Ethiopia is the latest destination to be awarded the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp – the world’s first-ever global safety and hygiene stamp – following major steps implemented by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism last year to ensure safety for residents, travellers, and workers and businesses in the tourism value chain.

Ethiopia is among 200 other major popular holiday hot spots around the world – such as Kenya, South Africa, Portugal and Argentina – who are using the stamp to reassure travellers and restore confidence to travel.

WTTC created the Safe Travels Stamp in May 2020, to allow travellers to identify destinations and businesses around the world which have adopted the global standardised health and hygiene protocols. The globally recognised stamp has also helped revive confidence in the global travel and tourism sector, which has been left devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

WTTC’s Safe Travels protocols provide consistency and guidance to travel providers and travellers about the new approach to health, hygiene, deep cleansing, and physical distancing. The protocols were designed following guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and taking best practices from WTTC’s members into account.

Eligible businesses in Ethiopia, such as hotels, restaurants, airlines, tour operators, restaurants, outdoor shopping, transportation, and airports, will be able to use the stamp once the health and hygiene protocols, outlined by WTTC, have been implemented.

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has also welcomed the WTTC Safe Travels Stamp.