In May we launched our new Johannesburg In Your Pocket webinar series, talking to our partners in the tourism and hospitality business about what it is like to operate during these strange times and how to prepare for a future tourism landscape where social distancing will be the norm.
We kicked off the series on May 27 with the team from Indaba Hotel, Spa & Conference Centre in Fourways, Johannesburg shedding light on what it is like to operate as a quarantine hotel.
Tourism is currently on hold in South Africa but not every hotel has closed its doors. Some, such as the Indaba Hotel, have remained open to act as ‘quarantine hotels’ for repatriated South Africans who are required to undergo two weeks of quarantine before they can return to their homes.
Publisher Laurice Taitz-Buntman was joined by Sharon Hunink, marketing manager for the Indaba Hotel, Lumka Dhlabo, head of the hotel’s health and nursing team and Candice Geyser, the hotel’s key account manager, currently working as guest liaison, who outlined the unique challenges and changes that the hotel has undergone since it began operating as a quarantine site.
Key topics covered in this webinar:
BECOMING A QUARANTINE HOTEL: The process of liaising with the Departments of Health and Public Works to prepare to become an official quarantine hotel.
ADJUSTING PROTOCOLS: Putting in place new protocols to minimise risk including changes to room turnaround, cleaning, staffing and meals.
ESTABLISHING A HOTEL HEALTH DEPARTMENT: Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of staff working inside a quarantine hotel and liaising with health officials to train and establish a hotel health department.
GUEST LIAISON IN ISOLATION: Balancing health protocols and personalised service to ensure the safety and wellbeing of guests. How to help guests – particularly the elderly and those on their own – feel safe, cared for and at home while they endure isolation.
RETHINKING THE USE OF PUBLIC SPACE: How to navigate ‘rezoning’ public spaces within the hotel to ensure accurate contact tracing and minimise risk, while also allowing operations to run smoothly and efficiently.
MANAGING THE WHAT-IFS: What happens if a guest or staff member contracts Covid-19?
Watch the full webinar online here
Next up: The Future of Dining webinar
At the next webinar in our series we will be talking to leaders in the Johannesburg restaurant industry, including chef David Higgs from Marble and Saint restaurants, Sakhumzi Maqubela, owner of the famous Sakhumzi restaurant on Vilakazi Street and Saul Mervis of The Grillhouse restaurants, about the changes they anticipate making when restaurants and bars reopen for sit-in guests.
The Future of Dining webinar: How to put restaurants back on the menu? takes place on Monday June 8 at 15:00 and RSVP is essential. RSVP here to join the webinar.