The Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB), together with
the State Tourism Agency (STA) of the Republic of Azerbaijan and in cooperation
with Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AQTA), has announced the
launch of an innovative program called SAHMAN (Sanitation and
Hygiene Methods and Norms).
“SAHMAN,”
meaning “immaculateness” in Azerbaijani, is a nationwide campaign set to
transform Azerbaijan’s existing health, safety and hygiene standards. Supported
by the UNWTO, it also reaffirms the country’s commitment towards providing a
world-class tourism and business events destination for its citizens and future
visitors alike in the post-pandemic world. ATB is finalising talks with
international firm PwC to audit and certify these standards.
As part of the countrywide measures to contain
the spread of COVID-19, SAHMAN is founded upon safety,
transparency, social responsibility and inclusivity. The programme will
adopt a holistic approach to fuel innovation across the tourism and business
events industry, ensuring the involvement of all relevant public and private
partners, and the safety of those working in the sector.
Florian
Sengstschmid, CEO of Azerbaijan Tourism Board commented, “The current global pandemic has
brought to light the need to reassess and enhance our standards across the
industry. The SAHMAN programme calls upon all stakeholders in Azerbaijan to
adopt even better practices in their businesses in the interest of safeguarding
public health and supporting the regrowth of the industry. With this long-term
shift in behaviour, we aim to ensure that these higher standards will be upheld
beyond the current crisis.”
To
launch the campaign, ATB and STA have partnered with the Azerbaijan Hotel
Association (AHA), Food Safety Agency of the Republic of
Azerbaijan (AQTA), regional municipalities and DMOs, with plans to also
invite other government sectors to commit to maintaining top-quality standards
across the country. The programme will focus on accommodation, F&B and
touristic transportation providers – three key aspects of the tourism value
chain.
Stakeholders will be expected to commit to
sector-specific checklists introducing initiatives such as mandatory
precautionary measures, safe distancing, disinfection, quarantine areas,
cleaning methodology, and more. Participants will be supported and incentivised
through three primary support programmes – Training, Amenities and Promotion –
all of which will be financed by the STA. Implementation will be carried out in
four phases, by: enrolling on the programme through www.sahman.az; participating in online and onsite trainings
and certification; labelling; and validation.
PwC will lead the audit and certification
process. Commenting on this campaign, Movlan
Pashayev, Country Managing Partner of PwC Azerbaijan said, “This crisis has
presented unprecedented challenges for the world, yet it is also a good
opportunity to accelerate the transformation of many industries. PwC is looking
forward to playing a pivotal role in assisting ATB to roll out this new
campaign and contributing to the revival of the entire sector in Azerbaijan.”
The
programme guidelines will continue to evolve, based on recommendations and
regulations set by the World Health Organisation (WHO), whose agenda includes
adapting best-in-class practices across global industry players. These
guidelines will be communicated to participating partners by ATB in a number of
ways, including educational materials, trained ambassadors, online platforms
(e.g. webinars), a dedicated website and social media.
“ATB is working to provide innovative solutions
to support the industry through this challenging time. It is our endeavour to
bolster public confidence in local Azerbaijani businesses, with a view to
reviving the economy as we prepare to launch our domestic tourism campaign,
hopefully by this summer. When the world is ready to travel again, we will be
ready and waiting,” added Florian.
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