Bohol province will finally welcome individual tourists starting Dec. 15, including those from areas under general community quarantine (GCQ), Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat announced Tuesday.

Saying Christmas is just around the corner, Puyat welcomed the development.

During a virtual press briefing, Bohol Gov. Arthur Yap said senior citizens and minors alike would also be allowed to visit the island.

The reopening for general tourists came weeks after Bohol started allowing groups to hold their MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) events in the island province.

But aside from granting travelers their much-needed rest and recreation after months of being cooped up at home, Romulo-Puyat said this move would also revive the once-thriving tourism industry on the island and help displaced tourism workers regain their jobs.

“Tourism comprises 70 percent of the livelihood of Bohol and we are here because we want to revive tourism, we want to restart tourism, gusto nating ibalik ‘yong trabaho (we want to bring back the jobs),” she said.

“It just goes to prove that tourism is really everybody’s business at importante talaga siya sa ekonomiya (it’s important to our economy),” she noted.

For Cesar Cruz, president of the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), Bohol’s reopening next week could be a “good template” of what has been often referred to as jumpstarting tourism amid the pandemic.

“I think this is a good start… I think at this point, Bohol is very much ready,” he said during the presser.

‘Preparing for the trip’

Unlike in the pre-pandemic times when you could easily arrange your trip and fly, everything must be pre-booked in Bohol, including hotels, transportation, and tours, starting Dec. 15.

“Kailangan pre-booked kasi (safety) ang point natin dito as we reopen, hindi puwedeng do-it-yourself you have to go through DOT (Department of Tourism)-accredited establishments and tour operators (Everything needs to be pre-booked here because that’s the point of the reopening, DIYs are not allowed, you have to go through DOT-accredited establishments and tour operators),” Yap said.

The visitor must register via Bohol’s website and be given the “acceptance” to enter the island. He/she will then be given a unique QR code to be used while touring Bohol.

Upon entry, visitors must submit a negative RT-PCR result taken 72 hours before departure from other provinces.

Yap said tourists won’t have much to worry about when it comes to rates as it remained relatively affordable even after the Covid-19 hit, with some establishments even slashing about 50 percent off.

“The rates have been very much affordable and friendly, some are even going less than 50 off just to attract visitors so I would not worry about the rates,” he said. (PNA)