Accor has announced that it has successfully implemented the most stringent cleaning standards and operational procedures for guest safety.
Following operational disruptions stemming from COVID-19, the group has successfully reopened most of its hotels with 95% of them having already adopted the Group’s trusted ALLSAFE cleanliness and hygiene protocols, jointly developed with Bureau Veritas.
To date, Accor has successfully certified 65% of these hotels with the ALLSAFE label through a third-party review and accreditation process with professional auditors like Bureau Veritas, SGS, Clifton and Ecolab, and is working to have additional hotels independently verified as ALLSAFE compliant over the coming months.
“At Accor, we’re grateful for the trust our guests have placed in us to protect their health, safety and wellbeing and this is a responsibility we prioritise above all else,” says Chris Cahill, Deputy CEO Hotel Operations. “Throughout this difficult year, our hotel teams have risen to the challenge of enhancing their already stringent protocols and following increased public safety regulations while continuing to welcome, safeguard and take care of others; this remains at the very heart of what we do and who we are as hoteliers.”
Proprietary research undertaken by Accor over June/July 2020 indicates that a hotel getaway ranks among the top three activities that Accor guests feel ready to do over the coming months, in addition to going to a beach and visiting friends and family at home.
While consumer spending intentions in the travel sector remain low compared to pre-pandemic levels, 75% of consumers say they would feel comfortable staying in a hotel where they can rely on high-standards of cleanliness and professional staff.
The ALLSAFE label was established by Accor to give guests the assurance of a third-party verified standard of hotel cleanliness and hygienic requirements. These standards were developed with and vetted by Bureau Veritas, a world leader in operational testing, inspections and certifications.
Travellers can look for the ALLSAFE logo on the webpage of the Accor hotel they are booking, knowing they can trust its protocols to meet or exceed the ALLSAFE standard and visit the hotel with confidence.
To achieve the ALLSAFE certification, hotels must comply with a detailed list of 16 global commitments jointly developed with Bureau Veritas, which translates into more than 100 standards in total.
Some of these enhanced health and prevention protocols include a reinforced cleaning program with frequent disinfection of all high-touch areas such as elevators and public restrooms; deep cleaning of guest rooms with hospital-grade cleaning products and materials, including upholstery, carpets and bedding cleaning at high temperatures.
Additional measures require Accor’s ALLSAFE hotels to employ appropriate seating and spacing restrictions in restaurants, bars and public areas; guest temperature screening in accordance with local requirements; disinfectant mats at hotel entrances; contactless payment solutions and desk-free check-ins and check-outs, wherever possible.
Accor has also taken the step of establishing a complimentary medical support service available to all of its guests. Through a worldwide partnership with AXA, a global leader in insurance, Accor guests who fall ill or who are in urgent need of medical support, will receive free access to top-of-the-line medical teleconsultations.
Guests will also have access to AXA’s extensive on-the-ground network of tens of thousands of medical professionals, allowing hotels to help guide their guests to the most suitable medical support based on their location, specialisation, language support and other important criteria, in all 110 destinations where Accor operates.
In the Middle East & Africa region, over 70% of the properties currently operating are ALLSAFE-certified, with the aim to have 100% of the portfolio in the region certified by end of 2020. Alongside hotel certification, teams have undergone extensive training in order to become ALLSAFE Ambassadors, as well as ALLSAFE Officers, to reinforce communication on the program with guests and assist with any inquiries. Over 14,000 team members have been certified so far as ALLSAFE Ambassadors, with over 500 appointed as ALLSAFE Officers.
“Rolling out the ALLSAFE programme in our region has been a priority for us since its launch,” says Mark Willis, CEO Middle East & Africa. As we continue to welcome our guests with all the joy and expectation that travel brings, we want to ensure we keep them, and our team members, as safe and protected as we can along their journey.”
Accor currently operates 299 hotels (64,856 rooms) in the Middle East and Africa, with an active pipeline of 69 properties (15,296 rooms).
