DOT lauds IATF OK for P2P air travel
The Department of Tourism (DOT) welcomed the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ approval (IATF) of the point-to-point air travel for tourists from the NCR Plus area to other tourist destinations across the country to help in restarting economic activities.
Tourism chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat stressed that the point-to-point travel bubble arrangement intends to spur economic activities through tourism under strict health and safety restrictions.
“The point-to-point air travel is a temporary means to gradually revive the tourism industry, provide relief to tourism enterprises and generate livelihood to some of the displaced workers in the tourism sector,” Puyat said.
“Local travel will be more accessible for NCR Plus residents once the area is under a more relaxed community quarantine,” she added.
Based on the DOT Administrative Order 2021-003 signed by Puyat, the travel bubbles apply only to point-to-point air travel, which refers to chartered flights from an airport in NCR Plus direct to the destination hotel or resort and back, which may also include short and direct private transfers by land or water to the accommodation establishment.
The tourism chief also clarified that the travel bubbles shall not include traveling from NCR Plus to a tourism destination by land or sea, or flying on non-chartered flights. Tourists of all ages, with the exception of pregnant women and those who are under quarantine, are eligible to travel in the bubble.
Only DOT-accredited hotels or resorts in the general community quarantine (GCQ) or modified GCQ areas that have been granted a Certificate of Authority to Operate for point-to-point travel (CAO-P2P) may accommodate guests under a point-to-point travel bubble arrangement.
“Qualified hotels and resorts must secure a CAO-P2P from the DOT regional office with jurisdiction over their area by submitting the required documents, which includes an endorsement or approval from their local government unit,” the tourism chief stressed.
Puyat also clarified that these hotels or resorts must not be utilized for isolation or quarantine purposes.
There will be a daily health screening of guests by the establishment’s surveillance staff. Those who exhibit symptoms will be immediately isolated by the establishment, and referred to local health authorities for proper management and COVID-19 testing.
Service providers such as drivers, boatmen, tour guides and tour operators are also subject to strict quarantine and testing requirements.
