Malay, Aklan — Yes, the country’s world-famous resort island, Boracay, is now open and welcomes tourists, travelers, visitors from areas under general community quarantine.

With the government and the Department of Tourism (DOT) promoting a “safe” and “gradual” new travel normal amid the Covid-19 pandemic, it won’t be long before people come flocking to Boracay.

Requirements before visit

But wait! We cannot just pack our bags and head to the resort island just yet. There are important requirements and protocols before we can visit.

Tourism chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said travelers below 21 and above 60 years old are welcome to enter the island provided they are healthy and have no underlying medical conditions.

They must also undergo an RT-PCR test or a swab test (at  the visitors’ expense) at least 48 hours before departure.

Where and how to submit requirements

If the swab test results are negative, travelers can now book in a DOT-accredited accommodation establishment, buy air tickets, and submit these, together with the negative test results, to http://aklan.gov.ph.

The Aklan provincial government will approve visitors who are cleared of Covid. It will issue a unique personal QR code, a system to identify close contacts, for monitoring — just in case.

Safety first

Romulo-Puyat said Boracay remains Covid-free. So, she urges visitors “to be responsible tourists. Follow the guidelines, respect the rules. We can never be too complacent…”

Romulo-Puyat said the safety and well-being of visitors is the top priority of the DOT. — Imelda DG Cardel