With more than 100 million tourism jobs on the line globally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world’s public and private travel and tourism sectors came together last week in a “historic” bid to restart travel and save the sector.
The first-ever meeting between the tourism ministers of G20 countries and 45 CEOs and members of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) was convened by Saudi Arabia and prompted the introduction of a “game-changing” 24-point plan by the WTTC designed to integrate the efforts of all tourism constituents.
The plan includes 12 protocols each for the private and public sectors, with the WTTC document stating, “The private sector cannot reduce the time frame of recovery… alone; public-private collaboration is essential to the success of the plan.”
Collectively, the “unprecedented plan” covers a wide range of initiatives hinging on securing international coordination to re-establish effective operations and resume international travel, including eliminating travel barriers between countries and the implementation of a standardized international testing regime at departure to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Other public initiatives urged by the WTTC include introducing:
• International ‘air corridors’ between countries or cities with similar epidemiological situations
• International contact tracing standards
• Modifying quarantine measures to be for positive tests only and replacing blanket quarantines with a more targeted and effective approach
• Support for Travel & Tourism sector through fiscal stimulus, incentives, protection of workers.
• Consistent, simple and coordinated communication to citizens and travellers
• Investing in crisis preparedness and resilience to better equip the sector to respond to future risks or shocks
Among its recommendations for the private sector, the WTTC recommends:
• Develop and adopt innovative and digital technologies that enable seamless travel, better manage visitor flows, and improve traveller experience while making it safer
• Offer flexibility for bookings or changes such as waiving fees due to COVID-19 positive cases
• Offer promotions, more affordable products or greater value to incentivize domestic and international travel, taking into considerations national and international health guidelines.
• Reinforce the provision and purchase of travel insurance that includes COVID-19 cover
• Develop capacity building and training programs to upskill and retrain tourism workers
“The nature of this meeting cannot be underestimated; it is the first time so many Travel & Tourism CEOs and leaders have been invited to sit in the same forum as G20 tourism ministers to establish a tangible plan to save the Travel & Tourism sector,” said WTTC President & CEO, Gloria Guevara. “This plan will have far reaching consequences; it will bring real and genuine benefits to the industry as a whole – from aviation to tour operators, taxis to hotels and beyond.”
“We cannot underestimate the power of the public and private sector coming together to support each other and helping rebuild the hospitality industry,” commented Federico J González, CEO of Radisson Hospitality after the meeting, adding, “Today, more so than ever, we need to make sure that the travel industry, public sector, and private sector have a common global understanding and plan in place to ensure and protect the safety of travellers, partners, and team members while our industry continues to recover, rebuild, and reopen its doors.”
“There are three essential steps required to create this outcome,” summarized WTTC member, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports.
“A common testing procedure that is quick, accurate and easy to administer; a unified approach to testing, isolation and protection protocol; and the establishment of bilateral agreements between countries, agreeing to adopt these measures. We need to act now to make travel safe again.”