Press Release
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2020
Media Contacts:
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Emily Daunt
Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (517) 377-3933 |
Leslie Pardo
Marx Layne & Company (248) 855-6777 |
Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association Publishes “A Safe Welcome Back;”
Calls on Gov to Expand Restaurant Standard to Convention Centers and Banquets
Calls on Gov to Expand Restaurant Standard to Convention Centers and Banquets
LANSING, MICH. -- The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (MRLA) 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.
“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,” said Justin Winslow, President & CEO of the MRLA. “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, which can be viewed at mrla.org/open, are health and safety guidelines, recommended operational and safety protocols for guests and employees, and tips for building consumer confidence.
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:
The 22-page booklet incorporates guidelines and resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidance, Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Restaurant Association (NRA), American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) as well as 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.
“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,” added Winslow.
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 timeframe, 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.
“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,” said Justin Winslow, President & CEO of the MRLA. “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, which can be viewed at mrla.org/open, are health and safety guidelines, recommended operational and safety protocols for guests and employees, and tips for building consumer confidence.
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:
- Develop 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 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidance, Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Restaurant Association (NRA), American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) as well as 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.
“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,” added Winslow.
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 timeframe, 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.
About the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association
Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (MRLA) is the recognized leader of Michigan's hospitality industry, providing essential services to the foodservice and lodging community. Founded in 1921 as the Michigan Restaurant Association and now known as the MRLA, the Association represents over 5,000 Michigan foodservice and lodging establishments. The industry plays an integral role in Michigan's economy, employing more than 595,000 people and creating nearly $40 billion in annual sales. For more information, visit www.mrla.org and www.detroitrla.org.
Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (MRLA) is the recognized leader of Michigan's hospitality industry, providing essential services to the foodservice and lodging community. Founded in 1921 as the Michigan Restaurant Association and now known as the MRLA, the Association represents over 5,000 Michigan foodservice and lodging establishments. The industry plays an integral role in Michigan's economy, employing more than 595,000 people and creating nearly $40 billion in annual sales. For more information, visit www.mrla.org and www.detroitrla.org.
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