After Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines on Friday, devasting the provinces of Leyte and Eastern Samar, and areas in the Southern Tagalog Region, other, unaffected parts of the country may soon feel residual impact should the natural disaster deter travelers from visiting resorts during peak season.
The?Philippines?remains a “safe” destination for all tourists, the Department of Tourism wrote in a statement, noting that tourism is one of the major contributors to the Southeast Asian country’s economy and will contribute toward rebuilding efforts for affected families.
According to reports, 5.9 percent of the Philippines’ gross domestic product in 2011 came from the travel sector.
Ports of entry are currently keeping most of the top destinations reachable, including “Boracay Island through Kalibo and Caticlan, Cebu through the Mactan International Airport, Bohol through the Tagbilaran Airport, Iloilo through the Iloilo and Bacolod Silay Airports, and Puerto Princesa, Palawan through the Puerto Princesa Airport,” the statement announced.
But power outages and supply shortages in places like Bohol may make it difficult to keep businesses open in the immediate future.
“For sure there will be more guest cancellations for Christmas and New Year’s,” Cornelis de Wijn, general manager at Anda White Beach Resort in Bohol, told?The Wall Street Journal. “It will (cause) a big impact on all the resort owners, because it’s our main season.”
Cebu Pacific Air, the biggest budget carrier in the Philippines, had to cancel more than 180 round-trip flights since the typhoon, according to reports. The airline did not immediately respond to ABC News’ requests for comment.
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