The pandemic has changed Safety and Hygiene norms across hospitality even as international protocols are becoming the norm.

While cleanliness and hygiene have always been important for the hospitality industry, the global COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the customer focus monumentally to these protocols. The industry has seen a permanent change in operating standards and hotels globally have incorporated enhanced safety and hygiene procedures to curtail the spread of the virus.

With safety and hygiene being the top priority, housekeeping teams have amongst the largest focus areas and touch points to manage through rigorous training, informed product usage, and agile operations. Housekeeping, Engineering, Front Office including transportation, Security, and Food, and Beverage – culinary and service and Event operations are the critical operating departments where the maximum shift in operations has taken place.

Intensified food safety and hygiene measures have been introduced to ensure safety of guests, associates, and visitors. It is for this reason that the Safe Food and Hygiene Standards have been developed by several hotels.

The pandemic has brought forth the need for ensuring health is a priority. This not just includes physical health but also mental wellness. This is also a reason why many hotels are ensuring that their staff can connect with counsellors to share any mental concerns they may have.

Housekeeping colleagues are now highly demanded to ensure safety and hygiene are maintained throughout every nook and space of the hotel with a primary focus on high touch point guest areas where the same is cleaned every hour.

Upon entering the hotel, all guests are usually now required to complete health check forms, present vaccination certificates, pass a temperature check, and wear a mask. Travel in 2022 is different from what it was a couple of years ago.

Further enhanced measures for safety and hygiene include strengthened room cleaning protocols that are being followed for room and bathroom areas. Staying safe and maintaining hygiene is something that is going to be a norm and will also be a responsibility of a guest as much as that of the hotel.

Read the full story that first appeared in Hotelier India’s July 2022 issue here:

The post Safe Hotels appeared first on Bindu Gopal Rao, Freelance Writer & Photographer.