Resplendent Ceylon Managing Director Malik Fernando said that Sri Lanka Tourism was to outline and shortly implement a Singaporean style health certification for tourist establishments. Fernando was speaking on May 15 to the Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance which was formed after the Easter Attacks in 2019.
Fernando said, “Sri Lanka tourism is expected to release the guidelines next week and this should hopefully address the concerns of SMEs as well in terms of catering to the whole gamut of the industry from small to large. I understand the scheme will also be branded like SG clean and be widely communicated so that people will have peace of mind.”
“Opening establishments initially local guests is top of mind for industry and to be able to do so safely is a major concern. In the sharing of best practice this panel has been very useful,” he said.
Partner KPMG Singapore said that the Singaporean system had been developed from the expertise gathered during the SARS outbreak. He said because of the experience of quarantine with SARS the country was able to keep large parts of its economy operational. Hoteliers were implementing safeguards in February and the entire industry was involved by March. The Singaporean system enabled through applications and interfacing with KPMG takes about a week to register. Small hotels can be certified. The coronavirus was identified as being more difficult to test for as the incidence of fever is not guaranteed in carriers. The system has high levels of self-accountability on the traveler, hotel management, and staff. Guests are given temperature checks, made to complete a travel declaration, and sanitize their hands.
Hygiene and Safety Manager Grand Hyatt Singapore Thanabal Naidu said that in his establishment special concern was given to the disinfection of toilets. The staff is made to work in teams on rotation to attempt to compartmentalize the impact of an infection. Entrance and exit to the establishment have been limited and have temperature checks and logging of movement. All vendors and suppliers must go through temperature checks. When dining is to be reopened the number of guests is to be limited and spaced out.
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