Arguing that hotels, resorts and convention centers are on the bring of “potentially sacrificing billions of dollars” in booked weddings and other events, the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association is calling on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to expand her restaurant guidance to include such enterprises, even as they publish a new set of guidelines for the industry they have titled “A Safe Welcome Back.” 
The association today released A Safe Welcome Back, a step-by-step guide to navigating lodging reintegration. It features comprehensive guidelines and checklists to put hoteliers in a position to safely operate and rebuild business quickly while fostering consumer confidence.
Justin Winslow, President & CEO of the MRLA, says, “As we head into a Pure Michigan summer, our hotels, resorts and convention centers find themselves in the precarious position of potentially sacrificing billions of dollars of previously booked weddings, parties and conventions as a direct result of existing orders limiting gatherings to 10 people in most of the state.” He adds, “Through our A Safe Welcome Back guidance, we believe these struggling businesses have the guidance they need to operate their facilities safely and should be immediately afforded the same opportunity as restaurants to provide socially distanced foodservice and safe gatherings at increased and realistic capacities.”
Included in A Safe Welcome Back for Michigan hoteliers, are health and safety guidelines, recommended operational and safety protocols for guests and employees, and tips for building consumer confidence. Here’s a direct link to the document: MRLA-A-Safe-Welcome-Back
There are six categories in the MRLA publication, A Safe Welcome Back, that collectively address all aspects of back and front of the house lodging operations:
- Developing a COVID-19 response team
- Employee Health
- Personal Protection Equipment
- Guest Health
- Housekeeping
- Attention to the Guest
- Meetings & Events
- Amenities
- Verifying Third Parties
The 22-page booklet incorporates guidelines and resources from multiple sources including:
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidance
- Federal Drug Administration (FDA)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- National Restaurant Association (NRA)
- American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)
- Insight from Gov. Whitmer’s Executive Orders and the Michigan Economic Recovery Council (MERC)
A Safe Welcome Back includes suggestions for communicating safety measures to guests, including welcome signs encouraging stays by healthy visitors only and placing a “Clean for You” sticker sealing guest room doors for incoming reservations. The booklet also details recommended procedures such as touchless payment, contactless room drop of linens, and placing touchless hand sanitizers at check-in and elevators.
The MRLA’s Winslow says, “A Safe Welcome Back combines guidance for hoteliers with new state and federal regulations as well as recommendations for ensuring guest and employee safety. We are here to deliver the best resources to the lodging industry and are eager for hotels to return as a home-away-from-home for vacation and business travel.”
The tourism industry is among the hardest hit by COVID-19. According to data in late March from the American Hotel & Lodging Association, 37,948 direct hotel-related jobs were lost due to the pandemic. In that same time frame, 45-percent of the 193,432 hotel industry employees in Michigan were already furloughed or projected to lose their jobs. As of June 3, nearly 6 out of 10 hotel rooms were empty across the country.
