WTTC hosts first virtual AGM with 120 members and WTTC ambassadors

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global travel and tourism private sector, hosted its first ever virtual AGM, attended by more than 120 CEOs from across the globe, to discuss the progress made so far, the challenges our sector has faced through this pandemic, and the importance of international collaboration.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has devasted the global Travel & Tourism sector, WTTC has been at the forefront of leading the private sector in the efforts to rebuild global consumer confidence, and the drive to rebuild international travel.

In its first ever virtual AGM, the meeting was chaired by Chris Nassetta, president & CEO of Hilton and WTTC chair, and saw contributions from members around the world and WTTC’s vice chairs including: Gary Chapman, president group services & dnata, Emirates Group; Jeffrey C Rutledge, chief executive officer, AIG Travel; Jerry Noonan, co-founder, Global Hospitality & Leisure Practice, Spencer Stuart and Darrell Wade, co-founder and chairman, Intrepid Group.

The regional vice chairs who were also in attendance included: Jane Sun chief executive officer of Trip.com; Desirée Bollier chair and chief merchant, Value Retail; Manfredi Lefebvre, chairman, Silversea Cruises; Arnold Donald, president & CEO, Carnival Corp; Alex Zozaya, executive chairman, Apple Leisure Group; and Hiromi Tagawa, Executive Advisor, JTB Corp.

The meeting was also attended by WTTC ambassadors, Taleb Rifai, WTTC global ambassador; chairman of International Advisory Board of International Institute for Peace through Tourism and former UNWTO Secretary-General; Michel Taride, WTTC ambassador EU, strategic advisor, former group president Hertz International and chair of the GTTP Advisory Board; Michael Frenzel, WTTC ambassador EU and president of Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry; and Peter Greenberg, WTTC ambassador US and CBS News travel editor.

Major 2020 initiatives presented to attendees included WTTC’s ground-breaking 100 million Jobs Recovery Plan, which was presented to and welcomed by the G20 during an historic meeting between G20 Tourism Ministers, and more than 45 CEOs and Members of WTTC in October, under Saudi Arabia’s leadership.

Furthermore, in its ‘G20 Declaration’ announced last week, the Heads of State said they would continue their efforts in collaborating with stakeholders, including the private sector, to facilitate the Travel & Tourism sector’s recovery from the pandemic.

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WTTC launches Safe Travels protocols for aviation, airports, MICE and tour operators

Key Take Away

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has unveiled the second phase of measures to rebuild global consumer confidence to encourage the return of traveling. The latest protocols are designed to drive the return of safe travel and enable industries, namely tour operators and convention centers, meetings, and events to thrive once again.

The welfare of travelers and the millions of people employed throughout the Travel & Tourism sector at the heart of this new comprehensive package of Safe Travels protocols.

WTTC divided the new guidance into four pillars including operational and staff preparedness; ensuring a safe experience; rebuilding trust and confidence; innovation; and implementing enabling policies.

Additional and separate measures for the Cruise sector and Insurance businesses, amongst others, are currently in development and will be announced in due course.

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WTTC Outlines What “The New Normal” Will Look Like As We Start To Travel

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has outlined what the "new normal" will look like as countries begin to end their COVID-19 lockdowns and ease travel restrictions.

"Travelling in the New Normal" is part of WTTC's plan which includes critical steps and coordinated actions, including new standards and protocols, which offer a safe and responsible road to recovery for the global Travel & Tourism sector as consumers start planning trips again.

Public-private collaboration between business and governments is vital to develop new health protocols which will form the travel experience and also provide people with strong reassurances when travelling.

WTTC believes younger travellers in the 18-35 age group, who appear to be less vulnerable to COVID-19, may also be among the first to begin travelling once again.

"We should avoid new, unnecessary procedures that create bottle necks and slow down the recovery. However, a quick and effective restart of travel will only happen if governments around the world agree to a common set of health protocols developed by the private sector, such as those we've outlined.

"These must provide the reassurance travellers and authorities need, using new technology, to offer hassle-free, pre-vaccine 'new normal' travel in the short term."

This includes the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Airport Council International (ACI), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), United States Travel Association (USTA), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Travel Commission (ETC) and the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

IATA, ACI and ICAO are pooling their crucial expertise and are working closely to define the best protocols to keep travellers and employees safe to enable the aviation sector to recover. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and other health experts have also contributed by providing their experience from various global medical crises.

There will be new protocols for check-in involving digital technology; hand sanitiser stations at frequent points including where luggage is stored; contactless payment instead of cash; using stairs more often than lifts where the 2 meter rule can be harder to maintain; and fitness equipment being moved for greater separation among other examples.

There are positive signs of the first green shoots of recovery. Research by travel data and analytics expert Cirium shows that over 30% of domestic capacity has returned to the Chinese aviation market in the last two months

WTTC says the Travel & Tourism sector is now facing over 100 million job losses worldwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, at a cost of up to US$2.7 trillion of GDP.

In 2019, Travel & Tourism contributed 10.3% of Global GDP, was responsible for generating one in four of the world's new jobs and, for nine successive years, had outpaced the growth of the global economy.