Thank you hotels
While the health battle we are fighting hand to hand for our superheroes, the rest of us are tying our knee pads and taking out our shields to prepare for what's to come . The tourism sector will be one of the most affected is going to see. It represents 12% of Spanish GDP , so the setback that will take the national economy in general and the businessmen and workers linked directly or indirectly to it, in particular, It's not any joke.
The message repeats endlessly: we all stop this virus . But it should not be a set phrase: we all have to stop it . And among all it's between everyone . This is what the Spanish hotel industry is doing to lend a hand (under the hashtag #ElTurismoSomosTodos), and what we can all do.
FOOD AND MATERIAL DONATIONS
When the crisis broke out and the Government declared a state of emergency with the consecutive closure of all establishments , one of the first measures taken by some hotel chains was to donate your food to NGOs and other groups , to help families with few resources, the elderly and the homeless. They did it both from large companies and Tourism inns , which mobilized eight tons of food , such as from small family groups, such as the Marbella Fuerte Group Hotels , which distributed more than 1,500 kilos to the local Caritas delegation.
HOTELS: FROM SHELTERS TO MEDICALIZED
But the aid did not stop there, the hoteliers have shown their generosity by also making their facilities available to the authorities in the different Autonomous Communities creating medicalized hotels (intended to receive patients in initial phases or recoveries) that support the different hospitals, oversaturated. “ There are currently 17 medicalized hotels open in Spain , both large chains and independents, especially in Madrid and Barcelona , but also in other capitals. There are many more offers in the pipeline, which we hope will not be needed”, explains Manuel Vegas.
Some of the strings involved are Room Mate Hotels, Ilunion, Marriott, Meliá Hotels International, Praktik Hotels, Palladium Hotel Group, Catalonia Hotels and Resorts, Barcelo Hotel Group, Minor International, Marriott international, Selenta Group, Ayres Hotels or the Hotel Miguel Angel.
There are also other health initiatives, such as the Hotel Los Llanos, in Albacete , where the blood donations needed for hospitals.
On the other hand, they are operating refuge hotels, “more than 150 open throughout the Spanish geography with a total of more than 10,000 beds (in individual rooms)”, intended to accommodate the security forces, health or people caring for the elderly, minors or dependents.
Also airbnb has launched a campaign so that hosts who wish to can “ provide comfortable and clean accommodation to 100,000 health professionals , specialized workers and members of the emergency personnel, so that they can be close to their patients and remain away from their own families during this period. In addition, it announces the waiver of all commissions for reservations organized through this initiative.
AN APPLAUSE TO SANITARY
Thinking about that health personnel and the rest of the professionals who are on the front line of the fight against the virus (pharmacy employees, supermarkets...), some hotels have wanted to launch a special campaign to rest and enjoy when all this is finally over. under the slogan “Thank you for so much, #HeroesWithoutCapa”, Palladium Hotel Group will offer them, once this situation has been overcome, up to 40% discount in the 48 hotels of the group in six countries to be able to travel until December 22 of this year . The company Spring Hotels, Tenerife also launched the initiative #BestYearEver , which offers 1,000 nights in the group's hotels (Arona Gran, Vulcano and Bitácora).
In this sense, Melia has launched the (beautiful) campaign nights for your days , with which every day they give away 10,000 2-night stays for health service professionals who work tirelessly to take care of us. On Saturday, April 18, they launched the initiative, valid for ten days. You can access it here. Also follow the hashtag #MeliáconlosHeroes.
OUR TURN
Although closed, the hotels want to continue showing that they are a part of the city and that, as such, live and beat like her, in the good and in the bad . Therefore, and " following the idea of the Puerta Bilbao hotel , many others across the country have made a game out of the lights of the rooms so that from its facade the shape of a heart can be seen ”, explains Vegas.
While, in the backstage , the hotel industry continues to work to minimize the impact of this blow , meet by videoconference, discuss on WhatsApp, continue online training and look for ways out. “ We are in a moment of deep reflection , studying the change of future tourism model , of trends…, which will go through making the price issue more flexible, the relationship with the OTAS , for generating services that give confidence to the client and for reinforce cleaning protocols, among other measures ”, as Vegas explains.
It's our turn too , travelers, to support this industry and the hundreds of thousands of families that make a living from it. How? going back to travel . It probably won't be the same way, but it will be. Because here, #Elturismosomostodos.