The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has published a new report detailing some of the key digital solutions necessary to restore mobility around the world.
The report, titled "Digital Solutions for Reviving International Travel," calls on governments around the world to adopt a more internationally coordinated response to COVID-19 when it comes to travel and tourism and asks them to begin implementing digital solutions that will facilitate the resumption of safe and stress-free international travel.
With help from the World Health Organization (WHO), WTTC has identified four of the most widely used digital COVID-19 vaccination certificates, including the EU Digital COVID Certificate, ICAO Visible Digital Seal, DIVOC and SMART Health Cards. The group is urging governments to accept each as proof of COVID-19 status as it works toward a single global solution.
The report calls for governments to create their own "Digital Travel Portal," allowing travelers to electronically share their digital COVID-19 vaccination or test certificates with their destination before they arrive.
According to WTTC, after booking, travelers would visit the online portal managed by their destination and upload their digital COVID certificate verifying their status immediately to avoid any confusing processes and long wait times.
"WTTC has been calling on governments to implement a globally coordinated response since the beginning of the pandemic. Today's report offers the key to harmonizing and safely reopening international travel," WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson said in a statement. "It is governments' responsibility to ensure there is a safe, secure, simple and digital system in place to restore international mobility. WTTC is recommending a single global portal that recognizes the main digital passes currently in use worldwide and acts as a one-stop-shop for travelers and governments."
"We can use the pandemic to leapfrog technologies and allow contactless travel with embedded data on vaccination and testing status," Simpson concluded.
The report also takes into account guidance from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Organization for Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD) and commitments made by Governments at the G7 and G20 for solutions to revive safe international travel.
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