Himachal issues Covid-19 safety and hygiene guidelines for tourism sector

SHIMLA: Tourism and civil aviation department of Himachal Pradesh has issued Covid-19 safety and hygiene guidelines for tourism sector in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Tourism for operation of hotels and other accommodation units. Guidelines aim to minimize all possible touch points between a staff and guest; maintain social distancing and other preventive and safety measures against Covid-19. It also aims on traceability of guests easily in case situation in future warrants so.
It has been recommended to hotels will have to establish a rapid response team to strictly follow the guidelines. Team would be responsible to prevent incidents, effectively manage cases and mitigate impact among guests, staff and other involved parties in the operation.
Daily temperature will have to be checked with a thermal gun thermometer for all staff members; every guest; any visitor including vendors. Guests will have to provide details like travel history, medical condition along with ID and self declaration form at the reception.
Hotels will have to maintain the proper records of any symptoms such as cough, cold and fever. For international guests self reporting form will have to be filled while guests will have to be informed about dos and donts at the hotel.
Guests staying in the hotels and other accommodation units will have to wear masks whenever out of their rooms. Washing of clothes inside room has been prohibited while visitors would also be not allowed inside the room. Hotel staff will have to maintain 6 feet distance with guests and other staff members at all times.
Hotel staff will have to adhere to zero touch policy and they will have to wear masks all the time. For information and awareness posts will have to be displayed at different locations and emergency helpline numbers will have to be displayed at the reception.
Hotel staff will have to use Aarogya Setu App for survey and same will have to be followed for guests during check in except in case of foreign nationals.
To ensure that visitors feel safe while eating out restaurants need to take several measures to make them feel comfortable and at ease post lockdown. At restaurants, waiters will have to greet the diners wearing masks and gloves while two meters distance will be a norm in coming days. Only families coming in groups will be sharing tables.
Before entering the premises all guests will have to be screened for symptoms and guests with body temperature of 98.6 degrees F will be asked to return or directed to a designated hospital which will be precondition at the time of accepting booking.
For allowing entry in the restaurant’s the Aarogya Setu App of every guest would be checked and entire service of the guests would be done by staff wearing PPE kits. Only bottled water with its outer side disinfected would be provided to the guests and to avoid chances of virus transference only disposable menus will be used. Instead of cloth napkins, use of good quality disposable paper napkins would be encouraged.
In the Bar, counters and stools will have to be sanitized properly and bar equipments like shakers, blenders, mixers and peg measures to be cleaned properly. Ice container trolley to be washed properly; all the bottles of spirits, wines and beers to be sanitized with food grade disinfectant and all the glass ware would have to be cleaned with hot water and lemon.
All the B&B and homestay establishments will have to procure thermal gun, hand sanitizers, hand gloves, masks which would have to make available at the reception area itself.