Dubai Tourism recently laid out new guidelines for visitors to the country. The revised safety rules come after recent violations and a resurgence of Covid-19 cases in the emirate following an influx of tourists from around the globe. Ahmad Al Falasi, CEO, Corporate Services and Investment, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), outlined the new set of precautionary measures that were put into effect on February 2. The measures, announced by Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, will be effective till February 28.
All hotels at 70% capacity
“All hotel establishments shall operate at 70 per cent occupancy level. For existing hotels operating at occupancy level above 70 per cent, no new bookings or extensions shall be made until the hotels adhere to the aforementioned limit in addition to postponement of any activity that leads to large gatherings such as weekend brunches,” Al Falasi told Gulf News. He added, “The new precautionary measures have been adopted as a result of recent violations. A preventative approach has been taken for hotels with high occupancy to avoid occurrence of violations.” He warned that any violation of the precautionary measures will result in serious action against the venue. “The safety and wellbeing of all is our utmost priority and we look forward to the continued support of hotels in Dubai in ensuring compliance with all precautionary measures.”
Pubs and bars closed
Following the latest Covid-19 safety measures proposed by the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai, all pubs and bars have been shut down from February 2 until the end of the month.
PCR test requirements
“All passengers arriving in Dubai from any point of origin (GCC countries included) must hold a negative COVID 19 PCR test certificate for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure,” stated Al Falasi. “The effective precautionary measures implemented by Dubai have been endorsed by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which gave the city a Safe Travels stamp. The air travel protocols cover all types of international tourists and include a negative PCR test certificate which they must furnish on arrival at Dubai Airports with the test taken no more than 72 hours prior to departure,” he stated.
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All hotels including their facilities and restaurants are required to implement social distancing amongst diners, sanitise common areas frequently, encourage contactless payments and get all staff to wear their masks at all times. However, diners can remove their masks when they sit at their table. “We will continue working closely with our partners and carry out regular site inspections to ensure that all safety protocols are being adhered to, and failure to comply will result in serious action against the establishment. Ultimately, all of us are responsible to overcome this challenging time,” Al Falasi concluded.
