Travel restrictions should be based on risk assessment
According to Aria Heritage, in recent days, an increasing number of countries around the world have begun to reduce their restrictions and laws on the entry of international tourists, and travel bans have been lifted in many places. These decisions are in line with the latest WHO recommendations for safe international mobility Ineffectiveness of general limitations in controlling virus transmission Emphasizes. Such a trend is also in line with the UNWTO’s repeated warnings of major social, economic and development damage due to constraints.
UNWTO And WHO: A common approach
In Geneva, UNWTO and WHO leaders agreed on the importance of reducing or lifting travel bans. General restrictions should be lifted and replaced by risk-based, evidence-based and context-specific policies.
“From the very beginning of the crisis, world tourism, under the guidance of the UNWTO, has followed WHO recommendations,” said Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary general of the World Tourism Organization.
He also stressed the need to “continue this process, reopen it safely and responsibly, and enable tourism to offer its unique potential as a driver of improvement and growth.”
Risk-based and evidence-based approach
According to the World Health Organization (IHR) Emergency Committee for COVID-19, all measures taken for international tourists must be based on a “risk assessment – including testing, isolation and vaccination”. In addition, the financial burden of such measures should not be borne by travelers and tourists.
As countries reduce travel restrictions, health must remain a top priority. “Countries based on their evidence-based decisions and a risk-based approach that is tailored to each country ‘s specific circumstances can strike the right balance between maintaining people’s health and safety, protecting their livelihoods and economies, and opening up,” “Keep borders and boost tourism.”
Creating a global trust structure
The two agencies also stressed the need to develop clear and coherent laws regarding health and travel. “There is a need to build a global trust structure for communities and economies in an epidemic, and this is a real opportunity for tourism to play a vital role in the UNWTO,” said Dr Michael Ryan, WHO Executive Director for Health Emergencies. Did. “
Properly managed, tourism has the potential to serve as a force for development and opportunity, as emphasized in the UN Wider Development Plan. Destinations around the world have reportedly increased the number of tourist arrivals due to the reduction or elimination of restrictions. This trend offers the potential to start economic recovery and bring social development progress back on track.
One of the countries that has adjusted its travel restrictions is Switzerland, which is one of the main destinations in Europe and hosted the UNWTO delegation at the beginning of a week of important meetings in the field of health and tourism.
* Translation: Assadollah Haqqani