The World Travel and Tourism Council has awarded Stellenbosch the Safe Travels Stamp. Stellenbosch, near Cape Town, has become the first destination in South Africa to receive the award.

The private sector in global Travel and Tourism is represented by the World Travel and Tourism Council. It had designed the special Safe Travels stamp so that travelers could identify destinations and businesses around the world, adopting it’s health and hygiene protocols. This would enable holidaymakers to undertake ‘Safe Travels’. IOL reports that popular holiday destinations that comply with Safe Travels standards include Turkey, Portugal and Mauritius.

The town’s swift and thorough adoption of recommended hygiene and sanitary measures have been acknowledged in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. DA Western Cape spokesperson for Finance, Economic Development, and Tourism, Deidré Baartman, said, “It’s a clear indication of the commitment of the tourism sector in this province to get up and running, ready to invite guests in the safest ways possible so that we can keep businesses alive, jobs secure, and continue to show off all the beauty this province has to offer.”

The Western Cape is still reeling from the onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic. Current figures show 70 938 confirmed infections, with 2101 deaths in the province. However, the award of the ‘Safe Travels’ stamp to Stellenbosch is seen as an indication of the province’s willingness to adapt to the so called ‘new normal’.

Umm Muhammed Umar