Seeking to jumpstart tourism and restore thousands of jobs lost to COVID-19, the Department of Tourism is looking beyond top-rated tourist destinations like Boracay and El Nido, Palawan.
Tourism Sec. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat shared she recently discovered some local destinations that she deemed "underrated", urging the public to come visit them as they work to ease travel restrictions despite the pandemic, she told Summit Sandwich Sessions.
Isabela, for one, is a place more tourists should discover, she said, noting the beauty of its churches and impeccable food. She recommends trying out their kutsinta, pancit cabagan, and organic lechon.
"For me part of travelling is what food can I eat that is unique to that province or destination," Romulo-Puyat said.
She also spoke highly of Siquijor in Central Visayas. She shared how she convinced local officials to also open up the mystical island's borders.
"Oh, wow, Siquijor is beautiful. It's like there's everything... I can imagine that's what Boracay, what the other tourist destinations were before.. I don't know that's now my new favorite spot— It's Siquijor."
ALSO READ:
Bewitched By Siquijor, DOT Sec Puyat Suggests Adding It To Your Travel List
A Negative COVID Test is No License to Party, DOT Explains Why
These Tourist Spots Near Metro Manila are DOT-Recommended
Going south in Mindanao, Romulo-Puyat picked Dapitan in Zamboanga del Norte as another must-visit destination.
"When you land in Dapitan about 45 minutes away, you can see the museum, you can see the love letters of Josephine Bracken to Jose Rizal, you can see where they lived..You can see the life of Rizal in Dapitan," she shared.
She talks about these destinations and more, in this #Summit Originals video:
