Hyatt will require guests at hotels in the U.S. and Canada to wear face-coverings within indoor public areas such as meeting and event spaces, restaurants and bars and fitness centers beginning July 27, the hotel giant announced Tuesday.
The added safety measure in the fight against COVID-19 comes just days after the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) released its "Safe Stay Guest Checklist," which calls for mandating face masks in indoor public spaces in addition to proper social distancing protocols.
Other hotel companies are mandating mask usage this summer, including Marriott, which will also require guests to wear face-coverings on-site beginning July 27.
Guests without face-coverings will be asked to put one on and hotels will provide masks for those without one. Hyatt employees are already required to wear masks.
Hyatt said that some guests may be exempt from the requirement, including those with medical conditions and children under the age of 2. Additionally, guests will not be required to wear masks while consuming food and or drinks at restaurants and bars.
"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," Hyatt President and CEO Mark Hoplamazian said in a statement. "In an effort to enable safe travel, we support AHLA's recently expanded Safe Stay initiative and traveler checklist that help us come together as an industry to promote clear guidelines, which for the foreseeable future include the wearing of face coverings in indoor public spaces and practicing social distancing throughout the hotel."
The new face mask requirement comes nearly three months after Hyatt introduced the Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment to enhanced business and operational practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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