Is your hotel COVID-compliant?

QualSTAR COVID Safety Compliance scheme is the first of its kind to be accredited by NABCB.

Tripti Mehta

As year 2020 commenced, it was amply clear that the novel coronavirus was here to stay, and that the world was going to change forever. While people battled its ill-effects and governments raced to seal both domestic and international borders, COVID-19 slowly seeped into business and industry. The most impacted was tourism and hospitality. Its very essence had been shattered! Finding a solution to a global pandemic of this scale and ruin was no easy task! With the hospitality industry having witnessed a decline in revenues to the extent of 60-70 per cent as compared to 2019, it was predicted that almost 50 to 60 per cent of the total jobs that the industry provided could be lost if it was not revived. Gradually, hotels were allowed to operate (some of them even as hospitals in the beginning), but under strict guidelines that called for only a limited number of rooms to be occupied at a time; regular sanitisation of public areas, surfaces, etc., shooting up operating costs with revenues still at an all-time low.

So, how could the industry recover at a time when people were afraid to step out of their homes? Numerous studies conducted across the globe suggest that for the industry to recover, building traveller confidence is paramount. To achieve that, it is imperative to assure prospective customers and clients of the strict adherence to safety and hygiene guidelines. But, merely following set protocols is not enough; it is important to put a stamp on these measures, so customers can differentiate between a COVID-safety-compliant and non-compliant enterprise. While customers easily trust branded hotels and believe in their adherence to safety protocols, it is difficult for the smaller ones (including apartment hotels, other rental accommodation and banquet halls) to compete on that ground. Thus comes in the QualSTAR COVID Safety Compliance scheme.

What is QualSTAR COVID Safety Compliance scheme?

QualSTAR COVID Safety Compliance scheme is a certification that assures patrons of the respective hotel’s or accommodation provider’s strict adherence to COVID-safety guidelines. It has been accredited by National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) that falls under the umbrella of Quality Council of India (QCI), an undertaking of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. It aims to provide an objective assessment of the preventive measures adopted by hotels to mitigate COVID-related risks and hazards. The scheme is based on guidelines by World Health Organization (WHO), Ministry of Tourism, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and other government organisations.

How does it work?

The QualSTAR certification process broadly involves three crucial stages.

Stage 1: Registration for the QualSTAR COVID Safety Compliance scheme is an online process that is
available free of charge.

Stage 2: The next stage is completion of documents to gain access to the guidelines incorporated into the COVID compliance standard. This facilitates submission of the self-assessment form leading up to the site audit.

Stage 3: The site audit and subsequent COVID Compliance certification forms the final stage of the process.Once all criteria are diligently met, the certificate is issued for a period of two years. As many as four surveillanceaudits (mandatory inspections) are conducted by the QualSTAR team to ensure continual adherence to a 200-point checklist.

The QualSTAR advantage

QualSTAR COVID Safety Compliance scheme has been formulated by industry experts with years of extensive experience behind them, and founded under the patronage of Shree VK Duggal, former Governor of Manipur and Mizoram; former Director General – Tourism, Government of India; and former Union Home Secretary. He says, “Today, to win the confidence of a guest, safety and hygiene are a priority. Getting the right message across to them through authenticcertification is the means to do it. The QualSTAR COVID Safety Compliance scheme is meant to do just that.”

Rajesh Maheshwari, CEO, NABCB, says, “NABCB is the national accreditation body in India for accreditation of certification and inspection bodies, and is established by the government as one of the constituent Boards under the Quality Council of India. NABCB accreditation programmes are internationally recognised by being signatory to the international multilateral mutual recognition agreements / arrangement (MLAs / MRAs).
The accredited certificate or report issued by a certification body or inspection body under NABCB accreditation will have international acceptance, recognition, as the competence of the accredited body has been independently assessed as per the standards/regulations/schemes specified in the scope of accreditation granted by NABCB. Accreditation provides an assurance to the clients or the users, on the accredited conformity assessment
(certification / inspection) results for the products and/or services they use.”

Manoj Virmani, Hospitality Consultant and former VP, ITC Hotels, says, “Systems built on quality and subsequently verified by an accredited national body with international affiliation, in my opinion, are a progressive stance adopted by QualSTAR to bring credibility to the process of certification which to date remains unregulated the world over.” Virmani is an empanelled auditor for QualSTAR, executing audits as Lead Auditor for various hotel properties.