The American Hotel and Lodging Association — which is an organization that represents the lodging industry in the United States — released a checklist of guidelines for the standardization of the safety experience of both guests and employees of hotel and resort properties throughout the United States on Thursday, July 16, 2020 in response to the current 2019 Novel Coronavirus pandemic…
Face Mask Requirements to Become Standard at Lodging Properties in the United States
— and the first international lodging company to officially announce its adaptation of the five requirements of the Safe Stay Guest Checklist to its hotel and resort properties is Marriott International, Incorporated effective as of Monday, July 27, 2020.
Following American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)’s “Safe Stay Guest Checklist” announcement last week, Marriott International will require all guests to wear a face covering in its hotels effective July 27. pic.twitter.com/frOjzcCQAs
— Marriott International (@MarriottIntl) July 20, 2020
The aforementioned checklist is part of the Safe Stay guidelines created by the American Hotel and Lodging Association; and those guidelines are part of “an industry-wide, enhanced set of health and safety protocols designed to provide a safe and clean environment for all hotel guests and employees.” The chief executive officers of seven multinational lodging companies — including Hilton; Hyatt Hotels Corporation; Intercontinental Hotels Group; Loews Hotels and Company; Marriott International, Incorporated; Radisson Hotel Group; and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts — have all endorsed their support of the guidelines and checklist.
Noticeably absent from the list is Choice Hotels International, Incorporated and Best Western International, Incorporated.
The Safe Stay Guest Checklist includes:
- Require masks or coverings for the face in all indoor public spaces — as well as practice proper distancing in all common areas — of hotel and resort properties.
- Choose contactless options, where available — including booking reservations online, checking in to the hotel and resort properties, and payments.
- Consider room cleaning daily, only if necessary — ask the hotel or resort property pertaining to options for cleaning.
- Request contactless delivery of room service.
- Refrain from traveling if you have — or recently had — any symptoms of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus or contact with anyone diagnosed with the 2019 Novel Coronavirus.
Summary
Masks and coverings for the face have apparently become de rigueur in society — and the travel industry is no exception — until further notice…
…but what exactly does until further notice mean? Does that mean the end of current 2019 Novel Coronavirus pandemic; some time after the pandemic has subsided…
…or perhaps on a permanent basis?
Furthermore, I thought that hotel and lodging companies adapted the strictest of protocols for cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting their properties through the flurries of reminders via media outlets, e-mail messages, and social media. Should daily cleaning of a hotel room automatically be a part of that strict regimen — or is skipping cleaning a room for a day a way to save money?
All photographs ©2015, ©2017, and ©2018 by Brian Cohen.
