Peru, Bahamas and Puerto Rico are the latest destinations to use the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene stamp, launched earlier this year by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, recently announced that in just three short months, 100 destinations are now using its ‘Safe Travels’ stamp, with the Philippines becoming the official 100th destination.
The stamp, which was developed to help restore confidence in travellers and aims to revive an ailing Travel & Tourism sector, is now also being used by many more major holiday destinations such as Paraguay, Gambia, Zambia, Guatemala and El Salvador. The stamp enables travellers to recognise destinations around the world which have adopted standardised global health and hygiene protocols – so they can experience ‘Safe Travels’.
This landmark move by WTTC also received the backing of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). “The success of the stamp shows its importance not only to countries and destinations, but also to travellers and the 330 million people around the world who work in and depend on a thriving the Travel & Tourism sector,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO.
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.
“As destinations all over the world are gradually reopening their tourism sectors, the Gambia, the smiling coast of Africa is at the forefront of these efforts. Tourism plays a pivotal role in the economic growth of the Gambia, and as we strive to recover from the devastating impacts Covid-19 has on our economy, tourism is integral in this process,” said Hamat NK Bah, Honourable Minister of Tourism and Culture, the Gambia.
The widespread adoption of the stamp demonstrates that WTTC and all its Members from around the world have the safety and hygiene of travellers as their top priority.
“In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Tourism of El Salvador led the development of eight biosecurity protocols for the entire Tourism Industry and the Safe Travels stamp recognises the work of our Government and gives a message of confidence to all travellers who decide to come again or visit our country for the first time,” said Morena Valdez, Minister of Tourism of El Salvador.
The protocols follow guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as considering best practices from WTTC’s members.
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 standardised protocols.
