International business travel could restart if agreement was secured to safeguard journeys of up to 72-hours free from quarantines, said the World Travel & Tourism Council.
The joint recommendation for the short stay exemption came from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and was welcomed by WTTC.
The proposal was also under active study by the UK government, according to the Report of the Global Travel Taskforce, of which WTTC was a key contributor, which was prepared for the Department for Transport.
However, the recommendations fall short as they did not address the replacement of quarantines for a testing regime at departure, with quarantines causing untold damage to the already struggling global Travel & Tourism sector.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC president & CEO, said: “The revival of international business travel is crucial to kickstarting the global economic recovery, as last year, inbound international business travel across Europe accounted for $111.3bn, whilst globally it accounted for more than $272bn.
“The EASA/ECDC proposed guidelines to exempt passengers from quarantines for travel of 72 hours or less would be a significant step in the direction towards the wholesale revival of business travel.
“Airlines, hotels and a vast infrastructure of businesses within the global Travel & Tourism sector, all heavily rely upon business travel. The loss of international business travel leaves airlines especially exposed, particularly on highly competitive short-haul and transatlantic routes, which depend upon them for the bulk of their profits.
“While we welcome all initiatives which could lead to the revival of international travel, we hope to persuade EASA and ECDC to focus on testing at departure, rather than at the point of entry, so as to reduce the possibility of transmission on board aircraft and reduce unnecessary barriers to travel.
“These measures will help ensure the long-term resuscitation of the global Travel & Tourism sector, which, according to WTTC’s 2020 Economic Impact Report, during 2019, was responsible for one in 10 jobs (330 million total), and made a 10.3% contribution to global GDP and generated one in four of all new jobs.”