Earth Day: Tourism industry calls on travellers to connect

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has called for a co- ordinated approach to the industry’s recovery, and is similarly emphasising the need for hope, optimism and action. Gallery: Money-Saving Secrets from a World-Record Traveler (MoneyWise) This week, it launched the #TogetherInTravel campaign, in a bid to galvanise support and keep wanderlust alive from home. The WTTC is inviting travellers to share their holiday memories on social media using the TogetherInTravel hashtag - thousands of images so far have included Machu Picchu, Cappadocia, Miami, Nova Scotia, the Netherlands, Iran, the Scottish Highlands andRajasthan. She also posed the question about the effect that a reduction in tourist numbers is having on conservation: “are we going to see animals killed and trees felled in the absence of sustainable tourism?” Ultimately, this is a crisis the world - and the travel industry - was unprepared for. The WTTC last year published a report on crisis preparedness and the importance of governments collaborating with the private sector for the safety and security of travellers, communities and destinations.