Recently the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp announced that Nashville received a “SafeTravels Stamp” from the World Travel & Tourism Council. It’s only one of two destinations in the United States to receive the safe travel city designation so far. (The other was Lake Tahoe.)
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp operates a Good to Go program with Nashville businesses, which includes everything from hotels and restaurants to attractions and transportation companies. Good to Go partners will soon get to display the Safe Travels logo too.
But what is the Safe Travels stamp? Let’s look at that a little bit more.
The SafeTravels Stamp
It’s kind of like a reverse vaccine passport. Except, instead of indicating a traveler has been vaccinated, it indicates to travelers that a city, town, or business is adhering to health and safety protocols. This should give visitors added confidence during their visit.
The World Travel & Tourism Council explains that “the SafeTravels Stamp was created for travelers to recognize destinations and businesses around the world which have adopted the SafeTravels health and hygiene global standardized protocols.”
Governments and businesses that comply with the council’s protocols can apply to receive a “specially designed stamp” that they can display to help give travelers peace of mind.
Nashville’s leaders weigh-in on the safe travel city designation
“From the beginning of the pandemic, Nashville has worked to be a safe city for residents and visitors alike,” Mayor John Cooper said. “This designation is great news for the recovery of our valued hospitality industry and our city as a whole. The industry creates thousands of jobs and is key to Nashville’s economic recovery.”
“Nashville’s inclusion in the Safe Travels program speaks to our early efforts to send the right message in our Good to Go program of putting safety first,” said Butch Spyridon, president and CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “While we are still taking precautions and remain vigilant about masks and distancing, this is great validation as we prepare for the return of tourism. This kind of global recognition will put Nashville top of mind as a destination and give us a jumpstart when international travel starts to recover.”