While most states still have some sort of coronavirus restrictions in place, we’re seeing businesses gradually open up. This week we zoom in onto the hospitality industry and see what pre-emptive measures hotels, resorts, restaurants and other facilities are taking to prioritize safety, while minimizing the dent on their revenue.
Hotels
A lot of people are wondering if it’s even safe to stay at hotels right now, but experts say it should be perfectly fine as long as hotels are implementing safety measures and following CDC guidelines. Some of those safety measures include installing plexiglass, decreasing occupancy and frequent disinfecting. Many hotels are also requiring 24-hour vacancy between guest departures, digital check-in and digital room keys and, of course, social distancing. When traveling, the CDC recommends guests wear masks in common areas, take the stairs to avoid riding in elevators with others, and minimize time in spaces where it’s hard to stay 6 feet away, like the dining room. Mobile ordering platforms, such as FanFood, can allow guests to avoid congregating in the common areas and dine from the safety of their rooms. The SLS Brickell Hotel in downtown Miami has partnered with FanFood to provide cashless and contactless F&B delivery and pick-up for its guests, whether they’re in the room or hanging out by the pool. FanFood also has white-labeling solutions to preserve the hotel’s branding in its online storefront. Situated in a popular travel destination, SLS Brickell has been able to give their guests the peace of mind while providing a frictionless, convenient guest experience. With an easy-to-use yet powerful technology platform like FanFood, hotels can get started within days and trial it for free. FanFood’s specialists will also help each hotel strategize the implementation plan to ensure a successful rollout.
via SBE.
Restaurants
Besides offering pick-up and delivery, restaurants have found a lot of unique ways to welcome guests back. For eateries that have opened for dine-in, offering outdoor seating has become very popular to minimize risk of spread. This method should be safe for customers so long as tables and chairs are sanitized and kept at least six feet apart, servers are wearing protective masks and gloves, and there is space on the sidewalk for passersby. While indoors, the CDC recommends reducing capacity and changing restaurant layout to accommodate social distancing. Another risk factor restaurants are going to have to consider is their menus. CDC guidelines suggest using single use menus to avoid contamination, but printing out paper menus is costly and not environmentally friendly. Instead, establishments are adopting QR code-based digital menus.
Casinos
As some casinos are taking a gamble and reopening their doors, there are CDC guidelines to help them welcome guests safely and responsibly as well. For example, casinos are advised to operate at reduced capacity, have guests and staff engage in frequent hand-washing and wear face coverings.via CNBC.
Casinos will also have to disinfect shared objects like dice, card shoes, shufflers and more. In Idaho, the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel has blocked off every other slot machine to promote social distancing. Additional measures include closing for cleaning, and checking temperatures of patrons at the door. Plexiglass gaming barriers have also been installed to separate guests from each other and staff. Restaurants and bars operating within casinos should follow the same protocols outlined in the considerations above. .