(TAN): The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has introduced a global safety and hygiene stamp to help tourists travel safely around the world.
The stamp, claimed to be the “world’s first ever”, will enable travellers to identify governments and businesses that have implemented “global standardised protocols” for health and hygiene. Businesses that will be able to use the stamp include hotels, restaurants, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, restaurants, outdoor shopping, transportation and airports.
WTTC President and Chief Executive Officer Gloria Guevara said past crises have taught “global standard protocols and consistency” gives confidence to travellers, and that their new safety stamp intended to “rebuild” customer’s confidence all over the world.
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“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,” WTTC President and Chief Executive Officer Gloria Guevara said.
“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,” she added.
Over 200 Chief Executive Officers including some of the biggest tourism groups from around the world have backed the step that was taken to aid in recovery of the global travel sector.
“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,” Guevara said.
The move has earned the support of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
“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,” WTTC President said.
UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili welcomed the move, saying it will help restore confidence in the sector.
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“Public and private sector collaboration are of the essence here and we are happy to be working together with WTTC on the post COVID-19 recovery, and value their contribution to UNWTOs Global Crisis Committee, where we gather other leading private sector bodies, our members and key UN agencies. We are united in the common goal of tourism’s come-back to generate benefits going far beyond our sector. Trust and tourism will catalyse consumer demand, investments and jobs, thus generating opportunities for all,” he added.
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