Philippines’ tourism sector urges government aid; plots recovery

Philippine tourism players are joining a chorus of travel businesses and bodies worldwide calling on government to suspend taxes and extend further relief to companies embroiled in financial turmoil due to Covid-19.

PATA Philippine Chapter president Bob Zozobrado said that as a third of the country enters its third week of lockdown with “grim and uncertain prospects on when the pandemic will be brought under control”, travel agents have proposed to the Department of Tourism (DoT) a list of recommendations for their survival and medium-term recovery during a meeting of nine tourism associations with the DoT early last month.

The list includes “supplemental and wider coverage of government-provided financial grants and assistance from this month (April) up to at least end-2020” to avoid layoffs and business closures in an industry where the majority are SMEs, said Ritchie Tuano, president of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA).

MMP
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