By Khalifa Hemed
Published June 18, 2020
As tourism and travel operators in Kenya await the lifting of restrictions on movement due to Coronavirus, Kenya has on June 5, 2020 banned single-use plastics in its protected areas, i.e beaches, national parks, forests and conservation areas. Items such as beverage containers (PET bottles), cutlery, plates, straws, sticks for balloons and balloons, food containers and cups for beverages (some fractions of plastic polymer), cigarette butt, crisps packets, sweet wrappers, bread bags and confectionery wrappers, will not be permitted inside protected areas.
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Meanwhile travel planners and leisure and entertainment premises are putting in place measures to assist them and their customers.
While Atua Enkop Africa says it has ‘Flexible! Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cancellation Policy’, Lets Go Travel Safaris says it has ‘put together rates at many places around the country’.
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“We have broken down some of the possibilities into “Drive Times”, i.e, you want to drive 2 hours – where can you go? So ask for those options,” Lets Go Travel says.”Should you want the drive time pages and/or the the full PDF version of our resident leaflet, contact Felix at felix@letsgosafari.com.”
Among the measures Atua Enkop Africa says it has put in place ‘to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests as they stay with us include:
Staff
-All our staff have undergone a Covid-19 test to confirm they are negative.
-There is a twice daily temperature check for all our camp staff.
-Our staff are trained to practice Social (Physical) distancing protocols.
-All our staff are provided with face masks. Face shields and gloves where needed
-We have increased physical distance between workstations for our staff.
-We encourage cashless or contact-less credit card transactions
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Staff Responsibilities
We are encouraging our staff to do the following:
-Wash their hands frequently and use hand sanitizers.
-Practice respiratory etiquette i.e. covering mouth and nose with bent elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing.
-Use PPE when the need arises.
-Use face masks or face shields at all times.
-Report all presumed cases of COVID-19 to management after training on how to identify symptoms.
-Stay home if they do not feel well
Game Drive Vehicles
-All vehicles are cleaned and sanitized before and after each game-drive and transfer.
-Vehicles are also equipped with sanitizer.
-The drivers have a face mask or face shield on during game-drives or transfers.
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Guest Check-in and Check-Out
-We have reduced the time spent at the reception by guests by ensuring we have all relevant
information before their arrival.
-Each guest will use a separate sanitized pen for signing in.
-Welcome towels are sanitized
-Welcome drinks are fresh and in sanitized glasses.
-We have eased checkouts by ensuring all billing is done in advance to reduce the checkout process.
-We have hand sanitizer dispensers that are easily accessible to all guests.
Restaurant and Bar
We have taken the following action:
-Reduced sitting capacity and increased distance between tables.
-Eliminated buffet food service with alternative service style.
-Face coverings/face shields, hairnets to be used by food handlers.-All the sanitary protocols are taken in during cleaning and preparation of all our guest rooms.
Guest Rooms
All the sanitary protocols are taken in during cleaning and preparation of all our guest rooms.
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How does its Flexible! Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cancellation Policy work?
For existing bookings, Atua Enkop Africa Luxury Camps says “Guests are free to modify their travel dates without any extra charges provided the travel dates are within the 12 months period and any amendments are made 14 days prior to arrival date. If a deposit has been paid for an existing reservation, we will credit the full amount to be redeemed, within a period of 12 months after the cancellation date.”
“For any new bookings”, Atua Enkop Africa says, “we will allow free cancellations provided they are canceled before 14 Days to arrival date. Any modifications are subject to availability.”
