Provinces comprising Region 1 and Baguio City, the so-called “Ridge and Reef Travel Corridor” the Department of Tourism (DOT) has established to jumpstart local tourism in the North, are now opening up their doors to guests coming from the rest of Luzon areas.
Starting October 15, Ilocos Sur has given the go-signal for tourists from other parts of Luzon, particularly the National Capital Region, to visit the province.
Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Singson said the development came following the growing interest from tourists from the NCR during the launch of the Reef and Ridge Travel Corridor.
Ilocos Sur first welcomed back tourists through the Ridge and Reef travel corridor with Baguio City and Ilocos Region including the provinces of La Union, Pangasinan, and Ilocos Norte.
With the reopening of the province’s tourism, guests will once again be able to visit Ilocos Sur’s famous tourist destinations, which include the Vigan Heritage Village and Calle Crisologo, Plaza Salcedo Dancing Fountain, Bantay Bell Tower, Santa Maria Church, and Plaza Burgos.
Baguio City will welcome tourists coming from the rest of Luzon beginning October 22.
This was announced during the DOT-Baguio Post Opening Assessment attended by Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Representative Mark Go, and the tourism stakeholders of the City of Pines.
A maximum of 200 guests will be allowed per day in Baguio City.
Also, the documentary requirements will be relaxed in the digital platform “Baguio Visitor Information and Travel Assistance” or VIS.I.T.A, which has received an encouraging number of 2,000 registrations and some 200 travel requests since it officially launched on September 22.
The requirement for visitors to book their itineraries through a DOT-accredited tour agency is now optional, but guests are still required to book in a DOT-accredited accommodation establishment issued with a DOT Certificate Authority to Operate.
The DOT funded VIS.I.TA program for the local government of Baguio through the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), to support the city’s reopening to tourists, starting with the Ridge and Reef travel corridor within the provinces of La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte (BLUPISIN).
Expansion of tourism in Baguio City is now being worked on to include nearby towns La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, Tublay or the so called BLISTT.
“With its vision to promote a green, peaceful, and family-oriented tourist destination, we are counting on the BLISTT Tourism Council to be a strong ally in the DOT’s ongoing thrust for sustainable tourism development. We commit to support its endeavors as we work with local government units in the coordination and preparation of the area’s eventual reopening,” said Tourism Secretary Puyat.
Ilocos Norte has also already re-opened to tourists from Luzon with strict health and safety guidelines in place.
Tourists looking to visit the province are required to follow the province’s protocols for travelers, such as undergoing an RT-PCR test and having a negative result within 48 hours before entry to the region.
