Hospitality industry players sentisised on coronavirus preventive protocols

The Northern Regional Office of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), has held a sensitisation workshop and exhibition for tourism and hospitality industry players in the Northern Region on COVID-19 and its preventive protocols and guidelines.

The workshop was to enlighten them on the industry’s specifically outlined protocols and guidelines on mitigating the spread of the virus in various facilities, since it was preparing to reopen to business.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr Francis Atiagbor, Northern Regional COVID-19 Surveillance Officer, said it was prudent for the hospitality industry players and other stakeholders in the region to adopt strict measures and abide by the preventive guidelines issued by the government.

“Looking at the rate of infection in the country and the region in particular, it has become necessary for those of us in the tourism and hospitality sector to put in place stringent measures in our various facilities to protect ourselves as staff, and guests that use the facilities from the COVID-19”, he advised.

“Enforce wearing of nose masks and other hygiene protocols, check temperatures of guests at entry points to know their state of health before allowing them into the facility, and have a designated holding centre for the isolation of suspected cases on your premises”, he noted.

Alhaji Hakeem Ismael, Northern Regional Manager of the GTA, encouraged hotel and other facility owners to periodically train their staff on the COVID-19 preventive etiquettes and guidelines to adopt, to ensure both staff and clients were safe from contracting the disease.

He urged owners of hospitality businesses to provide adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for their staff to safeguard them from the virus, adding “staff should also ensure that they put on the PPEs at all times for their safety”.

“For us to stop the spread of the COVID-19 in our facilities, it is highly advisable that we display COVID-19 preventive educational materials on the guidelines at vantage points on our premises to give firsthand information to guests and clients”, he said.