Warning that ‘high risk’ label for countries will hurt international travel

World Travel and Tourism Council urges governments to find a new approach

The UK government is set to implement stricter measures for travellers arriving at Heathrow from Monday 15 February. EPA

A sign showing a way to an airport hotel at Heathrow Airport in London. People arriving into Heathrow from so called 'at risk' countries will have to isolate in designated government hotels for up to ten days at their own cost. EPA

Travellers arrive at Heathrow Airport in London. EPA

A man records himself as he receives a Covid-19 vaccine at a drive-thru vaccination centre at Batchwood Hall in St Albans. Reuters

Workers look a list of addresses as they deliver home test kits for residents in Pollards Hill, London. Reuters

A woman gives a swab sample at a mobile self-testing centre in Pollards Hill, London. Reuters

Anita Berg welcomes health workers to the Well-being bus at Homerton University hospital in London. The bus, which is staffed by volunteer aircrew, is providing free drinks and snacks to NHS staff. AP Photo

Workers talk with a resident as they deliver home test kits in Pollards Hill, London. Reuters

A tourism industry body said governments should learn from the September 11 attacks and stop stigmatising travellers based on where they have come from.

The World Travel and Tourism Council said on Friday that labelling entire countries “high risk” could prevent the return of overseas travel.

It called for a common set of rules that determines the risk of individual travellers based on rapid testing at departure and arrival.

The council said blanket policies that apply to entire nations were “neither effective nor productive”.

Britain currently bans travel from a so-called ‘red list’ of 33 nations where new variants of the virus are spreading.

The UAE is among the 33 countries on the list, which also includes South Africa and all of South America.

Other European countries have put travel bans on British travellers because of the UK strain of the virus.

Gloria Guevara, president of the WTTC, said examining the risk of individual travellers was the key to reviving international travel.

“We need to learn from past experiences and crises such as 9/11,” she said.

“We cannot continue labelling entire countries as ‘high-risk’, which assumes everyone is infected. While the UK is currently seeing high levels of infections, clearly not all Britons are infected.

“The same goes for all Americans, Spaniards or the French.

A tourist stands in front of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris in September. AFP

“Not only does it stigmatise an entire nation, but it also halts travel and mobility when many people who test negative on departure and arrival could safely travel without exporting the virus.”

The “UK strain” label is also damaging Britain’s reputation, experts said.

Malcolm Allan, from strategists Bloom Consulting, told The National last month the UK was negatively associated with the new variant.

“It’s not helpful for international relations,” Mr Allan said.

“There is a negative association with these labels that somehow it is someone else’s fault.”