With restoring confidence in travel by consumers a key priority for the tourism sector during and after the pandemic, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has undertaken a new initiative that would give greater legal protection to consumers.

The International Code for the Protection of Tourists, which has the support of almost WTO 100 member states so far, would make support available to tourists affected by emergency situations clearer and more consistent globally.

Designed to restore tourists’ confidence through a common and harmonized framework, the “unprecedented initiative” is expected to garner support and shared responsibilities from the European Commission and other international organizations, as well as private stakeholders, during the coming weeks.

Recommendations include:

• Preventing possible disruptions by drawing up contingency plans and coordination protocols and training tourism stakeholders to assist tourists in emergency situations
• Providing real-time information for tourists
• Addressing cross-border cooperation between governments and tourism service providers
• Fostering close collaboration between governments and travel and accommodation providers
• Addressing the effective repatriation of tourists

“Uncertainty and a lack of trust in travel are among the biggest challenges we face as we work to restart tourism,” says UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. “An International Code for the Protection of Tourists will be a landmark step towards addressing this. Establishing a standard set of minimum consumer protection standards for tourists will help make people feel safer and more confident in international travel. And it will also ensure that the responsibility of managing the disruptions caused by this pandemic is shared fairly across the whole of our sector.”

A progress report on the Code will be presented at the next UNWTO General Assembly (end of 2021 in Marrakech, Morocco) for approval by member states.