Among the many issues on travelers minds these days are uniformity, and of course safety too. Will cleaning protocols and important measures to keep travelers safe be the same everywhere, or of a similar standard, or will it just a free for all from one destination, or hotel to the next?
The answer: there’s now a globally recognized standard from the World Travel & Tourism Council which can be awarded to countries, destinations, hotels and travel related businesses including restaurants.
The move creates a beacon of trust for prospective travelers to look out for, and is already being embraced by countries, cities and CEO’s alike. Confidence is everything right now as people consider travel, and this private sector move is a huge leap.
Once all hygiene and health protocols have been adhered to and confirmed, hotels, restaurants, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, restaurants, outdoor shopping, transportation and airports, will be awarded a stamp of approval from the World Travel & Tourism Council. The protocols are being designed off of the best practices advocated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers For Disease Control (CDC).
So how will it affect you? Much like letter grades on restaurant doors, these new stamps will be visible to travelers in physical locations, such as a coffee shop door, but also on booking websites which can confirm in advance of travel that the place, airline or transportation you’re considering has passed the necessary standards for approval.
Most importantly, the stamp does something governments cannot easily do, which is to agree on global standards and create uniformity across oceans, continents and borders.
The timing is crucial, as travelers look to return to international movement in the coming months, and Barcelona, Cancun, Saudi Arabia, Seville and Portugal have already signed on to the program. So too have the CEO’s of many of the world’s leading travel brands, with over 200 on board thus far.
Will it be perfect? It’s impossible to police every element of any travel experience even in the best of times, but the move creates a layer of safety and trust which may be necessary to win back travelers amid uncertainty and continued risks. The move almost creates a global map of places around the world which are committed to fully adhering to best practices set forth by health professionals.
Will your future bookings, business or meals be swayed by businesses which have earned this globally recognized seal of approval?
