The travel industry is coming up with its own platform for travel advice. On reisadvies.nu, travelers can find information compiled from various sources, such as the World Health Organization and the scientific institute Johns Hopkins, which monitors contamination data worldwide. “Because the government does nothing with our criticism, we now offer an alternative ourselves,” says initiator Joshua van Eijndhoven of travel organization Voja Travel.

Reisadvies.nu also relies on safety advice from international governments of other countries and on entry information from airline KLM and IATA, the international trade association for aviation. The website also publishes travelers' experiences through a kind of review model, as well as information from other travel organizations and local authorities. The website also provides tips on travel insurance. “We think it's important that travelers make their own decisions,” says Van Eijndhoven.

Reisadvies.nu says countries will only give yellow travel advice after four conditions: if it is clear that you can "travel safely and pleasantly without many restrictions", that people can travel there insured, that there is sufficient care capacity at the destination and that vulnerable groups in the country are protected by vaccination.

A total of 81 small and medium-sized specialized companies, many of whom organize trips outside the European Union, have joined the initiative. Major travel organizations such as the ANWB, Corendon and TUI have not joined, but Van Eijndhoven hopes so. At the beginning of December, the 81 organizations lost summary proceedings in which they demanded that the Dutch government adjust the travel advice for outside the EU.

Watchdog Authority for Consumers and Markets recently decided that the travel industry should better inform travelers about the risks in areas with orange travel advice. Reisadvies.nu meets this need, says Van Eijndhoven. The website, which has the blue color of Voja Travel, resembles the Dutch government website in terms of layout. According to Van Eijndhoven, it is "clear enough" on the page that it concerns travel advice "for and by travelers".

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The travel industry is coming up with its own platform for travel advice.
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