Properties need not be overly-clinical or enjoyment-free, says Rhiannon Parker, chief operating officer of Intertek Cristal
After enduring what for many of us has felt like an interminable journey through this global pandemic, experiencing the joys of white sand beaches, cultural heritage and delicious local cuisine are likely to be high on the priority lists for beleaguered essential workers, parents, and working professionals alike.
As lockdown measures are eased and the summer tourist season approaches, an ever-increasing desire to travel is being felt across the globe. The spectrum of arduous experiences associated with the Covid-19 pandemic means people will be looking to travel as a means to escape reality, decompress, and to see, taste, and experience new things.
There is widespread speculation about what hospitality will look like once travel bans, quarantine restrictions, and flight availability allow for travel to resume. Popular opinion paints a picture of a much less hospitable hospitality industry: service staff in gowns, gloves, and masks, physical barriers between tables in restaurants, reception areas, lounge chairs on beaches and rigidly-enforced social distancing measures. For the average individual looking for an escape from the harsh realities of the current environment we find ourselves in, this is less than idyllic.
This begs the question, does it have to be like this? Are physical barriers, personal protective equipment, and such overt signals to guests the only option? What if we could find alternatives which effectively manage risk, yet find a more harmonious balance between safeguarding and providing an exceptional guest experience?
Intertek Cristal is working with the likes of Tui’s partner hotels and other major tourism brands to try to deliver exactly that – and we have asked ourselves, ‘what exactly does the post-pandemic hotel look like?’
In the context of Covid-19 and heightened public concern around hygiene and cleanliness, we know guests want to see visible markers of enhanced disinfection regimes, cleaning schedules, and ways of working. Yet they still yearn for the opportunity to be pampered, experience luxury, and leave their day-to-day lives behind for a while. Tourism’s recovery globally is dependent on the industry’s ability to strike a balance between these competing demands. When applied correctly, risk mitigation measures specific to preventing the spread of infection can be both effective and unassuming.
We have seen a significant increase in the demand for hygiene audits and certification in areas such as food hygiene, room cleanliness, and tourism businesses’ formalised systems which prevent the spread of infection. Consumers want to know hotels and destination services have been assessed by an independent third party, that enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols are in place, and that they are being duly diligent in the way that they manage risk. This can be achieved by simple adaptations like designing for cleanliness, i.e. removing any unnecessary items from rooms, public areas, etc. that could enable the transmission of infection.
Things like pillows, décor, self-serve food and beverage stations, and touch points can be eliminated or substituted to break the chain of transmission of infection. Other examples include keeping doors open to eliminate the need for guests to touch doorknobs and handles, utilising outdoor spaces, and ensuring staff are adequately trained to assess and manage risk.
These very effective means of managing risk actually represent an opportunity to provide an even better guest experience and signal to guests that they are cared for and in a safe, clean environment. Internal communications, information and guidance on how guests can actively contribute to the effective management of risk are also a means through which a balance of guest experience and infection control can be achieved.
The post-Covid hotel need not be an overly-clinical, enjoyment-free zone where guests cannot relax and unwind. There will of course be changes, but with a little imagination and by working closely with customers, hotels can become even more inviting, cleaner and comfortable places to stay.
