Over 50% of Marriott International properties across South Africa have opened their doors to welcome travellers under the latest national lockdown regulations.
The properties have opened in line with government regulations and will cater to travel permitted under the current and country-specific regulations.
Brands such as Protea Hotels by Marriott, Autograph Collection and Sheraton Hotels, have recommenced operations in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Roodepoort, Pretoria, Durban, Bloemfontein, the Garden Route (Mossel Bay and George), Mahikeng, Nelspruit, Kimberley, Upington and Rustenburg.
Offerings at these properties will include non-sharing accommodation and food and beverage offerings in line with current regulations.
As Marriott International carefully reopens its hotels, the health and safety of guests and associates remains of paramount importance. The company continues to roll out a multi-pronged platform to elevate its cleanliness standards and hospitality norms and behaviours to meet the new health and safety challenges presented by the current pandemic environment in each market around the world.
Each property has implemented extensive health and safety protocols to ensure the safety of guests and hotel associates. These protocols include, among others, implemented guidelines on chemicals and equipment to be used that are effective against viruses and increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfection at high-volume areas and regularly touched surfaces. Cleaning and disinfecting protocols are in place to sanitize rooms after guests depart and before the next guest arrives, and there is also an increased frequency of cleaning in the ‘Back of House’, where hotel associates work behind the scenes. In addition, measures have been introduced to minimize contact and reinforce social distancing and ongoing staff education is taking place.
Marriott International also created the Global Cleanliness Council to tackle the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic at the hotel level and develop the next level of global hospitality cleanliness standards, norms and behaviours that are designed to minimize risk and enhance safety for guests and hotel employees.