- The Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) has produced a set of COVID-Safe Travel Protocols based on guidelines published by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
- The protocols are intended to lead the Australian land supply sector through the travel and tourism industry's journey to recovery.
As the industry moves from crisis management to recovery, the protocols developed and deployed by tour operators and the land supply sector will play a key role in ensuring the safety, health and security of travellers and the industry's workforce alike.
"By their nature as travel experience creators, tour operators and wholesalers weave all of the industry's moving parts together in their bespoke consumer offerings—airlines, hotels, ground transport, attractions, guides, government regulations and more," says Brett Jardine, Managing Director of CATO.
"And while all CATO Member businesses and their offerings are unique, we believe it's essential that a closely aligned, global approach to COVID-safety is the best way to navigate our way through the industry's recovery," adds Jardine.
Accordingly, CATO has provided members with a set of COVID-safe travel protocols based on those developed by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) in collaboration with leading tour operators around the world.
"The protocols see the land-supply sector lead the definition of industry best practice as we move from crisis management to recovery and put the health and security of travellers and the industry's workforce at their core" says Jardine.
Supported by medical evidence, the coherent protocols have been developed through a coordinated, collaborative, and transparent approach within the global travel and tourism sector, governments, and public health authorities.
The detailed protocols released by CATO focus on three key areas:
- Operational and Staff Preparedness
- Delivering a Safe Experience
- Rebuilding Trust & Confidence
The protocols describe recommendations around signage, staff training and sanitation, health and hygiene, social distancing, contactless payment, contact tracing and communication.
"CATO's COVID-Safe Travel Protocols document will be subject to change as borders begin to re-open and restrictions ease to ensure it remains relevant through every stage of recovery and beyond," says Jardine.
