“As vaccinations for the COVID-19 virus begin to be administered… and while recent breakthroughs serve to boost confidence, the tourism sector cannot wait for vaccinations to become a widespread reality,” the UNWTO Global Tourism Crisis Committee concluded in its last time session in 2020.

The meeting was focused on ensuring efforts to restart tourism are coordinated and harmonized in terms of cross-border travel both pre and post-vaccine.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili called for more explicit affirmation from governments and international organizations that safe travel is possible and so tourism can restart responsibly.

Earlier in September, Iran’s tourism minister Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan announced responsible tourism is a workable solution for holidaymakers to get assured of safe traveling during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Therefore, one of the solutions that can help us in the time of coronavirus is adopting smart travels or responsible travels,” the minister explained.

The virtual meeting of the Committee was hosted by Portugal ahead of its presidency of the council of the European Union, beginning in January.