Lack of Senior Executive Support Hampers Implementation of Hotel Hygiene Standards, Says Check Safety First.

LONDON -- Travel hygiene experts Check Safety First (www.CheckSafetyFirst.com) are blaming a lack of support from senior management for the failure of hotels to implement sufficient hygiene standards to protect guests.

A survey of 50 hotels in the Balearics, Canaries, Dominican Republic, Mexico and mainland Spain found a lack of consistency in the way hygiene programs are administered. Of those surveyed, 88% claimed to have implemented 'strict' hygiene standards and all indicated they undertook 'regular' staff training on hygiene issues.

But according to Steve Tate, CEO at Check Safety First, hotels' claims of providing regular staff training is far from reassuring.

"Inconsistency of hygiene standards is a major problem. In our sample, a quarter of hotel chains classed annual staff training as 'regular', while the same proportion carry out a monthly program. There also appears to be a lack of support from the top, with responsibility for implementing and maintaining standards spread across every role from chefs to operations managers. Senior people must become more involved to ensure hotels are effectively minimizing the threat that substandard hygiene can pose to guests."

Ironically, the survey also showed that hotels recognize the potential damage that hygiene issues can cause to the bottom line. Half believe it negatively affects reputations among the traveling public, 23% believe it hits occupancy rates (and subsequently profits) and 54% reported that hygiene related incidents had resulted in greater insurance premiums. After weather and the general state of tourism in the region, illness outbreaks among guests were cited as the third greatest influence on occupancy rates.

"The idea of building a comprehensive hygiene program is in its relative infancy but it plays a key role in securing profitability and can only work effectively if it's run from the top down," Tate said. "Ninety-two percent of the hotels we surveyed saw a strong hygiene track record as a selling point and they actively promoted it throughout their venues and sales collateral, but 41% had no response mechanism for dealing with outbreaks of hygiene related illness. Clearly senior involvement will help to overcome the gulf between perception and reality."

Other key findings

--A significant proportion of the hotels indicated they had no knowledge of health and safety legislation or directives.

--38% have a budget specifically to deal with compensation claims from guests.

--83% of the hotels were part of a chain.

--29% had less than 250 rooms; 38% had between 250 and 499; 33% had between 500 and 1000 rooms.

--54% were 'all inclusive' venues.

--In 48%, the quality assurance manager was responsible for hygiene.

About Check Safety First

Check Safety First is one of the world's leading independent food safety experts, offering hygiene training, ongoing assessment and appraisals to holiday resorts throughout the World in accordance with the Cristal Mark, a standard developed in accordance with the World Health Organization's guidelines and the benchmark for food safety since its launch in 1997.

The company's web site www.CheckSafetyFirst.com is the first site to provide the traveling public with access to a database of venues that have obtained the Cristal Mark for their efforts in food safety.

Check Safety First is a member of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's 'Know Before You Go' campaign.

Check Safety First's global network is headquartered at Manor House, Bank Street, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 5EL, UK. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Additional locations are in Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean.