Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) marks a milestone in its Qatar Clean programme, with 100% of QNTC-licensed hotels now “Qatar Clean” certified. Launched in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) in June 2020, QNTC’s Qatar Clean programme ensures the highest standards in hygiene and cleanliness, with rigorous procedures in place to ensure the safety of customers. QNTC’s Secretary General, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker as well as COO Mr. Berthold Trenkel marked the anniversary with a visit to the W Doha, which was the first hotel to be certified Qatar Clean. With 100% hotels now fully certified, the programme is now being expanded to restaurants, and can be rolled out to other sectors including transport, retail and culture.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive and Secretary General of Qatar National Tourism Council, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker stated: “As we mark one year of our Qatar Clean programme, we are very pleased with its successful implementation. 100% of QNTC-licensed hotels have now been certified Qatar Clean, and the programme illustrates how together we are with our stakeholders and therefore have been able to innovate and adapt to the challenges of the past year. Qatar Clean is a key component of our proposition; those in Qatar can enjoy our award winning hospitality and world class offerings with their safety assured, and we look forward to welcoming visitors from both near and far.”
As Qatar begins to ease restrictions, Qatar Clean certified hotels and restaurants can operate at limited capacity and serve fully vaccinated individuals. And with visitors from the GCC now able to enter Qatar, both visitors and residents can rest assured that the highest standards of health and hygiene are being maintained at Qatar Clean certified venues. Qatar responded quickly to control the spread of COVID-19, instituting a series of measures prioritizing the health and safety of its residents. The mandatory track and trace app, Ehteraz, as well as measures such as the compulsory wearing of face masks and social distancing, have enabled the country to open domestically and to visitors from the GCC, and prepare for the return of inbound tourism.
Residents and visitors can enjoy Qatar’s award winning hospitality, assured that the Qatar Clean programme provides safeguards in line with global health and safety standards.
To maintain a Qatar Clean certification, hotels must adhere to the following:
- Each hotel facility must appoint its own Qatar Clean Programme Manager responsible for overseeing employee training and overall compliance with programme requirements.
- Hotels must sterilise their facilities daily, conduct frequent and thorough cleaning, use disinfectant in all rooms, air conditioning systems, water tanks, toilets, and ensure stringent sterilisation of designated guest areas, especially reception halls and lobbies.
- In order to reduce contact with guests, hotels must adopt mobile or other contactless procedures for check in and check out, while optimising spaces to maintain a distance of at least two metres between individuals.
- Hotels must carry out daily temperature checks on all employees at the start of their shifts, as well as on suppliers and guests. Anyone exhibiting symptoms of Coronavirus must immediately be placed in isolation, and MOPH would be contacted.
Joint committees from QNTC and MOPH continue to inspect hotels and their facilities to ensure programme standards are being applied and adhered to, with penalties imposed for non-compliance. With the success roll out of Qatar Clean across hospitality, the programme is being considered for other sectors such as transport, retail and culture.
