The Legal Impacts of COVID-19 in the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Industry

17 19” (DOUE 15/05/2020), Member States are urged to collaborate closely with stakeholders in developing infection prevention and control measures and protocols and to ensure that these protocols are tailored and proportionate to the size and nature of the service provided by hospitality establishments. SETUR has taken the initiative and, by the Agreement of 24 April with all the Autonomous Communities, commissioned the Institute for Hotel Tourism Quality (ICTE) to prepare a common Protocol for the different sectors (i.e. hotels, restaurants, rural accommodation, camping, travel agencies, hostels, tourist information offices or spas) before the gradual reopening to carry out its activity. The elaboration of the protocols involved the Collegiate Medical Organisation (OMC), the Spanish Association of Specialists in Occupational Medicine (AEEMT), the Spanish Association of Labour Prevention (AESPLA), the Trade Union Confederation of Workers’ Commissions (CCOO) and the General Union of Workers (UGT). A few weeks later, twelve guides (“Measures to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus”) were published on the Ministry’s website, containing the technical specifications for the prevention of COVID-19 in tourist products and destinations, aiming to avoid a territorial dispersion of protocols and facilitate a tool agreed and endorsed by health experts. For the hotels and apartments, the protocol foresees measures such as: 1) the creation of a risk management committee, in the case of not having a Health and Safety Committee; 2) planning of task and work processes in such a way that the safety distance established by health authorities is guaranteed; 3) obligation to have non-contact thermometers; and 4) provision of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) after evaluating occupational risks. Therefore, in the reception, there must be social distancing and disinfecting solutions available; likewise, payment by card or other electronic means should be encouraged, and the payment mechanism (POS) should be disinfected after each use. In the cafeteria, the assisted buffet with a protection screen and individual and/or single-dose covered dishes should be encouraged. In the rooms, the textiles must be reduced, including the rugs and the objects of decoration and amenities; blankets, pillows and hangers should be protected and ironing service should be limited. For the restaurant service, in addition to many measures planned for hotel accommodation and apartments (capacity control, promotion of payment by card or electronic means, risk management committees, EPIS’S, etc.), other specific measures are established, such as