ECTAA, the
European Travel Agents and Tour Operators Association
, says the industry stands ready to set and implement a plan for return to travel this summer, writes Shauna McCrudden
While the situation is not much different from a year ago, where nearly all travel and tourism has been suspended, ECTAA, which represents some 70,000 travel agents and tour operators in Europe, believes this can be turned around.
Vaccinations programmes are being rolled out, ensuring that the most vulnerable people are protected, alleviating the strain on health systems. Tests are becoming increasingly performant and in such sufficient capacity to be deployed in travel on a large scale. Rigorous health-and-safety protocols have also been implemented by tourism enterprises to welcome their guests in a safe way. All of these procedures have paved the way for a safe return to travel.