This paper examines the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on ecotourism in the Philippines as well as the lessons learned and ways to go through a case study of ten ecotourism sites in the Philippines from Luzon to Mindanao. Unprecedented global travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders caused tourism to large cease in March 2020 and resulted to the most severe disruption of the global economy since World War II. This study made use of a COVID-19 impact assessment tool based on eight criteria of ecotourism and two focus group discussions with tourism officers and ecotourism management officials. The study found out that the ecotourism sites were closed starting on the middle of March 2020 till the time they were placed under modified GCQ when some of the sites re-opened but only for local tourists or residents within their town, province, or region. The closure of the sites for several months resulted to tremendous losses in terms of livelihood and income. Positive aspects included show of resilience of the ecotourism workers in finding other means of livelihood and the improvement of bioecology and protection of culture and the environment with community participation. The study concludes that most of the sites lacked a contingency plan for epidemics and that their major concerns are having financial assistance and livelihood projects for the laid off staff, sustaining support for their partner communities, and the lack of back up plans and funds. Furthermore, re-booting tourism would involve planning for and re-starting tourism with sustainability in mind while balancing health and the tourism industry.
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