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COVID-19

COVID-19, caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, has hammered the lodging industry harder than any event ever before. Every element of a hotel’s operation has been impacted—from cleaning & maintenance to food and beverage. Many hotel companies are responding aggressively with revamped operations plans. What we all can agree on is that hotels may never be the same again. This area of Green Lodging News highlights the latest news and trends. Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

COVID-19

Home COVID-19
COVID-19, caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, has hammered the lodging industry harder than any event ever before. Every element of a hotel’s operation has been impacted—from cleaning & maintenance to food and beverage. Many hotel companies are responding aggressively with revamped operations plans. What we all can agree on is that hotels may never be the same again. This area of Green Lodging News highlights the latest news and trends. Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

Mexican Caribbean Launches Clean & Safe Check Certification Program

CANCÚN, MEXICO—The Governor of Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez, announced the tourism industry will start reopening this week. In preparation for the planned reopening for tourism activity in Quintana Roo, the Secretary of Tourism and state health officials together with the support of specialists in the sector have launched the Mexican Caribbean Clean & Safe Check Certification, which aims to maintain the highest sanitary measures for the prevention and containment of COVID-19 and generate confidence among guests, partners and the community. The certification program, launched May 18, is available to travel agencies, food and beverage establishments, car rental companies, water...

Meliá Hotels Joins Linens For Life with Diversey to Make Face Masks out of Hotel Sheets & Pillowcases

PALMA, SPAIN—The current health crisis has revealed the low levels of protection for the most vulnerable people in society, as well as the enormous difficulty they have in getting access to basic products to protect themselves from coronavirus. The situation is particularly relevant in developing countries where local communities lack the most basic health infrastructure and protection systems. Meliá Hotels International and Diversey have joined forces once again to work to support the health needs of the most vulnerable local communities. The project comes after another circular economy project named Soap For Hope which both companies have been working on...

EnviroLogik Expands on Eco-friendly Disinfecting Options

BRADENTON, FLA.—As restaurants, hotels and other businesses begin reopening around the country, EnviroLogik—a leading service company providing comprehensive hygiene, drain line and odor control solutions—is expanding on its safe and environmentally-friendly service offerings to include several disinfecting options. These disinfectants, B CleanM and B SanitizedM, are specifically designed to treat against the spread of viruses—including COVID-19. “Business owners and consumers are more conscious than ever about the health and safety standards of the facilities they operate and visit,” said CEO Aziz Tejpar. “At EnviroLogik, we are committed to helping local businesses get back to work as safely as possible. On...

Total of 300 Hotels, 30,000 Rooms Aid LA COVID-19 Response

LOS ANGELES—More than 300 Los Angeles hotels have volunteered more than 30,000 rooms to the LA County Department of Public Health and other agencies as temporary shelter to support the region’s COVID-19 response, the Hotel Association of Los Angeles announced recently. About 4,000 rooms are under contract, including more than 400 rooms at a large downtown hotel, to protect and isolate population segments vulnerable to the coronavirus outbreak. An additional 2,500 rooms are working through the contracting process as the County ensures proper staffing of trained personnel, indemnification for properties and insurance and liability coverage. “LA hotels have stepped up across...

Plungepacker Device Transports Toilet Plungers

WISCONSIN DELLS, WIS.—Industries across the globe need to adapt to the new standards to address cleanliness and hotels are no exception. Hygienic standards will be a top priority for hotel guests when they return, and current operational protocols will need to evolve to meet guest expectations to ensure they are safe and healthy. Developers of the Plungepacker are announcing their hygienic transporting device for toilet plungers which can help stop the spread of viruses and bacteria. They make the process of transporting a plunger throughout a property more professional and hygienic. The device also allows for easy disinfection of the...

WorkWell Health Screening System Gets America Back to Work Safely

OMAHA, NEB.—Two leaders in architecture and construction have partnered to introduce a prefabricated building system aimed at controlling the spread of Coronavirus and seasonal flu. Developed jointly by global design firm LEO A DALY and Turner Construction Co., the modular WorkWell system provides a safe and welcoming setting for health screening at entrances to buildings and public spaces where infection control is a concern. Offsite fabrication and plug-and-play design enable rapid deployment of WorkWell modules with minimal need for onsite construction crews. How it Works WorkWell is an ecosystem of prefabricated components designed to allow employers, schools, venues, airports and public spaces to efficiently screen large groups of entrants for signs of infectious disease. The centerpiece of WorkWell is the entry pavilion, installed in any area where a...

Industry Events Take Tentative, Baby Steps Back Toward Normality

One of the most missed parts of hospitality industry “normality” has been conferences and trade shows. I miss the face-to-face communication with people. Virtual meetings have become part of the new reality and a necessity with COVID-19, but I hope we can all return to meeting in person soon. It is not only good for the soul, but also a huge job creator for hotels, exhibition centers, publishing companies, event planners, foodservice workers, and many more sectors of the economy. If we all continue to social distance, etc., perhaps the environment will be right for a return soon to...

How to Keep Your Green Hospitality Business Afloat During the COVID-19 Outbreak

NATIONAL REPORT—The U.S. hospitality industry is one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with hotels having already lost more than $29 billion in room revenue and 7.7 million jobs since the issue began escalating in mid-February, according to the American Hotel and Lodging Association. The industry is facing one of the toughest periods in history—occupancies are down to zero for many hotels, tourist arrivals have dropped, and mass gatherings have either been canceled or postponed. But, just like the many other challenges that the hospitality industry has faced—such as the SARS virus of 2003, 9/11, and the 2008 market...

Global Biorisk Advisory Council Introduces GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation Program

NORTHBROOK, ILL.—The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, introduced its GBAC STAR facility accreditation program on cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention. It is the industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation. GBAC STAR establishes requirements to assist facilities with work practices, protocols, procedures, and systems to control risks associated with infectious agents, such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. Accreditation criteria and facility applications are now available at www.gbac.org. “GBAC STAR is the gold standard of safe facilities, providing third-party validation that ensures facilities implement strict protocols for biorisk situations,” said GBAC Executive Director...

GP PRO Prepares to Release KOLO Hygiene

ATLANTA—In direct response to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, GP PRO, a division of Georgia-Pacific and a leading provider of advanced dispensing solutions for commercial facilities, will soon release KOLO Hygiene, an innovative new feature of its KOLO Smart Monitoring System specifically designed to help facilities successfully manage, monitor and measure heightened cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting practices. “Advancing hygiene has always been a core value of our company and a key driver of our innovation,” said Michael Slawson, Vice President and General Manager, Smart Restrooms and Connected Devices for GP PRO. “We know that a facility’s ability to achieve and demonstrate...