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We are looking for tactical/practical best practices for small businesses, who want to be proactive in preparing to invite guests back to their business when they open.
If you hear of any in your professional circles or can share links to documents from any country or sector of the tourism industry, please share forward as we are starting to get asked this question by our small business network. As our work crosses sectors of the tourism industry, we'd love to aggregate these insights and share forward!
A sample of some of the basics we have heard include:
1) Reducing seating - ensuring your guests know what changes you are making in restaurants/bars/cafes after you have done a careful assessment of your break-even point (yes paying yourself!) and ideally making some profit.
2) Increased sanitation techniques such as hand sanitizers on each table, masks and gloves with serving staff, increasing washroom cleaning and posting a schedule (as we see in airports, some fast foods) on the cleaning schedule for informing patrons.
3) Use of technology - menus online so guests can use their own phone to order and not touch menus, inviting people to pre-order with reservations for sit-down meals, then pay online to manage visitor flow.
4) Food - promoting items that go straight from the oven to the guest, so minimizing touching post cooking (as pizza shops are advertising).
5) Communication - Post a response plan that describes what you will do in the event you open, and then a staff member becomes ill, and/or contact tracing leads to your business.
6) Revisit your refund policies to ensure they are proactive to secure future business but respectful to allow for cancellations to build consumer confidence.
Please add to the list for any sector in the tourism industry - food and beverage, attractions, outdoor adventure operators, transportation, etc.