IBON chief urges gov't to create opportunities for tourism businesses to transfer to basic sectors

The government should create opportunities for business owners in the tourism industry to transfer to basic sectors needed by the public as the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 crisis, a research group official said Monday. 

Sonny Africa, the executive director of IBON Foundation, said at a virtual press conference that the government should manage the transition of the industry, which millions of workers depend on, to a "better normal" than pre-COVID-19 tourism. 

"The point of government support should be helping distressed employees, workers, employers right now, but that has a limit, it's more important to create more opportunities for business owners in tourism now to transfer to more basic sectors that we need," he said in a mix of English and Filipino. 

Africa acknowledged that the transition will not be easy but said he believes the mindset of hoping to return to the pre-pandemic industry will be "throwing good money after bad."

For her part, former tourism secretary Narzalina Lim said the government can restart domestic tourism in some areas, citing as an example Boracay, which people from nearby provinces can visit, to stimulate the economy there. 

Lim said hotels in the country will have to retrain their staff to observe higher, almost-hospital standards cleanliness and sanitation. 

She added that immigration processes will have to be retrofitted to reduce contact between personnel and travelers. The Bureau of Immigration earlier said it is gearing up for paperless travel systems. 

Incumbent tourism chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said last month that travel will not return to normal right away even after community quarantines are lifted. 

Foreign arrivals from January to March this year reached only 1.3 million, 40.2% lower than the number of arrivals from the same time last year, Puyat had said. She added that revenues generated from foreign arrivals fell to P79.8 billion in the first three months of the year, down from P134.3 billion in the same period in 2019. 

The country's tourism sector is reportedly preparing to promote domestic travel once restrictions are eased but noted that travel confidence will likely be hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. —KG, GMA News