CEBU CITY – The government’s decision to place the entire country under a state of calamity is hurting the tourism industry because tourists backed out from their scheduled travels here, the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAS) said during their annual meeting on Thursday night.

During the meeting in Cebu City, NAITAS members claimed a number of Russian and Japanese tourists have cancelled their reservations following the pronouncement that placed the entire country under a state of calamity due to the flooding that hit parts of Luzon and Metro Manila.

Other tourists are also calling in to inquire if it is still safe to travel to the Philippines as international media carried news of flooding in Metro Manila and some parts of Luzon, said NAITAS Chairman Emeritus Robert Lim Joseph.

“The tourism industry is still hurting following the declaration of the state of calamity. The flooding is limited only to some areas in Luzon and not the entire country,” said Joseph, adding that the declaration of the state of calamity should have been selective because not the entire country was flooded.

NAITAS has more than 1,200 members nationwide and is considered the largest organization of travel agencies in the Philippines.

Malacañang plans to extend its declaration of a state of calamity to one year but the move was met with criticisms. Senator Manuel Villar Jr. said the move is “too drastic” and “over-reacting.”

Villar earlier said the proposal has to be evaluated further because some areas affected by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng are already recovering.

“There has to be a balance and a consensus. At this early, business groups are already wary about the idea; they should be consulted to see how it will affect them,” said Villar.

The Makati Business Club, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines, the Federation of Philippine Industries and other business groups have expressed alarm over the planned extension of the state of calamity status, he said.

Villar said the move could create more problems for the country such as job losses and supply shortage. Other business groups also fear that it could lead to a declaration of a state of emergency and the exercise of police powers.

Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism will make sure that the Tourism Act of 2009 will have its smooth implementation even with the changing administration likely after the 2010 national elections.

DoT Undersecretary Phineas Alburo said that after 45 years of waiting for a good tourism law, they will not let the change of administration affect the implementation of the new set of tourism policies.