Safety warning issued after experts predict worse than average hurricane season
Health and safety experts are urging tour operators and agents to check hotel safety procedures before sending holidaymakers to destinations vulnerable to hurricanes.
According to experts at Check Safety First, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts that this year’s hurricane season will be worse than average, with up to 17 named storms predicted compared to 11 in a typical season.
“Lowered prices of flights to destinations such the Dominican Republic and Mexico have boosted the number of UK tourists travelling in the hurricane season to areas where tropical storms and hurricanes typically occur,” explains Check Safety First CEO Mark Harrington.
“To ensure that guests have the utmost protection, it is essential that agents and operators investigate the procedures that hoteliers have in place to cope with the threat of a hurricane.”
Operators and agents are advised to ask the following questions of hoteliers:
– Do you have a dedicated staff member who guests can turn to for advice about hurricane safety and who will be responsible for overseeing guests in the event of a hurricane?
– If so, what type of training have they received?
– Do you have a procedure in place for risk management in the event of a hurricane?
– Is there an existing recovery location where guests can be transferred in the case of a hurricane?
– Is there a history of hurricanes in the area of your hotel?
Check Safety First said agents and operators also need to realise their responsibility for warning tourists about hurricane conditions.
“For example, although the official Atlantic hurricane in 2005 ran from June 1 until November 30, storms actually continued into January of 2006,” explained a spokesman.
” Agents need to be on hand to offer sound and honest advice to customers travelling to hurricane prone destinations.”
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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