WASHINGTON—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) today introduced Safe Stay, an industry-wide, enhanced standard of health and safety protocols designed to prepare America’s hotels to safely welcome back guests and employees as the economy reopens. Safe Stay represents the top priority for the industry, the health and safety of guests and employees.
The standards of Safe Stay were developed under the guidance of an advisory council, comprising industry leaders representing all segments of the hotel industry, and in conjunction with public health experts, to advance best practices for protecting against the coronavirus. This initiative represents a new level of focus and transparency for an industry already built on cleanliness. Hotels have always met rigorous standards for cleaning and safety and these enhanced guidelines are rooted in recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
“Safe Stay was developed specifically to ensure enhanced safety for hotels guests and employees,” said Chip Rogers, president/CEO, AHLA. “While hotels have always employed demanding cleaning standards, this new initiative will ensure greater transparency and confidence throughout the entire hotel experience. The industry’s enhanced hotel cleaning practices, social interactions and workplace protocols will continue to evolve to meet the new health and safety challenges and expectations presented by COVID-19.”
The “Safe Stay” guidelines are intended to be iterative, and will be revised as needed based on the recommendations of public health authorities, in compliance with any federal, state and local laws. They include guidance on the following:
- Employee & guest health
- Employee responsibilities
- Cleaning products and protocols
- Physical distancing
Development of the Safe Stay initiative included guidance from Ecolab, a leader in cleaning and disinfecting solutions and services that collaborates with the U.S. EPA, FDA, CDC, WHO and other organizations to help establish and promote best practice guidance, training and solutions.
“While the hotel industry was one of the first affected by the pandemic, we have collectively stepped up to serve their communities during this public health crisis,” said Rogers. “Thousands of hotels across the country, more than half of those small businesses, are working tirelessly during this uncertain time to support their employees, healthcare workers and first responders. When the time is right, hotels will be ready to safely and eagerly welcome back America’s traveling public.”
