Kalinga tourist arrivals down 88% due CoViD-19 pandemic

Tabuk City, Kalinga―Since the time tourism activities were suspended due to the threat brought by the CoViD-19 pandemic all over the country, Office of the Provincial Administrator - Tourism Services has recorded 88% decline in the number of tourist arrivals in Kalinga for the year 2020 compared to the previous year.

This is reported by Tourism Operations Officer I Chrystaline Balicao of OPAD-Tourism Services through the Isangguni sa Ating Governador program aired in a radio station on February 02, 2021.

Tourism Operations Officer I Chrystaline Balicao said that the imposition of lockdown for the past months that caused closure and scaling down of tourism entities has resulted to the displacement of tourism workers.

“Ngayon this community quarantine, talagang bumaba tayo eh, yung turismo natin like 88% ang binaba ng turismo natin dito sa Kalinga comparing to the previous year of 2019. So ang laki talaga ng gap niya dahil nga madami tayong closed establishments, lahat ng mga tourist entities natin suspended so malaki talaga ang epekto nito sa ating economic especially,” she said.

As for the local arrival of tourists, there were only 12, 633 recorded individuals compared to the 101,233 in 2019.

While for foreign visitors, from the 6,492 individuals recorded it has downed to only 341 visitors.

Meanwhile, Department of Tourism-Department of Labor and Employment (DOT-DOLE) launched Financial Assistance Program under the Bayanihan Act 2 as an intervention to those displaced tourism industry workers.

Thus, OPAD Tourism Services has assisted a total of 1,060 displaced tourism workers amounting to PhP5.3 million excluding the assistance provided by the Municipal/City LGUs in the province.

Under the said program, each beneficiary will receive a one-time amount of 5,000php.

OTHER NEWS

Kalinga tourism offers Virtual Touring as alternative during pandemic

ADVERTISEMENT

Follow Guru Press Cordillera on Facebook for more News and Information