Philippines to welcome fully vaccinated tourists from February

According to the country’s Department of Tourism, fully inoculated international arrivals won’t be required to quarantine

The Philippines has announced that it will start accepting fully vaccinated tourists from 10 February 2022.

The Department of Tourism has confirmed that tourists arriving in the Philippines will not have to quarantine but will be required to present a negative RT-PCR test result taken prior to departure.

The move is aimed at accelerating the country’s economic recovery and restoring tourism-related jobs and businesses that were shut down during the pandemic.

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The Philippines had planned to reopen its borders to foreign tourists in December 2021, but the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant prompted the government to delay its plans.  

Though the move marks a relaxation of entry regulations, the country’s safety measures remain firmly in place.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said: “We are aware that there is no room for complacency given the unpredictability of the virus. We will closely monitor the situation and ensure that health and safety protocols are strictly implemented in all tourism establishments.”