The local government of Taytay, Palawan will launch “Pasaporte” as the Star of the North reopens for tourism.
The LGU would give tourists a “passport” after they pay conservation and sustainable tourism fee.
The 26-page passport contains all the essential information in Taytay that visitors need, such as tourist destinations.
It also has all the essential contact numbers, a list of accommodations and restaurants.
It will also be easy to identify legitimate tourists, monitor tourist arrivals, as well as contact tracing concerning COVID-19 using the said passport.
Tourism officers would scan and stamp the passport at all sites the tourist would visit.
“Itong pasaporte na ito kumbaga multifunctional. Proof mo na nagbayad ka ng sustainable tourism fee, brochure ng Taytay at the same time dahil mayroon itong coupled na app ibig sabihin lalagyan din namin siya ng QR code ‘yung passport. Halimbawa pumunta ka ng Taytay at mag-a-island hopping ka pagdating mo du’n sa destination, ‘yung gagawin na lang ng nagbabantay du’n is to scan ‘yung passport mo. Hindi mo na kailangan mag-log in. So, sa age ng COVID-19 actually, we’re minimizing ‘yung contact din between tourists at saka dun sa mga staff natin,” Joie Matillano, municipal tourism officer of Taytay said.
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A tourist will receive a gift as a certified Taytay adventurer once he or she visited all destinations in the passport.
The municipality clarified that it is not the passport that will be paid, but it is just proof that the visitor paid the conservation and sustainable tourism fee.
” ‘Yung validity sa locals, sa residents ng Palawan, we’re looking at making it longer para ma-encourage talaga ‘yung mga local tourist natin to travel. And then for foreign depende pa. Tinitingnan namin but definitely ang napag-usapan during the last meeting with the tourism stakeholders is 6 months ang validity,” said Matillano.
The concept of “pasaporte” is from the Municipal Tourism Office of Taytay which started in December 2019.
Taytay, officially the Municipality of Taytay is a 1st class municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines.