How can we reach for the skies again? Vaccination passports

Had I known at the time that the Emirates flight from London to Dubai was going to be my last for such an extended period, perhaps I would have savoured it more (though I recall a fair amount of savouring after a business class upgrade).

Now, frankly, I’m itching to get back up there again, and the question that keeps coming up in conversation with tourism friends and colleagues is “what’s needed to get the industry back on its feet?”

There isn’t, of course, a single answer. For much of 2020, allowing people to travel between countries safely and with confidence – and without putting the destination’s population at risk – required an integrated approach from governments, airlines, hotels and tour operators. Much of this centred on rapid testing, clearly defined health and safety protocols and a large degree of flexibility from the service providers.

In many ways, the UAE became a model for this, whether it was Emirates Airline facilitating PCR tests, authorities mandating masks and social distancing, or the adoption of the World Travel & Tourism Council’s Safe Travels certification by many of the hotels in the UAE.

The country’s tourism community came together to ensure people from all over the world could plan a trip to the UAE, safe in the knowledge that every precaution has been taken to protect their wellbeing.

Over the New Year period, we saw the results of that, with hotel occupancy rates soaring and the nation’s airports registering distinctly pre-pandemic passenger traffic. Indeed, it could be argued the UAE, and Dubai in particular, was among the most conspicuously successful tourism destinations, unlocking huge pent-up demand from holidaymakers in key source markets.

Unfortunately, however, this also led to the UAE returning to “red lists” in countries like the UK. Although, I remain convinced this wasn’t anything other than political posturing for the domestic audience/media back in my homeland.

There has been some debate on the idea of a vaccine passport from international travel bodies such as IATA

Shot in the arm

Moving into 2021, though, the answer is much simpler: vaccination. Put simply, vaccines work. Earlier this month the head of immunisation at Public Health England, Dr Mary Ramsay, said that there was now evidence that vaccines not only work to prevent infections but they also stop people from transmitting the virus “almost completely”. This is obviously hugely encouraging for us all and provides the first signposts to a post-coronavirus world.

For the travel and tourism sector, it could also offer a means of dealing with travellers on an individual basis – and not the broad brush of the country from which they’re travelling.

Instead of blanket bans or 14-day quarantines in hotel rooms as they currently have in the UK and now Ireland, travel should be facilitated to anyone – from anywhere – who has received two shots recognised by the WHO. This information can be stored in a card or eventually even in a chip in a passport or through a QR code on a mobile phone.

In the first instance, it would reward and recognise the efforts of countries that have implemented a hugely successful vaccination programme. It seems grossly unfair that the UAE, with almost 6 million doses now administered, would remain on international red lists. And, the arrival of a vaccination passport would motivate people around the world to proactively seek a vaccine, knowing they can earn the right to travel freely.

Allowing people to travel between countries safely and with confidence required an integrated approach from governments, airlines, hotels and tour operators

Making moves 

There has been some debate on the idea of a vaccine passport from international travel bodies such as IATA. But Bahrain has now launched a programme via its “BeAware” app, while the Seychelles, a nation whose economy is almost entirely reliant on inbound tourism, has announced it will accept travellers who are able to prove they’ve received a vaccine.

British Airways have voiced their desire for a vaccine passport, and even the EU has begun discussing plans for this. Etihad Airways has also said that passengers flying from Abu Dhabi will be able to use health passports “very soon”, and OmanAir is also planning its own vaccine passport.

I’ve argued before that each of us has a responsibility to be part of the solution, not the problem, and if this gets us all back travelling, to me it seems a win-win.