With adventure activities seen as an ideal niche for travel during the COVID-era due to inherent outdoor settings and physical distancing, the World Travel & Tourism Council has unveiled its latest set of measures designed to help rebuild global consumer confidence, reduce risk, and encourage the return of “Safe Travels.”
Developed in partnership with the adventure tourism industry, the protocols refer to a wide variety of experiences including cycling, rafting, trekking, skiing, snowboarding, wildlife safaris, and culinary tours, among others.
The WTTC has previously issued detailed safe travel protocols for aviation, airlines, MICE, tour operators, hospitality, outdoor retail, attractions, car hire and short-term rental, which have been widely endorsed in corresponding industries, and has also unveiled a landmark new global “safety stamp” to indicate confidence-boosting compliance for the tourism industry among destinations, countries, businesses, and governments worldwide.
The standards are designed to provide global consistency and to avoid the emergence of multiple standards that would only confuse consumers and delay the sector’s recovery, says the WTTC.
The new adventure guidance addresses operational and staff preparedness; delivering a safe experience; rebuilding trust and confidence; and implementing enabling policies. Measures include:
• Reduce participant capacity limits for activities as appropriate to allow for physical distancing
• Ensured activity difficulty levels do not exceed guest ability and skill, thus decreasing the need for a possible rescue
• Provide clear, consistent, and up-to-date communication on new health & hygiene protocols via the organisation’s channels, both digitally and physically through clear signage
• Promote contact tracing apps if required by local legislation
• Inform guests about support available if questions or concerns arise
• Share guest guidelines ahead of trip or activity digitally and in person upon arrival on the basis of advice from health authorities, which may include the wearing of face masks or coverings, guidance on hand hygiene and avoiding physical contact. Consider having consumers acknowledge guidelines
• Encourage guests to purchase tickets online if possible
• Keep the same households, families, or members of group bookings together for all activities to lower risk of exposure for those outside of that unit, wherever possible
• Ensure, where possible, that each guest can handle their own equipment and gear for the duration of the trip. Where possible, guests should be encouraged bring their own equipment or gear, such as bikes, skis, and helmets among others
• Limited physical contact and queuing where possible
The measures are expected to help set clear expectations of what travellers can experience in the ‘new normal,’ and indicate safe environments as travel restrictions are eased.
“Adventure tourism is becoming increasingly popular amongst travellers and will represent a key component to travel (recovery),” says WTTC president and CEP Gloria Guevara.
“As tourism professionals, our priority now is to see adventure travel come back strong, resilient and sustainably,” adds Shannon Stowell, CEO of the Adventure Travel Trade Association. “WTTC and ATTA collaborating on global guidelines for adventure travel is a significant effort to support companies worldwide in re-opening as quickly and safely as possible.”
Backed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the WTTC protocols also take into account guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).