TORONTO — Grenada has received the go-ahead from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) to use its WTTC Safe Travels Stamp, recognizing the island’s enhanced health and safety measures and safe, gradual plan in restarting its tourism industry.

The news comes after Grenada reopened its borders for international visitors on Aug. 1.

Meanwhile Air Canada’s first flights back into the island started Aug. 10. “We are very excited by this development,” says Sekou Stroude, Director of Sales, Canada for the Grenada Tourism Authority.

Air Canada’s weekly scheduled flights operate on Mondays, not on Rouge as before but as a mainline flight.

Outbound flights depart Pearson at  9 a.m., arriving at Maurice Bishop International Airport at 2:05 p.m. The return flight leaves Grenada at 3 p.m. and arrives in Toronto at 8:25 p.m.

Grenada’s government submitted its health and safety protocols developed for the six sub-sectors of tourism to the WTTC for review. The sub-sectors include: Attractions, Food and Beverage, Accommodation, Transportation, Tourism Services and Watersports.

The Safe Travels stamp is the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene stamp for travel and tourism, designed to address COVID-19 and similar outbreaks. Grenada got the stamp along with Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

Patricia Maher, CEO of the GTA, said, “We are delighted to be recognized internationally by the WTTC. The Ministry of Health, Tourism and Civil Aviation and the Grenada Tourism Authority have worked closely together to develop protocols for a new way of doing business in the Tourism industry and train and certify more than 1800 personnel. Our partnership has brought us this recognition.”