The global trend is that in many countries where governments have not yet issued an official protocol, there are many hotels that have already started working individually and together. One of the general measures will be temperature control at the entrance of the hotel, the readjustment restaurants capacity, event rooms with a minimum separation distance of tables, as well as the placement of alcoholic gel dispensers and greater demands on the food handling.
Isabela Gormaz, Manager of Hacienda Los Molinos comments that they have already started to analyze models from Costa Rica, Spain and even Asia to enrich their information but that the hotel industry must adjust its sanitary protocols respecting the manuals and guidelines from both Minsa and Mitradel.
Hygiene and Distancing Protocols
Many hotels are choosing to take extreme care in regards to the distance generated by safety guarantees, starting with the placement of remote partitions, hygienic “corners” where each guest has access to alcohol gel and masks, as well as all the information on related updates to security during the stay. Likewise, there is work on faster processes of “check-in and” check-out ” by requesting prior information from the Visitor by email, as well as the effective disinfection of keys, documents and other accessories.
For Isabel, the great challenge will be to continue selling experiences to Visitors despite the zero contact between staff and guests, since visual communication with the mask is blocking it. Now it’s time to work on the other senses to continue having that special connection with the guest.
100% Virus Free Rooms
As for the rooms, the cleaning of accesories that guests touches the most such as the remote control (which will be kept in cases once disinfected), telephones, door locks, water taps in sinks and bathtub. In addition, another procedure would be that before a new guest comes into a room, a special solution will be applied to eliminate the coronavirus if it had landed on any surface, including textiles.
Kitchens and Restaurants that Guarantee Food Security
The food and the spaces where it is served and shared will double the controls in both kitchens and restaurants. Many hotels will have to consider reducing the number of tables to widen the distance between them, as well as delivering the cutlery of each diner in previously disinfected cases.
For the reception of goods, the current procedures will be reinforced. The merchandise will be cleaned upon arrival at a sanitizing point and the warehouses will be disinfected daily by spraying a solution that will eradicate all viruses. Likewise, it will be necessary to guarantee that security controls that have been carried out at the origin and in the transport of the goods by the suppliers.
Personnel Prepared for a Great Challenge
Isabel comments that if the experience for the guest is going to change, for the services staff will also change and will generate stress, since their own health and that of the guest is at stake. The staff will be at risk because people can arrive asymptomatic and go through security controls and nobody will notice it because they don’t have a fever. He continues commenting that they will take great care so that their personnel are properly protected as well and for this reason they are already conducting training. Isabel concludes that they are working on procedures that are as minimally invasive as possible so that the client and staff feel safe.
Hotels in Panama and around the world are already preparing at all levels so that the Visitor can regain tranquility when traveling and fully enjoy their trip.
