The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched the world’s first-ever global safety and hygiene stamp. The specially designed stamp will allow travellers to recognise governments and businesses around the world which have adopted health and hygiene global standardised protocols – so consumers can experience ‘Safe Travels’.
The landmark move by WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, has also received the backing of the influential United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
Eligible businesses such as hotels, restaurants, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, restaurants, outdoor shopping, transportation and airports, will be able to use the stamp once the health and hygiene protocols, outlined by WTTC, have been implemented. Destinations will also help to award the stamp of approval to local suppliers. The launch of global protocols to recover the Travel & Tourism sector have been embraced by over 200 CEO’s including some of the world’s major tourism groups.
Trip.com and Expedia have also supported WTTC’s initiative to reassure travellers and bring back confidence to Travel & Tourism.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “We are delighted that UNWTO are supporting the private sector global protocols and our efforts as public-private collaboration is critical to ensure a faster recovery.We have learned from past crises that global standard protocols and consistency provides confidence for the traveller. Our new global safety stamp is designed to help rebuild consumer confidence worldwide.
“We are excited that Saudi Arabia, which is Chair of the G20 tourism group, as well as popular destinations such as Cancun, one of the biggest destinations in the world, Portugal, one of the fastest-growing countries in Europe and the holiday cities of Barcelona and Seville, amongst others, are among the first destinations to back the stamp and implement global standard protocols to recover faster.
“Now travellers will be able to recognise the businesses and destinations worldwide which have adopted the new set of global protocols that will encourage the return of ‘Safe Travels’ around the world. It will, in turn, help the Travel & Tourism sector to reopen for business and move in a coordinated approach.
“For the first time ever, the global private sector has rallied around Safe Travels protocols which will create consistency across the sector. Implementation by governments around the world will restore much-needed confidence in order to restart the Travel & Tourism industry.”
WTTC and all its Members from around the world have the safety and hygiene of travellers
as their top priority.
Last week WTTC’s launched the first of range of new worldwide measures that were part of
it’s Safe Travels protocols to rebuild consumer confidence and encourage the restoration of
the global Travel & Tourism sector.
They provide consistency to destinations and countries, as well as guidance to travel providers and travellers about the new approach to health, hygiene, deep cleansing and physical distancing, in the post COVID-19 world.
Detailed discussions took place with numerous key stakeholders and organisations to
ensure maximum buy-in, alignment, and practical implementation, to set clear expectations
of what travellers may expect travelling in the “new normal” before the vaccine is available.
The protocols are also being defined following the experience of WTTC members in dealing
with COVID19 and based on the best available medical evidence. It also follows guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
WTTC has been leading a task force with industry associations and international organisations such ACI, CLIA, DFWC, ETC, IATA, ICAO, OECD, PATA, USTA, UNWTO and WEF.
Evidence from WTTC’s Crisis Readiness report, which looked at 90 different types of crises in
the last 20 years, highlights the importance of public-private cooperation and the implementation of standardized protocols.
According to WTTC’s 2020 Economic Impact Report, during 2019, Travel & Tourism was responsible for one in 10 jobs (330 million total), making a 10.3% contribution to global GDP and generating one in four of all new jobs.
