properties , as well as our hospitality providers and their staff . As travel corridors begin to open up , we will continue to incorporate and implement global best practices into our efforts to safeguard against the spread of the pandemic ,” said Raki Phillips , CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority .

The city was also one of the first to be certified as safe by Bureau Veritas .

The Vienna Tourist Board has safely marked the departure from online-only events , having welcomed 200 guests in-person and over 1,000 virtually , to its hybrid event , Vienna Tourism Conference 2020 on 30 September . “ The successful holding of the

" To guarantee a minimum distance of one metre , seats were arranged in a chessboard pattern , with the empty seats ‘ reserved ’ for the virtual attendees ."

Vienna Tourism Conference 2020 in the Vienna Hofburg , represents an important signal for Vienna as a meeting location ,” said Christian Woronka , head of the Vienna Convention Bureau .”

Professor Hans-Peter Hutter , deputy head of the Department of Environmental Hygiene and Environmental Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna , helped devise the safety model , for which the central element was rapid , on-site Covid-19 antigen testing . Two test lanes were set up to test before admission , with results revealed in 15 minutes . Within three hours , all 200 guests had undergone medical testing and granted safe access .

Above : Vienna view

Below : Photo , courtesy of WienTourismus – Paul Bauer

39

International events

Rules of conduct ensuring a safe , shared environment were also present throughout , including the usual social distancing measures , demonstrated with floor markings , as well as plexiglass partitions , mandatory face coverings , hand sanitiser stations and additional air filter systems . Once in the conference centre , guests were allocated individual seats providing physical space and mental reassurance . To guarantee a minimum distance of one metre , seats were arranged in a chessboard pattern , with the empty seats ‘ reserved ’ for the virtual attendees .

Equally central to the safety strategy , was ensuring strong communication at all levels on-site . A dedicated Covid-19 representative was present , as well as employees and contractors specifically trained for the event . Attendees had been fully informed of all precautionary measures taken and , in turn , what was expected of them . Interested parties were also able to follow the conference via live streaming and could exchange views in the virtual version of the ballroom using a digital avatar . Around 1,000 people joined virtually , with the opportunity to network digitally as well .

" The success in hosting the Vienna Tourism Conference 2020 provides a strong foundation on which to build the industry , giving hope and optimism for the future ," the tourism board concluded .