PETALUMA, CALIF.—We know that washing our hands is the most effective way to prevent the spread of bacteria and diseases such as COVID-19. But hands-free hand washing can even further reduce the spread of harmful germs that can make us sick. Bacteria and viruses can linger on faucet handles for days, where they can easily be picked up when turning the water on and off. Sonoma Forge’s Sans Hands Automated Faucet Technology eliminates the need to touch the faucet handles, thereby eliminating the transfer of harmful pathogens from turning on and off a traditional faucet. With no visible sensors, Sans Hands...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) 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, comprised of 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...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Highlighting its continued commitment to hotel owners, team members and guests, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,300 hotels across 90 countries, launched “Count on Us,” a new long-term, multi-faceted initiative to build confidence among guests and to support franchisees as it begins making preparations to welcome travelers back to its more than 6,000 U.S. hotels. Launch of the new initiative follows dialogue and collaboration with Wyndham franchisees, members of its Franchise Advisory Councils, leading industry partners, and key trade organizations like the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). The immediate focus is to...

JACKSONVILLE, FLA.—When crisis hits, fast thinking and a people-first attitude makes all the difference in how a company responds. That’s why, as early as March 17, family-owned Bacardi shifted gears to help produce much-needed hand sanitizers in response to the COVID-19 crisis. What began at one Bacardi-owned site in Puerto Rico quickly expanded to eight sites and, now, 14 Bacardi sites across countries and company brands, including BACARDÍ rum in multiple sites, GREY GOOSE in France, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE in England, MARTINI in Italy, DEWAR’S in Scotland, LEBLON in Brazil, and others have joined efforts to help. Each location is giving back...

LAS VEGAS—Las Vegas Sands announced it will donate two million medical masks and 20,000 protective suits to help health-care professionals, first responders and nonprofit organizations in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Medical mask donations will be distributed in the company’s corporate headquarters of Nevada as well as New York, which has become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States. Each state will receive one million masks. The 20,000 protective suits will be donated to hospitals and first responders in Nevada. “Hopefully our donations will help protect people on the front lines so they can continue their invaluable...

PHOENIX—Best Western Hotels & Resorts (BWHR) was the first hotel brand to set a high level of cleanliness with the roll out of the I Care Clean program in 2012. The program was developed through a partnership with innovation and design firm, IDEO, and required its hotels to focus on guest high touch items and areas with standards such as usage of ultraviolet sterilization wands and TV remotes that can be disinfected. At the onslaught of the global COVID-19 pandemic, BWHR immediately rolled out enhanced cleaning protocols and breakfast standards. Recognizing that travelers are now more concerned than ever about cleanliness, BWHR is launching...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—EcoSure and Lobster Ink, Ecolab divisions focused on food safety and public health, are offering COVID-19 assessment and training programs to help food service and hospitality customers protect their employees and guests and restore safe and profitable operations. “Prevention is the best protection,” said Mandy Sedlak, EcoSure manager for Food Safety and Public Health. “By training frontline employees on COVID-19 prevention, providing coaching on best practices and enhancing standard operating procedures (SOPs), we will help arm food service teams with the right knowledge and tools to combat this pandemic.” In addition to Ecolab’s cleaning and disinfecting, hygiene and warewashing...

With all the precautions you are taking to protect your guests and staff against COVID-19, you should pay special attention to your drains and pipes. The interconnection of all parts of a hotel building by the wastewater plumbing system makes it vulnerable. The plumbing can be the conduit for the spread of the virus and stagnating water could increase the growth of Legionella bacteria and other pathogens. A recent article published in The Lancet explains how wastewater plumbing systems have the potential to enable airborne transmission of COVID-19. Buildings that have gone dormant for long stretches of time are especially...

CHICAGO—Hyatt announced a Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment to further enhance its operational guidance and resources around colleague and guest safety and peace of mind. The multi-layered commitment builds on Hyatt’s existing rigorous protocols and will include an accreditation process by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) at all hotels around the world, colleague training and support resources, and a cross-functional working group of medical experts and industry professionals that will contribute to various aspects of the hotel experience. “The world as we knew it has been fundamentally changed by COVID-19 and when we are all ready to travel again,...

Malaysia’s Echo Resorts, the owning company for Gayana Marine Resort, Bunga Raya Island Resort and Borneo Eagle Resort, is keeping busy amidst the worldwide pandemic caused by the corona virus. While its hotel division is not operating due to global travel restrictions and the Movement Control Order imposed by the Malaysian government, it’s business as usual, if not more, for the other divisions. Organic Food Supply Its Borneo Eco Fish Farm by Bayu Aquaculture Sdn Bhd and Green-Os organic vegetable farm are seeing rising orders from consumers and restaurants since the pandemic began. Borneo Eco Fish Farm rears an assortment of...