Guidelines have been sent to the properties which will allow them to reopen, following the closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The guidelines cover restaurants, lounges, bars, beaches, pools and gyms, which can reopen once DCT has inspected and confirmed that the necessary measures are all in place.
The guidelines outline ‘readiness assurance requirements’ that cover social distancing rules, crowd control measures and rules for returning employees.
Outlets can only be open from 6am until 7pm, facilities must be sterilised on a regular basis, hand sanitisers must be at the facility entrance, there must be clear, separate entry and exit points and all hotels must have thermal cameras installed, in co-operation with the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority system.
Hotels must also have an isolation room for any suspected Coronavirus cases and a medical team on standby at all times. Everyone must wear masks and contactless payments are encouraged.
HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi says, “The guidelines set out stringent criteria for the hotels to follow, which our inspectors will confirm with on-site visits. Once these high standards of health and safety are met, DCT Abu Dhabi will approve the reopening, and trading can resume.
“We are adamant that both hotel staff and visitors should be 100 percent confident in their own safety, as we start the resumption of ‘normal’ activities since the pandemic situation arose.”
Social distancing markings will be clearly defined on floors and escalators and lifts will only be available for people of determination.
For more on the guidelines restaurants must follow, click here. Bars, restaurants and lounges must also clearly state the maximum number of people inside.
No entertainment will be allowed at first and people will only be allowed to visit for three hours.
Returning employees must have a COVID-19 test before being allowed back to work and then bi-weekly thereafter. Temperature checks will also be carried out on all staff on a regular basis throughout their shifts and will receive training for dealing with emergency COVID-19 situations.
