Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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100% of hotels in Qatar are now Qatar Clean Certified
The Qatar National Tourism Council has marked a milestone in its Qatar Clean programme, with 100% of QNTC-licensed hotels now ‘Qatar Clean’ certified.
Launched in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health in June 2020, QNTC's Qatar Clean programme has been designed to ensure the highest standards in hygiene and cleanliness, with rigorous procedures in place to ensure the safety of guests.
With 100% of hotels now fully certified, the programme is now being expanded to restaurants and can be rolled out to other sectors including transport, retail and culture.
To maintain a Qatar Clean certification, hotels must adhere to the following:
• Each hotel facility must appoint its own Qatar Clean programme manager responsible for overseeing employee training and overall compliance with programme requirements.
• Hotels must sterilise their facilities daily, conduct frequent and thorough cleaning, use disinfectant in all rooms, air conditioning systems, water tanks, toilets and ensure stringent sterilisation of designated guest areas, especially reception halls and lobbies.
• To reduce contact with guests, hotels must adopt mobile or other contactless procedures for check-in and check-out, while optimising spaces to maintain a distance of at least two metres between individuals.
• Hotels must carry out daily temperature checks on all employees at the start of their shifts, as well as on suppliers and guests. Anyone exhibiting symptoms of Coronavirus must immediately be placed in isolation, and the Ministry of Public Health would be contacted.
Joint committees from QNTC and MOPH continue to inspect hotels and their facilities to ensure programme standards are being applied and adhered to, with penalties imposed for non-compliance. With the successful rollout of Qatar Clean across hospitality, the programme is being considered for other sectors such as transport, retail and culture.
QNTC's secretary general – also Qatar Airways Group chief executive, His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker, marked the programme’s milestone with a visit to the W Doha, the first hotel to be certified Qatar Clean. The QNTC's COO Berthold Trenkel also attended.
"As we mark one year of our Qatar Clean programme, we are very pleased with its successful implementation,” says the secretary general. “100% of QNTC-licensed hotels have now been certified Qatar Clean, and the programme illustrates how together we are with our stakeholders and therefore have been able to innovate and adapt to the challenges of the past year.
“Qatar Clean is a key component of our proposition; those in Qatar can enjoy our award-winning hospitality and world-class offerings with their safety assured, and we look forward to welcoming visitors from both near and far."
As Qatar begins to ease restrictions, Qatar Clean-certified hotels and restaurants can operate at limited capacity “and serve fully vaccinated individuals”. And with visitors from the GCC now able to enter Qatar, both visitors and residents can rest assured that the highest standards of health and hygiene are being maintained at Qatar Clean certified venues.
Qatar responded quickly to control the spread of Covid-19, instituting a series of measures prioritising the health & safety of its residents. The mandatory track and trace app, Ehteraz, as well as measures such as the compulsory wearing of face masks and social distancing, have enabled the country to open domestically and to visitors from the Gulf Cooperation Council, and prepare for the return of inbound tourism.
Residents and visitors can enjoy Qatar's award-winning hospitality, assured that the Qatar Clean programme provides safeguards in line with global health & safety standards.
24th June 2021