By Steve Hartridge, published 22/07/20
Guests at Marriott Hotels worldwide and at Hyatt hotels in the U.S. and Canada will be required to wear face coverings from Monday July 27.
It comes after the American Hotel & Lodging Association recommended that hotels mandate face coverings in indoor public spaces and after a recent spike in Covid-19 cases across several U.S. states.
In a video address this week, Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson said masks would be compulsory in all of its hotels, regardless of the destination’s jurisdiction.
“Health experts have made it clear that wearing face coverings in public spaces is one of the easiest steps that we can all take to protect one another and reduce the spread of Covid-19,” he said.
While Marriott will make masks mandatory in all of its 7,000 hotels worldwide, Hyatt is only introducing the rules at its hotels in the U.S. and Canada at this time.
It said it will continue to closely monitor the situation as well as local government mandates and would consider expanding this mandate to hotels in other parts of the world.
Face masks will be made available to guests who don’t have one.
“This new policy comes at a pivotal time amidst the ongoing challenges of Covid-19 and helps us care for the health and safety of our guests and colleagues,” said Mark Hoplamazian, Hyatt President and CEO.
