ENAT - European Network for Accessible Tourism

COVID-19

A collection of Tourism sector News articles, Resources and Comment related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic gathered from the ENAT website and other sources.
ENAT is not responsible for the functioning or contents of external websites referenced on this page.  

Newest items are listed first.

News items

  28/10/2021. EU Digital COVID Certificate: Commission Adopts Equivalence Decisions For Armenia And The United Kingdom

28/8/2021 Tapping Into the Accessible Tourism Market after COVID. Editorial by The Himalayan. 

Anxiety is Accessible Air Travel nr. 1 Enemy Roberto Castiglioni, Reduced Mobility Rights,  writes: People who have flown during the Pandemic discovered a new and unwanted travel companion: anxiety...

30/6/2021 Global Economy Could Lose Over $4 Trillion Due To COVID-19 Impact On Tourism.The crash in international tourism due to the coronavirus pandemic could cause a loss of more than $4 trillion to the global GDP for the years 2020 and 2021, according to an UNCTAD report published on 30 June. The estimated loss has been caused by the pandemic’s direct impact on tourism and its ripple effect on other sectors closely linked to it. The report, jointly presented with the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), says international tourism and its closely linked sectors suffered an estimated loss of $2.4 trillion in 2020 due to direct and indirect impacts of a steep drop in international tourist arrivals.

  26/5/2021 Europe's Travel and Tourism Sector Welcomes “EU Digital COVID Certificate”  The European Tourism Manifesto alliance of more than 60 travel and tourism organisations warmly welcomes the adoption of the “EU Digital COVID Certificate” Regulation and urges its speedy imlementation by Member States.

19/05/2021 New European Tourism Covid-19 Safety Seal Available CEN develops a label for COVID-19 health and safety in tourism establishments and services in time for the summer season.

19/04/2021 WTTC Releases Major New Paper for Inclusive and Accessible Guidelines to Aid Global Travel and Tourism Recovery Providing accessible travel is both a social imperative and a business opportunity.

 29/03/2021 EU Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Text Adopted by European Parliament 25 March 2021 The Parliament voted on the INI report on Sustainable Tourism. The resolution on an EU strategy for sustainable tourism was adopted by 577 votes to 31, and 80 abstentions. It notes that the COVID-19 outbreak has paralysed the EU’s tourism sector, putting millions of jobs at risk.

17/03/2021 Europe’s travel & tourism sector welcomes Digital Green Certificate proposal and urges parallel effort on wider restart plan to maximise benefit Over 60 travel and tourism organisations express their support for the European Commission’s initiative and call to ensure swift implementation in time for summer 2021.

8/3/2021 Tightened Travel Restrictions Underline Current Challenges for Tourism - UNWTO One in three destinations worldwide are now completely closed to international tourism due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, according to the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

1/3/2021 #Tourism4Recovery: Travel and Tourism Stakeholders Urge Investment in Sustainable Tourism as Part of EU Recovery Over 60 European organisations call for tourism to be firmly anchored in EU national Recovery and Resilience plans. European Tourism Manifesto alliance presents list of reforms and investment ideas to support tourism and make EU economies more resilient. New #Tourism4Recovery campaign launched to support the call and showcase impact of investments in sustainable tourism.

25/02/2021 Europe’s Travel and Tourism Sector Calls on EU Governments to Chart Restart Plan in Time for Summer Over 60 travel and tourism organisations unveil concrete recommendations for re-opening travel & tourism in Europe, including creation of Commission-led Task Force to restore freedom of movement.

10/02/2021 Call for Action: Accelerate Social and Economic Recovery by Investing in Sustainable Tourism Development The new Recovery and Resilience Facility, proposed by the European Commission to help the EU rebuild after the pandemic, offers an unprecedented opportunity to support tourism-related reforms to ensure that the sector helps to drive digital and green transitions, and thereby strengthens both economic and social resilience.

  20/12/2020 World Tourism and Travel Council "Safe Travels" protocols for the private sector. The protocols align the private sector behind common standards to ensure the safety of its workforce and travellers as the sector shifts to a new normal.  

  3/12/2020 UNWTO: Accessible Tourism Identified as ‘Game Changer’ for Destinations  Press Release. Ensuring accessibility for tourists with specific access requirements can be a ‘game changer’ for destinations around the world as they look to bounce back from the impacts of the pandemic. A new set of Inclusive Recovery Guides from the World Tourism Organization, produced in partnership with the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the ONCE Foundation of Spain and Travability from Australia, makes clear the importance of placing inclusivity at the centre of recovery plans and provides key recommendations for achieving this.

 27/10/2020  IATA Guidance on COVID-19 measures for the global airline industry. 

16/10/2020 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control COVID-19 Situation Dashboard. Global and regional mapping of reported COVID-19 cases and deaths.
 

  1/10/2020 European Travel Commission (ETC) Handbook on COVID-19 NTO Recovery Strategies, by TOPOSOPHY. The study looks at the mitigation and recovery policies of European NTOs and the sustainable practices that they need to implement in establishing a new tourism ecosystem in Europe, as we emerge from the impact of Covid-19.

  24/09/2020 UNWTO launches COVID-19 Recovery Tracker.The UNWTO tracker monitors a number of relevant global indicators to reveal the recovery of the tourism sector.

  11/09/2020. European travel and tourism sector urges EU governments to agree on harmonised travel restrictions as it struggles to survive the current crisis The European Tourism Manifesto alliance, the voice of the European travel and tourism sector, calls on Member States to urgently agree on harmonised travel restrictions and ensure swift implementation to help the sector survive this unprecedented crisis.

  04/09/2020. Coronavirus: Commission proposes more clarity and predictability of any measures restricting free movement in the European Union. New measures: 1. Common criteria and thresholds for Member States when deciding whether to introduce travel restrictions; 2. Mapping of common criteria using an agreed colour code; 3. A common framework for measures applied to travellers from high-risk areas; 4. Clear and timely information to the public about any restrictions.

  26/8/2020. Travel Demand Recovery Dashboard. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched a new in-depth data dashboard highlighting the recovery of travel demand across flights, hotels, world regions and tourism segments. The Covid-19 travel demand recovery dashboard also reveals the shifting intentions of travellers through online travel searches.

03/08/2020 UNWTO, ONCE Foundation and ENAT Call for The Reopening of Tourism Destinations to Cater for the Needs of People With Disabilities. Download the new Guidelines for tourism businesses.
UNWTO-Fundacion ONCE - ENAT Guideline - Reopening Tourism for Travellers with Disabilities: How to provide safety without imposing unnecessary obstacles.  (PDF 2.30 MB)

30/07/2020 COVID-19 Operational Guidance for Accommodation. TravelLife Accommodation Sustainability. (PDF Download) 

29/07/2020 Practical information for tourists in the COVID-19 crisis, from Spain's official tourism website.
 

 6/06/2020 COVID-19 and sustainable tourism: Information resources and links. An evolving database of over 500 resources with insights and ideas, by Dr. Anna Spenceley on WordPress.

30/06/2020 European Council agrees to start lifting travel restrictions for residents of some third countries. The Council today adopted a recommendation on the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU. Travel restrictions should be lifted for countries listed in the recommendation, with this list being reviewed and, as the case may be, updated every two weeks. Based on the criteria and conditions set out in the recommendation, as from 1 July member states should start lifting the travel restrictions at the external borders for residents of the following third countries... (list follows - refer to link above).

19/06/2020 EU Parliament requests further action to save EU tourism. MEPs call for additional measures to save the EU’s tourism and travel sector and make it future-proof after COVID-19 crisis. The Parliament wants EU support to serve as a tool to guide infrastructure and transport development and tourism towards more sustainable, innovative, resilient and high-quality products and services. The Parliament supports the concept of ‘safe and smart destinations’ to ensure the development of sustainable, responsible and accessible tourism.

17/06/2020 Sri Lanka Tourism ready to welcome tourists from 1st Aug 2020 (Originally published, 05/06/2020).

15/06/2020 'Re-open EU’, an interactive tool providing the information to confidently plan European travel and holidays, while staying healthy and safe. Lists National information on COVID-19 measures, Travel restrictions, Services and Health and Safety for all EU Member States.   

  12/06/2020. Greece opens to travellers - Useful information (Greek Travel Pages)


12/06/2020 Coronavirus: Commission recommends partial and gradual lifting of travel restrictions to the EU after 30 June, based on common coordinated approach

09/06/2020 Fáilte Ireland publishes operational guidelines with industry groups for safe re-opening


03/06/2020  Health protocols for tourism businesses in Greece


03/06/2020  EU Commission dedicated website on Coronavirus   On jobs and economy during the coronavirus pandemic.

22/05/20  International Labour Organisation issues guidance for safe, healthy, return to work during COVID-19

22/05/2020  Greek Travel Pages. Greek Hotels: Health Protocols for Greek Post-COVID-19 Restart Officially Announced.

20/05/2020 European Commission Guidelines Are Paving The Way To Recovery For The European Tourism Sector From The COVID-19 Crisis. The European Tourism Manifesto alliance, the voice of the European travel and tourism sector, has issued the following statement on the European Commission’s guidance on how to safely resume travel and reboot Europe's tourism in 2020 and beyond.

18/05/2020 Press release - COVID-19: MEPs to discuss way forward with Commissioners Breton and Gentiloni [European Parliament]. The Internal Market Committee will debate the EU’s exit strategy and the impact of COVID-19 on customs-related initiatives with Commissioners Breton and Gentiloni, respectively. Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

15/05/2020 Tourism and Transport: Commission's Guidance On How To Safely Resume Travel And Reboot Europe's Tourism In 2020 And Beyond  European Commission Press Release, Brussels, 13 May 2020. Today, the Commission presents a package of guidelines and recommendations to help Member States gradually lift travel restrictions and allow tourism businesses to reopen, after months of lockdown, while respecting necessary health precautions. Includes European Commission documents for downloading. 

15/05/2020 Covid-19 And Opoportunities for VR Based Economy Virtual reality-based technologies, using 360-degree videos of tourism destinations viewed on a VR headset can substitute for real trips and help tourists dream or plan for the next vacation. A new survey indicates an opportunity for creating a parallel economy for tourist guides as 360-video content providers.

21/04/2020 An Inclusive Tourism Response to COVID-19 for Vulnerable Groups - UNWTO Just as the tourism sector is affected more than others by the current COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerable groups within the sector are among the hardest hit. As laid down in the UNWTO Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics, the sector has a duty to promote the rights of the most vulnerable groups such as women, indigenous people and people with disabilities.

21/04/2020  "Clean and Safe" stamp by Portugal Tourist Board.Press Release.  At a time when the recovery of the sector is being prepared, tourism enterprises, tourist entertainment companies and travel agencies have the option to request certification as a “Clean & Safe” establishment. Turismo de Portugal has created a stamp of approval to distinguish tourist activities which are compliant with hygiene and cleaning requirements for the prevention and control of COVID-19 and other possible infections, thus reinforcing the tourist’s confidence in the safety of the destination.  

17/03/2020  Tourism Sector Demands Urgent Supportive Measures to Reduce Devastating Impact of COVID-19 The European Tourism Manifesto alliance, the voice of the European travel and tourism sector, has issued the following statement on the implementation of urgent measures to limit the COVID-19 outbreak’s impact on the sector.  

14/03/2020  European Commission Coordinated Economic Response To The COVID-19 Outbreak COVID-19, commonly known as the Coronavirus, is a severe public health emergency for citizens, societies and economies. Having spread from China, the pandemic has now provoked infections in all Member States. The European Commission presents the Communication on COVID-19 Virus Response, with a list of measures to contain virus and mitigate effects on businesses, employment and tourism.

Last updated: 30 June 2021