UNWTO Global Tourism Crisis Commitee meets again to explore safe travel in age of vaccines

 

The United for Travel campaign will help us achieve this, providing a clear and strong message that safe tourism is now possible

 

The Global Tourism Crisis Committee has met for the first time in 2021. Organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the cross-sector body met in Madrid during the 113th session of the UNWTO Executive Council to advance solid plans to restart tourism. The meeting focused on the integration of vaccines into a harmonized approach to safe travel and launching a coordinated effort to boost confidence in the sector.

With countries around the world now rolling out vaccines against the COVID-19 virus, the Committee noted that this opens a critical window in the fight against the pandemic and promotes the safe resumption of international travel. Members highlighted the importance of stepping up coordination, within the framework of the International Health Regulations, of vaccination certificates to ensure the implementation of common, harmonized digital-related travel principles, protocols, and documents. This would be in line with the work being carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO), which has reported at potential applications of digital technology to enable safe international travel and facilitate arrivals and departures.

 Harmonized plans and protocols the priority

The Committee’s own Technical Group, chaired by Greece, alongside a dedicated inter-agency group drawing on diverse parts of the United Nations system and international organizations, are working to ensure measures are implemented, including by governments, to foster their application at every level of tourism. The Technical Group Chairman Harry Theocharis provided his latest update, showing how concrete steps have been taken to guarantee a harmonized plan of action.

UNWTO Secretary-General Pololikashvili said: “The rollout of vaccines is a step in the right direction, but the restart of tourism cannot wait. Vaccines must be part of a wider, coordinated approach that includes certificates and passes for safe cross-border travel. In the longer-term, we also need to restore confidence in tourism. The United for Travel campaign will help us achieve this, providing a clear and strong message that safe tourism is now possible.” 

Testing for safe and seamless travel

Alongside the Technical Group’s work, the Committee called for support of the OECD’s own initiative aimed at developing a harmonized system of border controls. This would be developed in coordination with UNWTO as well as with WHO and, representing the civil aviation and the maritime sectors respectively, ICAO and the IMO.

The Crisis Committee members also called for firm actions to Support the standardization, digitalization, and interoperability of testing protocols and certification systems. Members agreed that these should be based on commonly agreed evidence and risk-assessment indicators for origin and destination country or territory. The implementation of the CART Take-Off Guidance, developed by ICAO, was identified as an effective tool for advancing the harmonization of testing protocols and accelerating the establishment of Public Health Corridors.

 The committee draws on top expertise and leadership

Since the start of the crisis, UNWTO has convened the Committee to bring together governments, public and private sector leaders, and international organizations to form a united and efficient response. Addressing this latest meeting were Margaritis Schinas, Vice President of the European Commission, OECD Secretary-General Ángel Gurría, and both tourism ministers from UNWTO’s Member States and leading representatives of civil aviation and cruise tourism sectors. Joining them and ensuring the United Nations speaks with one voice were Fang Liu, Secretary-General, and Kitack Lim, Secretary-General of IMO.

The Global Tourism Crisis Committee met against the backdrop of the 113th session of the UNWTO Executive Council, also being held in Madrid as a hybrid event. The Council brings together more than 150 in-person participants alongside participants representing governments and destinations of every global region, to advance UNWTO’s Programme of Work and to vote for the Organization’s Secretary-General for 2022-2025.

Crisis Committee: Recommendations and Next Steps

Meeting on the occasion of the 8th Global Tourism Crisis Committee, held in Madrid, on 18 January 2021 and within the context of the 113th session of the UNWTO Executive Council, the members of the Committee recalled:

• That the vaccination opens a critical window of opportunity to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and promote the safe reassuming of international travel alongside other risk mitigation tools such COVID-19 testing.
• That according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General report to the WHO Executive Council on ‘Strengthening preparedness for health emergencies: implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005); Interim progress report of the Review Committee on the Functioning of the International Health Regulations (2005) during the  COVID-19 Response’ the Committee “is looking into the possible applications of digital technology to enable safe international travel, including for documentation at points of entry (arriving and departing travelers), travel history, testing, and contact tracing, and possibly vaccination requirements.1
• The urgency of accelerating the coordination of international cross-border travel principles and protocols to ensure a safe and seamless restart of tourism in view of the resurge of cases and the continued lack of common principles and mechanisms for testing protocols related to travel. 
  

  The Committee called for:

• Stepping up the coordination, within the framework of the International Health Regulations2, of vaccination certificates to ensure timely monitoring, definition, and implementation of common, harmonized digital-related travel principles, protocols, and documents.
• Support the standardization, digitalization, and interoperability of testing protocols and certification systems, based on commonly agreed evidence and risk-assessment indicators for origin and destination country/territory.
• Support of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s initiative for the development and coordination of a harmonised system in all countries to open borders safely in coordination with World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
• The implementation of the ICAO CART Take-off Guidance, including the Manual on Testing and Cross-border Risk Management Measures3 and establishing Public Health Corridors (PHCs), in order to advance the harmonization of testing protocols requirements.
• Countries to ensure that measures affecting international traffic are risk-based, evidence-based, coherent, proportionate and time limited. (source: Tornos)
  

ECDC Covid-19 – Ionian, Aegean and Epirus the only low-risk regions in the EU

 Greece has a very good showing overall as it is in the yellow 

 The regions of the Ionian and Aegean islands, as well as Epirus, are the only areas in Europe in the ‘green zone’ in terms of Covid-19 exposure and performance, according to data released by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for the 14 days preceded by January 14th.

The map image of Greece regarding the spread of the coronavirus shows an improved state, compared to the other countries of the European Union.

 

At a time when most of the EU countries are in the “red zones” (a high-risk category that arises if the cases of the last 14 days are 50 or more per 100,000 inhabitants in combination with 4% positive tests or if the cases are more than 150 per 100,000 inhabitants), Greece is substantially in the “yellow”, in the recording of the number of cases per 100,000 inhabitants during the last 14 days, which in combination with the percentage of positive tests, reflects both the rate of spread of the disease and its penetration dynamics in the community.

 

As can be seen in the map below, the situation is much better (“green”) in Epirus, Ionian islands, and Aegean islands.

At the same time, while most of the countries of the Union are in the “red”, the situation in our country has improved in the index of positivity (cases/number of tests), which has fallen below 4%, according to the measurements announced today Fifth by the European agency and relate to last week.

(source:protothema)

Greece’s largest and most populous island, Crete .. from space

 

Greece’s largest and most populous island, Crete, is featured in this image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission.

The two identical Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellites carry radar instruments, which can see through clouds and rain, and in the dark, to image Earth’s surface below. The sea surface reflects the radar signal away from the satellite, making water appear dark in the image, while cities on the island are visible in white owing to the strong reflection of the radar signal.

Crete extends for approximately 260 km from west to east, and is approximately 60 km across at its widest point. Crete is known for its rugged terrain and is dominated by a high mountain range crossing from west to east. 

This includes the Lefká Ori, or ‘White Mountains’ in the west, Mount Ida, Crete’s highest mountain, visible in the centre of the island, and the Díkti Mountains in the east. Crete’s capital and largest city of the island, Heraklion, is located along the northern coastline.

Several other smaller islands are dotted around the image, including Gavdos, Chrisi and Dia.

Read more ESA

Always the sea ..

Beach Resort: Plakias suites

Crete 3rd best global destination in TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award 2020

 

The popular online travel/tourism platform released its 2020 Travelers’ Choice Awards and Crete featured in 3rd spot. Only London and Paris bested the Greek island in popularity.

 As the piece notes on Crete, it is the birthplace of both the king of the Olympian gods and of modern European civilization, dubbing it a Mediterranean jewel. 

It’s rich with archaeological and mythological history that’s reflected in its ancient ruins and cultural attractions. 

Soak up the charming atmosphere of Chania Town’s Old Venetian Harbor or the fortresses and monasteries of Rethymnon. 

The awesome Minoan ruins of Malia date to 1900 BC and majestic Mt. Ida is said to be home to the cave where Zeus was born.

Survey: Greece Among Top 3 Booking Choices for US Travelers

 

Greece is among the top three international destinations that American travelers are booking, according to a survey on tourism recovery in the post-coronavirus era released by the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA).

The new findings from a survey of USTOA’s Tour Operator Active Members on post-Covid-19 plans for recovery and resumption of business, found that Italy topped the list of destinations of choice, followed by Ireland, and in third spot Greece, Germany, and the UK.

“We saw Europe have a strong presence in last year’s survey and PwC’s survey the year prior, showing us that there is still strong interest and growth for European travel amongst US consumers,” said USTOA President and CEO, Terry Dale. 

It should be noted that half (50 percent) of USTOA members anticipate returning to Europe in the second quarter of 2021, 33 percent of which specifically named April 2021.  

Two thirds (69 percent) of respondents to the survey conducted in late October, say they are confident or highly confident that guest bookings will increase in 2021 while nine out of 10 expressed their company’s outlook for resumption of business in 2021 is optimistic or cautiously optimistic. 

Indicatively, 63 percent of tour operator members reported an increase in new bookings in the last 60 days, while 29 percent reported no change with bookings remaining the same. 

With regard to time of travel based on bookings made in the last 60 days, 92 percent of active agents said travel bookings were made for the third quarter of 2021, 79 percent for Q4 2021, 69 percent for Q2 2021, while 33 percent for first quarter of 2021. Additionally, 21 percent reported bookings for Q4 2020 and 60 percent for 2022.

In terms of average age of those who traveled or are booked to travel between July and December 2020, the survey reports 43 percent in the 56-74 age group, 26 percent – 40-55-year-olds, 15 percent in the 24-39 bracket, 8 percent 23 or younger and 8 percent – 75+.

 

According to the study, USTOA’s active members named small group tours as the most popular travel product for 2021, followed by private groups, FIT, river cruising, small ship cruising, and classic group tours (25+ passengers).

Safety and wellness appear to have the strongest influence on consumers choosing a travel destination in 2021, followed by border reopening/government travel restrictions and lastly, distance/ease of travel to and from destination, value, and outdoor components.  

Cancellation/refund policy was named the top most frequently asked question during bookings in the last 60 days, followed by queries about health protocols and health/Covid-19 insurance policies.  

Lastly, with regard to re-opening business, active members named customer confidence as the biggest obstacle to operating in 2021, followed by border closing and confusion across countries/states and uncertainty of Covid-19 vaccine.

Other concerns included coordination of protocols across states/borders/suppliers, availability of rapid Covid-19 testing, flight connectivity, insurance coverage, news media cycle, and insecurity about suppliers.

 Source GTP

Athens in top 10 friendliest European cities: Condé Nast Traveler

 

Athens is on the list of the top ten friendliest cities in Europe, published by Condé Nast Traveller (CNT) travel magazine.

“While Europe’s best cities are often judged on their ancient history, intricate architecture, unrivalled art scene or amazing restaurants, sometimes what makes a place so great are its people,” CNT wrote.

The Friendliest Cities in Europe

Galway, Ireland – 97.33
Dublin, Ireland – 95.81
Valletta, Malta – 95
Oporto, Portugal – 93.82
Lisbon, Portugal – 93.67
Bologna, Italy – 93.51
Edinburg, UK – 92.54
Reykjavik, Iceland – 92.4
Athens, Greece – 92.32
Helsinki, Finland – 91.76

Launched in the United States in 1987, Condé Nast Traveler is a market-leading monthly travel magazine. With its motto of “Truth in Travel”, the publication provides enlightening content on a wide range of topics, including destinations, hotels, food and beverage, airlines as well as fashion, cars, digital, and grooming.