19/03/2022
*PH opens doors to all foreign tourists with easing of arrival requirements starting April 1*
Starting April 1, there will be no limit to the number of fully vaccinated international passengers arriving in all ports of entry in the country.
The Department of Tourism on Thursday (March 10) made this announcement following the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to lift the arrival quota in all ports of entry for all international passengers.
“The approval of IATF Resolution ____ virtually opens the country to all fully vaccinated tourists from all countries, and means the country's tourism industry is well on its way to recovery”, the DOT said.
The IATF also made the submission of a negative laboratory-based antigen test result taken within 24 hours from departure an alternate option for arriving passengers, in place of the initial requirement of a negative result of an RT-PCR test taken 48 hours prior to departure from point of origin.
The resumption of visa issuances by Philippine embassies and consulates will also start on April 1 to coincide with total removal of arrival quotas.
“We at the DOT thank our colleagues in the IATF for approving such measures that will help sustain the recovery of the sector in the coming months. We have high hopes that all of these will result in an uptick in international travelers visiting the country during the summer season,” Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said.
The DOT chief also said that the IATF-EID had approved the reciprocal recognition of Covid-19 vaccination certificates from Croatia, Cyprus, and Nepal which are among of the 157 countries whose citizens can enter the Philippines without a visa under EO 408.
The IATF also allowed the entry of passport holders from Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR for a period not exceeding 14 days for the purposes of ______.
“While our domestic tourists have been the pillar of our recovery, we are also excited to welcome more foreign visitors in the weeks ahead. Such a move to further ease our borders
To recall, the Philippines reopened its doors to foreign leisure travelers from visa-free countries on February 10.
Based on the DOT's data as of 08 March 2022, the number of arrivals to the country's main airports have reached 73,178. Of this number, 41,175 are foreign tourists, while 32,003 are balikbayans.