With more stringent travel bans being announced to combat a new strain of the COVID-19 virus in the UK, the World Travel and Tourism Council is warning that such measures “have not worked in the past and they will not work now.”

“While protecting public health is paramount, blanket travel bans cannot be the answer,” says WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara, adding, “While we understand the concern and need to curb the spread of COVID-19, the growing number of blunt travel bans are incredibly disruptive and economically damaging… Every sector of the economy, not just Travel and Tourism, will suffer – as will those countries imposing the ban as their own economies feel the impact of border closures and the loss of business.”

Instead, Guevara advocates a comprehensive and quick turnaround testing regime at airports to test all travellers before they depart, thereby ensuring that only those infected with COVID-19 are isolated and are prevented from travelling.

As such, she says, “There would be no need for countries to introduce damaging and counterproductive wholesale bans on… travellers.”

The WTTC chiefs adds that testing procedures need to be simplified.

“People should not be deterred from travelling because they simply can’t find or arrange to get tested at a local testing centre or lab,” she says. “We need to make it much easier for travellers to get a test prior to their journey.

“Travellers pose no higher risk than other members of the community if they follow all the internationally recognized health safety protocols, including the mandatory wearing of masks and regular testing.”