Tobago has been awarded the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels stamp.
The Caribbean destination earned the badge after its tourist board, the Tobago Tourism Agency Limited (TTAL), developed a Tourism Industry Health & Safety Manual.
It is one of three Caribbean destinations to have been awarded the stamp so far, alongside Jamaica and Aruba. Other destinations to have received the stamp include Dubai, Spain and Indonesia.
The Safe Travels stamp was designed specifically to show when destinations meet WTTC guidelines for preventing the spread of Covd-19 and other outbreaks, and has been backed by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
Louis Lewis, chief executive of TTAL, said: “Receiving the stamp of approval of the WTTC for Tobago as a ‘Safe Destination’ is tremendously important for us as a destination promoting the island to potential visitors. Health and safety are the most important concerns for visitors at this time, and this stamp certainly endorses our efforts and will be a key factor in rebuilding confidence.”
TTAL will continue to advocate for industry stakeholders on the island to implement the protocols outlined in its manual – and will be able to use the stamp if they adhere to the guidelines.
Narendra Ramgulam, director of product development and destination management, said: “One of the first things that TTAL started doing was put research into the creation of a health and safety manual which would not only guide the industry’s practices as it copes with the new normal, but provide a level of assurance internationally that Tobago is safe and ready for travellers again. The manual would not have been possible without our stakeholders, whose feedback during our consultation sessions were quite useful, and utilised in synthesising a coherent manual that was submitted to the WTTC. “
The manual will be available soon via the TTAL website.