The Limassol Tourism Development and Promotion Company Ltd, as the official tourist body of Limassol, has formulated a practical guidance for the next day for the hotel industry of the region. Aiming to utilize this period for reorganization, reassessment of practices and adoption of measures that will differentiate Limassol and strengthen its competitiveness, the Limassol Tourism Board notes the following:
1. Adoption of common hygiene practices in all hotels and tourist apartments that ensure customer safety.
2. The above practices must be evident to the customer in order to regain confidence and convey the message. Social networks will serve as word of mouth promotion.
3. The Limassol Tourism Board is ready to conduct electronic promotion campaigns abroad, informing the travel public in a mild way that Limassol is a safe destination for every visitor.
4. For this purpose, a series of short videos with pleasant content will be created, which will aim to restore the confidence in the quality of the Limassol tourist product and from a health point of view. They will also aim to differentiate Limassol from other destinations.
5. The message will be that the customer is in the spotlight.
Common Hygiene Practices for application in all hotels and tourist apartments in Limassol:
1. Apply a specific type of cleaning / disinfection before introducing a new customer to a room.
2. Place antiseptic gel in public areas for guest use.
3. Regular disinfection in enclosed public spaces such as gym, spa, kids’ club, etc .
4. Chambermaids in public areas for regular cleaning of surfaces that are touched by guests, with attention to details (doorknobs, elevator buttons, switch for lighting, etc.) with 70% alcohol.
5. Regular cleaning of air conditioning filters.
6. Swimming pool, spa, etc. water purification to the maximum disinfection limit required by regulations.
7. Regular inspections of dishwashers and washing machines (temperature, appropriate detergent dose).
8. All staff must strictly follow protection measures such as hand cleaning, distance from other people, avoiding touching the face and staying at home when they feel sick.
9. Necessary use of gloves (disposable) by maids, restaurant staff, etc.
10. Use of electronic equipment where possible to avoid queueing (for self-check in, check out, etc.). Serving one person per employee with appropriate security distances between them.
11. Hand disinfection for customers and staff at the entrance and exit of restaurants.
12. Re-arrangement of tables and chairs in restaurants and bars at a safe distance.
13. Keeping a logbook of actions and measures being taken, with details of their application such as date, time, type of disinfectant used, by whom, at what point, etc. The logbook will be useful to identify points where practices can be improved.
14. Staff training for all the above. Readiness of reception staff to provide information of doctor, pharmacy, clinic in case of need. Application of a protocol in case of a guest who has respiratory problems.
15. Information in various languages for health and safety / protective measures for Covid-19, must be in the room monitors and where possible in print.
Continuous monitoring of developments is needed to upgrade any of the above. Our main concern is the safety of the guests and the employees. We should employ the necessary measures and practices to ensure safety and regain customer confidence. The post Covid-19 era, will entail dramatic changes for the tourist industry. We need to be prepared to deal with the change in the behavior of the visitor without straying from our goal of being an oasis for travelers who want to escape from everyday life. We need to reassure the visitors about their safety without interfering with the tourist experience. We should also make the most of new technologies, where possible, for this purpose. Limassol should treat today's crisis as an opportunity to highlight its quality and stand out as a flexible and efficient tourist destination, always focusing on the visitor’s needs and wants.
