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COVID-19

PROPOSED GUIDELINES FOR OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR TOURISM ENTITIES POST COVID-19 LOCK-DOWN:

Namibia Tourism believes that the below mentioned Guidelines and Protocols will provide confidence in our source markets to travel to Namibia and allay any reasonable fears of both the guests as well as staff and management that there is concerted awareness and action towards a safe and hygienic working space for the tourism industry.

  • General

    • - Arrange for “group check-in” at lodges to ensure quick and smooth process at the lobby/reception
    • - Avoiding interaction with other guests/groups
    • - Keep group together at same tables during meals
    • - Avoid groups being mixed when participating on activities/ game viewers
    • - Ensure use of public protection equipment and social distancing is practiced in all activities, scenic drives, and flights

  • Touring - Depot checks

    • - Coach / Vehicle/aircraft to be sanitized using disinfectant cleaner before departing the depot
    • - Check that voluntary disposable masks for guests are available for hand out by guide where guests do not have their own
    • - Coach / Vehicle/Aircraft contain cleaning / hand sanitizing equipment for regular own use
    • - Guides/drivers/Pilots will wear masks at all times when cleaning fleet
    • - Guides/drivers/pilots will undergo thermal screening before every new assignment
    • - Appropriate, clear and visible signage in all vehicles to raise awareness by passengers of measures and equipment available, taken to ensure their safety by the Tour Operator
    • - After return to depot, entire coach/vehicle/aircraft has to undergo a deep clean and disinfection cycle
    • - Air-handling systems, air-conditioner and other air circulation systems shall be sanitized and maintained after each tour
    • - Where fitted, items such as curtaining and other soft, loose fabrics shall be removed
    • - The sanitization of all interior hard surfaces that may have been touched by passengers including seatbelts; grip handles; window and door handles; glass surfaces seatbacks and overhead safety handles will be deep cleaned at the depot, and sanitized daily on tour. Also includes :Microphones, headsets, exterior door-handles, interior windows and glass surfaces
    • - Adequate airing of the vehicle/aircraft prior to re-use

  • At airports

    • - Guide to welcome guests with face mask. The guest may be requested to have their temperature taken.
    • - Avoid direct contact – no shaking hands and keep a distance between yourself and the guest as far as possible.
    • - Guide to explain to guests where they can find sanitizing and refuse bins
    • - Where possible, passengers should be assigned a seat for the duration of their passage and encouraged to remain in their assigned space to minimize the transmission of the virus.

  • On Tour

    • - Guide / driver/Pilot to clean and sanitize coach/vehicle/aircraft on a continual basis; Prior to departure, During lunch stops, after arrival at destination
    • - Advise guests that the majority of travel documentation is shared and provided on a digital platform
    • - Guests advised to choose one seat and avoid rotation where practical. Where practical, social distancing must be practiced.
    • - Continued disinfection of areas that are frequently used and touched are meticulously cleaned, door locks, window sliders, fridge/cool box, hand rails, dustbin
    • - Luggage to be sanitized before loading on to bus/vehicle/aircraft – or in luggage compartment to be sprayed with a disinfection spray or, at a minimum, all surface areas such as handles be wiped with surface sanitiser.
    • - Where a passenger displays – or is suspected of having any symptom associated with COVID19, steps shall be taken to isolate the passenger and to notify the appropriate authority

  • Shuttle Services Operators, Charter Aircraft, Activity Operators

    • - Allow for social distancing by increasing space, i.e. reducing seats on vehicles/aircraft, similar to the public transport SOP’s. Discretion will be used where it is a closed group.
    • - Guest registration implemented when pre-booking, or at arrival, to capture name and contact details of guests for follow up and contact if needed in future where Covid positive cases appear.
    • - Aircraft operators should ensure social distancing all the time, especially during the check-in, security check, pre-boarding, boarding and disembarkation procedures, as well as passport control where applicable;
    • - All staff to wear masks and suitable PPE to avoid physical contact as far as possible
    • - Provide hand sanitizers and disinfectant for all guests before starting activities. Spare masks should be kept available for guests who do not have their own.
    • - The interior especially the steering wheel, door handles, safety belts, headsets and Instrument clusters must be sanitized before a departure and directly after arrival as well.
    • - All tools utilised must be properly cleaned and sanitised after use – eg a breakdown.
    • - Aircraft operators and their suppliers shall only use cleaning substances approved for aviation use.

  • LOGISTICS SUB SECTOR: Activities and equipment

    • - All equipment to be sanitised before every use. In particular, the interior, including the steering wheel, door handles, safety belts and Instrument clusters
    • - Life jackets, helmets, etc. must be sanitized before a rental and directly after the rental as well.
    • - Social distancing should apply. Proper queue control should be done, using floor markers or cordons to adhere to a minimum of 1,5 meter social distancing requirement.
    • - Aircraft operators should, whenever feasible, consider spacing passengers throughout the cabin, allowing a degree of separation between them. - Alternatively, where separation is not possible, the use of face masks for the passengers should be recommended to all passengers. Discretion can be used where the guests are a closed group.
    • - Roll bars and handles to be wiped after each trip or each drink/meal stop on a trip
    • - Binoculars should not be shared and to be wiped frequently by guests with wipes provided
    • - Portable food and drink containers - to be cleaned with surface disinfection after each use, and thoroughly at the end of trips
    • - Provide hand sanitizers and disinfectant for all guests before starting activities
    • - Staggered starting times for activities, to avoid queues

  • LOGISTICS SUB SECTOR: Reception and customer arrival counters

    • - Ensure reception/check in counter has visible hand sanitisers available at all times. Staff to administer the sanitiser or let guests do this themselves.
    • - Limit handling of cash by encouraging e-payment and e-documentation and card payment. Card machines should be sanitised after use by a customer
    • - Have notice board up with action plan/ medic and health service contact numbers
    • - Have temperature measurement equipment available
    • - Counters and tables that have customer contact to be sanitized regularly throughout the day. The installation of see through panels at counters hanging down so documents can still move freely underneath.

  • LOGISTICS SUB SECTOR: On Tour

    • - Guide / driver/Pilot to clean and sanitize coach/vehicle/aircraft on a continual basis; Prior to departure, During lunch stops, after arrival at destination
    • - Advise guests that the majority of travel documentation is shared and provided on a digital platform
    • - Guests advised to choose one seat and avoid rotation where practical. Where practical, social distancing must be practiced.
    • - Continued disinfection of areas that are frequently used and touched are meticulously cleaned, door locks, window sliders, fridge/cool box, hand rails, dustbin
    • - Luggage to be sanitized before loading on to bus/vehicle/aircraft – or in luggage compartment to be sprayed with a disinfection spray or, at a minimum, all surface areas such as handles be wiped with surface sanitiser.
    • - Where a passenger displays – or is suspected of having any symptom associated with COVID19, steps shall be taken to isolate the passenger and to notify the appropriate authority

  • CAR RENTAL SUBSECTOR: Reception and customer arrival counters

    • - Social distancing is key: reduce personal contact. No handshakes. Use floor markers or cordons to promote distancing. This must be monitored to ensure it remains adequate.
    • - Ensure reception/check in counter has visible hand sanitisers available at all times.
    • - Limit handling of cash by encouraging e-payment and e-documentation and card payment. Card machines should be sanitised after use by a customer
    • - Have notice board up with action plan/ medic and health service contact numbers
    • - Have temperature measurement equipment available
    • - Counters and tables that have customer contact to be sanitized regularly throughout the day. The installation of see through panels at counters hanging down so documents etc. can still move freely underneath.
    • - All stationary (pens/clipboards etc.) used for check in will be sanitised after each use
    • - Recommended that luggage be sprayed with a disinfection spray or, at a minimum, all surface areas such as handles be wiped with surface sanitiser. Staff handling luggage must practice hand sanitising before each next luggage porterage.
    • - Remove magazines, marketing material and the like to reduce touch surfaces.

  • CAR RENTAL SUBSECTOR: Sanitizing of Vehicles

    • - Air-handling systems, air-conditioner and other air circulation systems shall be sanitized and maintained after each rental.
    • - The sanitization of all interior hard surfaces that may have been touched by passengers including keys, seatbelts; grip handles; window and door handles; glass surfaces seatbacks and overhead safety handles will be deep cleaned before and after every rental , but also all tools inside the vehicle which may have been used by rental guests.
    • - Adequate airing of the vehicle prior to re-use
    • - Bedding to be done at dry cleaners and all cutlery to be sanitized. The tents to be disinfected.
    • - Vehicles to have a deep clean after every rental. In more difficult circumstances, external valet services will be utilised.

  • CAR RENTAL SUBSECTOR: Car rental and logistics

    • - Airport transfers should follow the same guidelines as transfers and practice the maximum capacity as set out from time to time under transport.
    • - Drivers to wear masks and suitable PPE and avoid physical contact as far as possible
    • - Hand sanitizer ready available in the vehicle.
    • - Appropriate, clear and visible signage in all vehicles to raise awareness by passengers of measures and equipment available
    • - Recommended that luggage, where applicable, be sprayed with a disinfection spray or, at minimum, all surface areas such as handles be wiped with surface sanitiser. Drivers handling luggage must practice hand sanitising before each trip.

  • CAR RENTAL SUBSECTOR: Car Rental – self-drive

    • - Two to four people from the same family or group can share one car. Rules for self-drive will follow the regulations on occupants allowed in a vehicle as issued by the Government from time to time.

  • CAR RENTAL SUBSECTOR: Symptoms on Arrival

    • - Where possible, they should be asked to return home and contact their doctor or other healthcare professional
    • - If the cannot they must be moved to a designated COVID 19 area and be kept isolated from all other guests and staff
    • - Any vehicle used to transport them, if applicable, must be deep cleaned afterwards.
    • - Guests with symptoms should stay in a room that has further reduction of softs and reduced movables/surfaces and be served by designated, low-risk, staff only with additional PPE (e.g. masks, visors or other eye protection, gowns gloves and all discarded after each contact used
    • - If symptoms are severe, worsen or persist more than one day, a medical professional should be consulted. Based on the medical professional’s recommendation the guest should either be: referred for a COVID-19 test, Examined (in room, or using safe transport to a GP) by a GP, Recommended to continue self-isolating – with or without medication, Referred directly to a hospital for admission
    • - Guests in isolation should preferably be in designated rooms, single occupancy and no shared bathrooms.
    • - Rooms and vehicles used for transport of, or accommodating of, suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases and areas known to have been utilised by the infected guests should undergo decontamination deep clean.
    • - Where you are informed through tracing services that a guest who previously visited, stayed or was transported has tested positive, the same decontamination cleaning processes must be adhered to for rooms, vehicles and areas the guest used.
    • - A room or vehicle can also be left unutilised for five to seven days before cleaning, to allow any traces of the virus on surfaces to die and then initiate the cleaning.
    • - Vehicles can also be parked in the sun, as heat is understood to hasten the demise of the virus.
    • - When caring, serving or cleaning for or after a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, biohazard disposable waste bags, boxes and containers must be used for waste and all soiled /dirty items including used PPE, which is going for cleaning or disposal.
    • - Where a guest who has been travelling on a trip in a vehicle or staying in a facility, tests positive, the staff who have interacted with the guest or cleaned the relevant room or vehicle and the rest of any travel group they are travelling with, must go into 14-day self-isolation at home or in an accommodation establishment

Prices available on request

Feel free to make a request or enquiry on any of our transfers, tours and vehicle rental.

  • +264 61 258 792
  • tours@namibiatours.com.na

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