The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has called upon all travellers to don protective face masks to show they ‘wear to care’ in the new normal of travelling.
As countries transition from lockdowns to reopening their borders, the wearing of face masks helps signal the return of safer travels, while also providing personal protection for users as well as those around them.
The advice from WTTC in favour of mandatory mask wearing comes from evidence that countries which are recovering faster and avoid second Covid-19 spikes are those where the use of face masks have been widely enforced and encouraged.
WTTC has asked governments around the globe to enforce the wearing of face masks, as well as enlisting the support of the private sector to remind customers of their obligations to protect their health and that of fellow travellers.
Travellers around the world are being encouraged to join in the WTTC social media campaign which is launching with the hashtag #wear2care.
Frequent handwashing and using hand sanitiser complement the use of face masks which can significantly reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC chief executive, said: “The safety and hygiene of travellers and those who work in tourism is of paramount importance, which is why we now strongly recommend masks being mandatory.
“‘Wear to care’ promotes the protection of face mask users and visibly shows they care about the welfare and safety of their fellow travellers, which will help save lives and encourage the return of Safe Travels.
“The wearing of masks should not be politicised. Wearing a mask needs to become part of everyday life to ensure everyone enjoys travelling in safety until a vaccine for Covid-19 is found.
“We implore the private sector and global governments to encourage their use so wearing a mask becomes the new normal.”
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