The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has allowed travel agencies and tour operators in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ to operate.
The DTI issued Memorandum Circular No. 20-53 dated October 14, prescribing the recategorization of travel agencies, tour operators, reservation service, and related activities from Category IV to Category III.
The said establishments are now “allowed to reopen at 50% operational capacity for areas placed under GCQ (general community quarantine) and 100% capacity for areas under modified GCQ, subject to minimum public health standards and protocols.”
Earlier, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) gave its approval to “staycations” in areas under a general community quarantine.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) recommended that individuals stay in accredited accommodation enterprises of the DOT within the area of their residence.
The DOT said visitors would need a negative COVID-19 antigen test before check-in. The said test, which had a pilot run in Baguio City, did not meet the standards of the Department of Health (DOH).
Also read: BI rejects petition of #Loveisnottourism movement
Travel agencies, tour operators in GCQ, MGCQ areas allowed to operate – DTI
According to Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, more Metro Manila hotels show interest in operating for staycation purposes.
“There are already 10 existing (authorized hotels). Still, a lot applying,” Puyat said on Wednesday.
According to the Department of Tourism (DOT), Administrative Order 2020-006-A or the “Amended Guidelines on the Operations of Accommodation Establishments for Staycation Purposes under a General Community Quarantine,” all accommodation establishments in areas declared to be under GCQ must secure a certificate of authority to operate for staycations (CAOS) from the DOT before accepting any guests for a staycation.
The 10 hotels issued a CAOS and identified as DOT star-rated hotels are: Grand Hyatt, Makati Shangri-La, Okada, Shangri-La at the Fort, Nobu Hotel City of Dreams (COD), Joy Nostalg Hotel and Suites, EDSA Shangri-La, Solaire, Hyatt Regency COD, and Nuwa COD.
As of October 15, the Department of Health reported the total number of COVID-19 cases at 348,698. Of the confirmed cases, 48,040 (13.8%) are active cases, 294,161 (84.4%) have recovered and 6,497 (1.9%) have died.