Are Your COVID-19 Terms and Conditions Adequate?

July 2, 2020

"Ask the Experts" Conference Call

Friday July 3, 2020 at 1pm

Get the newest updates, share your re-opening ideas and experiences

Contact info@clia.org for dial-in instructions

For more information, email info@clia.org

Dear Industry Partners,

Visit California’s Responsible Travel Code encouraging visitors to be safe as they move about the state has created a buzz in the media, as this ABC10 piece illustrates.

Now more than ever, we must encourage behavior that is safe and responsible to avoid devastating health and economic impacts. You can help spread this important message based on respect with a newly minted toolkit designed for partners to share, industry.VisitCalifornia.com/respect.

The tenets of our Responsible Travel Code speak to both preserving California and to the safety of our communities and visitors as the state begins to reopen for leisure travel. It lives on the responsible travel hub on VisitCalifornia.com, augmented by detailed content on California beaches, hotels, wineries, breweries, shops, restaurants and parks and trails, in addition to information about taking California road trips.

Our toolkit offers a variety of ways to get the message out:

Talking points that explain the importance of the code.
A sample statement of support that can be customized to your destination or business and offered up as newsletter content or a press release to local media.
A downloadable printed display of the code to display at your front desk, hostess station, check-out counter and more.
A digital file for HD screen signage.
Ready-to-use social posts, graphics and logos.

Make sure to tag @VisitCalifornia and use the hashtag #RespectCalifornia in your posts. I also encourage you to share the code and the reasons behind it to elected officials, local governments and civic organizations in your community and ask that they help get the word out.

This message isn’t only about travel and tourism in the coronavirus era. It’s about respecting the state, its cultures and residents well into the future.

Most of all, encourage visitors to not just read the code, but to embrace it.

As always, thank you for your support and resilience during this time.

Dream Big

Caroline Beteta

President & CEO

Visit California

Safely Making California Marketplace

The State of California has partnered with the California Manufacturers & Technology Association to launch the “Safely Making California” marketplace , which provides a directory of California non-medical grade PPE, such as face masks, face shields, gowns, gloves, sanitizer and wipes. A press release announcing the marketplace notes that it will continue to be built out and improved over the next few weeks.

How You Can Help Keep California Open

Provide COVID-19 Safety Signage

Purchase Today

Social Distancing Floor Decals

Purchase Today

CLIA members receive an additional discount - contact info@clia.org for information.

Mind Your T’s and C’s: COVID-19 Terms and Conditions for Hotels

By Stacy Bohm, Karen M. Buesing, and Daniel Miktus - Lodging News

After many agonizing months of the COVID-19 pandemic causing closures and record-low occupancy rates, hotel owners and operators finally can begin reopening and welcoming back guests. In doing so, they must navigate the complex web of federal, state, and local reopening requirements and guidance. In addition, many hotels and hotel brands have even developed brand-specific cleanliness initiatives. Hotel owners and operators may help minimize risks arising from COVID-19 if they go one step further and revise their terms and conditions for bookings.

Waiver and Limitation of Liability for Guests Who Contract COVID-19

Hotel terms and conditions typically include a broad waiver or limitation of liability for personal injuries sustained by guests at the establishment due to accidents such as trips and falls. Hotel owners and operators should include in their terms and conditions an additional waiver or limitation of liability in the event a guest contracts COVID-19 during or shortly after a stay. The waiver should include a release of all claims related to the virus. Hotels should consider requiring the guest’s agreement to this waiver and limitation of liability upfront during booking (possibly even in a click box to ensure it is seen), and again as a condition precedent to check-in. Any advance email confirmation to the guest should also reference the terms and conditions.

Click here to learn more about this vital topic...

Hotels reopen pools with limited capacity, F&B options

The Anantara Iko Mauritius Resort & Villas property is currently closed but plans to reopen in September. (Photo: Anantara Iko Mauritius Resort & Villas

By Danielle Hess of hotelnewsnow.com

GLOBAL REPORT—As restrictions in place because of the pandemic begin to lift, hotels opening their pools for the summer are doing so in a much different way from last year.

MGM Resorts International has opened all its pools at its open hotels in Las Vegas, John Flynn, MGM Resorts’ VP of administration and health and safety advisor, said via email.

The company is operating at 50% occupancy at all its pool areas and is following all guidelines from the CDC and the state of Nevada, he said.

“Pool lounge chairs have been placed six feet apart between groups of guests to follow appropriate physical distancing measures,” he said. “In addition to having our employees trained to offer assistance, we have placed signage around each property to easily provide guests with guidance on keeping safe distancing. Guests also are encouraged to review our detailed Seven-Point Safety Plan on (our website).”

Click here for good ideas on swimming pool and F&B Best Practices...

Factors to Keep in Mind When Rehiring Furloughed Employees

Question: We are gearing up to restart our business soon. We furloughed several employees. Are there any concerns about rehiring? When we furloughed these people, we didn’t consider it a layoff because we knew we would be rehiring them soon.

First, many small businesses took advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, put into place by the Small Business Administration, to stay “afloat.” These loans will be forgiven if the borrower follows all the rules.

One requirement of that program is that the borrower (employer) must offer to rehire (for the same salary/wages and same number of hours) laid-off employees.

For purposes of loan forgiveness, the borrower must have made a good faith, written offer of rehire. However, if the employee rejects that offer, it must be documented by the borrower. Some employees prefer, for safety or other reasons, to remain at home and not to return to work.

Click here to learn more....

For guidance on rehiring furloughed workers or other COVID-19 related questions, attend our weekly "Ask the Experts" Conference Call on Fridays at 1pm or direct your question to info @clia.org. CLIA is committed to helping lodging owners and operators manage the challenges presented by the pandemic successfully.