Now that the "new normal" has arrived, hotel owners are working to create a working environment with measures and proposals that guarantee everyone's safety. As one of the sectors hardest hit by this health crisis, the plan is to minimise the negative impact on hospitality and avoid fatal mistakes that could infect members of staff.
As a result, the hotel experience will be completely different from what it was a few months ago. Making it as enjoyable and pleasant as possible for guests in this situation starts with a series of measures adopted by hotel staff.
Safety and hygiene measures in hospitality
Fernando Anguera, lecturer in Tourism Safety at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and civil protection manager, has shared a number of practical examples already in place in several hotel chains in Europe and China.
Anguera says that the first measure of all must be planning, not improvisation. In this unprecedented situation, it is key for both hospitality businesses and suppliers to be prepared and coordinated in order to succeed.
The measures taken in China
The protocol in Chinese hotel chains includes some extreme measures, says Anguera. These include:
- Various types of checks at the entrance. Everyone's temperature is taken, and a mobile app is used to check where people have come from and whether it is an affected area. If so, the police take them away to ensure they quarantine.
- Installation of sections and disinfection arches that people must walk through.
- Staff always wearing masks and gloves.
- Food is always packaged; outside food is not allowed, not even through delivery services.
- Bookings always made 3-4 weeks in advance
Staff measures in the rest of Europe
Below we summarise the measures hotel chains are taking with their staff to ensure everyone's wellbeing.
Human resources
- Staff will be referred directly to medical services at the slightest sign of symptoms.
- Ensure that possible cases comply with quarantine, and provide appropriate, correct training on carrying out tasks safely.
- Ensure employees know how to use all protective and hygiene equipment and products.
- Cleaning staff, both for the hotel and the rooms, must wear proper protection: certified masks and gloves at all times.
- To ensure proper hygiene, housekeepers must stock their cleaning trolleys with the materials needed to guarantee both regularity and effectiveness.
Capacity control
It is also important to identify the areas where more people than usual tend to gather. This makes it possible to draw up a plan to avoid crowds and reduce infections.
These measures include reducing capacity and more specific access control, for which Anguera recommends working with "companies holding the highest ISO quality certification"
Other measures
- Ozone generators to disinfect rooms properly
- Hand sanitiser gel in corridors so hands can be disinfected constantly
Technology to safeguard safety
Avoiding unnecessary contact means upgrading hotel services. Today, there are systems available that make this easier and guarantee everyone's safety.
- Online check-in and check-out services
- Personalised minibar
- Ordering food from an app
- Using systems that allow contactless access to rooms
The Onity brand, a specialist in electronic locks, offers both guests and hotel staff secure access to the areas they need using Bluetooth technology.
Keyless access, since keys always pass through many hands and it's impossible to guarantee they are 100% disinfected.
Onity connects the mobile phone (DirectKey system) to hotel door locks to achieve contactless access. It can even be extended to lifts.
Technology can greatly help hotels return to normal, as the sector hardest hit by the crisis, and systems such as those offered by Onity are rising to the occasion.
Safety and hygiene for hotels, tourists and users
Both hotels and restaurants have made a great effort to adapt their facilities and comply with safety measures.
Now it's up to us as users to act responsibly and follow the safety and hygiene rules of the "new normal" declared worldwide
