Portugal
Portugal was awarded the “Safe Travels” seal by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which aims to certify destinations that comply with hygiene and safety rules and aims to give confidence to those who travel after restrictions to avoid the spread of covid-19. “This seal aims to recognize destinations that comply with health and hygiene protocols aligned with the Safe Travel Protocols issued by the WTTC, helping, above all, to instil confidence in consumers, so that they feel they can travel safely as soon as restrictions raised, “explains the Ministry of State, Economy and Digital Transition, in a statement. The Secretary of State for Tourism, Rita Marques, considers that the award of the seal comes to reward the effort made in the country. “Portugal was a pioneer in the launch of the Clean & Safe seal. This WTTC seal comes to reward the effort that was made by all. The best destination in the world is also understood as the safest in the world”, said the minister. The WTTC also published guidelines for other sectors, such as restaurants, street shopping, aviation, airports, congress centers, meetings and events. The seal can be obtained through the World Travel & Tourism Council website.
in Expresso
Madeira Island
According to the Regional Government, Madeira is the first tourism region to have a destination certification process underway by an internationally recognized multinational.
“Madeira was the first region in Portugal to have a manual of good referencing practices for the sector, participated by the sector, and it is the first tourism region that we know, until now, with an ongoing certification process”, said Eduardo Jesus, Secretary for Tourism, in an interview with the Portuguese news agency, Lusa.
The Secretary for Tourism pointed out that the epidemiological situation of this autonomous region in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 90 cases, 60% of which were recovered, and the absence of deaths caused by the new coronavirus, make Madeira “a very unique and quite differentiated ”, placing this destination“ on a completely different level from the markets with which it regularly works”.
“We want to have the first certifications in July”, he pointed out, explaining that this process “is distinct” from the seal (Covid Safe Tourism) which has “a more immediate logic”, a “short reach”, just filling out a survey, while “Certification requires the implementation of practices”, depending on the verification of the proper implementation “.
Eduardo Jesus emphasized that certification “is a different commitment and one does not invalidate the other”.
“Here the key is that what you do, you do it well. And to do well is not being able to create a false expectation for the traveller ”, based on three prevention criteria, which“ must always be verified in any circumstance: social distance, use of personal protective equipment and health security ”.
“If we apply these three directories at any point during the trip, we have the process safeguarded. That is, before getting on the plane, on the plane, when leaving the plane, when making the first ground transportation, when going to the accommodation, when circulating inside and outside the accommodation, at all these moments there are three major lines to check orientation ”, he stressed.
The Madeiran government official also maintained that everything that is done must “attend to these three universes: whoever visits, who works and who resides”.
Miguel Pinto-Correia holds a Master Degree in International Economics and European Studies from ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics & Management and a Bachelor Degree in Economics from Nova School of Business and Economics. He is a permanent member of the Order of the Economists (Ordem dos Economistas)… Read more
