How Dubai’s hospitality sector started prudent reopening

Private beaches linked to hotels open for guests for prescribed activities

The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has announced a slew of precautionary measures for the hospitality sector to open for business.

The measures are aimed at ensuring the health and well-being of travellers as well as that of all communities within the city.

The preventive measures will be in place at all public spaces, attractions and various tourism related activities. Hotels across the city are mandated to adopt a stringent set of international health and safety protocols.

Even as the emirate continues to effectively curtail the transmission of Covid-19 within its boundaries, Dubai is reopening its economic sectors in a phased manner. Standard protocols for social distancing and wearing of masks at are mandatory. Detailed guidelines for reopening both government and private establishments have been established for each industry, including the hotel and hospitality sector.

Beaches open

Hotels will be allowed to reopen their beaches and resume water sports activities, with strict guidelines for disinfection and sterilisations to ensure health and safety of all hotel guests and staff. Beach-goers are required to maintain a distance of two metres between them and their sunbeds. There should be a gap of four metres between two groups of people and their sunbeds on the beach. The number of people in the groups have been defined.

Only hotel guests are allowed to access the private beach of the property.

Other hotel facilities will remain closed, but will be reopened in a phased manner. All facilities will be subject to sanitisation protocols and periodic sterilisation. Dubai Tourism inspectors will be monitoring the hotel beaches to ensure compliance.

“We are taking a zero-tolerance approach in the management of all health and safety protocols and are working closely with our hospitality partners for the effective implementation of these measures,” Khalid Saeed Bin Touq, Executive Director, Tourism Activities and Classification Sector, Dubai Tourism, said.

Sterilisation in hotels

Dubai’s tourism industry is looking at the domestic market to contribute towards its revival in the initial stages, with emphasis on staycations.

Dubai Tourism is also working closely with key aviation partners, including Emirates, and Dubai Airports in reassuring tourists to enjoy a safe and memorable stay in Dubai.