In a bid to foster the effective restart of international air travel, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have entered a partnership to develop a Destination Tracker.
The Destination Tracker is a free online tool available for governments, through which they can provide information on COVID-19 requirements for travel and the different measures in force in their various countries.
According to sources, the development phase of the Tracker framework is over, and new information on air travel regulations is now being progressively and systematically uploaded.
The Secretary General, UNWTO, Zurab Pololikashvili had this to say about the partnership: “UNWTO is pleased to reinforce its partnership with IATA, a UNWTO affiliate member, to provide this important tool. Travelers and companies will be able to check requirements in place for air travel, as well as what measures will be in place at the visited destination. We trust this tool is also critical for governments to track existing travel restrictions and support the safe restart of our sector.”
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh on his part, said the development of the Destination Tracker is paramount at this time, as it will “help travelers and travel companies obtain the latest information for travel planning.”
The Tracker can be found on the websites of both UNWTO and IATA, and provides information on COVID-19 indicators such as infection rates, positivity rates and vaccination roll out by destination/country.
UNWTO and IATA had signed a Memorandum of Understanding in October, 2020 to collaborate on creating solutions that will restore confidence in international air travel and by extension, the restart of tourism; to promote public-private partnerships in both sectors and to work towards achieving greater resilience and sustainability therein.
