WTTC: Travel Recovery Shouldn’t Wait for Vaccines
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and major international industry bodies have joined forces to call for the immediate restoration of international travel using proven processes and without waiting for or requiring vaccinations.
WTTC, along with Airports Council International (ACI), the World Economic Forum (WEF), International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), say the world cannot wait for the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.
WTTC recognises that public health is paramount and welcomes the recent roll out of the game changing vaccines, which in the long-term will play a major role in combating coronavirus and restoring international travel.
However, they must not be a requirement to travel as this will further delay the revival of the already ailing Travel & Tourism sector, which needs to restart now to save itself, millions of jobs in the sector and beyond, and the global economy. Getting people back to work will also provide enormous health benefits to those around the world, whose livelihoods have been affected by the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.
Recent research from WTTC shows a staggering 174 million global Travel & Tourism jobs are now threatened.
The safe opening of existing travel corridors such as London Heathrow – Dubai, with appropriate testing and hygiene protocols, demonstrates that international travel can already take place at minimal and acceptable risk.
Together with ACI, WEF, and ICC, WTTC has identified four key measures which need to be implemented to restore international travel safely, including globally recognised testing regimes before departure, common health and hygiene protocols that are aligned with globally-established standards set out by ICAO (and the WTTC Safe Travels protocols and Airport Health Accreditation), a risk management regime, and internationally consistent and recognised travel passes.
WTTC and the industry bodies warn against the introduction of so-called ‘health passports’ – as opposed to internationally-recognised travel passes currently being considered - which would only further delay the recovery.
