Croatia, Ecuador and Ghana are the latest in a long line of major destinations to use the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene stamp, launched recently by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
The endorsements have come from many major holiday destinations around the world, with other holiday hot spots such as Turkey, Portugal, Kenya, and Mauritius, joining among many others.
Ecuador received its WTTC Safe Travels Stamp, following a major government announcement which will see international travellers arriving with a negative test taken within the previous 10 days, exempt from its 14-day isolation. This move will help reopen its Travel & Tourism sector and provide a significant boost to the country’s economy.
WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, created the Safe Travels Stamp in May this year, to allow travellers to identify destinations and businesses around the world which have adopted the global standardised health and hygiene protocols. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) welcomed the WTTC Safe Travels Stamp, which place the safety and hygiene of travellers as top priority.
“The continued success of the WTTC Safe Travels Stamp demonstrates its importance not only to countries, destinations and businesses around the world, but to travellers, and the millions of people around the world who work in and depend on, a thriving Travel & Tourism sector,” Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said. “The stamp is critical to re-establish consumer confidence.”
As part of its Safe Travels protocols, these worldwide measures provide consistency and guidance to travel providers and travellers 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 Organisation (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“We are doing our best to face all difficulties and to secure stability and safety for the local population and for all the travellers who have decided to visit us this year, despite the current circumstances,” said Ms. Nikolina Brnjac, Croatia Minister of Tourism and Sports. “To make the new normal possible, we have gone to great lengths to prepare the necessary safety-protocols and measures.
