Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, stated: “The Canadian government’s decision to suspend all flights to Mexico and the Caribbean till April 30, and impose hotel quarantines for all arriving passengers, will trigger even additional harm to its Travel & tourism business, which is already in a struggle for survival because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Blanket flight cancellations and ineffective and costly quarantines will not be the answer and can only slow down the recovery of this necessary sector.
“These drastic measures will proceed to trigger untold harm to a sector that creates more than 1.6m jobs, and in 2019 contributed CAD $143.9BN to the nation’s economy. The sector might be key to Canada’s economic restoration as soon as the pandemic has been combatted.
“We firmly consider that fast, low-cost testing on departure for all travelers, together with the implementation of a contact-tracing regime is the one approach to save the sector. These simple and efficient measures, together with observing enhanced hygiene protocols such as masks wearing and social distancing, will keep away from exporting the virus and allow the free motion of travelers.
“Quarantines should only be in place for positive cases, which is why testing passengers is absolutely critical. We would also wish to see a clear and detailed exit technique, because the Travel & Tourism sector must restart now, earlier than many companies crumble and even more individuals lose their jobs.
“Our newest research reveals the devastating impact COVID-19 is having on Travel & Tourism across North America, with between 10.8 million and 13.8 million sector jobs at serious risk.
“We hope the Canadian government will collaborate with other leaders around the world to agree on a more internationally coordinated approach to restart travel and save the ailing sector.”
