One hundred destinations are now using the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)’s Safe Travels stamp.
The Philippines became the 100th destination to be granted the global safety and hygiene stamp, designed to restore confidence in the travel and tourism sector.
Countries are granted the stamp of approval when they have adopted standardised health and hygiene protocols backed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The protocols follow guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as considering best practices from WTTC’s members.
Gloria Guevara, president and chief executive of WTTC, said: “We are delighted to see our innovative initiative is proving such a great success and is being used by destinations from all corners of the globe.
“The 100 destinations which now proudly use the stamp are working together to help rebuild consumer confidence worldwide. We welcome the Philippines, an incredible destination and home to some of the world’s most beautiful islands, as our 100th destination, as well as other popular destinations around the globe such as Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia and Kenya.
“As the stamp continues to gain in popularity, travellers will more easily be able to recognise the destinations worldwide which have adopted the new set of global protocols, encouraging the return of ‘Safe Travels’ around the world.
“The success of the Safe Travels stamp shows its importance not only to countries and destinations, but also to travellers and the 330 million people around the world who work in and depend on a thriving the travel and tourism sector.”
Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Philippine secretary of Department of Tourism, said: “The Philippine Department of Tourism is delighted to be awarded the WTTC Safe Travels stamp, particularly as we pursue the safe and gradual reopening of our tourist destinations.
“The Safe Travels stamp will further encourage our stakeholders to adhere to health and safety standards, and will also help us rebuild traveller confidence, so we can restart tourism and preserve and sustain jobs.”
Evidence from WTTC’s Crisis Readiness report, which looked at 90 different types of crises in the last 20 years, highlights the importance of public-private cooperation and the implementation of standardised protocols.
According to WTTC’s 2020 Economic Impact Report, during 2019, Travel & Tourism was responsible for one in 10 jobs (330 million total), making a 10.3% contribution to global GDP and generating one in four of all new jobs.