MARAL TOURS
NOVEMBER 2020
BACKGROUND:
Travel & Tourism is a catalyst for global economic recovery and growth, responsible for 330 million jobs (one in ten jobs globally) and 10.3% of global GDP (USD 8.9 trillion) in 2019. Over the past five years, one in four of all new jobs created across the world in all sectors and industries, have been in Travel & Tourism. It is one of the world’s largest sectors, driving socio-economic development and job creation. It plays an important role in poverty reduction, driving prosperity, reducing inequality providing opportunities regardless of gender, education, nationality, and beliefs with 54% of the sector’s workforce being women and over 30% are youth. Unfortunately, the Travel & Tourism sector is facing unprecedented challenges stemming from the COVID- 19 pandemic. The sector is one of the worst impacted and according to the latest WTTC estimates, by the end of 2020 – over 197 million jobs and USD 5.5 trillion are set to be lost worldwide due to the collapse of travel globally. The restart and recovery of the Travel & Tourism sector, and its associated economic and social benefits, is highly dependent on international coordination.
Maral Tours as a responsible tour operator company is going to use the LEADING GLOBAL PROTOCOLS FOR TOUR OPERATING provided by WTTC, in order to make travel safe and seamless to workers, companies, destinations and travelers. We hope this international coordination would help to recovery jobs in the destination of our beautiful country Iran.
INTRODUCTION:
It is essential that each industry within the Travel & Tourism sector to develop clear and practical protocols to enable the sector’s recovery.
Maral Tours, as a responsible tour operator is working on effective recovery action plans protocols, which can optimize sector-wide recovery efforts.
In practice we are obliged to use the paramount protocols to ensure the safety of workforce and travelers behind common standards. Although we cannot guarantee 100% safety.
Please note that while the protocols take into account current WHO, CDC, Iran Health Ministry and Maral Tours action plans guidelines, they are living documents which we will update as new information becomes available about COVID-19.
The protocols have been divided in four pillars, namely:
1. Operational and Staff Preparedness
2. Delivering a Safe Experience
3. Rebuilding Trust & Confidence
4. Implementing Enabling Policies
1.
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OPERATIONAL AND STAFF PREPAREDNESS
Maral Tours is going to achieve operational readiness for reopening by having:
•Obtained the applicable reopening license if required by local government
• Developed a COVID-19 prevention plan including an action/checklist for infection prevention and a special cleaning and disinfection plan
• Implemented protocols and guidelines for staff health, including health checks for staff if required by local legislation. If not required, we issue and communicate a stay-home policy for anyone displaying any symptoms as per World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines
• Reflected physical distance in office layout and limiting the number of staff in common back-of-house areas where possible if required by local legislation
• Implemented protocols to minimize physical contact. Implemented physical distancing protocols if required by local legislation
• Personal protection equipment (PPE) available to staff, such as masks, as long as required as per risk-based approach if required by local legislation
•Integrated technologies to enable automation such as contactless payment where possible.
If contactless payment is not possible, consider using gloves and hand sanitation and providing the services by our staff specially leaders
• Cooperated with suppliers and partners including restaurants, hotels, parks, transport partners and venues that they follow likeminded health and hygiene protocols and guidelines to protect guests as required by local legislation.
• Introduced a COVID-19 contingency plan should new cases emerge in collaboration with suppliers and partners
• Identified and adopted appropriate cleanliness and disinfection best practices validated by expert bodies, health authorities and governmental institutions
• Explored different options for operations, where possible, such as advanced tickets, timed entries, smaller groups
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Maral Tours is training all their staff to prepare and execute on operational plans by:
• Created and implementing staff protocols and guidelines, including tour guide, coach/drivers and local specialists, and operations such as Q&A.
• Provided our staff with the tools and information necessary regarding infection control, physical contact, sharing of food and utensils, appropriate attire, and enhanced hygiene measures, the use of masks and gloves as recommended by local health authorities or as required by Maral Tours procedures when these go beyond local requirements
• Requested that key stakeholders such as partner venues, hotels and transport partners have trained their staff on the basis of likeminded protocols to enable consistent approach across sector
• All training is going to be informed by the latest advice from public health authorities and/or WHO
• Regular monitoring of well-being of team members by leadership, encouraging them to following governmental and WHO guidelines
2. DELIVERING A SAFE EXPERIENCE
As A tour operators, Maral Tours works to deliver a safe experience for their staff and their guests through enhanced cleanliness and hygiene best practices.
v Working with suppliers to understand what additional measures have been introduced
v Implemented or confirmed with suppliers processes focused on enhanced sanitation, disinfection, and deep cleaning practices for coaches and other vehicles used as well as increase their cleaning/disinfection frequency:
• Selected disinfecting products approved by health authorities
• Revisited guidance to cleaning team with a specific focus on high-frequency touch points, including handrails, door handles, tables, board toilets, air conditioning filters, overhead lockers and headsets if applicable. Enhance cleaning frequency as appropriate
• Approved disinfecting products made available at sanitation stations to guests in the form of alcohol-based hand sanitizer as appropriate. Provide or make available for purchase additional individual disinfecting products for guests
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• Allocated seating plans with no rotation. Implement seat spacing if required by local legislation
• Explored providing bins with liner bags and regular disposal where possible
• cooperating with transport partners that they have likeminded processes for sanitation, disinfection and deep cleaning practices
v Implemented customer processes including guest information and minimizing physical contact:
• Implemented guest health checks and testing if appropriate and required by local legislation
• Limited physical contact and queuing where possible
• Make masks available to guests if required by local authorities
• Developed online check-in and contactless check-out tools and procedures where appropriate and possible
• Explored staggered timing when possible of access to venues, hotels and restaurants among others
v Cooperating with partners and suppliers, including shops, showrooms, tasting venues/shops, museums, shows, theatre, concert halls, factories & farms, that they follow likeminded health, sanitation, disinfection and hygiene protocols aligned with local regulation
v Established that partner restaurants follow likeminded health, sanitation, disinfection and hygiene and food safety protocols to protect guests, such as:
• Approved disinfecting products made available at entrance to guests in the form of alcohol-based hand sanitizer as appropriate.
• Cooperating with restaurant that restaurant staff are trained and adhere to likeminded health, hygiene, and physical contact guidelines
• Avoid guest own handling of food at buffets
• Regular cleaning of coffee/drinks machines and where possible operated by staff member
• Enhanced cleaning, including disinfecting of tables and chairs after guest has left and using dishwasher over hand-washing where possible
• Minimized physical contact through table spacing and guest seating if required by local legislation
• Considered minimizing what is placed on guest tables and provide mono-packaged items if feasible
• Reviewed payment method to priorities contactless and pre-payment methods
• Considered having longer opening hours to reduce the number of guests served at any given time and facilitate the implementation of the new measures
3. REBUILDING TRUST & CONFIDENCE
Maral Tours work to enhance trust and confidence through transparency and communication with their guests, we should:
• Provide clear, consistent and up-to-date communication to customers on new health & hygiene protocols via the organization’s channels, both digitally and physically. Work with suppliers to implement clear signage to inform guests of the enhanced cleaning protocols, avoiding physical contact, and recommendations
• Share guest guidelines ahead of trip and where applicable in person upon commencement of trip on the basis of advice from health authorities which may include the wearing of face masks or coverings, guidance on hand hygiene and avoiding physical contact. Consider having consumers acknowledge guidelines
• Inform guests about support available if questions or concerns arise. Guest facing staff are trained and prepared to answer questions, resolve challenges such as the detection of new cases, address situations where guests are not complying and share protocols before and during trip to reassure traveler
• Explore collaboration with medical/travel insurance companies to offer traveler insurance covering COVID-19 who could assist with arrangements should they be necessary such as emergency repatriation and medical care
• Promote contact tracing apps if required by local legislation
4. IMPLEMENTING ENABLING POLICIES
Maral Tours work to recover, it is essential that enabling policies are implemented at the governmental level. Tour Operators call on governments to:
• Work collaboratively with industry and other governments as new rules for cross-border travel are developed and announce them in advance
• Provide financial relief to the sector through grants and the reduction of taxes, fees, and charges to stimulate demand in recovery
• Create incentives and provide direct support to boost travel and tourism
• Enhance destination promotion to boost demand both domestically and internationally
• Consider visa facilitation and visa-waiver for travelers
REF: https://wttc.org/COVID-19