Both Hyatt Hotels Corp. and InterContinental Hotels Group
will require guests to wear face coverings within indoor public areas of its
U.S. and Canadian hotels, beginning July 27.
The move follows a similar policy introduced by Marriott
International.
All three companies cited the American Hotel & Lodging
Association’s Safe Stay guest checklist recommendations, which were released
last week.
Hyatt specified that the requirement would include meeting
and event spaces, restaurants and bars, and fitness centers. “Some guests may
be exempt from this mandate, including but not limited to people with medical
conditions, consuming food or beverages in restaurants, and children under the
age of 2 years,” Hyatt said.
Any Hyatt guest not wearing a face covering indoors will be
asked to wear one. Face masks will be made available to guests who do not have
one. As part of its cleanliness initiative, Hyatt already requires all staff to
wear face covering at its hotels globally. IHG did not indicate what the
consequences of not wearing a mask would be for guests.
“This new policy comes at a pivotal time amidst the ongoing
challenges of Covid-19 and helps us care for the health and safety of our
guests and colleagues,” said Hyatt president and CEO Mark Hoplamazian in a
statement. “In an effort to enable safe travel, we support AHLA’s recently
expanded Safe Stay initiative and traveler checklist that help us come together
as an industry to promote clear guidelines, which for the foreseeable future
include the wearing of face coverings in indoor public spaces and practicing
social distancing throughout the hotel.”
Hilton Worldwide confirmed that it, too, would introduce a
face mask policy for guests, but did not provide further details. Loews Hotels
already requires face masks for guests.
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Source: Business Travel News