The Philippines has approved a plan to allow entry soon to foreign tourists vaccinated against Covid-19, its tourism ministry said, following moves by other Southeast Asian countries to relax travel curbs.

The coronavirus task force “approved in principle the entry of fully vaccinated tourists” from countries with low Covid-19 cases, the ministry said, adding that guidelines must be finalised.

The Philippines, known for its diving and thousands of tropical islands, saw an 83 per cent drop in foreign arrivals last year, receiving nearly 1.4 million visitors, compared to nearly 8.2 million in 2019.

Japan, South Korea and China are its biggest tourism markets, Reuters reports.