DAVAO CITY –— The tourism industry in the Island Garden City of Samal is slowly picking up despite the economic crunch brought about by a health pandemic worldwide.
City Mayor Al David Uy in an interview with Newsline.ph said the record from the city’s tourism office reflected that 11,000 local guests visited Samal in August, “We are slowly going back (to usual) as it reflects 20 percent of our previous visitors, but we are moving and tourism is picking up again”.
The Mayor said, “One needs to strictly follow the health protocol, to enter the island given the health threat brought about by COVID-19. We are duty-bound to protect our constituents and the guests given the threat”.
The tourism industry in the island opened when the government relaxed the quarantine status to Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).
The resorts in the island have started to accommodate guests but only up to the prescribed fifty (50) percent of its actual capacity as mandated by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease under current quarantine status.
For one to enter the island, they need to get a QR Code which can be obtained in the Davao del Norte Provincial government’s website, or through coordination with the tourism establishment to facilitate their entry. Here’s how to do it:
- You need to get a QR code and present the same to the health frontliners, and the same will be validated at the entry points of the Roro that will ferry guests to the island.
- For guests with vehicle, they need to proceed to the African Swine Fever (ASF) quarantine facility for the much needed disinfection located along the Samal highway before they can enter places of destination.
- No pork and its byproducts is allowed to enter the island.
Uy said, drunk or person under the influence of alcohol are not given access to the barge.
