Coronavirus Toolkit

• California / Napa County

Additional Resources

• Lodging
  • Cal OSHA - Covid-19 Guidance for Hotels & Lodging
  • Covid-19 General Checklist for Hotels & Lodging Employers
• Restaurants
  • National Restaurant Association - Ready to Reopen Guide for Restaurateurs
• Wineries
  • Napa Valley Vintners - Best Practice Guidelines for Napa County Wineries
• Social Events and Meetings
  • Provisional event guidelines have been reviewed by the Napa County Public Health Officer, so that hotels and venues can operationally prepare for future approval of gatherings by the State of California. Additional guidelines may be distributed by the State, and there is no current timeline for approval.

Suggested Talking Points for Guests and Employees

It is important to manage expectations and be transparent about the modified guest experience, while continuing to provide warm hospitality.

• Napa Valley’s tourism businesses are proud to be responsibly open, adhering to and exceeding industry best practices for safety, cleanliness and hygiene to protect visitors, employees and community members.
• Social distancing, indoor and outdoor mask use, limited occupancies, advanced reservations, and other health protocols are required by the Napa County Public Health Officer.
• If you are planning a visit to Napa Valley, we kindly ask that you help protect yourself, your family, and our community from the threat of COVID-19 by minding the safety protocols, only visiting with members of your household, keeping your distance and wearing masks unless seated.
• We ask residents and visitors to do their part:
  • Wear a mask in public.
  • Wash your hands regularly.
  • Keep at least six feet of physical distance when in public.
  • Limit mixing with people you don’t live with.
• Due to Coronavirus health and safety restrictions wineries are open for outdoor service only, restaurants have indoor occupancy restrictions, and varying weather conditions may temporarily impact operations.
• With limited capacity, advanced reservations are required for wine tasting and strongly suggested for dining. Please confirm reservations directly. Bars and breweries are currently closed.
• Napa Valley’s rural, agricultural setting and spacious landscapes naturally allow for a socially distanced experience while still enjoying all that Napa Valley has to offer.
• Napa Valley is committed to the highest safety standards by going above and beyond mandated requirements in order to protect the health and welfare of employees, guests, and our community while providing world-class hospitality.
  • *When asked, be prepared to provide examples of newly established health & safety standards to protect the health & safety of both guests and employees. For example:
    • Sanitizer stations are located in all public spaces; and guest areas are fully sanitized with UV light sterilizers prior to each guest arrival and after each guest departure.
    • All guest contact points - including restrooms; countertops; chairs; tables; and door handles are sanitized on an on-going basis using CDS/OSHA approved cleaning supplies.
    • Employees will receive temperature checks before each shift and wear face coverings/protection at all times.
    • All guest seating will be outdoors and include appropriate social distancing practices.

Travel Forecast

The latest forecast prepared for the U.S. Travel Association by Tourism Economics projects visitation and travel spending (both domestic and international).

• Through the end of 2020, the report estimates $505 billion in losses for the travel industry for a total of $81 billion in lost federal, state and local taxes by the end of 2020. The travel industry is not expected to recover until 2024.

Analysis by Tourism Economics shows a week-by-week outlook on travel spending in the U.S. The analysis also looks at regional and state-by-state breakdowns. Findings from the October 1 report:

• Travel spending’s recent slide ceased last week with a slight 1% uptick.
  • In the week ending September 26, travel spending tallied $12.3 billion—a slight increase from last week but still lower than the preceding six weeks—and reflected a 44% drop below last year's levels (a $9.8 billion loss).
  • The -45% year-over-year range has become a new normal as eight of the past nine weeks registered within that range, the lone exception being the Labor Day holiday week (-30%).

Consumer Sentiment

• Destinations International
• ADARA - daily
• Arrivalist - daily
• Destination Analysts - 10/20
• Longwoods - 9/29
• Harris Poll - 10/3
• Ipsos - 9/2
• Ketchum - Transforming Travelers Study

See VNV Monthly Reports for more detailed plans and data.

Re-opening

Once you decide when to reopen your business and welcome guests, consider the following communication channels to share hours of operation; your reservation policy; as well as health and safety practices and sanitation protocols to mitigate guest concerns:

• On your website home and reservations pages
• On your main phone line
• Storefront signage (printed in an easy-to-read font, not handwritten)
• Signage in public areas
• Social Media Channels

Guest Reservations

Communicate health & safety protocols as part of the reservation process, including encouraging guests to bring and wear face coverings in public areas and respect the practice of social distancing.

Guest Safety

• Clearly display health & safety requirements in multiple locations in all public areas
• Provide hand sanitizer stations in all public areas
• Utilize “contactless” payment methods if possible
• Disinfect areas after each guest experience (countertops; tables; chairs; etc.)
• Post CDC guidance on proper hand washing practices in all restrooms (consider posting this information in multiple languages to broaden guest communication)

Guest Experience

Set expectations about the guest arrival and be transparent about updates or revisions to the guest experience. For example:

• Will you take the temperature of the guests when they arrive?
• Will guests be asked to wear face protection while in public?
• Will valet parking be available or will guests need to self-park?

For hotels and resorts:

• Will spa and Fitness Centers be available and if so, what will be the new protocol? Will in-room dining be offered?
• Will reservations be necessary to swim or sit at the pool?
• Will restaurant reservations be necessary?
• Will housekeeping services be provided/adjusted?