Europe seizes the reins to restart World Tourism

UNWTO congratulated the European Commission for launching its Digital Green Pass, recognizing its potential to restart tourism in several destinations. Also known as the Digital Green Certificate, it will be proof that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result, or recovered from COVID-19.

UNTWO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili observed that across Europe, millions of people and businesses were depending on the right decisions to be made so that tourism could restart. Now more than ever, tourism needs strong political support and joined-up action. Harmonized travel and health rules are essential to restore confidence and renew tourism.

European Union is hard at work to ensure the summer tourist season of 2021 is not squandered, pushing to deliver 420 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines by mid-July, enough to allow the bloc to reach collective immunity.

European Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton strongly believes that they need to shift into the next gear in terms of the vaccination movement. This planned introduction of a common EU vaccine certificate in June would support the resumption of travel, he added.

Not all European nations are content with waiting on the EU to decide the fate of their tourism. Greece, for example, has already struck a deal to welcome tourists from Israel if they have a vaccine passport. Cyprus too will welcome British tourists from 1 May, as long as they have had two doses of any vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).