The Philippines has announced plans to reopen its borders to tourists 'soon.'

The Department of Tourism revealed that fully vaccinated travelers from 'green list' countries will soon be allowed to enter the Philippines, with the announcement made on Friday, November 19.

Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat explained, 'Allowing tourists from green-list regions with high vaccination rates and low infection levels will significantly boost our recovery, increasing both tourist arrivals and revenue.'

Romulo-Puyat further added, 'This initiative will also help strengthen consumer confidence, which plays a key role in driving GDP growth.'

Only travelers who have received vaccines approved by the Philippines Food and Drug Administration or authorized by the World Health Organization will be permitted entry into the country.

A dedicated Technical Working Group on Travel is currently working on finalizing the guidelines, which will soon be presented for approval by the country’s Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

There are currently 44 countries and territories on the Philippines' 'green list' for coronavirus, including China, Japan, and India; however, the United States is not among them.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, tourism accounted for 17.8% of the Philippines' GDP in 2018, with most visitors coming from neighboring Asian countries, and South Korea leading the way.

Tourism to the Philippines plummeted by over 80% as a result of the pandemic.

In general, Asia’s reopening efforts have been gradual and cautious.

Thailand has been at the forefront with its ‘Phuket Sandbox’ pilot program, and now other countries in the region, including Cambodia, South Korea, and Singapore, are adopting similar cautious strategies to welcome vaccinated tourists from select nations.

Since the pandemic began, the Philippines has reported over 2.8 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 46,422 related deaths.

Top image: A photo from October 1, 2020, shows a resident wearing a face mask walking along a beach in Boracay. Credit: STR/AFP/Getty Images