Tourist destinations report spike in visitors amid closed cemeteries on Undas weekend

Several tourist destinations on Monday noted an increase in the number of visitors in their areas this long weekend amid the closure of cemeteries on Undas or observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

Interviewed on Dobol B TV, Malay, Aklan tourism officer Felix delos Santos said that on Sunday, October 31, they recorded the highest tourist arrival since they opened in October last year.

“Kahapon po, October 31, ‘yung pinaka-highest na tourist arrival natin (Yesterday, October 31, we had the highest tourist arrival),” he said.

According to him, they monitored at least 2,077 visitors in the town, where Boracay Island is located.

Meanwhile, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said that some tourism establishments in their area were overwhelmed by the arrival of the tourists.

“Na-overwhelm kami dahil excited talaga ang mga tao na pupunta ng Baguio kaya talagang marami (We are overwhelmed because the people are really excited to go to Baguio),” he said.

According to him, they limit the number of tourists at 2,000 per day. Around 1,800 tourists arrived in the city. He said some establishments are not used to this volume of visitors amid the pandemic.

In Oslob, Cebu, Mayor Jose Tumulak Jr. said that from 200 tourists per day, the number of visitors in their town rose to over 3,000.

According to Puerto Galera Mayor Rocky Ilagan, the number of tourists in their area also spiked from 30 to 50 a day to almost 1,000.

“Maganda-ganda na po ang dating (the tourist arrival has been improving),” he said.

Bohol Governor Arthur Yap also said that the number of tourists have increased especially when they lifted the requirement of VaxCertPH as the local government now only requires vaccination cards.

“Ang taas ng pick up (The increase was so high),” he said.

Tagaytay City tourism officer Jarred Bello said that the increase in tourist arrival in the city has been evident during the long weekend.

“Kitang -kita po natin ang increase ng ating mga turista,” he said.

The Inter-Agency Task Force earlier passed a resolution ordering the closure of all cemeteries from October 29 to November 2 to minimize the risk of superspreader events during Undas.

The public may visit cemeteries, memorial parks, and columbaria only before October 29 or after November 2.—AOL, GMA News