17 Jun, 2020
PHUKET, 17 June 2020: The Phuket Hotels Association’s 70 hotel members have joined forces with Hotel Resilient to launch the Covid-Ready Certification Scheme, a new initiative to provide a safe reopening of hotels and to help restore confidence in the island’s hotel industry.
Hotel Resilient is a benchmarking and certification body for disaster risk management and climate change adaptation in the hospitality industry. It provides hotels and resorts with risk analytics, digital platforms and pragmatic tools for disaster and climate-resilient planning, design and operations.
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, Hotel Resilient highlighted disease outbreak as one of multiple hazards potentially impacting hotels. In the wake of the pandemic, Hotel Resilient director of standards and accreditation Dr Trevor Girardand has evaluated the scientific evidence, international guidelines and industry best practices to set new standards that cover all aspects of a hotel’s COVID-19 prevention and response strategy.
Travellers demand safety above all
For months if not years, travellers will be extra cautious with their travel plans, most likely preferring destinations with little to no Covid-19 cases. In terms of accommodation, hotels that can provide an extra level of protection against the virus will be in high demand.
“The new certification scheme will provide assessment, guidance and support to our Phuket hotels as they prepare to reopen,” commented Phuket Hotels Association president Anthony Lark. “Member hotels can obtain this internationally recognised certification, which will showcase Phuket as a safe destination,” Lark added.
The Hotel Resilient certification scheme is aligned with the internationally recognised Hotel Resilient global standards on disaster risk management. It goes beyond hygiene and safety, addressing systemic and procedural changes to minimise risk and address various crisis management aspects, such as response planning, business continuity, and crisis communication with regard to Covid-19.
