BAGUIO: Tourists visiting Baguio are increasingly vigilant in verifying the legitimacy of their accommodations, utilizing the Baguio Visita hotlines and website to ensure their bookings are genuine, according to the city's tourism office on Monday. This heightened caution comes amid reports of scams where travelers are defrauded by fraudulent operators requiring upfront payments for non-existent accommodations.

According to Philippines News Agency, the public can access Baguio Visita services by calling specified numbers or visiting their website, which has been heavily utilized for inquiries since Christmas Day. Aloysius Mapalo, the city tourism officer, noted during an interview at the Rizal Day commemoration program that their 24/7 hotlines, staffed continuously by personnel in eight-hour shifts, have been fielding numerous inquiries from tourists seeking to verify the legitimacy of their accommodation bookings.

The tourism office has been made aware of several incidents of scams propagated through social media platforms, although only one formal complaint has been lodged. In response, the city has initiated advertising campaigns to alert visitors to potential fraud. Mapalo emphasized the importance of accommodation providers registering their establishments with the city's database to prevent such scams.

Scammers often request advance payments for accommodations and then become unreachable after receiving the money. Mapalo reported an increase in these fraudulent activities following the Covid-19 pandemic. Baguio currently has a list of approximately 900 legitimate accommodation establishments capable of hosting around 13,000 tourists. However, some new establishments that began operations this year are not yet included in this registry.