Ministry of Tourism issues guidelines to hotels & homestays, to check coronavirus transmission

Given the current COVID-19 outbreak, it is important that all hotels, restaurants and other hospitality units take suitable measures to restrict any further transmission of the virus while providing accommodation and other tourist services post lockdown, the Ministry of Tourism has said.

The guidelines aim to minimise all possible physical contacts between a staff and guests and maintain social distancing and other preventive and safety measures against COVID-19. It also tries to make the traceability of the guests easier, in case a situation in future warrants so.

These guidelines will apply to Bed and Breakfast (B&B), Homestay and Farmstay units.

For Establishment Premises

·     Ensure availability of hygiene and sanitation equipment at pro-active replenishment. Thermal Gun thermometer for temperature checking of staff and guests. Hand Sanitizers, Hand Gloves and Masks to be made available in the Reception Area. Sufficient disinfectants like sodium hypochlorite should be stored. (1%).

·     Posters/standees should be displayed at prominent locations for information and awareness: Emergency helpline numbers – at the reception. Social distancing (6 feet) – at reception & other strategic places. Dos & Don’ts – to be displayed at all appropriate places.

·     For air-conditioning/ventilation, the temperature setting of all air conditioning devices should be in the range of 24-30 C. Relative humidity should be in the range of 40-70%.

 For Staff

·     (i) Ensure all staff wear mask & hand gloves which should be changed/ disinfected after handling each customer to avoid cross contamination.

·      (ii) Ensure daily temperature check via thermal gun thermometer.

·     (iii) All employees must mandatorily download Aarogya Setu mobile application.

·     (iv) Safety & Hygiene Protocols and Operational Recommendations for Tourism Service Providers –

Staff must use tray to avoid hand contact while serving water bottle/ toiletries/ medicines/ food etc. while maintaining 6 feet distance.

(v) In case any guest develops symptoms of COVID-19:

* Place the ill person in a room or a designated area where they are isolated from others.

* Provide a mask/face cover till such time he/she is examined by a doctor.

* Immediately inform the nearest medical facility (hospital/clinic) or call the state or district helpline.

* Disinfection of the premises to be taken up if the person is found positive. Linen and other items must be washed separately.

* Maintain empathy with the guests.

*  In case suspected guests flee/ not traceable, inform the police immediately.

Guests:

(i)                          Do not step out of the room unnecessarily.

(ii)                        Wear a mask whenever outside the room.

(iii)                     Keep the doors closed and avoid any contact with the doorknobs.

(iv)                     Always keep a safe distance as per social distancing norms.

(v)                        Wash your hands frequently with the soaps/sanitizers provided.

(vi)                     Put all disposable plates /cups/ bottles after use in the garbage bag.

(vii)                  Guests should not visit containment zone. 2.4Specific guidelines per area of operation (i) Reception: Ensure check-in formalities are completed in contactless manner (QR code/online forms) to reduce contact and time at the front desk. Guest details to be sent in advance for guest registration along with government approved identity card, any other information required by the hotel via Email/WhatsApp. Information on travel history & medical condition recommended to be captured for all guests. (ii) Travel itinerary may be sought from the guests to ensure traceability. Check-out: Guests should inform at reception using intercom or personal mobile, an hour before the check-out. Payments should be made via an online platform with cashless transactions only. (iii) Dining: Gloves should be worn when handling used dishes and utensils.

Physical distancing of minimum 6 feet should be maintained in dining area/ restaurants as well. Breakfast should be prepared in kitchen where guests should not be allowed at all. It is advisable to use disposable cutlery for all purposes which must be disposed inside a garbage bag. In case of non-disposable cutlery, the guests should be advised to keep the used cutlery outside their room.

Room cleaning & housekeeping

 Ensure that staff wear disposable gloves and masks while cleaning rooms or other common areas. Staff must sanitize or wash hands with soap after every cleaning process. Mopping of floor of common areas is recommended to be done twice a day. Cleaning of Guest Room is mandatory on daily basis. Linen must be changed after every check-out. In the event of longer stay, it should be as per the request of the guest. All touch points must be cleaned with proper disinfectant (sodium hypochlorite). After every check-out, tables, cupboards, wardrobes, lockers, light switches, mirrors, electronic devices or any other item which a guest may touch during his/her stay, should be cleaned properly. Garbage needs to be disposed as – dry, wet, glass, biodegradable. PPE’s like gloves, masks etc. to be segregated or disposed separately in bio-hazard bags.