WTTC warns country-wide border closures could seriously stall global economic recovery – Saudi Gazette

WTTC warns country-wide border closures could seriously stall global economic recovery – Saudi Gazette

LONDON “” The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has warned governments around the world that further country-wide border closures could seriously jeopardize global economic recovery.

WTTC is urging authorities to take a more carefully calibrated approach and introduce localized measures, and only when necessary. This would avoid blanket restrictions, prevent stalling the fragile economic recovery and not cripple the already bruised and battered Travel & Tourism sector.

WTTC would support the opening of city-to-city 'air corridors' between global financial centers, such as London and Frankfurt and New York. This would help restart business travel, which is crucial to kick-starting economic recovery.

Unfortunately, a number of countries around the world are experiencing local coronavirus spikes. This is forcing a re-think by a number of governments, which are now having to consider reintroducing tough and unwelcome new 'anti-travel' measures.

According to the latest statistics from Johns Hopkins University in the US, the worldwide COVID-19 death toll has passed 606,000 while the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has now surpassed more than 14.5 million.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC president & CEO, said: "Governments should not close off access to other countries in their entirety. Only regional border measures should be imposed if essential, so that the recovery of