Rockport Boat Line gets COVID stamp of approval
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“Safe travels’” use to be a phrase used to wish a friend or acquaintance a decent journey, but Covid has changed that.
Now the Safe Travels Stamp is a global badge that identifies businesses that follow safe travel protocols in a pandemic world.
Close to home, Rockport Boat Line has just been awarded the #SafeTravels Stamp. Like all other similar operators, Rockport Cruises is running at less than half capacity but doing it safely.
“We are delighted to confirm Rockport Cruises has been awarded the #SafeTravels Stamp. Across Canada, tourism businesses big and small are doing all they can to offer Canadians the perfect vacation. More and more Canadians are looking closer to home to escape from the challenges of and rediscovering their own provinces,” said Beth Potter, president and chief administrative officer of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario.
Rockport Cruises is currently operating two boats that would normally accommodate 200 and 275 respectively, but are now only allowed 50 passengers at a time.
“It’s not cost effective, but we want to support our key employees and stay top of mind as a tourism operator as well,” said Carol Sudds, marketing director.
Meanwhile the cruise line is turning people away every day, said Sudds, when normally they would have been able to accommodate last minute walk-ins.
“When we reopened we were a bit skeptical and weren’t sure that people would want to take a cruise in this climate, but we found out that people do,” said Sudds.
The Safe Travels Stamp is an international symbol designed to allow travellers to recognize governments and companies around the world, which have adopted health and hygiene, standardized protocols – so consumers can experience “Safe Travels’” according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.
“The protocols align the private sector behind common standards to ensure the safety of its workforce and travellers as the sector shifts to a new normal,” states the council’s website.
It’s a both a badge of safety and a badge of honour to be able to display the international symbol and tell prospective customers that you are as safe an operator as it is possible to be in a pandemic.
The designation is available to businesses in hospitality, attractions, outdoor retail, aviation, airports, short-term rentals, cruises, tour operators, convention centre and car rental.
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