For people looking to restart their travel plans after the lockdowns are lifted, you might have to wait a little longer—as the Department of Tourism (DOT) takes steps to adjust to the “new normal” in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a virtual hearing of the House Committee on Tourism, Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat outlined the policies that the tourism industry will be implementing to prevent the spread of the virus.

Regular sanitation and inspection of tourism transport services and tourism-related establishments such as meeting venues, restaurants and spas will now be mandatory. Tourism workers will also be provided with sanitation devices and personal protective equipment.

As part of social distancing protocols, DOT is also eyeing implementation of capacity limits for transportation and tourist spots such as parks, museums and convention facilities. On that end, the department will also pursue contactless systems for tourism-related transactions like applications for accreditation and retail.

International travel, however, might not be an option this year due to restrictions imposed by other countries. “At this point in time, traveling is but a dream,” Romulo-Puyat added. It has not been discussed if a similar policy will be implemented for domestic travel.

Header photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Get more stories like this by subscribing to our weekly newsletter here.

Read more:

Malls, Filipinos’ favorite “faux public space,” will not be the same under quarantine

Visit tourist destinations with the help of these virtual reality apps

Everything’s online now–even Manila. Go on a virtual tour through ikotMNL