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To mitigate the harrowing effect of the Corona virus pandemic on the tourism industry, the Nigerian National Mirror Committee on Tourism and Related Services is exploring ways to find a common ground for post Covid-19 resumption of activities.
The Working Group of the Mirror Committee recently held a virtual meeting coordinated by the Chairperson, Mrs. Chika Balogun, Director General of the National Institute for Hotels and Tourism to consider a draft standard for “Health and Safety Measures for Tourism & Hospitality Establishments – Post Pandemic (Covid-19) Resumption Standards”.
She enjoined sector players and stakeholders in Nigeria to join hands in ensuring that Tourism and Hospitality establishments get back on track after the disruption occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Balogun commended the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for leveraging on its membership of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and other international Standardisation bodies to make relevant standards available to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
According to her, the draft Standards on Health & Safety Measures for Tourism & Hospitality Establishments – Post pandemic (Covid-19) Resumption Guidelines will help the Tourism sector pick up faster with greater efficiency as the lockdown is being eased off by the Government and its relevant agencies.
She thanked members for their commitment and dedication to seeing that the Nigerian Tourism sector is at par with their counterparts on the global scene.
Welcoming members to the first sitting of the Committee after the ease of the lock down by the Presidential Task force on Covid, SON Director General, Osita Aboloma, noted the adverse effect of the corona virus pandemic on the Tourism sector in Nigeria and globally and challenged the National Mirror Committee to oversee a comeback by the sector through diligent deliberations on the draft Standards as well as the eventual implementation after approval.
Represented by the Group Head, Service Standards; Engr. Ayoola Ololade, the Director General expressed SON’s preparedness to work with stakeholders to see the tourism sector revamped, by ensuring that all necessary measures are put in place for activities to pick up fast as the lockdown occasioned by the pandemic was being eased.
In a short presentation titled “Health and safety measures for Tourism and Hospitality establishments for Post Covid 19-Pandemic, Mrs. Chidinma Ewuzie, the Technical Secretary to the National Mirror Committee, listed the reasons for the guidelines to include to improve on the safety of employers and workers in order to prevent a re-occurrence of the pandemic, to boost confidence of guests, employers and employees as well as to establish a monitoring control to limit the spread of the pandemic.
She stated that the draft Standards on Health & Safety Measures for Tourism & Hospitality Establishments – Post Pandemic (Covid -19) Resumption standards specifies requirements for Tourism and Hospitality establishments to enable them comply with the guidelines for resumption, protect lives and sustain the businesses in the sector.
The document according to her, applies to tourism sector establishments such as Hotels, Restaurants, Fast foods, Conferences/meetings/Event centres, Tour Operatives/Travel agents/Tourist Information Centres, Airlines and Beaches amongst others.
The virtual meeting had in attendance members drawn from; The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism, Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria, Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria, Institute of Tourism Professionals, Association of Tourism and Hospitality Consultants in Nigeria, Institute of Hospitality UK, National Association of Catering Institute/Lagos State Post Covid-19 Pandemic Review Committee, Gadeshire Travels and Tours Limited, Nigeria, Goge Africa, Hotel Human Capital and W. Hospitality.
