Safe Tourism Certification Changes and Their Implications on 15/06/2022

Foreword

Dear industry partners, following positive developments in the course of the pandemic both in our country and worldwide, the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism has made changes to the Safe Tourism certification and published criteria for the new version. The published criteria are open to multifaceted interpretations as they cover our wide country geography and facilities of various scales. The language of laws, regulations, circulars, or technical documents is heavy. It is essential to understand and interpret them well to conduct both theoretical and practical studies on them. At ISIS, we also aimed for this purpose. Our perspective with every criterion change should be to continue our successful teachings applied during a crisis like the global pandemic that truly brought the world to a halt. Afterwards, we should focus on evaluating the Safe Tourism certification criteria in facilities from environmental, sustainable, and economic perspectives. At ISIS, we have targeted and recommend continuing our successful teachings with an environmental, sustainable, and economic perspective. We hope this informative report we provide to our accommodation facilities will be beneficial. Respectfully, Side, 17.06.2022

What the New Criteria Bring

  • Social distancing plans and arrangements will not be made,
  • Protective clothing, equipment, and masks will not be provided,
  • Wall diagrams, markings, and displays in relevant areas will not be made,
  • Guests will not be informed about social distancing upon hotel entry,
  • Since the risk of contamination from luggage and belongings is not considered, guests themselves or bellboys may carry luggage and belongings,
  • Social distancing will not be applied in personnel areas, and related measures will not be taken,
  • In indoor areas, the distance between tables (at least 2 m) and between chairs (60 cm) will not be applied,
  • Capacity warnings in animation programs will not be made,
  • Temperature measurement will continue in the Mini Club,
  • Social distancing plans will not be prepared in the Mini Club,
  • Acceptance according to social distancing plan capacity will not be applied in the Mini Club,
  • There will be no visual/written panels explaining age groups of children,
  • Masks will not be used in personnel shuttles,
  • Visitors, relatives, and friends may be accepted in personnel lodgings.

New Regulations

The Safe Tourism Certification accommodation facility criteria published with version V1 dated 29.06.2021 were changed to version V2 dated 08.03.2022. Subsequently, another change was made on 15/06/2022.

Criteria changes between 08/03/2022 and 15/06/2022 are as follows;

  • Section A had 23 criteria, after revision it has 19 criteria,
  • Section B had 5 criteria, after revision it has 3 criteria,
  • Section C had 5 criteria, after revision it has 4 criteria,
  • Section D
    1. Had 3 criteria, continues unchanged with 3 criteria after revision,
    2. Had 28 criteria, continues unchanged with 28 criteria after revision (In 08/03/2022 V1, questions 3 and 4 in part b of Section D were identical, so the number of questions remained the same, but in 15/6/2022 V1, question 3 in part b of Section D was added as a new question),
    3. Had 5 criteria, after revision it has 4 criteria,
    4. Had 6 criteria, after revision it has 5 criteria,
    5. Had 4 criteria, continues unchanged with 4 criteria after revision,
    6. Had 2 criteria, after revision it has 1 criterion,
    7. Had 15 criteria, after revision it has 11 criteria,
  • Section E had 3 criteria, all criteria were removed after revision.
  • Section F had 3 criteria, after revision it has 1 criterion,
  • Section G had 2 criteria, all criteria were removed after revision.
  • Section H was transferred to Section G. Had 7 criteria, continues with 7 criteria after revision,
  • Section I was transferred to Section H. Had 6 criteria, continues with 6 criteria after revision,
  • Section J was transferred to Section I. Had 5 criteria, after revision it has 11 criteria,
  • Section K was transformed into Section J. Had 14 criteria, after revision it has 11 criteria,
  • Section L was transferred to Section K. Had 3 criteria, continues unchanged with 3 criteria after revision.
  • Section M was completely removed. Had 4 criteria,
  • Section N was transferred to Section L. Had 3 criteria, after revision it has 1 criterion.

Details and Comments on Criterion Changes

A. Mandatory Application Process Management, Setting Standards, Preparing Protocols

In this section, with the revision, social distancing plans and floor markings were removed, as well as Covid-19 wall diagrams and the requirement to keep masks within the facility. However, with the removal of masks in question 11, while the risk in indoor areas is assumed to have decreased, the criterion was added that management meetings and training programs for employees should be conducted remotely or online.

One of the still problematic criteria is: Have sufficient capacity UV devices been installed at the outlets of central mechanical ventilation/air conditioning systems that do not take 100% fresh air from outside? So far, there is no licensed product or company for UV devices in our country. Persistently rewriting this criterion will not solve the problem. Moreover, with the removal of mask use in indoor areas, it is clear that indoor areas are accepted as safe regarding the virus. How will we tell facilities to keep indoor air clean? There is no answer to this question.

Do facilities without central ventilation/air conditioning systems use mobile HEPA filters (tested according to EN 1822 standard with H13 or H14 filters) air purifiers in indoor common areas appropriate to the volume of the area? This criterion needs to be measurable in line with the latest Ministry of Interior circular and statements by our Minister of Health regarding insufficient ventilation. It is appropriate to remind again that the use of CO2 meters in indoor areas is suitable.

The 16th criterion of the same section is a widely applied practical application. It should be known that it is a criterion that should not be included in a project that is exemplary worldwide.

Criterion 18: Are employees’ hygiene training records approved by relevant NGOs (TÜROB, TÜROFED, TÜRYİD, etc.) or the Ministry of National Education (MEB) present in their files? While hygiene trainings approved by MEB are legally required and quality departments in experienced facilities already handle this practically, why are these departments not utilized? Showing different addresses for hygiene trainings causes confusion and there is no sample content for the trainings. Relevant NGOs do not have the infrastructure for this.

B. Guest Entry to the Hotel

The items regarding social distancing information to guests, valet service contamination risks, bellboy carrying, and contactless payment preferences have been removed. Many businesses already use this technological advantage. However, while remote or online management meetings and employee training programs in Section A are considered mandatory criteria for contactless digital transformation, the cancellation of contactless payment methods is thought-provoking.

C. Precautions and Applications for Personnel

The requirement to maintain social distancing in personnel rest areas has been removed. It should not be forgotten that these areas were the riskiest and most clustered during the pandemic.

D. Arrangements in General Areas

b) In the previous version, criteria 3 and 4 were identical with the same content. In the new regulation, this was noticed and criterion 3 was changed to record verification. However, all records kept are checked and verified by the person filling the form, the superior, and the department manager. Removing this criterion would be appropriate. Control lists consisting of simple, understandable, few, concise, and non-repetitive questions and criteria will increase the expected benefit to higher levels. Understandability will be ensured.

g) In the Mini Club section, with the removal of criterion 14 in the previous version, activities can be held in all kinds of areas, and this has been linked to criteria in the new version.

Facility-Specific Decisions

  • Periodic ventilation, cleaning, and disinfection of shuttle vehicles used by guests and employees,
  • Maintaining separate entrance and exit door arrangements for guests and employees entering the facility,
  • Continuing cleaning and disinfection of guests’ luggage upon entry to the facility,
  • Continuing to provide informational writings prepared in at least three languages in general areas (general hygiene or according to risk, etc.),
  • Continuing physical social distancing applications and warnings at reception, bar, guest relations, and restaurant,
  • Maintaining the arrangement of tables and chairs in all areas (2 m between tables, 60 cm between chairs),
  • Ensuring disinfectant units in facilities are accessible (in front of elevators, floors, on tables, disinfectant wipes, etc.) and available in sufficient numbers,
  • Serving bread in packaging in dining areas,
  • Serving cutlery in team envelopes in food and beverage areas,
  • Providing disposable napkins in packaging,
  • Serving condiment sets (salt shaker, pepper shaker, etc.) during service or cleaning and disinfecting them after use,
  • Facilities can continue the good practices acquired during the global pandemic. Continuation of good practices acquired in the fragile and risk-affected tourism sector is important.
  • Adhering to social/physical distancing rules on all sunbeds in all areas,
  • Obtaining signed personnel commitment forms recorded by the Human Resources department for illnesses,
  • Revising procedures, protocols, instructions, and record forms by the Quality department according to new criteria,
  • Continuing ULV application in rooms after check-out,
  • Creating a cleaning plan determined by the facility,
  • Continuing the use of designated isolation areas and rooms; this will provide advantages and benefits for the facility. Facility management is the decision-maker in these decisions.

Recommendations

  • Crisis teams that will monitor and manage diseases and provide information flow to upper management should continue. Crisis team members should include all relevant persons responsible for monitoring actions related to diseases in the business. The crisis team should meet periodically.
  • Legal regulation and legislation monitoring and control should be listed by the crisis team with legal regulations published by public institutions and ensured to be implemented within the facility.
  • Official institutions to be contacted in emergencies should be determined and shared.
  • Existing process risk analyses should be conducted in the business and action plans created.
  • Physical measures taken for employees, adequacy of personal protective equipment provided, visual information, and training adequacy should be checked.
  • It is the responsibility of the business that employees comply with the measures taken. Therefore, continuous control of the measures and enforcement of compliance by employees should be ensured.
  • Waste management infrastructure and arrangements should be provided within the business in compliance with regulations and circulars published by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.
  • Food Safety, personnel, and contamination risks from food or surfaces should be identified, and measures to minimize or eliminate these risks should be determined.
  • After every update, we must not neglect reducing and controlling risks that may arise in Safe Tourism and disease management.
  • Use of protective equipment (mask, gloves, etc.) that prevent contamination in goods acceptance, production, storage, and presentation areas should continue.
  • Production, storage, and presentation areas should ensure proper clean air circulation.
  • Food Safety procedures should be applied, and cleaning and disinfection plans should exist and be implemented.
  • Seating arrangements should be provided in service, restaurants, and bars to reduce contamination risk according to disease type.
  • Hands should be disinfected after clearing tables.
  • Tables should be disinfected after each use and prepared for new use.
  • High chairs should be fully disinfected after each use and table parts wrapped with cling film.
  • Points with hand contact in common areas should be disinfected to minimize risk.
  • Cleaning and disinfection plans prepared in the business should be followed.
  • Necessary personal protective equipment (mask, gloves, etc.) should be available as needed.
  • Dishwashers should wash at 60-65 °C and rinse at 80-85 °C, and records should be kept.
  • Disinfection should be done appropriately in boiler washing or hand washing areas.
  • Room service presentations should be prepared closed with packaging, shoe covers, etc.
  • Service staff should take personal protective measures.
  • Mini bar staff should take personal protective measures.
  • Packaged products placed in the room mini bar should be cleaned before placement.
  • The cleaning and disinfection plan should detail what, with what, how, how often, by whom, and which personal protective equipment is required.
  • Biocidal licensed chemicals must be used. Among the products listed in the Ministry of Health's "Permitted Biocidal Products" list, products suitable for the environment, equipment, and surfaces to be used should be preferred.
  • Periodic training should be given to personnel to increase personal hygiene awareness and ensure implementation of necessary measures and emergency plans.
  • Businesses should train employees on the use of masks and disinfectants, including recommended usage amounts and durations by manufacturers.
  • All work related to diseases in the business should be taught to employees and recorded.
  • Personnel lodgings should comply with the Regulation on the Qualifications of Tourism Facilities. This regulation states, "Accommodation units cannot be arranged as bunk dormitories or dormitory systems; bedrooms are limited to at least 6 m² per person." This must be followed.
  • Rooms should have adequate ventilation/air conditioning conditions. Air conditioning maintenance and cleaning should be done regularly.
  • Cleaning and disinfection frequencies of cooling group equipment, fan coils, filters, A/C air conditioners, and filters should be planned considering business risks.
  • If split air conditioners, hall air conditioners, etc. are used, airflow should be directed from top to wall, then from wall to floor.
  • Exhaust ventilation systems in toilets should be kept open.
  • Natural ventilation should be provided in all rooms with windows.
  • Relative humidity in living areas should be maintained between 30% and 60%.
  • Conditions specified in the "Regulation on Health Principles Applicable to Swimming Pools" should be met. Rules and visuals to be followed during pool use should be positioned visibly.
  • Backwash frequency should consider pool usage intensity.