Saudi Arabia among first destinations to adopt global safety stamp protocol

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene stamp to recognise safety travel protocols worldwide.

Saudi Arabia, Barcelona, Portugal, Cancun and Seville are among the first destinations to adopt private sector protocols and stamp.

The move, also backed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), will allow travellers to recognise governments and businesses worldwide which have adopted health and hygiene global standardised protocols – so consumers can experience ‘Safe Travels’.

Eligible businesses such as hotels, restaurants, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, restaurants, outdoor shopping, transportation and airports, will be able to use the stamp once the health and hygiene protocols, outlined by WTTC, have been implemented.

Destinations will help to award the stamp of approval to local suppliers.

The launch of global protocols to boost the travel and tourism sector have been adopted by over 200 CEOs including some of the world’s major tourism groups. Companies such as Trip.com and Expedia have lended support to WTTC’s initiative to reassure travellers.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC president and CEO, said: “We are delighted that UNWTO are supporting the private sector global protocols and our efforts as public-private collaboration is critical to ensure a faster recovery.

“We are excited that Saudi Arabia, which is chair of the G20 tourism group, as well as popular destinations such as Cancun, one biggest destinations in the world, Portugal, one of the fastest growing countries in Europe and the holiday cities of Barcelona and Seville, amongst others, are among the first destinations to back the stamp and implement global standard protocols to recover faster.

“Now travellers will be able to recognise the businesses and destinations worldwide which have adopted the new set of global protocols that will encourage the return of ‘Safe Travels’ around the world. It will, in turn, help the travel and tourism sector to reopen for business and move in a coordinated approach.

Zurab Pololikashvili, UNWTO secretary-general, said: “We welcome WTTC’s global safety stamp and Safe Travels protocols and its contribution to restoring confidence. This is key to build trust and we will only succeed if we work together.

“Public and private sector collaboration are of the essence here and we are happy to be working together with WTTC on the post Covid-19 recovery, and value their contribution to UNWTOs Global Crisis Committee, where we gather other leading private sector bodies, our members and key UN agencies.

“We are united in the common goal of tourism’s come-back to generate benefits going far beyond our sector. Trust and tourism will catalyse consumer demand, investments and jobs, thus generating opportunities for all.”

Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Saudi Arabia Minister of Tourism, said: “As chair of this year’s G20 Tourism Track, we are putting public-private cooperation at the heart of international efforts for a swift recovery. The WTTC’s new Safe Travels global protocols are an essential step on that path to recovery, by helping to provide consistency and reassurance for travellers.”

Recently, WTTC also launched the first range of new worldwide measures, part of its Safe Travels protocols, which provided consistency to destinations and countries, as well as guidance to travel providers and travellers about the new approach to health, hygiene, deep cleansing and physical distancing, in the post Covid-19 world.

It also follows guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

WTTC collaborated with international organisations such the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Airports Council International (ACI), and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) to ensure alignment across the sector.

According to WTTC’s 2020 Economic Impact Report, during 2019, travel and tourism was responsible for one in 10 jobs (330 million total), contributing 10.3 per cent to global GDP and generating one in four of all new jobs.