Clean & Safe - A Great Initiative from Portugal

European countries are starting to slowly lift the imposed restrictions on travel following the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.

One of the first initiatives to boost travellers’ confidence and kick-start tourism comes from our colleagues in Portugal. Turismo de Portugal, in partnership with the National Union of Tourist Activity Translators and Interpreters (SNATTI), which represents in Portugal the Qualified Portuguese Tourist Guides and is a member of FEG – the European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations - has developed the possibility of Tourist Guides joining the Clean & Safe initiative.

Professionals wishing to obtain the Clean & Safe Seal must attend the training program specially developed by Turismo de Portugal for this situation, which consists of a 2-hour training session, exclusively for Tourist Guides. Trainees subsequently receive a “Clean & Safe Training Certificate”, numbered and issued by Turismo de Portugal, which must be sent to the union via the email address cleanandsafe@snatti.com thus becoming affiliated to the Seal. After these procedures, they will receive a new professional interpreter guide card showing the Clean & Safe initiative insignia, as well as its digital version to be used in digital media.

Professionals who are not registered with SNATTI can also attend training and request the union to issue the Clean & Safe seal, following the same procedures.

The seal, free and valid until April 30, 2021, recognises those Tourist Guides who comply with the recommendations of the Directorate-General for Health in order to ensure the social distancing and hygiene necessary to avoid risks of contagion and ensure safe procedures for the operation of tourist activities.

With this initiative, Turismo de Portugal intends to transmit information to companies on the minimum hygiene necessary and cleaning measures for establishments, but above all, to promote Portugal as a safe destination, from the point of view of the care to be taken in order to have a careful and effective maintenance of the conditions that avoid the spread of the coronavirus, along with the involvement of all companies in the sector and clarifying everyone's responsibility.

The high uptake, with more than 4,500 hallmarks being awarded so far, demonstrates in an incredibly significant way the commitment of Portuguese companies, and now professionals, to welcoming tourists safely.

FEG, welcomes the Clean & Safe initiative, congratulates SNATTI on their efforts and hopes that other countries and tourist guide associations will cooperate in a similar manner.
 

Well done SNATTI!!!