QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- The Philippines is in the works of establishing the country as one of the primary tourist destinations around the world. While we continue to harness our tourism industry, digitalization “holds the key as well to tourism development in the country.”

With that, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in support of sustainable tourism development will provide free internet connection in the 94 tourist destinations with connectivity challenges as identified by the Department of Tourism.

The first half is expected to be delivered in the third quarter and the other half to be completed by the end of this year.

“For the first phase, we will be able to deploy about 46 out of the 94 that will be lightened with free internet connectivity. Under this phase 1, it will cover some of the very major sites of tourism which are Baguio, Palawan, Boracay, Cebu, and several other tourist destinations identified as a priority,” DICT Secretray Ivan Uy said.

This is a joint program between DOT and DICT to provide tourists seamless internet connectivity while on travel and ensure that they will have a complete ‘Philippine experience’.

Moreover, the DICT in partnership with DOT, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Bureau of Immigration, will be deploying an ‘e-visa System’. It is also expected to be integrated into the previously launched ‘e-travel’ which is the Philippine One-Stop Electronic Travel Declaration System.

As of now, the DICT is looking for reliable private partners that are “tried and tested and have extensively provided services to other jurisdictions with regards to e-visa”.

Meanwhile, DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco acknowledges their partnership with DICT to institute visa reforms in the country. The e-visa will address one of the administrative roadblocks in tourism and will encourage more foreign tourists to visit the Philippines.

“It’s really by way of the institution of electronic visa as well as the resumption of group travel, visa on arrival, as well as more liberal landing permits from the Bureau of Immigration, as far as cruise tourism is concerned, that we foresee that we would be able to fully open up opportunities for the Philippines for our source markets in China and India,” secretary Frasco said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has already approved the National Tourism Development Plan for 2023 to 2028, which will serve as the administration’s blueprint and the development framework for the tourism industry. (KSAA – PIA CPSD)

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Photo: DICT's Broadband ng Masa launched in Davao City