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WTTC says ban on majority of European visitors to the US will not stop coronavirus

London, UK: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) says the European travel ban imposed by the United States will have a damaging impact on the US economy yet won’t stop the spread of the coronavirus Covid-19.

President Trump announced a ban on visitors from 26 European countries which is due to come into effect on Friday 13th March. 

It is estimated that 850,000 visitors from Europe, excluding the UK and Ireland, would normally travel during the next 30 days to the United States. 

These visitors would have spent an estimated USD3.4 billion while travelling in the US.

Two of the airlines most impacted by the ban – Delta and United – are US carriers. 

Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), said: 

“Coronavirus is already in the United States and sadly patients are already passing away as a result. We all share the priority to stop the spread and should take all necessary actions. However, the new travel ban will have a dangerous economic impact on the US and many other countries, and there is little evidence to show this will stop the spread of Covid-19. 

“Rather than an outright ban, the priority should be on public health within the country and mitigating the potential harm to individuals, that will be impacted by this ban. The virus is already a pandemic and is spreading within communities domestically. The best approach is to conduct thorough testing and put in place isolation measures which are highly effective, as has been seen in other countries.”

 

Download the press release here.