As the COVID-19 pandemic eases domestically, Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che has instructed a gradual implementation of the Tainan Carefree Travel Program. Measures are in place to ensure the hygiene of hotels and eateries so that visitors can travel without worries, while employees in these tourism-related industries can enjoy a safe working environment.
Under the guidance of the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) and according to the Pandemic Prevention Handbook by the Tainan Public Health Bureau, Tainan’s Tourism Bureau developed a “Self-Management Checklist for Hospitality Industries.” The checklist was very well-received--as many as 131 companies are on-board with the campaign, and have started to provide safe accommodation for visitors and safe workplace for employees.
This checklist covers the four following principles:
- All on-site employees, front-desk staff, and housekeepers must wear face masks, thoroughly implement hygiene practices, and maintain body temperature records.
- When cleaning public areas, staff members must adhere to standard operating procedures, implement regular cleaning and disinfection measures, and record all of these actions; detailed attention should be focused on sanitizing high-touch surfaces or objects in common areas (e.g. door handles, power switches, and public-use computers in hotel lobbies).
- In terms of cleaning hotel rooms, hotels must regularly disinfect room ventilation systems, sanitize linens and beddings with alcohol disinfectant, and carefully sterilize bathrooms and floors with bleach.
- As for hotel amenities, such as public bathhouses, gyms, swimming pools, or reading rooms, thorough cleaning should be conducted regularly, and all staff members and visitors must clean hands with alcohol disinfectant before entering, register their personal information, and wear face masks.
Tainan’s Carefree Travel Program entitles two aspects, safe accommodation and safe dining. Safe dining measures are meant to minimize any transmission risk when travelers dine in restaurants and eateries. Over a hundred restaurants and hotels have pro-actively signed the “Health and Safety Declaration,” and thus ready to put into practice 12 related measures that ensure pandemic prevention and control, while providing exceptional dining experience and best local flavors. As part of the Carefree Travel Program, Tainan City Government designed 11 walking routes along sites that won three-star recommendation by the Michelin Green Guide. A total of 16 walking tours will be offered for visitors to enjoy an in-depth experience of Tainan’s ancient capital charm. Restaurants have also designed “My Tainan Care Meals,” which are special themed menus to go with these walking tours. In the meantime, staff members from the Tourism Bureau will continue to deploy on-site inspectors to confirm that all safeguarding measures are robustly implemented, so that the city can continue to welcome visitors to Tainan.
Aligned with the central government’s New Lifestyle Movement for Epidemic Prevention, Taiwan is already launching or will soon launch a number of major tourism events, including the Baihe Lotus Flower Festival (starting from May 24), Tainan City International Dragon Boat Championship (June 23-25), and the 2020 Recreational Activities in Tainan’s Waterways (June to August). To welcome more domestic travelers to visit Tainan, Tainan City also kicked out a promotional campaign, offering gift coupons and special gifts. From this date till the end of June, for every NT$500 spending at restaurants that signed the Health and Safety Declaration, the consumer will get a serial number to join the lucky draw. The more one spends, the greater chances to win in the lucky draw. Prizes include restaurant coupons that worth NT$500, hotel coupons, and steam cookers that can sterilize face masks, a very popular item recently. This promotional campaign offers over 500 gifts for visitors to come and enjoy a carefree holiday in Tainan and win big prizes at the same time.
Health and Safety Declaration Restaurants and My Tainan Care Meals: https://bit.ly/3dmdIbp or look for further info on mytainan.com
Promotional Campaign: http://mytainancare-meal.iware.com.tw/
Michelin-3-star Walking Tours: https://www.twtainan.net/zh-tw/statics/michelin-3-stars-trave