The tourism sector, one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, dodges its hasty recovery with strict protocols that guarantee the safety of visitors and union workers. Several of the best practices are now synthesized in a technical standard that brings together various steps to follow to minimize infections.
This is the INTE / ISO / PAS 5643: 2021 standard “Tourism and related services: Requirements and guidelines to reduce the spread of covid-19 in the tourism sector.” This document applies to different businesses in the area such as hotels and restaurants.
“The tourism sector has always been used to working, developing and adapting to the highest standards of quality in its services, and this time, when the pandemic has required us to adjust to new levels, it is no exception”, indicated the director of the National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur), Shirley Calvo. “This is a sign that the country and the sector continue to work firmly to remain a safe destination,” added Calvo.
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What do the safe tourism regulations include?
The Costa Rican Institute of Technical Standards (Inteco) was in charge of adapting the protocols to the Costa Rican scenario. The manager of the institution, Susana Picado, explained that the standard controls issues of risk, security and processes. In addition, the variables of the environment and the promotion of the country’s image are included. Within the norm are included the national measures of the authorities but also an additional contingency plan according to each subsector.
The scope of this can be adapted to specific branches of tourism such as:
- Accommodation
- Services: adventure tourism, ecotourism, golf courses, spas.
- Events: congresses, conventions and others.
- Visitation spaces: museums, natural parks, etc.
- Food: restaurants, catering service, etc.
Thats all well and good for the Tourism industry. But the first view and experience that the tourists get is a 3-4 hour wait with up to a thousand other people, practically touching each other and breathing on each other with poor masks, during the height of the Omicron variant at the SJO Immigration. Shame on them for not even responding to the many complaints and not caring that they are responsible for speeding the virus. The first thought of any tourist to Costa Rica is that the Costa Rican government does not care about the virus.
A controversial topic indeed, what must be accepted is that this is no longer a pandemic but rather ENDEMIC, meaning that it`s here to stay, like many other ailments that humanity faces but must continue to thrive and enhance colaboration among us.