BAGUIO CITY – With the annual Baguio Flower Festival or Panagbenga approaching, tourism officials urged travelers Monday to book only with accredited hotels and verify their legitimacy before paying to avoid "accommodation scams."
Department of Tourism Cordillera Director Jovita Ganongan said tourists should check the DOT website for accredited restaurants, hotels, destinations and tour services.
“They can check in the Department of Tourism’s website if they are accredited by the DOT because if they do, that means they have met the standards prescribed by the department in the services they render and they have all the necessary permit from the local government unit legitimizing their operation,” Ganongan said in a phone interview.
She said legitimate operators will not be involved in spurious activities to scam tourists. The scam typically involves paying a deposit or the full amount only to find out that no booking exists upon arrival.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong also advised applying common sense.
“Kailangan ng common sense. Kung napaka imposible ng ino-offer posibleng scam yan (they need to apply their common sense and if the offer is impossible, then it could be a scam),” he said, noting victims rarely recover their money.
He also recommended checking the official Baguio Visita website for legitimate accommodation referrals. (PNA)