WTTC Believes 72-Hour Quarantine-Free Trips Can Do the Trick

International business travel could restart if agreement is secured to safeguard journeys of up to 72-hours free from quarantines, says the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

The joint recommendation for the short stay exemption comes from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (EASA/ECDC) and is welcomed by WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector.

EASA and ECDC have joined forces to call for an exemption on quarantine for people travelling for less than 72 hours, a move which WTTC believes could signal the return of international business travel and provide a significant economic boost.

The proposal is also under active study by the UK government, according to the Report of the Global Travel Taskforce, of which WTTC is a key contributor, which was prepared for the Department for Transport.

WTTC agrees with EASA/ECDC who have called for travellers not to be automatically considered as high-risk for possibly spreading the infection.

However, the recommendations fall short as they do not address the replacement of quarantines for a testing regime at departure, with quarantines causing untold damage to the already struggling global Travel & Tourism sector.