Palestine
Project Year: 2020
Funding: German Committee for Disaster Reduction (DKKV), German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ)
Partners: Palestine Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MOTA), Arab Hotel Association (AHA)
Contact: Dr. Trevor Girard
COVID-READY
Government cooperation
Standards Development
Training and Capacity Building
In a project funded by the German Committee for Disaster Reduction (DKKV) and commissioned by German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Hotel Resilient has been working in Palestine since June 2020 with the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities (MoTA), the), the Palestine Tourism Recovery Taskforce, GIZ and other partners to develop the COVID-19 Tourism Operation Manual for Palestine. In addition, Hotel Resilient trained a national team of auditors and tailored our audit software to allow hotels to conduct self-audits to ensure compliance with national standards.
Through the auditing process, hotel operators are first obliged to use an online auditing platform, developed by Hotel Resilient, which scores the hotel’s readiness, prevention, and response strategy to COVID-19. The audit includes task management software that can point out relevant areas that need improvement. Once a hotel operator completes the COVID-READY module and applies the necessary standards and protocols within their hotel and facilities, the national auditing team is invited to conduct a comprehensive onsite audit; thoroughly inspecting the hotel to ensure the implementation of COVID-19 specific standard operating procedures before they can officially reopen and resume operations.
Hotel Resilient’s risk specialists have been intensely involved from the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, reviewing international guidelines, industry best practices and the latest scientific research related to the pandemic. We are proud to say that the COVID-19 Operation Manual for Palestine is one of the most detailed and comprehensive manuals of its kind. The standards align with international standards and best practices but are tailored to the needs of the Palestine tourism industry through the valuable input of the project partners. From hotels to food vendors, museums to donkey rides and nargila bars, all facets of tourism are covered.
Download the Palestine COVID-19 Tourism Operational Manual here. The Palestine COVID-19 health and safety protocols have been fully integrated into the Hotel Resilient software, and we are supporting hotels during this crisis, by making the Hotel Resilient software and COVID-READY audit tool available for free.