Getting Back to Business: Tourism

Fáilte Ireland has published sector specific operational guidelines for the tourism industry to ensure the safe re-opening of tourism businesses on June 29^th.

The National Tourism Development Authority developed the guidelines in collaboration with industry bodies; the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), the Irish Self Catering Federation (ISCF), the Irish Caravan and Camping Council, the Association of Visitor Experiences (AVEA), Ireland’s Association of Adventure Tourism (IAAT) and B&B Ireland. Relevant Government departments including the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Department of Health, State agencies including the Health Service Executive (HSE), wider Government and the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF) were also consulted in the drafting of these operational guidelines.

The guidelines provide detailed advice on the necessary systems to be implemented in order to instil public confidence and reboot business while adhering to public health advice and Government protocols. They are the first in a suite of new supports being rolled out by Fáilte Ireland to help tourism businesses to recover and re-open safely.

The guidelines are live on Fáilte Ireland’s dedicated COVID-19 Business Support Hub on www.failteireland.ie.

Sector specific guidelines are available for:

• Hotels & Guesthouses
• Self-Catering businesses
• Caravan & Camping businesses
• Visitor Attractions
• Activity Providers
• Restaurants & Cafes
• B&B

Fáilte Ireland’s sector specific operational guidelines will be regularly updated in line with Government public health advice as and when this advice evolves. This includes any further guidance that is given following work by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre and National Public Health Emergency Team on the application of the existing social distancing requirements in specific, defined and controlled environments in the hospitality industry during periods of low incidence of the disease.

Business Supports

To support the implementation of the Operational Guidelines, Fáilte Ireland has launched a suite of business supports to help businesses to plan out the key elements of their reopening and recovery. These first three suites of business supports have been developed with industry experts and address some of the priority areas of business recovery:

•  Financial Recovery
• Calculating & Optimising your Commercial Capacity
• HR for Reopening – Best Practice

These are now live on the Fáilte Ireland Support Hub.

#TourismTogether