same before the scheduled opening of the municipality to tourists by next month.
Mayor James Pooten stated that local tourism industry stakeholders agreed on the implementation of online registration for tourists wanting to visit the various tourist destinations in the town after over a year of being affected by the various community quarantine restrictions to contain the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
However, he disclosed only outdoor tourism spots will be allowed to operate when the municipality opens to tourists, while caving and other related activities will still be prohibited as part of the strategic measures to avoid sudden surges in the number of COVID-19 cases in the municipality.
The local chief executive added that the local government will also impose a 50 percent limitation on the number of people to visit the municipality at any one time to conform with the prevailing guidelines imposed by the inter-agency task force for the management of emerging infectious diseases.
Mayor Pooten advised tourists who will be allowed to enter the municipality after the evaluation of their pertinent documents to continue adhering to the implementation of the minimum public health standards to contribute in efforts to allow the gradual and safe revival of the heavily impacted local economy.
According to him, it is important that the local tourism industry is revived with the strict adherence to the implementation of the basic health and safety protocols because the local economy had suffered tremendous losses after more than a year of the enforcement of community quarantine restrictions.
Sagada is one of the premier tourist destinations in the Cordillera being frequented by thousands of foreign and domestic visitors annually because of its scenic destinations, aside from the well-preserved culture of the people.
Pooten said that local tourism industry stakeholders continue to explore other interventions to help boost tourist arrivals in the future without compromising the minimum public health standards while the government is aggressively rolling out mass vaccination.
He called on the people involved in the dry run to understand that glitches may transpire but the local government is trying to address anticipated issues to avoid unnecessary delays once the same is rolled out as the town’s tourist registration platform.
He expressed his gratitude to the local tourism industry stakeholders for their unwavering support in the implementation of the new strategies to allow the resumption of tourism-related activities. By HENT