COVID Protocols By CMI’s Most Frequented Venues
In the United States, many event and meeting planners are navigating the unfamiliar and ever-changing waters of COVID safety protocols as we begin transitioning back to in-person events (thanks, vaccine!). It’s an exciting, but somewhat daunting time.
It can be tough to keep up, with U.S. regulations varying by state, county and sometimes even city. For example, as of April 22, Massachusetts mandates a cap of 100 people in any indoor private event venue, yet the city of Boston issued a superseding order that just 10 people may be in the same room at once. Your company may also have its own rules; and then there’s everyone else, like the contractors and venues.
The Centrifuge team is excited to get back to in-person events – so we’re doing our part in keeping our people and yours, safe. We’re betting the hospitality industry is excited, too, after seeing a substantial loss in business in 2020. In order to stimulate the revival of safe and sanitary in-person events and meetings, several hotels and other venues are outlining their own COVID protocols.
We’re taking a closer look at what some of CMI’s most frequented venues are mandating – or suggesting – for events and meetings as our clients push for in-person gatherings again. We understand these protocols may update and change, so we’ll link to the websites where any new information would be posted by the venue.
‘EventReady with CleanStay’
HILTON
We’ve found ourselves at several Hilton properties over the years – from the Anatole property in Dallas to downtown Chicago and sunny Orlando. You don’t have to do much digging online to find the procedures Hilton brand hotels are implementing.
Hilton’s EventReady with CleanStay campaign is “a global meetings and events program designed to create event experiences that are clean, flexible, safe and socially responsible,” according to the international chain. On the company’s website, there’s a step-by-step guide for event planners, as well as attendees.
Key takeaways: All foreseeable Hilton events will adhere to Hilton’s ‘CleanStay Standards,’ which focuses on sanitizing and cleaning high touch areas and A/V equipment, contactless check-in and out, social distancing guidelines, food and beverage serving solutions and other safety protocols. For planners, this will include access to ‘EventReady’ resources and best practices for event design and technology.
‘Commitment to Clean’
Marriott
We’re also frequent fliers of Marriott-owned hotels, including The Westin Copley Place in Boston, The Westin Denver International Airport and Sheraton Boston Hotel. It took a little more effort to find Marriott’s guidelines for event cleanliness, being redirected from hotel website to the Marriott Bonvoy homepage to the Marriott Bonvoy Events standalone site and finally, combing through all the past News & Highlights articles.
That said, we found a well-illustrated roadmap for planners, detailing the process all the way from virtual site inspection to day-of temperature checks to tear down sanitization. Some of the key takeaways: planners should expect a pre-event hygiene and safety briefing, attendees will have their temperature checked upon arrival and those who feel unwell will be isolated. All A/V equipment will be routinely sanitized and pre-packaged meals will be served in designated spaces. Instead of one large bar in the event space, Marriott will provide several smaller ‘satellite’ bars.
Marriott, another international chain, says its cleanliness measures may vary from hotel to hotel, and you should contact the specific venue in mind.
‘Safety & Well-Being Protocols’
Loews Hotels & Co
Centrifuge has a long-time client based in Atlanta. We’ve also had several other clients gather in The Big Peach throughout the years. Almost all – at one point or another – have opted for a staple of Midtown, the Loews Atlanta Hotel.
Like Hilton, you don’t have to look too far to find Loews’ COVID protocols, although they are not as in depth or aesthetically laid out as the latter two chains.
Loews, which is a U.S. chain, offers up a Safety & Well-Being Protocols list containing a one pager on events and meetings. Nothing within the 10 bullet points is earth-shattering, though, outlining common procedures of social distancing, directional floor markers and spacers, deep cleaning and sanitization and single-servings of food and beverages. Unlike Marriott, Loews says it will serve meals in the same room as the event.
‘Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment’
Hyatt
Last in the list of chains we frequent is Hyatt. Intentionally, it found itself at the bottom of this article for a lack of specific events protocols – at least that we could readily find online. So, Centrifuge reached out to two Hyatts: Grand Hyatt DFW, located on the airport grounds and Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago, located a stone’s throw from the airport. We’ve worked at both – especially the DFW Hyatt due to its convenient location requiring no ground transportation for attendees.
As of publishing this article, we have not heard back from either.
On its website, Hyatt promotes its Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment, but the only mention of meetings and events falls under the mask requirement section – that face masks must be worn at all times in hotel public indoor spaces, which includes meetings and events spaces.
To be clear, every hotelier mentioned up to this point requires masks at all times while indoors on premises, some in outdoor areas as well. Hyatt, though, states event attendees on Hyatt grounds who are seated and socially distanced may remove their face covering.
Hyatt Cont.
Digging into Hyatt news releases, we couldn’t find much else. The only additional information worth mentioning is Hyatt’s plan to utilize mobile health passport VeriFLY for meetings and events. According to Hyatt, VeriFLY + Stay is a mobile health passport for the hospitality industry that provides verification of COVID-19 ‘credentials’ and travel guidelines. In essence, Hyatt will work with meeting planners to establish the criteria of a negative COVID test for attendee entry, which would then be communicated through the VeriFLY app. Attendees would need to present a VeriFLY green checkmark to be admitted. From the sound of it, using VeriFLY is at the discretion of clients.
When You Boil It All Down
COVID protocols are relatively the same across venues, give or take a few miscellaneous issues. Planners, contractors, presenters and attendees can expect to wear masks, be socially distanced, receive single-serving meals and work within a highly sanitized environment.
Much of the protocols in place by these hospitality chains are right in line with the responsibilities of Centrifuge’s Safety Technician, who will work with clients and the venue to further establish, clarify and enforce health and safety measures.
It’s paramount for our clients, the CMI team and venues to communicate with each other throughout the planning process to cover all the bases for ensuring a safe, healthy experience. The post-pandemic era is a new frontier in the events industry, but we’re ready for the challenge – as always!
We look forward to seeing you in-person again, soon.
If you are seeking strategic event communications solutions, contact us at hello@thecmiagency.com
Madeline David