WTTC launches safe travel protocols
The London headquartered World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has today unveiled the second phase of measures to rebuild global consumer confidence to encourage the return of air travel and tourism.
Image courtesy WTTC
The latest protocols are designed to drive the return of safe travel and enable industries, namely aviation, tour operators and convention centres, meetings and events, to thrive once again.
Detailed discussions took place with key stakeholders and organisations to ensure maximum buy-in, alignment and practical implementation, to set clear expectations of what travellers may experience in the ‘new normal’.
Those relating to airports and airlines have been devised following close consultation with WTTC Members such as Iberia, Emirates Group, Etihad and the Oman Aviation Group among others.
It has also involved the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airports Council International (ACI) to rebuild trust and provide reassurance that airports and airlines will offer safe environments in which to fly once travel restrictions are relaxed.
The welfare of travellers and the millions of people employed throughout the Travel & Tourism sector at the heart of this new comprehensive package of Safe Travels protocols.
They also provide consistency to destinations and countries as well as guidance to travel providers, airlines, airports, operators, and travellers, about the new approach to health and hygiene in the post COVID-19 world.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “For the first time ever, the global private sector has rallied around our Safe Travels protocols which will create the consistency needed to allow a re-invigorated Travel & Tourism sector re-open for business.
“Among the most important of these measures are those which will enable the aviation sector to take-off. Aviation’s return is critical to help repower the global economic recovery.
“WTTC aviation protocols were created in close collaboration with ACI and IATA. We thank their leaders Angela Gittens and Alexandre de Juniac for their guidance, as it is vital we restore consumer confidence to get people travelling and flying safely again.
“The expertise from large and small tour operators also contributed to define the new experience via tour operators and visiting event venues. These were defined in coordination of experts from this segment, through these robust global measures which have been embraced by businesses around the world.”
Angela Gittens, ACI World Director General, said: “Our industry has been brought to a standstill. A balanced and effective restart and recovery of the global travel and tourism sector depends on collaboration among the key participants in this ecosystem and we welcome the ambitious approach taken by the WTTC.
“Collaboration will help to establishing a globally-consistent approach to recovery which will be the most effective way of balancing risk mitigation with the need to enable travel and foster economic recovery while also reassuring the travelling public that health and safety remain the overall priorities.”
Alexandre de Juniac, IATA Director General and CEO, said: “COVID-19 is a gamechanger for the travel and tourism sector, requiring us to enhance our approach to health and safety to protect our travellers and workforce.
“Aviation is the business of freedom and it is vital to enable its restart on a safe basis. IATA is delighted to lend its framework and collaborate with WTTC on the Aviation Protocols as part of its Safe Travels initiative. This is an excellent example of the industry solidarity and cooperation that will be so vital to ensuring a strong recovery for travel and tourism.”
Yuji Akasaka, Japan Airlines President, said: “We would like to thank WTTC for their deep understanding of the aviation industry and for their worldwide support.
“At this moment I think the most important issue is that all members involved in tourism join forces and cooperate to overcome this crisis. Through WTTC’s widespread initiatives, we would like to work not only with the aviation sector but also with the tourism industry as a whole.”
Last week, WTTC unveiled Safe Travels protocols for hospitality and outdoor retail, which were widely endorsed and supported by top CEOs and business leaders globally.
However, earlier this week, WTTC’s unveiled its landmark new global safety stamp to encourage safe travels and the reopening of the Travel & Tourism sector.
Backed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the new protocols will recognise businesses and governments worldwide which have adopted them to rebuild confidence among consumers, encourage the return of ‘Safe Travels’ and enable the Travel & Tourism sector to reopen for business.
The new Safe Travels protocols were drawn up by WTTC Members and based on the best available medical evidence following guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
They avoid the emergence of multiple standards, which would only confuse the consumer and delay the sector’s recovery.
Detailed discussions took place with key stakeholders and organisations to ensure maximum buy-in, alignment and practical implementation, to set clear expectations of what travellers may expect during their next flights in the ‘new normal’.
Evidence from WTTC’s Crisis Readiness report, which looked at 90 different types of crises, highlights the importance of public-private cooperation to ensure that smart policies and effective communities are in place to enable a more resilient Travel & Tourism sector.
WTTC divided the new guidance into four pillars including operational and staff preparedness; ensuring a safe experience; rebuilding trust and confidence; innovation; and implementing enabling policies.
Measures announced today include:
Airports
Enhanced cleaning including to self-service equipment, baggage trolleys, counters, buggies, security checkpoints, washrooms, elevators, handrails, boarding areas, and common areas with a specific focus on high-frequency touch points
Provide personal protection equipment (PPE) to staff, such as masks
New signage and announcements to limit interaction and queuing at touchpoints
Possible pre-arrival health risk assessment to prevent delays upon arrival
Reduce passenger touchpoints through online check-in before departure, use of self-check in kiosks and bag drop, home-printed bag tags, greater use of biometric e-gates and boarding card reading at gates
If entry-exit screening is mandated, it should be carried out in a non-intrusive, walk through manner, through full body infrared scanners using handheld infrared thermometers, and ear gun thermometers
Enhanced food safety and hygiene at restaurants, with prepacked foods to avoid handling of food at buffets
Possible redesign of immigration halls together with governments and airlines to speed up procedures
Where declarations are required upon arrival, electronic options should be used to minimise contact; ideally using contactless processes.
Airlines
Provide personal protection equipment (PPE) to staff such as masks
Reduce passengers’ touchpoints through online check-in before departure, use of self-check in kiosks and bag drop, home-printed bag tags, greater use of biometric e-gates and boarding card reading at gates
Provide approved hand sanitisers as appropriate based on high-traffic areas, such as check-in and boarding areas
Revisited guidance for cleaning teams for all areas of the plane including washrooms, as well as check in and boarding areas, with a specific focus on high-frequency touch points
Consider boarding from back of the plane to the front, window to aisle
Limit movement in the cabin as much as possible
Retrain crew and frontline staff regarding infection control and hygiene measures
Tour operators
Enhanced sanitation, disinfection, and deep cleaning practices for coaches and other vehicles
Focused cleaning on high-frequency touch points, including handrails, door handles, tables, onboard toilets, air conditioning filters, overhead lockers and headsets
Pre-allocated seating plans with no rotation
Limit physical contact and queuing where possible
Explore staggered timing for access to venues, hotels and restaurants among others
Health, sanitation, disinfection and hygiene and food safety protocols at partner restaurants
Establish with partners and suppliers including shops, showrooms, tasting venues/shops, museums, shows theatres, concert halls, factories and farms, that they follow likely protocols.
Convention centres, meetings & events
Implement physical distancing for seating distribution and aisles, utilising government guidance if available. Create visual support through clear signage
Reduce venue capacity limits for participants as appropriate and required by local legislation
Distinguish between different areas of risk in the venue
Consider pre-arrival risk assessment questionnaire for participants
Limit physical interaction and possible queuing at reception and registration using advance registration to enhance participant flow
Create isolation units outside the venue where possible for those showing COVID-19 symptoms.
Additional and separate measures for the Cruise sector and insurance businesses among others, are currently in development and will be announced in due course.
According to WTTC’s 2020 Economic Impact Report, during 2019, Travel & Tourism was responsible for one in 10 jobs (330 million total), making a 10.3% contribution to global GDP and generating one in four of all new jobs.
WTTC has created nine overarching principles & objectives for the Travel & Tourism Sector in the post-lockdown and recovery stage:
Have the sector lead the definition of industry regulation as Travel & Tourism moves from crisis management to recovery
Put the safety, health and security of travellers and the Travel & Tourism workforce at the core of the development of global standards
Ensure coherence in the approach and development of new global standards through a coordinated, collaborative, and transparent approach within the Travel & Tourism sector
Share harmonised and consistent standards and guidelines across destinations and countries.
Collaborate with key actors across the Travel & Tourism supply and value chain to ensure readiness to restart operations
Ensure standards and guidelines implemented are aligned with governmental and public health requirements and supported by medical evidence
Rebuild trust and confidence with travellers through effective communication & marketing; letting them know the protocols and guidelines implemented and assurances available to keep them safe
Relax and lift travel restrictions once the public health threat has been contained
Advocate for the implementation of enabling policies from financial relief to visa facilitation and incentives to destination promotion to support the recovery and demand re-generation for the sector