The Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced its Go Safe certification initiative, which is aimed at elevating and standardising hygiene and cleanliness levels across tourism and retail establishments in the emirate, has been successfully rolled out at 146 of Abu Dhabi's hotels since its launch in June. Following Louvre Abu Dhabi, being amongst first venues to obtain the certification, the most recent establishments to achieve Go Safe certification include Emirates Palace and the St Regis Abu Dhabi, which join key tourism sites Qasr Al Hosn and Cultural Foundation in earning the new health and safety-focussed certification. The increase in the number of certified hotels and venues shows Abu Dhabi's increasing preparedness to welcome guests and visitors once more, with these establishments assessed against 313 checkpoints that measure the standard of safety measures implemented. These measures include the adoption of social distancing courses, checkpoints for temperature screenings, regular disinfection of all operational areas and COVID-19 testing for employees. "In a short amount of time, Go Safe has successfully become the benchmark for hygiene and safety levels in Abu Dhabi, blazing a trail in setting world-class standards in cleanliness and improved public health," said Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, executive director of Tourism and Marketing, at DCT Abu Dhabi. "It is inspiring to witness the collective effort put forth by our team and industry partners to effectively implement the guidelines of the programme. Go Safe was created with our consumers' concerns in mind, to help boost their trust and confidence and allow them to experience the best of Abu Dhabi all whilst feeling safe and reassured." With more establishments currently undergoing the assessment process, DCT Abu Dhabi aims to get the entire UAE capital Go Safe-certified by the end of August 2020. — SG
