Apr 30

Apr 30 Thursday Thoughts: Cleanliness Standards

Planning for the future requires information, and our goal is to monitor industry research/data to assist our partners in understanding short and long term COVID-19 ideas and opportunities.

Re-Opening: Best Practices for Cleaning

As you strategize and plan for reopening your lands and facilities, and oversee the standards of your concession/permit partners, one of the most important areas of focus will be to ensure there are stringent cleanliness protocols in place. The hospitality & travel industry is actively developing standards for hygiene and cleanliness that public agencies and their partners can adopt. The standards and protocols center around:

Enhanced cleaning standards of all public spaces, rooms, and back-of-house spaces.
Use of more effective cleaning products
Use of social distancing practices

There are a variety of examples of programs and guidelines currently available and under development:

Eager to regain confidence in the traveling public, the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) is working with representatives from nearly 20 of the world’s largest hotel companies to develop the “Safe Stay” protocol for cleanliness, social interaction, and workplace standards across the industry.
Hilton “CleanStay “offers an example of how the new AHLA protocols might be put into practice. The hotel company’s program is designed to translate hospital hygiene standards to hotel guest rooms and public spaces.
In May, Airbnb will launch its “Enhanced Cleaning Initiative “that will provide accommodation hosts with protocols covering room-by-room sanitation practices and supplies, and will allow guests to easily identify the hosts following these protocols.
The City of New York has released its own guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting non-healthcare settings, in an effort to support consistency in cleaning practices for all business owners and facility managers.
All of these strategies include proper PPE, supplies and require staff training. The public will expect this, so decide what you can provide and plan re-opening of facilities carefully.