DUMAGUETE CITY — The three tourism-related organizations in Negros Oriental have canceled bookings for tourists originating from mainland China and Hongkong.
The Negros Oriental Hotel Resort Restaurant Association (NOHRRA), the Negros Oriental Association of Travel & Tour Agencies (NOATTA), and the Negros Oriental Dive Association (NOrDA), announced their stand after a meeting on Monday afternoon.
The Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry initiated the emergency meeting to discuss how the business community can help address the situation of the novel coronavirus, for which two persons who tested positive had visited Dumaguete and other parts of the province from Jan. 22 to 25.
The businessmen said they are putting health interests over their businesses, noting that 30 percent of their market comes from mainland China.
“The current situation will tremendously affect, and cause a downline on other businesses such as malls, markets, transportation,” their statement said.
It is estimated that one million tourists from China visit the Philippines, with each person spending about US$150 a day.
The businessmen also urged the local governments of Dumaguete and Negros Oriental to issue an executive order or an addendum to the Governor’s EO to “temporarily suspend the entry and tours of guests from Hubei province and other affected areas in mainland China and from other countries, without due clearance from the Department of Health.”
Gov. Roel Degamo had earlier issued Executive Order 4 placing all foreigners and persons from China and Hongkong on a 14-day quarantine.
The businessmen are also urging other LGUs to “heighten awareness and campaign about various recommended guidelines and management of nCoV, and provide the public accurate and reliable updates … to promote public assurance and safety.”
They are also urging the tourists to register with the Bureau of Immigration for easy monitoring and evaluation of their current travel history and situation.
“The decision to ban [them] is not racial as we appreciate the contributions of the Chinese to the country … but the health and welfare of the Negrenses is paramount,” said Jose Ramon del Prado, president of NOHRRA.
The businessmen also appealed to “concerned agencies” not to publicly name specific establishments in their reports and local news, “unless verified and confirmed by the Department of Health.”
“These businesses took a lot of time, resources, and efforts for their investments to develop their reputation. We have witnessed how a single, careless unverified remark in print, radio and in social media can destroy an establishment and indirectly, the local tourism industry,” said del Prado. He added that this is a such a “big blow” to the tourism industry.
Since news broke out that the couple from Wuhan had visited Negros Oriental, it’s been “very quiet” at Azure Dive Resort in the town of Dauin.
According to operations manager Catherine Leonardo-Carballo, business is taking a dive as 80 percent of her clients are Scuba divers on package tours from Beijing and Shanghai.
“I do get nervous with the nCoV reports; otherwise, it’s business as usual.”
Carballo said they have become more vigilant with checking on the passports of foreign guests, and where they had travelled in the past month, and more stringent with disinfecting everything in the bedroom, bathrooms, and the public areas.
“I think it’s the stigma that the whole health situation has created, which I’m afraid could have a domino-effect on the entire business climate in the province,” Carballo said./lzb