Major destinations around the world have signed up to the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene stamp launched recently by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, has designed the special ‘Safe Travels’ stamp to enable travelers to identify destinations and businesses around the world which adopted its health and hygiene global standardized protocols. The goal is that consumers and workers can experience ‘Safe Travels’.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) also embraced the WTTC Safe Travels stamp, which has the safety and hygiene of travelers as their top priority.
“As WTTC health and hygiene protocols, affecting hotels, restaurants, airports, cruise lines, tour operators, restaurants, outdoor shopping and transportation are implemented, so the list of destinations recognizing the new stamp also continues to grow,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO.
Since the launch last week of the Safe Travels stamp, Turkey, Bulgaria, Jamaica, Mauritius, Ontario (Canada), Portugal, Saudi Arabia and the Mexican destinations of Baja California Sur and Yucatan, have now adopted WTTC’s new protocols.
Popular city destinations for holidaymakers which have also been given the WTTC Safe Travels stamp of approval include Barcelona, Cancun, Madrid and Seville.
Almudena Maíllo, Councilor for Tourism, Madrid City Hall said, “In the city of Madrid, we are fully committed with the health, safety and security of our visitors. In the evolution we are leading for tourism recovery, it is crucial that our industry implement measures and protocols to regain confidence in travel. We support and applaud this WTTC Safe Travels initiative, as it matches the needs of travelers and the tourism sector, with clear safety and health recommendations, allowing businesses to easily provide their clients a visual identification that the Safe Travels protocols are being implemented”.
In May, the WTTC launched the first of range of new worldwide measures as part of its Safe Travels protocols, providing consistency and guidance to travel providers and travelers about the new approach to health, hygiene, deep cleansing and physical distancing, in the ‘new normal’ of COVID-19 world.
The protocols were devised following the experience of WTTC members dealing with COVID19 and based on guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
