Baguio eyes allowing more tourists daily amid holiday season

Baguio City is looking into the possibility of increasing the tourist capacity per day amid the holiday season this year, a local official said.

"They will observe the triage situation this weekend. Kapag makita nila na okay, makakayanin, may possibility. Pero they will announce pa as soon as okay," Baguio City information officer Aileen Refuerzo said in a report by Jasmin Gabriel-Galban of GMA Regional TV Balitang Amianan on Unang Balita on Monday.

(If they see that it is okay and the city has the capacity to accommodate more tourists, there is the possibility [that the number of tourists allowed per day will be increased]. But they will announce only as soon as okay.)

A total of 4,000 tourists are currently allowed to enter Baguio City per day amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, more than 4,000 tourists go around the city daily, the local government said.

Tourists intending to visit need to register and schedule their arrival via the Baguio Visita website. They also need to present travel documents including a QR code and a vaccination card.

With two weeks left before Christmas, more tourists were seen heading to Baguio, which has been experiencing cooler temperature this month.

On the average, the temperature has been dipping to 11 to 13 degrees Celsius, according to PAGASA.

The weather bureau said the temperature may even dip some more as the Northeast Monsoon (Amihan) prevails.

Local officials are expecting more tourists to arrive for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Nearby tourist attractions outside Baguio such as a strawberry farm in Benguet are ready for the influx of tourists. —KG, GMA News