WTTC launches face mask campaign

The World Travel & Tourism Council is calling on all travellers to wear protective face masks when travelling.

It has launched a social media campaign with the hashtag #wear2care to encourage travellers to show they ‘wear to care’ in the new way of travelling as countries transition from lockdowns to reopening their borders.

It says evidence shows countries which are recovering faster and are avoiding second Covid-19 spikes are those where the use of face masks have been widely enforced and encouraged.

Wearing a mask needs to become part of everyday life, says WTTC 

WTTC advises the wearing of masks on all forms of transport throughout the entire traveller journey, as well as when visiting any inside venues or those with restricted movement which results in close personal contact of two metres or less.

WTTC has asked governments around the globe to enforce the wearing of face masks, as well as enlisting the support of the private sector to remind customers of their obligations to protect their health and that of fellow travellers.

The new recommendations follow in the wake of WTTC recently issuing its new guidelines for Safe & Seamless Travel including testing and tracing to ensure people can enjoy Safe Travels in the ‘new normal’.

Frequent handwashing and using hand sanitiser complement the use of face masks which can significantly reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission.

WTTC president and CEO Gloria Guevara said: "The safety and hygiene of travellers and those who work in travel and tourism is of paramount importance, which is why we now strongly recommend masks being mandatory.

"’Wear to care’ promotes the protection of face mask users and visibly shows they care about the welfare and safety of their fellow travellers, which will help save lives and encourage the return of Safe Travels.

"The wearing of masks should not be politicised. Wearing a mask needs to become part of everyday life to ensure everyone enjoys travelling in safety until a vaccine for Covid-19 is found. We implore the private sector and global governments to encourage their use so wearing a mask becomes the new normal."

Ramon Sanchez, principal investigator and research associate at Harvard University, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said: "Wearing face masks has been proven to provide the highest level of protection against transmission at 82%. Constant hand hygiene and surface cleaning, which kills more than 90% of viruses that are found on surfaces, also prevents the virus from reaching the face from the hands.

"The public should keep a two metre distance whenever they can, however if that simply isn’t possible, people should increase the ventilation around them. Inside buildings this can be done by opening doors and windows which decreases the viral concentration by more than 70%.

"Mechanical ventilation, such as air conditioning decreases it by 80%, while going outdoors proves more effective by decreasing the viral concentration between 90% and 95%."

Travellers around the world can get involved with the WTTC campaign by sharing pictures of the themselves proudly travelling with their masks and sharing the hashtag #wear2care.