The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has called for governments to abandon the concept of ‘high-risk countries’ and instead focus on how individual ‘high-risk travellers’ are treated at borders. WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, is urging governments around the world to shift their focus from whole countries, towards individual travellers. Instead, WTTC says governments around the world should redefine their whole approach to risk assessment, to revive international business and leisure travel. Combined with a common international consensus on the metrics used to assess risk and a laser-like focus on a cost-effective, comprehensive, and rapid departure and arrival testing scheme for all travellers, could pave the way forward for t...
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The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) says the introduction of new hotel quarantines by the UK government would force the complete collapse of Travel & Tourism as we know it. WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, fears the crippling impact of the new proposals being considered by the UK government would cause irreparable damage to a sector which contributes nearly £200 billion to the UK economy. People wearing face masks walk in St James's Park amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in London, Britain January 22, 2021. REUTERS/John Sibley The concern follows nine months of devastating travel restrictions, which has left scores of businesses crushed, millions of jobs lost or put at risk, and confidence to travel at an all-tim...
Read MoreThe World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), have released major guidelines focusing on how private sector organisations may seek to implement health and hygiene protocols throughout their organisations and thereby improve public confidence in the Travel & Tourism sector. The guidelines are a follow up to the health and safety protocols WTTC released in 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and following the signing of a memorandum of collaboration with IOSH. The Safe Travels protocols were designed to rebuild confidence among consumers so they may travel safely once restrictions are lifted. They provide consistency to destinations and countries as well as guidance to travellers about the approach to health and hyg...
Read MoreWhat industry needs is a strong summer of travel More than 100 million jobs could return to the global Travel & Tourism sector during 2021, as the world recovers from the crippling COVID-19 pandemic, says the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). A strong summer of travel is expected as the sector begins its road to recovery from late March onwards, with many major travel companies reporting a significant rise in forward bookings. The sector’s revival is backed by WTTC’s latest economic forecast, which gives further hope for the year ahead to businesses and millions of people employed in the sector worldwide. Last year, during the height of the pandemic, WTTC warned 174 million global Travel & Tourism jobs were at risk. However, in its latest analysis, WTTC’s ...
Read MoreWider test acceptance welcomed as major step towards return of international travel
While it is still going to take months, if not years before COVID vaccination effect is noticed in larger part of the world, travel industry by large has been advocating pre-departure tests as a safer means to resumption of international travel. Now recent announcements in UK and US have been largely welcomed as a positive step in this direction. Travel without quarantine is deemed to be a major push towards recovery of brutally bruised travel industry and recent announcements pave the way for it. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the announcement by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that it will require all travelers to the US to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test undertaken within three days prior to their departure to th...
Read MoreThe World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched its new mental health guidelines for the Travel & Tourism sector, which have been compiled to support businesses of all sizes to support the mental health of their employees. The Mental Health Guidelines build on the Diversity & Inclusion Guidelines released by WTTC in 2020, going one step deeper to focus on mental wellbeing. It will help businesses better prepare for the recovery period following the COVID-19 crisis, and will ensure that as the sector rebuilds, it comes back stronger and better than before. The guidelines come at a time when mental health could not be more important. With lockdowns, quarantines, job losses and uncertainty looming larger than ever all against the backdrop of winter, it is crucial...
Read MoreThe head of a global travel organisation have opposed making COVID-19 vaccinations a requirement for travellers in the fight against the pandemic, despite scepticism about reaching herd immunity this year. Several health experts said during the Reuters Next conference that the mass roll-out of coronavirus vaccines would not result in enough people having immunity to be able to effectively stop COVID-19 from spreading. FILE PHOTO: Vials labelled "COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccine" are placed on dry ice in this illustration taken, December 4, 2020. Picture taken December 4, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Some policymakers have proposed immunisation should be compulsory for air travel as the world steps up the battle to curb the spread of COVID-19, and Australia’s Qanta...
Read MoreWhile travel and tourism industry is frowning upon latest travel bans across the globe in wake of new coronavirus strain, governments across Europe are trying to navigate between avoiding the spread of the novel coronavirus over the Christmas holiday season and allowing people to celebrate with family and friends. The European Commission recommended on Tuesday that travel bans imposed by EU countries on Britain to contain a new variant of the coronavirus should end to allow freight and essential travel to resume and let people return home. Travellers with they suitcases sit at the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras International, as EU countries impose a travel ban from the UK following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in London, Britain, December 21, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah M...
Read MoreFollowing its launch in May this year, the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) highly popular Safe Travels stamp, has now been adopted by 200 destinations around the world. WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, made history when it launched the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene mark – the Safe Travels stamp – earlier this year. It was created in order to restore traveller confidence and revive the global Travel & Tourism sector, which has been left devasted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, as more destinations around the world continue to adopt the Safe Travels stamp, the incredible 200 destination milestone was reached, with Chile, U.S. Virgin Islands, Belize, Dominica, Nicaragua, and Uzbekistan becoming the latest to sig...
Read MoreWTTC and World Economic Forum announce new lease for partnership The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the World Economic Forum have announced a reinforced partnership to promote the importance of the sustainable growth of the global Travel & Tourism sector. The strategic partnership will see enhanced collaboration between WTTC and the Forum, with the overall aim of advancing the Safe & Seamless Traveller Journey programme, a major priority for WTTC, developing and advancing projects to increase Travel & Tourism competitiveness and sustainability, supporting one another’s work relating to the future of work, and collaboration with regards to crisis and resilience. Collaboration between the two organisations will take the form of shared information and ...
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