Iberostar: health security to take care of the guest and the ecosystem

Grupo Iberostar announces for June the reopening of its first hotels in destinations such as Spain (Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and Andalusia), Montenegro, Greece and Mexico, among others. The first hotel to open its doors will be Iberostar Cristina (Mallorca) and it will do so at the beginning of the month so that employees, along with Group executives and the Fluxá family itself, can test the new health security measures before receiving the first customers.

Grupo Iberostar resumes the activity in alliance with science to ensure the care of people and ecosystems. Together with its Medical Advisory Board, which has biologists and doctors specialized in public health in tourist settings, the Mallorcan company has developed more than 300 health security measures in line with the Group's circularity policies that promote the Wave of movement. Change, for the protection of the environment and the oceans. The hotel chain has also opted for external collaboration with SGS, the world leader in inspection, verification, analysis and certification, which has endorsed the sanitation disinfection and sanitation protocols of hotels.

As Sabina Fluxá CEO of the Group indicates, “the complicated thing is not to develop security protocols, but to do it with a holistic vision, scientific rigor and without taking a step back in the care of ecosystems. We are proud of our measures, but we are proud that they have been implemented without giving up being a company free of single-use plastics, as far as the law allows us, deepening our circularity policies and using products that minimize environmental impact. ” As an example, the new procedures include, among other innovations, the use of masks made from recycled and recyclable materials and measures that promote frequent hand washing to minimize the use of gloves.

Furthermore, the Iberostar Group has developed a training plan to accompany all the teams in their adaptation to the new scenario and will carry out periodic audits of the protocols and procedures. The training plan covers four areas: general epidemiological training, application of protocols, training on new consumption habits and ad hoc training generated by the Medical Advisory Board.

The measures implemented by the Iberostar Group are grouped into four pillars that include innovative and responsible proposals to achieve a top-quality experience:

Safe environment: with authentic leadership standards for the protection of employees, customers, communities and ecosystems.

○ Strict compliance and permanent updating of the recommendations of the WHO and local authorities.

○ External certifications such as Earth Check or Cristal International Standards, among others, and the verification of protocols by SGS (world leader in inspection, verification, analysis and certification) reinforce the company's commitment to healthy and safe environments.

○ Safe accesses with sanitary controls to suppliers and employees.

○ Permanent centralized medical service with available ambulance and security rooms.

○ Control of all the goods and products that arrive at the hotels, not only to comply with sanitary standards but to favor the proximity offer that supports local businesses and minimizes the generation of waste. This reinforces the unique focus of the Group's Honest Food philosophy that ensures the traceability of consumption.

○ Specialized training for personnel who will be equipped with the new hygiene and protection measures indicated by the MAB.

Hygiene standards with products that minimize environmental impact.

○ Advice from experts in virology for the adaptation of protocols, increasing the frequency and depth of disinfection of all spaces and establishing an always active cleaning process.

○ New measures and cleaning protocols with certified products that ensure sterilization with minimal impact on the water system and waste management in line with our circularity agenda.

○ Specific protocol for disinfecting rooms, cleaning textiles in laundries and personal access to the room.

○ Excellent and safe buffet, using the single touch, with individual presentation of the gastronomic offer, and taking advantage of the process to reduce food waste.

Social Space, distancing that enhances the use of open and outdoor spaces

○ The large natural spaces of the resorts bring nature closer and protect employees and customers. Signaling of the flow of people is now added.

○ Occupancy of hotels at a maximum of 70% of their capacity to reinforce security and other measures, such as distance between hammocks and other furniture.

○ Reduction of tables in a la carte restaurants, and increase of spaces in buffets, taking advantage of outdoor areas and creating new dining experiences abroad.

○ Eco-2-Go Star Cafe: increase in take-away mode with compostable or reusable packaging to promote circularity policies.

○ Room service to enjoy the best of gastronomy in a more intimate setting.

○ Entertainment with experiences, workshops, activities and live music shows outdoors (or indoors with a capacity limit) and family activities in smaller groups and with prior reservation.

Innovative experience at the service of information and communication to facilitate contactless proximity.

○ Digital pre-check-in and online check out: safer and recommended, but also more agile and comfortable.

○ Reinforcement of the paperless philosophy: the use of paper decreases in restaurants and rooms replaced by digital media.

○ Touch-less experience with the App or through the 24-hour E-concierge: to access all the services with one click and book a table, consult the menu, or search for leisure activities, among others.

○ The Medical Superhero will explain to children how to play and relate in the new normal.

With all the new protocols and measures, the Iberostar Group reinforces its business vision to continue consolidating leadership in responsible tourism. "The United Nations has called for transforming recovery into an opportunity to 'rebuild better.' We accept this challenge as a company. Now more than ever there is a need for responsible tourism that cares for people, the environment and is committed to creating healthy environments, ”says the Group's CEO, Sabina Fluxá.