The chief executives of over 100 companies in the travel and tourism industry are coming together to send letters to many governmental leaders, asking them to find ways to open borders once more during the COVID-19 pandemic. The letters are being distributed to the G7 countries, along with Australia, South Korea, and Spain.

Over 100 executives in the travel space are joining with the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC) to ask governments to take steps to reopen borders and open skies for flyers once more during the COVID-19 pandemic. The open letters were sent to the governments of the Group of Seven (G7), along with the governments of Australia, South Korea and Spain.

Letters Ask for Governments to Adopt Four Measures to Limit COVID-19 Spread

The group of executives signing the letter include the executives of airlines British Airways, Emirates, Etihad and WestJet, along with hotel leaders from Hilton, Hyatt, InterContinental Hotel Group, Marriott and Radisson. In the letters, the leaders acknowledge the major role travel plays in international commerce, leading to their request to reopen borders.

“As you will be aware, Travel & Tourism has been a critical catalyst for economic growth, and is responsible for 330 million jobs, or one in ten jobs globally, and 10.3% of global GDP (USD 8.9 trillion),” the letter to American leaders reads. “The restart and recovery of Travel & Tourism, and its associated economic and social benefits, is highly dependent on rebuilding traveler confidence and consistent alignment amongst countries.”

The leaders are asking for all of the countries to adopt four measures, which they believe would help travelers stay safe and allow for safely reopening borders. First, the group asks that all travel providers mandate use of face masks throughout the entire travel process. Most airlines have already adopted mandatory face mask usage, with some going so far to ban certain types of face coverings.

Second, the group is asking governments to “invest and agree on extensive, rapid, and reliable testing” before departure, or upon arrival. According to the WTTC, mandating treatment upon arrival could reduce the risk of spreading the novel Coronavirus by 92 percent. This would lead to a quarantine of positive tests only, which would reduce the need for a blanket quarantine of all travelers.

“Quarantine for healthy travelers, which only serves to damage the economy, should not be necessary if testing is in place before departure and/or on arrival, and effective containment measures are taken five days later,” the WTTC says in their call to open borders. “This can replace blanket quarantine in a more targeted and effective way significantly reducing the negative impact on jobs and the economy.”

Finally, the WTTC-lead group is asking countries to adopt a global standard set of health protocols. By using a uniform set of rules, the WTTC says they can rebuilt traveler confidence and encourage more international travel, while significantly reducing the risk of contracting COVID-19.

“The United States has a proud history of showing leadership when the world needed it the most,” the letter to American leaders reads. “We are now requesting your urgent personal engagement and leadership to ensure international collaboration and alignment that is desperately needed for the recovery of the Travel & Tourism sector.”

WTTC Request Mirrors That of Other Organizations

The group of executives asking for support for the travel sector is the latest request for supporting travel, mirroring a number of similar requests by international trade groups. Earlier in August 2020, Airports Council International asked the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to focus on a risk-based program, instead of blanket quarantines for all arriving passengers.

And in July 2020, the International Air Transportation Association asked governments to consider “policy alternatives” instead of continued quarantine processes. Their plan called for public health screenings at airports, followed by testing for select passengers traveling from “higher risk” countries.