NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville has been named a "safe travels" destination, making it one of only two destinations in the United States to achieve the designation.
This title is given to the city from the World Travel & Tourism Council. The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp (NCVC) said the recognition will help jump-start international visits when travel recovers from the pandemic.
According to the council, this is the world’s first-ever global safety and hygiene stamp for this industry designed to specifically address COVID-19 and similar outbreaks.
The program takes into account World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines – it’s updated when more information about the virus comes out.
“From the beginning of the pandemic, Nashville has worked to be a safe city for residents and visitors alike,” Mayor John Cooper said in a release. “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.”
It is notable to mention this is based on a self-assessment and isn’t a certification. The NCVC said in 2020, Nashville saw $4.5 billion less in visitor spending compared to 2019 due to the pandemic. They said this program is one of several efforts to restart the tourism industry here.
Businesses a part of the good to go program that started last may will soon also add a safe travels logo. The other U.S. city named a safe travels destination is Lake Tahoe.
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