The tourism industry launches a joint proposal for 10 countries
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and a wide representation of the international tourism industry propose unifying measures among the main 10 markets
The request contains four main points: mandatory use of face-masks; investing in fast, effective and low-cost PCRs; quarantine or isolation only for positive cases, and reinforcing the implementation of global protocols and standard measures. The Spanish government has requested that the initiative also involve other European Union and Asian countries.
In a letter addressed to the Heads of State of the ten main outgoing markets (the G7 plus Spain, Australia and South Korea), the WTTC and a large number of companies are asking for a global summit in order to define a plan and unify measures to re-establish tourism and travels.
In addition to the WTTC, the letter was signed by the presidents of companies such as British Airways, Emirates, Iberia, Etihad, Jet2, WestJet and Virgin Atlantic; Accor, Best Western, Hilton, Hyatt, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Mandarin Oriental, Marriott, Meliá Hotels, Palladium Hotel Group, IFEMA, Europamundo, Room Hotels& Be Mate, Hotelbeds, Radisson Hotel Group, Iberostar, City Sightseeing Worldwide, Abercrombie & Kent, American Express, Carlson Wagonlit, Expedia, Travelport, TUI AG and Uber, among others.
Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of WTTC, explained that we need “an action plan that will have a positive and immediate impact to benefit the millions of people who depend on our sector”. She added that “the World Travel & Tourism Council, its leaders and the entire worldwide private sector are committed to working together to help resolve the worst crisis of our generation”.
Basic steps
The request contains four main points:
- Mandatory use of face masks on all modes of transport and interior venues and locations where physical distancing is not possible.
- Investment in rapid, effective and low-cost PCR tests with results in under 90 minutes to be applied in a coordinated manner before an international trip and consistent and unified coordination when recording contacts.
- Quarantine or isolation only for positive cases, replace the generalised quarantines by nationality with isolation of only positive cases of infected people and perform in some cases a second test after five days, if necessary.
- Reinforce the implementation of global protocols and standard measures that will help to rebuild traveller confidence and provide better certainty.