PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday, December 18th, 2020, Belair Beach Hotel received their Platinum SafeSeal recognition of best practices in protecting its customers against COVID19. The hotel states that they are “proud to be a part of this progressive movement to ensure a safe working and accommodation environment while enhancing the safety of St. Maarten as a destination.”
SafeSeal is the immediately recognizable emblem for companies that are verified that they adhere to strict cleanliness and hygiene guidelines to counter the COVID19 pandemic.
Belair takes the pandemic very seriously and has additional measures in place to the ones required.
Director Evans highlights some of the steps taken to ensure this: “A hygiene specialist from SMMC gives our housekeeping staff regular training on the proper protocols, highlighting any changes within the industry and going over practices implemented on the property. Visual reminders and bi-weekly updates for supervisors, remind them of the importance of updating their staff and obligatory bi-weekly departmental meetings are held where we discuss shortcomings and ways to enhance practices. We do hourly fogging of public spaces during high traffic periods and fogging every two hours once the traffic subsides for the evening”.
Team spirit is a key feature of the hotel, and that accounts for protecting against the pandemic as well. “Belair Beach Hotel has a strong responsibility to their employees as they are a part of the team that makes up the resort. We believe in continuity, training and enhancing the skills of our current employees, while welcoming new employees and sharing the talents as team players. We believe that training and having the right equipment are sure ways to create a safe environment for our guests. We take care of our employees so that our employees can take care of you”.
Evans underlines that though travel might be temporarily different, the timeframe offers opportunities as well. “St. Maarten is an amazing island and in spite of the pandemic, the island continues to have amazing sunrises and sunsets, delicious cuisine, friendly people who genuinely care about you having safe fun, great for families, wonderful experiences and great vacation opportunities. If there was ever a time to be spoiled on St. Maarten, it's now!”
SafeSeal standards have been devised by medical and occupational safety professionals; the methods and practices have been used to grant acknowledgement of best COVID19 prevention practices to 1700 companies in the Caribbean. For St Maarten, the checklists per sector have been validated to befit, among other, the guidelines on stmaartengov.org.
By highlighting best practice companies, supporting organizations St. Maarten Tourism Bureau, the St Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association and occupational health company Medwork want to spread the word that Sint Maarten is making its best effort to be a safe destination. More information regarding SafeSeal can be found at www.shta.com/safeseal and travel information updates at www.stmaartenentry.com.
