Tourist arrivals in Ilocos Norte increasing

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Tourist arrivals in Ilocos Norte reached nearly 1,000 in the past week as COVID-19 cases continued to drop.

The province recorded its highest daily tourist arrivals on Oct. 30 at 425.

Many of the visitors came from Isabela, Cagayan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Benguet, Cavite, Rizal, Tarlac and Laguna.

The provincial tourism office said a majority of the tourists stayed in Pagudpud.

The shoreline in Barangay Saud in the town has been hailed as among the “most beautiful in the world” by the New York-based Travel+Leisure magazine.

At least 5,091 people visited Ilocos Norte in the past year compared to the more than 7,000 daily tourists before the onset of the pandemic.

Ilocos Norte was the first province awarded the World Travel and Tourism Council Safe Travels stamp for its adoption of globally recognized health and safety protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the downgrading of the province’s status to modified general community quarantine, tourism establishments are allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity.

The provincial government continues to enforce COVID testing of leisure travelers.

The cost of antigen testing at provincial borders was reduced for the benefit of residents and visitors.