Ethiopia is the latest destination to be awarded the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp – the world’s first-ever global safety and hygiene stamp – following major steps implemented by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism last year to ensure safety for residents, travellers, and workers and businesses in the tourism value chain, as Ethiopia reopened its borders to international visitors.
WTTC, which represents the global Travel and Tourism private sector, created the Safe Travels Stamp to allow travellers identify destinations and businesses around the world which have adopted the global standardised health and hygiene protocols. The globally recognised Stamp has also helped revive the global travel and tourism sector, which has been left devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has also welcomed the WTTC Safe Travels Stamp, which places the safety and hygiene of travellers as a top priority.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President and CEO, said: “Ethiopia is an incredibly important destination, and is becoming more popular each year. Last year, Travel and Tourism supported 1.96 million jobs in the country and contributed nearly 6.7% of the country’s total GDP, which shows just how important its Travel and Tourism sector will be the country’s economic recovery, once the COVID-19 pandemic has been combatted. We are pleased to see Ethiopia’s Ministry of Tourism implementing a number of enhanced health and safety measures, in line with our global protocols, to ensure safe travel, and we are delighted to recognise their efforts through the WTTC Safe Travels stamp.”
