49
Health safety perception of hotel guests in the post-Covid-19 stage
Percepción de seguridad sanitaria de clientes en hoteles en la etapa
post-Covid-19
Félix Díaz-Pompa
1
0000-0002-2666-1849
Oscar Estévez-Matos
2
0000-0003-3385-729X
Arnoldo-Higinio Santos-Assán
3
0000-0002-4925-842X
Liliana Elvira López-Báster
4
0000-0001-8448-0037
1
Universidad de Holguín, Cuba. felixdp1978@gmail.com
2
Universidad de Holguín, Cuba. estevezoscar033@gmail.com
3
Universidad de Holguín, Cuba. aassan@uho.edu.cu
4
Universidad de Alicante, España. lelbhlg@gmail.com
Recepción: 06 de Septiembre de 2022 / Aceptación: 02 de Diciembre de 2022 / Publicación: 05 de Enero de
2023
Citación/como citar este artículo: Díaz-Pompa, F., Estévez-Matos, O., Santos-Assán, A. y
López-Báster, L. (2023). Health safety perception of hotel guests in the post-Covid-19 stage.
ReHuSo, 8(1), 49-64. https://doi.org/ 10.33936/rehuso.v8i1.5159
Díaz-Pompa Félix, Estévez-Matos Oscar, Santos-Assán Arnoldo. y López-Báster Liliana. Health safety
perception of hotel guests in the post-Covid-19 stage.
50
Abstract
The rapid spread of Covid-19 worldwide generated a paralysis in all sectors, with tourism being
the most severely affected, representing a challenge for all territories that depend to a greater
or lesser extent on tourism. In this context, all tourism systems have the obligation to include
security aspects due to the growing need of tourists and service providers to perceive
confidence in the environment so that they can carry out the activities arranged for this purpose.
The objective of the present research is to evaluate the perception of security of clients staying
in hotels in the Pesquero tourist pole in the post Covid-19 stage. This is a quantitative and
descriptive research. By means of a survey applied to a sample of 159 clients, it was found that
there is a positive perception regarding health safety in the destination's hotels. The factors
cleanliness and hygiene, medical assistance and hotel staff were the most highly valued, while
prevention and mitigation, technology and communication scored lower. Finally, it can be
inferred that the hotels in the Pesquero pole of the Holguín tourist destination, in the post-
pandemic stage, are safe hotels.
Keywords
Safety; Covid-19; Postpandemic; Tourism; Hospitality; Image
Resumen
La rápida propagación de la Covid-19 a nivel mundial generó una paralización en todos los
sectores siendo el turismo el más fuertemente perjudicado, representando un reto para todos
los territorios que dependen en mayor o menor medida del turismo. En este contexto, todos los
sistemas turísticos tienen la obligación de incluir aspectos de seguridad por la creciente
necesidad de los turistas y prestadores de servicios en percibir confianza sobre el entorno para
que se puedan ejecutar las actividades dispuestas para este fin. El objetivo de la presente
investigación es evaluar la percepción de seguridad de clientes hospedados en hoteles del polo
turístico Pesquero en la etapa post Covid-19. La presente investigación es cuantitativa y de
carácter descriptiva. Mediante encuesta que se aplicó a una muestra de 159 clientes se pudo
constatar que existe una percepción positiva respecto a la seguridad sanitaria en los hoteles del
destino. Los factores limpieza e higiene, asistencia médica y staff del hotel fueron las más
valoradas, mientras que prevención y mitigación, tecnología y comunicación alcanzan una
menor puntuación. Finalmente, se puede inferir que los hoteles del polo Pesquero del destino
turístico Holguín, en la etapa de postpandemia son hoteles seguros.
Palabras clave
Seguridad; Covid-19; Postpandemia; Turismo; Hospitalidad; Imagen
51
ReHuSo: Revista de Ciencias Humanísticas y Sociales
e-ISSN 2550-6587
https://revistas.utm.edu.ec/index.php/Rehuso/index
Vol. 8 Núm. 1 (49-64): Enero – Abril 2023
rehuso@utm.edu.ec
Universidad Técnica de Manabí
DOI: 10.33936/rehuso.v8i1.5159
Introduction
In the case of Latin America and the Caribbean, the first outbreaks occurred at the end of
February 2020, which led the governments of the region to take containment measures against
the virus, especially after March 11, 2020, the date on which the World Health Organization
(WHO) declared the transmission of the new coronavirus as a pandemic (CEPAL, 2020).
The COVID-19 outbreak has created a new risk, forcing the world to reconsider how we live,
work, think and travel. This new scenario is likely to have a lasting impact on tourism for years
to come, (Villacé-Molinero et al., 2021) as tourism activity is closely linked to the mobility of
people, so restoring its behavior is conditioned by the safety offered at each destination based
on the redesign and sustained implementation of hygienic and sanitary practices associated
with their processes and activities, in the new post-COVID-19 conditions (MINTUR, 2020).
This exposure to epidemics has an impact on the perception of the tourism consumer as a
consequence of a change in the image of the destination and in the variables that are part of the
decision making process, such as risk or confidence of the decision maker (Andreu et al., 2020;
Garg, 2011). Understanding how travelers perceive risk is crucial to provide solutions to reduce
the perceived risk (Villacé-Molinero et al., 2021) that is involved as a consequence of
insecurity and that is not alien to tourists during their stay in the destination (Shin & Kang,
2020)
For the industry, it is essential to understand the new needs of travelers in this post-pandemic
stage, since the services provided must be adapted to the new customer profile. Currently, two
factors are beginning to be noticeable for travelers: tourist safety and cleanliness (Alam &
Parveen, 2021; Shin & Kang, 2020).
Tourism safety refers to the protection of life, health, physical, psychological and economic
integrity of visitors, service providers and members of the host communities, (Arroyo-Berrocal
et al., 2020; Jiménez-García & Pérez-Delgado, 2018; López-Morales, 2019; Martínez &
Quintana, 2019; Salas-Medina et al., 2019) considering the safety itself of the visitor, solving
their problems before and during the trip and finally at the destination (Vargas-Guzmán et al.,
2021).
The crisis derived from epidemics causes that within tourism safety, health safety is one of the
most treated topics, (Jaime-Torre & R-Toubes, 2017) by constituting a strategy focused on
eradicating or reducing risks and threats of health content, contemplating as the main objective
the establishment of prevention mechanisms, as well as the need for rapid action with which to
avoid and control infectious and parasitic diseases (Gallego-Hernández, 2017). Health safety
measures in destinations came to be considered as the priority incentives, determinants of travel
and tourism (Singerman & Makón, 2020)
To manage the crisis caused by Covid-19, hotels took measures including furloughs, hotel
closures, and staff reductions, as well as implementing enhanced cancellation or rebooking
policies and housekeeping protocols to provide a safe environment for employees and guests
(Meng et al., 2022).
Díaz-Pompa Félix, Estévez-Matos Oscar, Santos-Assán Arnoldo. y López-Báster Liliana. Health safety
perception of hotel guests in the post-Covid-19 stage.
52
At present, the revival of tourism activity in the different countries depends on the control of
the number of COVID-19 cases, progress in vaccination campaigns, proof of vaccination
certificates and RT-PCR tests, as well as on the protocols established in the destinations.
In Cuba, safety in the tourism sector is part of the National Security Plan, so the reopening of
tourism services was conditioned to the elimination of the risks of manifestation of the disease
with epidemic characteristics and scope, (MINTUR, 2020) while maintaining certain measures
to prevent a setback in the spread of the disease (Iruela-Fernández, 2020).
In the June 2022 update of the Cuban protocol for tourism services in the new normal, reference
is made to the need to learn to live with the disease by ensuring the safety of customers and
workers, through epidemiological surveillance, mandatory hand disinfection, daily cleaning,
maintaining the application of direct surveys to customers to measure their satisfaction, among
other specific measures for each tourist establishment and work areas (MINTUR, 2022;
Montero-López et al., 2022) The most noteworthy aspect of this update is the opening of Cuban
borders as a result of the progress made in the vaccination campaign and pandemic control.
The province of Holguín is one of the main Cuban tourist destinations and, as in the rest of the
country, the development of tourist activity was affected by the current pandemic. In this
province, the Pesquero pole stands out with 4 hotels and an availability of 2,867 rooms. After
the reopening of tourism in the country and the established protocols, it is necessary to identify
the perception of customers about the security in the pole in the new normality in order to
ensure the confidence of visitors.
The need for these studies is substantiated considering that, nowadays, travelers will seek more
safety measures, especially in the context of infection control and prevention (COVID-19)
during the travel and post-pandemic era (Montero-López et al., 2022). Therefore, it is
worthwhile to reexamine hotel industry safety management from the perspective of potential
guests in the context of infection control and prevention.
In this sense, the objective of this study is to analyze the perception of national and international
clients regarding the health safety implemented in the hotels located in the Pesquero pole,
Holguin, Cuba. The present study is pertinent due to the lack of similar studies in the country
as a tourist destination, the relevance of the tourist pole and the growing importance of health
safety for the development of the tourist sector.
Methodology
The present research is quantitative and descriptive in nature, since it measures dimensions of
the perception of health security of clients staying in hotels in the post Covid-19 stage. The
survey was selected as the data collection instrument to be applied, since it allows flexible and
rapid data collection from a larger population. For data collection, a questionnaire developed
by Díaz-Pompa et al. (n/d) was adapted for the study. The questionnaire consists of six sections
with thirty-two item statements related to health safety. The necessary modifications were
made in the demographic section, according to the needs of the study. Cronbach's alpha
coefficient was applied to test reliability; the Cronbach's alpha value was .934, which showed
a high level of reliability. No major changes were made to the questionnaire.
53
ReHuSo: Revista de Ciencias Humanísticas y Sociales
e-ISSN 2550-6587
https://revistas.utm.edu.ec/index.php/Rehuso/index
Vol. 8 Núm. 1 (49-64): Enero – Abril 2023
rehuso@utm.edu.ec
Universidad Técnica de Manabí
DOI: 10.33936/rehuso.v8i1.5159
A simple probability sample was used, ensuring that all elements of the population had the
same probability of being chosen. The sample size was calculated using the expression applied
to statistical sampling for finite populations, taking as the population the clients over 18 years
of age staying at the hotels operating in the Pesquero destination between June 23 and July 7,
2022.
𝑛 =
𝑁𝑧
2
𝑝𝑞
𝑒
2
(
𝑁 − 1
)
+ 𝑧
2
𝑝𝑞
N = population= 3364
z = confidence level= 2.58 (99%)
p = probability of occurrence of the studied event= 0.5
q = probability that the studied event does not occur= 0.5
e = margin of error= 0.1 (10%)
The result was a sample of 159 people with different demographic characteristics, which allows
us to homogenize a criterion in relation to the perception of health security in the post-Covid-
19 stage.
The questionnaire is aimed at diagnosing the perception of tourist safety in hotels after the
Covid-19 pandemic, starting with a section of informative questions regarding age, gender,
travel motivation, previous visits to the hotel, and the section referring to the subject of the
research with 32 aspects distributed in six dimensions: Cleanliness and hygiene, Medical
assistance, Hotel staff, Prevention and mitigation, Technology and Communication with
response categories in likert type scales: 1 Strongly disagree, 2 Disagree, 3 Neutral, 4 Agree
and 5 Strongly agree, which allowed measuring the characteristics of clients' perception
regarding health safety in the new normality stage.
From the results of the surveys, a database was created in SPSS statistical software. Descriptive
statistics were used in this study to determine the frequency of aspects related to the health
safety of clients in the post-pandemic stage. First, means and standard deviations are analyzed
in relation to sociodemographic variables. Secondly, from a categorical perspective, the
percentages are studied according to the dimensions and indicators that were taken into account
in this research.
Ethical Considerations
The purpose of the survey was explained to potential participants, who were instructed to
provide consent for voluntary participation. Anonymity was assured in the study to maintain
the confidentiality of the participants' identity. All the procedures performed in this study
involving humans were under the ethical considerations of the Helsinki declaration of 1964
and its subsequent amendments or its ethical norms.
Results
The sample consisted of 159 clients, of whom 74 (46.5%) were female and 85 (53.5%) were
male. The ages of the participants ranged from 18 to 25 years 18 (11.3%), 26 to 40 years 51
(32.1%), 41 to 60 years 63 (39.6%) and over 60 years 27 (17.0%). As for the motivations for
traveling to the destination, 50.9% (81) said they visited the destination for its beaches, 16.4%
Díaz-Pompa Félix, Estévez-Matos Oscar, Santos-Assán Arnoldo. y López-Báster Liliana. Health safety
perception of hotel guests in the post-Covid-19 stage.
54
(26) for family and friends, 14.5% (23) for safety, 8.8% (14) for the Cuban people, 6.9% (11)
for culture and heritage, and 2.5% (4) said they visited the destination for health reasons.
Customers' perceptions of the dimensions studied are as follows:
Cleanliness and hygiene
In the post-pandemic stage, the importance of cleanliness and hygiene is emphasized as a key
factor in the health safety of tourists. The findings in Table 1 indicated that clients perceived
this dimension positively, with very high scores (strongly agree and agree). More than 3/4 of
the respondents (89.3%) recognized the quality of cleanliness and disinfection of the rooms
every day (M = 4.47, SD = .761). Almost all respondents (90.5%) confirmed that they were
satisfied with the general cleaning and disinfection of the rooms before the arrival of new guests
(M = 4.43, SD = .724), as well as with the existence of disinfectant and soap dispensers in the
different common areas of the hotel, cleaning and disinfection of chairs, tables and common
objects, correct handling of food and beverages by service personnel, existence of sufficient
containers for the management of guest waste, and the existence of sufficient disinfectant in
the dispensers and soap in the different areas of the hotel were evaluated positively. On the
other hand, although 58.4% of respondents considered that the number of guests in the different
areas of the hotel was limited, 20.8% considered that these areas were not well delimited.
Table Nº 1. Descriptive statistics Cleanliness and hygiene dimension
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Variance
Deviation
Cleaning and disinfection of rooms prior to the
arrival of new guests
159
1.00
5.00
4.43
.724
Disinfectant and soap dispensers in the
different common areas of the hotel
159
1.00
5.00
4.40
.789
Cleaning and disinfection of rooms daily
159
1.00
5.00
4.47
.761
There is sufficient disinfectant in the
dispensers and soap in the different areas of the
hotel
159
1.00
5.00
4.11
.965
The number of guests in the different areas of
the hotel is limited
159
1.00
5.00
3.62
1.266
There are sufficient containers for the
management of customer waste
159
1.00
5.00
4.12
.930
Correct handling of food and beverages by
service personnel
159
1.00
5.00
4.34
.856
Cleaning and disinfection of chairs, tables and
common objects
159
1.00
5.00
4.35
.893
N valid (per list)
159
Source: Own elaboration
55
ReHuSo: Revista de Ciencias Humanísticas y Sociales
e-ISSN 2550-6587
https://revistas.utm.edu.ec/index.php/Rehuso/index
Vol. 8 Núm. 1 (49-64): Enero – Abril 2023
rehuso@utm.edu.ec
Universidad Técnica de Manabí
DOI: 10.33936/rehuso.v8i1.5159
Medical assistance
The findings regarding medical assistance show in Table 2 that clients perceive very positively
the existence of a clinic in or near the hotel (M = 4.21, SD = 1.025) as well as having 24-hour
health specialists (doctor and nurse) in the hotel (M = 4.03, SD = .993) and having a pharmacy
in the hotel or in the hotel perimeter (M = 4.02, SD = 1.088). However, although there is a
positive perception of the existence of ambulances or transportation for the transfer of clients
in case of emergencies (47.1%), 41.5% assume a neutral position. In this dimension, the item
least valued by guests is the existence of a first aid kit in the rooms (45.3%).
Table Nº 2. Descriptive statistics dimension Medical assistance
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Variance
Deviation
A 24-hour nurse is available at the hotel
159
1.00
5.00
4.03
.993
There is a clinic at or near the hotel.
159
1.00
5.00
4.21
1.025
There is a pharmacy in the hotel or in the
perimeters of the hotel
159
1.00
5.00
4.02
1.088
First aid kits are available in the rooms
159
1.00
5.00
2.66
1.311
Emergency contact information is provided at
check-in
159
1.00
5.00
3.39
1.267
There is an ambulance or transport for the
transfer of sick guests
159
1.00
5.00
3.58
1.122
N valid (per list)
159
Source: Own elaboration
Hotel Staff
The clients rated as very positive the hotel staff's compliance with biosecurity protocols (M =
4.39, SD = ,779), the good health of the employees (M = 4.35, SD = ,827) and their knowledge
of biosecurity protocols (M = 4.34, SD = ,753). More than half of the respondents 69.8%
validated the ability of the hotel staff to generate sporting events, musical or theatrical
performances, concerts, fairs and exhibitions adapted to the new post-Covid-19 context,
likewise 66.6% valued by the employees the disinfection of the means used in the recreation
and leisure areas. Language proficiency is an indicator of success in communicating with
clients about the biosecurity protocols established in the hotel (M = 2.30, SD = 1.348).
Díaz-Pompa Félix, Estévez-Matos Oscar, Santos-Assán Arnoldo. y López-Báster Liliana. Health safety
perception of hotel guests in the post-Covid-19 stage.
56
Table Nº 3. Descriptive statistics Hotel Staff dimension
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Variance
Deviation
Employees have the language skills to
communicate with guests about the biosecurity
protocols in place at the hotel.
159
1.00
5.00
4.34
.753
Employees are in compliance with biosecurity
protocols
159
1.00
5.00
4.39
.779
Employees are in good health
159
1.00
5.00
4.35
.827
Employees are knowledgeable about
biosecurity protocols
159
1.00
5.00
4.34
.753
Sporting events, musical or theatrical
performances, concerts, fairs and exhibitions
are adapted to the new COVID-19 context
159
1.00
5.00
3.87
1.056
All equipment used in recreation and leisure
areas are disinfected
159
1.00
5.00
3.94
.989
N valid (per list)
159
Source: Own elaboration
Prevention and mitigation
Table 5 shows the results concerning the prevention and mitigation of covid-19 within the hotel
facilities, the clients positively recognize 72.3% that the biosecurity protocols manage to
minimize the risks in the hotel (M = 3.97, SD = ,968), 63.5% appreciate that in the check-in
and check-out processes, 63.5% were not satisfied with the existence of mechanisms for the
early identification of clients infected with covid-19 (M = 3.36, SD = 1.264), 25% were not
satisfied with this procedure (M = 3.36, SD = 1.264).
Table Nº 4. Descriptive statistics dimension Prevention and mitigation
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Variance
Deviation
There is social distancing in check-in and
check-out processes, meal service and social
activities
159
1.00
5.00
3.68
1.171
Questionnaires are applied to clients to request
information about their health status upon
arrival at the hotel.
159
1.00
5.00
3.18
1.418
57
ReHuSo: Revista de Ciencias Humanísticas y Sociales
e-ISSN 2550-6587
https://revistas.utm.edu.ec/index.php/Rehuso/index
Vol. 8 Núm. 1 (49-64): Enero – Abril 2023
rehuso@utm.edu.ec
Universidad Técnica de Manabí
DOI: 10.33936/rehuso.v8i1.5159
Mechanisms are in place for early
identification of COVID-19 infected clients.
159
1.00
5.00
3.36
1.264
Social distancing between tourists is regulated.
159
1.00
5.00
3.28
1.359
Biosecurity protocols in place at the hotel
minimize risks.
159
1.00
5.00
3.97
.968
N valid (per list)
159
Source: Own elaboration
Technology
The findings found regarding the use of technology to provide greater security to customers in
hotel facilities, 75.5% of respondents refer that there are technologies to provide security and
comfort to customers (M = 3.99, SD = ,978), 72.3% agree that there are technologies to keep
customers informed about the elements concerning the safety of the health of customers (M =
3, 87, SD = 1.060), more than half of them state that there is enough technology to dispense
disinfectants in the hotel areas, on the other hand, there is a negative perception regarding the
use of QR and other technologies that reduce contact with customers (M = 2.86, SD = 1.107).
Table Nº 5. Descriptive statistics Technology dimension
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Variance
Deviation
Technology exists to dispense disinfectants in
the different areas of the hotel.
159
1.00
5.00
3.84
1.130
Technology is used to maintain social
distancing (use of QR codes to replace the
physical menu in restaurants, process
automation).
159
1.00
5.00
2.86
1.107
Technology is used to keep customers
informed.
159
1.00
5.00
3.87
1.060
Technology is used to keep guests safe and
comfortable.
159
1.00
5.00
3.99
.978
N valid (per list)
159
Source: Own elaboration
Communication
Tourism industry professionals confirm how important communication is for tourists to have
more positive experiences and to understand the distinctive elements related to safety at the
destination. More than half of the respondents stated that one of the aspects that the hotel
communicates well is the certification of compliance with biosafety protocols (M = 3.88, SD
Díaz-Pompa Félix, Estévez-Matos Oscar, Santos-Assán Arnoldo. y López-Báster Liliana. Health safety
perception of hotel guests in the post-Covid-19 stage.
58
= ,970), 55.3% stated that information on the protocols established in the hotels is provided in
different languages (M = 3.52, SD = 1.206) and 54.7% agreed that the biosafety protocols
established in the hotel areas are disseminated in different languages (M = 3.52, SD = 1.206).
Table Nº 6. Descriptive statistics Communication dimension
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Variance
Deviation
Brochures with information on the protocols
established in the hotel are available in
different languages.
159
1.00
5.00
3.52
1.206
The hotel's biosecurity protocols are
disseminated in different areas of the hotel in
several languages.
159
1.00
5.00
3.47
1.301
The hotel is certified for compliance with
biosecurity protocols.
159
1.00
5.00
3.88
.970
N valid (per list)
159
Source: Own elaboration
Discussion
In the post-pandemic context, travel motivations continue to be a key factor in the decision-
making process of consumers to visit a tourist destination (Carvache-Franco, et al., 2022). The
exploration of the main motivations for visiting the Pesquero Pole in Holguín shows that for
more than 50% of those surveyed, beaches are the main attraction or travel motivation,
followed by meeting with family and friends and tourist safety in third place. The results
obtained are consistent with those of Carvache-Franco, et al., (2022), the main findings of this
research reveal that safety in the destination and safety in service are the third and fourth
motivations for visiting the coastal cities of Lima. Undoubtedly, safety has nowadays become
a key factor in the selection of a destination and even in the choice of a hotel, Robina-Ramirez
et al., 2022. These results force destination and hotel managers to make more efficient use of
resources and implement strategies that differentiate them from the competition.
The clients' perception of the cleanliness and hygiene of the hotels in the Pesquero sector is
very positive. The daily cleaning and disinfection of the rooms, the general disinfection of the
rooms before the arrival of new clients, the existence of sufficient disinfectants and soaps in
the different areas of the hotel, the disinfection of tables, chairs and common objects, the correct
handling of food and beverages, as well as the correct management of waste and residues are
all favored. These findings are consistent with those of Montero-López et al., (2022) who found
in the perception of national clients in the hotels of Guardalavaca in the Holguín destination,
very positive results regarding this factor. Cleanliness and hygiene in the current revitalization
of tourism in the Pesquero pole plays a fundamental role in making customers feel safe during
59
ReHuSo: Revista de Ciencias Humanísticas y Sociales
e-ISSN 2550-6587
https://revistas.utm.edu.ec/index.php/Rehuso/index
Vol. 8 Núm. 1 (49-64): Enero – Abril 2023
rehuso@utm.edu.ec
Universidad Técnica de Manabí
DOI: 10.33936/rehuso.v8i1.5159
their vacations. Where hygiene and cleanliness used to be an overlooked factor for tourism
destinations, nowadays these factors are of interest to travelers when making their travel related
decisions, in such sense, it is suggested that hygiene and cleanliness should be the focus of
attention when estimating the recovery of the accommodation industry in the post-COVID-19
stage, (Atadil & Lu, 2021). However, in this dimension it requires special attention to limit the
number of customers by the different areas of the hotel, as this was the most affected indicator.
In the same sense, preceding research such as Ghazi (2016) found that medical assistance is
the second most important dimension for customers after room safety with respect to a hotel's
safety and security measures. At present times, medical assistance constitutes a factor that with
covid-19 customers have provided significant importance. The findings of the present research
show a high degree of customer satisfaction with the existence of a clinic in the hotel or in its
perimeters, as well as having the service of a doctor and nurse 24 hours a day and having the
services of a pharmacy. These elements, according to Ghazi (2016) in his research refers that
they are very important for hotel guests. Similarly, these results are consistent with those of
Montero-López et al., (2022), which evidences that the policy followed by tourism managers
in Cuba regarding medical assistance in tourism is essential to ensure the safety of customers.
On the other hand, although there is a positive perception regarding the information offered on
emergency contacts in the check-in process and the existence of ambulance or transport for the
transfer of sick clients, in both cases there is a large percentage of clients who assume a neutral
position, in this sense it is considered that clients require more information regarding these
elements.
Having a staff with competencies to face the new challenges facing the hotel industry today is
a great challenge (Joshi & Sadhale, 2022). However, to ensure safety in the Cuban hotel sector
since the emergence of Covid-19, work has been done to train tourism professionals to master
the mechanisms for the development of sustainable tourism projects, who have the ability to
identify the social and environmental effects linked to the sector and know how to apply them
Montero-López et al., (2022). This has allowed the hotel sector to have a professional capable
of adapting to new circumstances, maintaining continuous learning in addition to practicing
critical analysis of information, focusing on problem solving. The findings of the present
research, based on what clients perceive, corroborate this. More than ¾ of the clients positively
acknowledge employees' compliance with biosafety protocols, the health status of each
employee, and their knowledge of biosafety protocols, and the language skills of the hotel
employees to be able to communicate effectively with clients in terms of providing information
on the biosafety protocols established in the destination and specifically in the hotel; on the
other hand, clients recognize the creative capacity of the hotel staff to create sporting events,
musical or theatrical performances, concerts, fairs and exhibitions adapted to the new context
of COVID-19. According to Delgado & M.A.P., (2018) in terms of security it is about adapting
these elements to the type of culture where the clients come from, taking into account, customs,
language, among other factors, contrary to this, the effects can be adverse compromising the
security and the choice of the destination.
According to Dwiatmojo et al. (2021), the correct implementation of health protocols by tourist
destinations and hotels can be used as an important option in strategies to attract tourists to the
destination. In this sense, Kaniasari et al., (2021) refer that the incorporation and compliance
with Health Protocols in the services provided by the hotel, ensures safety and comfort for
Díaz-Pompa Félix, Estévez-Matos Oscar, Santos-Assán Arnoldo. y López-Báster Liliana. Health safety
perception of hotel guests in the post-Covid-19 stage.
60
customers during their stay in the facility. The findings of this research show that almost ¾ of
the clients positively recognize the effectiveness of the biosecurity protocols; these results are
consistent with Kaniasari et al. (2021) who in their research on the effectiveness of the health
protocols found that their implementation strengthens tourism safety and thus the prevention
of infections, while increasing satisfaction by 25%. On the other hand, a little more than 50%
of clients report feeling satisfied with the control of social distancing in the check-in and check-
out processes, catering services and social activities. With regard to the request for information
on the state of health of clients upon arrival at the hotel, only 48.4% were satisfied, as were the
mechanisms that should be in place for the early identification of clients infected with Covid-
19. Not feeling completely satisfied with these aspects urges hotel managers to incorporate in
their management the control of these aspects for greater safety of customers visiting the
facility or the incorporation of technological innovations. Even though the efforts of the Cuban
State, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism are evident, where sanitary protocols
are rigorously applied and all the facilities have been adapted to respect the social distancing
measures, in such a way that they have managed to certify to respect these measures. For
outstanding compliance with the established hygienic-sanitary and safety protocols, Cuba was
awarded last year the Tourism + Hygienic and Safe (T + HS) Certificate (Montero-López et
al., 2022). On the other hand, Cuba has 93% of the population with a complete vaccination
schedule, which allows a higher degree of protection in case of infection of the virus and a
greater reduction of serious cases, enabling improvements for the circulation and development
of tourism activities in the territory, standing out as one of the safest destinations in Latin
America and the Caribbean.
Technological innovation plays a key role in the recovery of the hospitality industry, (Atadil,
& Lu, 2021). They provide significant opportunities to mitigate the negative impacts of
epidemics. If these cannot eliminate the risks completely, they can mitigate their consequences,
(Ivanov et al., 2022). However, the false belief that the hospitality industry is slow to use
service innovations with technology because of a lack of knowledge, skills, confidence and
potential risks must be dispelled (Meng et al., 2022). Service innovations involving
technologies can create value and efficiency, on the one hand, it contributes to customer safety
and on the other hand, it contributes to better hotel management. The results of the present
research corroborate this, 75. The results of the present investigation corroborate this, 75.5%
give a positive evaluation on the existence of technology to provide safety and comfort to the
clients in the facilities, likewise almost ¾ of the respondents recognize that there is enough
technology to keep the clients informed about everything concerning the health safety of the
clients, likewise, more than half find the number of disinfectant dispensers in the different areas
of the hotel sufficient to ensure the disinfection of the clients' hands, one of the fundamental
measures for the health safety of the clients. However, there is a negative result regarding the
use of technologies to ensure social distancing among guests. In such a sense, hotels can use
innovative technologies to provide contactless service to attract more customers and reduce
perceived health risks (Meng et al., 2022) (Ivanov et al., 2022). Therefore, the availability of
self-service technologies (e.g., a self-service technology for check-in and check-out or the use
of QR code) can make a difference in the decision making process of customers, (Meng et al.,
2022).
61
ReHuSo: Revista de Ciencias Humanísticas y Sociales
e-ISSN 2550-6587
https://revistas.utm.edu.ec/index.php/Rehuso/index
Vol. 8 Núm. 1 (49-64): Enero – Abril 2023
rehuso@utm.edu.ec
Universidad Técnica de Manabí
DOI: 10.33936/rehuso.v8i1.5159
Last, but not least, is the communication factor. In various investigations, depending on the
context and the clients, the level of importance of this factor varies, however, for Atadil, & Lu,
(2021) it is the second most important predictor of future hotel selection behaviors. After the
impact of Covid-19 and in the stage of tourism recovery, the importance of communication
between hotels and clients is recognized, taking into account that this is fundamental to make
known the different policies or protocols implemented by the different countries, as well as in
the control and prevention of infectious diseases, (Atadil, & Lu, 2021). In the present
investigation, the results show a positive perception according to the communication factor,
more than half of the clients refer that the hotels of the fishing pole in their communication
strategy have included publicizing the certification of the hotels for compliance with health
safety measures (Tourism + Hygienic and Safe (T + HS) Certificate), information is provided
on the biosecurity protocols established in the hotels in different languages and formats
(brochures, short documents and information posters) likewise, the sanitary measures are
disclosed in the different areas of the hotel in different languages. However, the researchers of
this research consider that hotel communication can be enhanced based on the potential they
have to carry it out. In this sense, we agree with Atadil, & Lu, (2021) who refer that an accurate
and sufficient communication can have two advantages: on the one hand, it helps customers to
know the hotel better with respect to the protocols implemented and, on the other hand, perhaps
most importantly, it helps hotels to know their customers better, such as their personal travel
history. and health status. Finally, successful health communication will allow customers to
perceive more safety and security benefits and less risk, and such a strategy will improve
customer confidence in the selected hotel.
Conclusions
The rapid spread of Covid-19 worldwide and the risks brought about by this virus had a strong
impact on tourism. The rapid reactivation of this activity in the new normality depends on
effective security and protection systems that guarantee the control and prevention of
infections, as well as the life of customers. Tourism safety is a multidimensional phenomenon
of prevention and attention to visitors, and therefore includes tourists, service providers and
the local community. Undoubtedly, it is necessary to increase scientific research in this area in
order to know its effectiveness. Customer perception studies create a tool that can help industry
managers to raise safety and hygiene standards and thus gain the acceptance and confidence of
potential hotel guests in their services.
The use of the questionnaire in this study allowed, through six factors and their respective
indicators, the analysis of the perception of national and international clients regarding the
sanitary safety implemented in the hotels located in the Pesquero pole, Holguín, Cuba in the
post-pandemic stage, to analyze the results by indicators and dimensions, as well as to identify
the elements that constitute barriers or affect the image as a safe hotel.
Among the main findings are that safety is one of the main motivations for tourists to visit the
destination. Regarding the factors studied, in general, there is a positive perception of the health
safety of the clients in the hotels of the Pesquero pole. At the level of factors, cleanliness and
Díaz-Pompa Félix, Estévez-Matos Oscar, Santos-Assán Arnoldo. y López-Báster Liliana. Health safety
perception of hotel guests in the post-Covid-19 stage.
62
hygiene, medical assistance and hotel staff were the most valued by clients, while prevention
and mitigation, technology and communication, although showing positive results, achieved
lower scores compared to the rest. In terms of indicators, social distancing is the most affected,
as well as the use of innovations to guarantee this and the exercise of good communication
with clients regarding the biosecurity protocols implemented in the destination and
fundamentally in the hotel. In this sense, it is considered appropriate to introduce some
innovations of contactless service (automation of check-in and check-out, use of QR, among
others) that will ensure social distancing within the facility.
Finally, Holguín, Cuba, stands out for its natural, cultural and heritage attractions, among
others, but its beautiful beaches are its main attraction, in addition to the health safety of
visitors. Safety factors become one of the vital aspects to provide more quality in tourism,
improve the image of destinations and achieve customer satisfaction with services. Knowing
the perception of tourists regarding risks and real factors that affect safety is essential for all
entities that provide services to the tourism sector, taking into account that the image of a safe
hotel has become a valuable asset from the perspective of customers in the new normality. In
this sense, these elements contribute to differentiate from the competition, so it is considered
that they should be included in the promotional strategies of the destination.
Bibliographic references
Alam, M., & Parveen, R. (2021). Covid-19 and Tourism. International Journal of Advanced
Research, 9(4), 788-804. DOI:10.21474/IJAR01/12766
Andreu, L., Palomo, J., & Stojanovic, I. (2020). Recuperar la confianza de los turistas: medidas
a implementar por el Covid-19. In AECIT (Ed.), El turismo después de la pandemia
global: Análisis, perspectivas y vías de recuperación.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341233785
Arroyo-Berrocal, A., Hernández-Sánchez, A., Reyes-Martin, K., & Villegas-Luna, L. (2020).
Percepción de la seguridad turística en el Cerro San Cristóbal, Lima, Universidad
César Vallejo. Lima. https://repositorio.ucv.edu.pe/handle/20.500.12692/72757
Atadil, H., & Lu, Q. (2021). An investigation of underlying dimensions of customers’
perceptions of a safe hotel in the COVID-19 era: effects of those perceptions on hotel
selection behavior. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 30 (6), 655-672.
https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2021.1877588
Carvache-Franco, M., Alvarez-Risco, A., Carvache-Franco, W., Carvache-Franco, O., & Del-
Aguila-Arcentales, S. (2022). Post-COVID-19 pandemic motivations and segmentation
in coastal cities: a study in Lima, Peru. Journal of Tourism Futures, 1-13.
https://doi.org/10.1108/JTF-09-2021-0219
CEPAL. (2020). Evaluación de los efectos e impactos de la pandemia de COVID-19 sobre el
turismo en América Latina y el Caribe: aplicación de la metodología para la
evaluación de desastres (DaLA). https://repositorio.cepal.org/handle/11362/46551
63
ReHuSo: Revista de Ciencias Humanísticas y Sociales
e-ISSN 2550-6587
https://revistas.utm.edu.ec/index.php/Rehuso/index
Vol. 8 Núm. 1 (49-64): Enero – Abril 2023
rehuso@utm.edu.ec
Universidad Técnica de Manabí
DOI: 10.33936/rehuso.v8i1.5159
Delgado, J. J. G. &. M. A. P. (2018). La seguridad como componente esencial del concepto de
calidad turística. Estudios y Perspectivas en Turismo, 27(4), 921-943.
Díaz-Pompa, F., Pérez-Labrada, S., González-Hernández, D., & Ortíz-Pérez, O-L. (s/f).
Exploratory factor analysis for customer perceptions of a secure hotel in the post-
COVID-19 era. (manuscrito format digital).
Dwiatmojo, R., Musdalifah, M., Nyura, Y., Arsyad., F., & Jonet, N. (2021). An Analysis of the
Impact of Cleanliness, Health, Safety, Environmental Sustainability (CHSE) on
Consumer Satisfaction at Zoom Hotel Mulawarman Samarinda. Advances in Social
Science, Education and Humanities Research, 647, 467-470. https://www.atlantis-
press.com/proceedings/icast-ss-21/125971089
Gallego-Hernández, A. (2017). Seguridad sanitaria y seguridad internacional. Universidad de
Sevilla. Sevilla. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/tesis?codigo=138146
Garg, A. (2011). A study of tourist perception towards travel risk factors in tourist decision
making. Asian Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research, 5(2), 48-56.
https://expert.taylors.edu.my/file/rems/publication/100397_1103_1
Ghazi, K. M. (2016). Safety and security measures in Egyptian Hotels. Journal of Association
of Arab Universities for Tourism and Hospitality, 13(1), 165–190.
https://doi.org/10.21608/jaauth.2016.49721
Iruela-Fernández, L. (2020). Etapa post-COVID-19 en Cuba, un después o una continuidad.
Revista Electrónica Medimay, 27(3), 262-266.
http://www.medimay.sld.cu/index.php/rcmh/article/view/1713
Ivanov, S., Webster, C., Stoilova, E., & Slobodskoy, D. (2022). Biosecurity, crisis
management, automation technologies and economic performance of travel, tourism
and hospitality companies – A conceptual framework. Tourism Economics, 28(1), 3 –
26. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354816620946541
Jaime-Torre, J., & R-Toubes, D. (2017). El tratamiento de la seguridad turística en Brasil en
los medios de comunicación españoles antes de los Juegos Olímpicos de Río 2016.
Revista de Comunicación, 16(2), 11-32.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.26441/RC16.2-2017-A1
Jiménez-García, J., & Pérez-Delgado, M. (2018). La seguridad como componente esencial del
concepto de calidad turística. Estudios y Perspectivas en el Turismo, 27(4), 921-943.
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/1807/180757663011/html/
Joshi, A., & Sadhale, M. (2022). Revenge Tourism: an overview of the phenomenon in India.
Mahratta, I(II), 1-5. http://210.212.169.38/xmlui/handle/123456789/10099
Kaniasari, D., Mardotillah, M., & Masatip, A. (2021). Health Protocol as A Prevention in Hotel
Service During the Pandemic. Jurnal Akademi Pariwisata Medan, 9(1), 46-52.
https://doi.org/10.36983/japm.v9i1.120
Díaz-Pompa Félix, Estévez-Matos Oscar, Santos-Assán Arnoldo. y López-Báster Liliana. Health safety
perception of hotel guests in the post-Covid-19 stage.
64
López-Morales, T. (2019). Percepción de la seguridad turística en turistas nacionales y
extranjeros en la ciudad Mitad del Mundo. Universidad Central del Ecuador. Quito.
http://www.dspace.uce.edu.ec/handle/25000/20354
Martínez, M., & Quintana, B. (2019). Análisis de la seguridad turística en el Malecón Simón
Bolívar para el diseño de un programa de asistencia al turista. Universidad de
Guayaquil. http://repositorio.ug.edu.ec/handle/redug/46333
Meng, Y., Mingming, C., Lin, Y., & Zhicheng, Y. (2022). Hotel guest satisfaction during
COVID-19 outbreak: The moderating role of crisis response strategy. Tourism
Management, 93, 1-14. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104618
MINTUR. (2020). Protocolo de Higiene y Seguridad para el enfrentamiento a la Covid-19.
Cuba: Ministerio de Turismo. https://www.mintur.gob.cu.
MINTUR. (2022). Protocolo para los servicios turístico en la nueva normalidad. 1-60. Cuba:
Ministerio de Turismo. https://www.mintur.gob.cu.
Montero-López, L., Díaz-Pompa, F., Serrano-Leyva, B., & Ortiz-Pérez, O. L. (2022).
Perception of national clients on safety and security at the Brisas Guardalavaca Hotel
in the post-covid-19 stage. RIAT Revista Interamericana de Ambiente y Turismo,18(1),
40-59. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-235X2022000100040
Robina-Ramírez, R., Medina-Merodio, J. A., & Estriegana, R. (2022). What do urban and rural
hotel managers say about the future of hotels after COVID-19? The new meaning of
safety experiences. Cities, 120, 103492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2021.103492
Salas-Medina, P., Velastegui-Sánchez, J., & Salas-Álvarez, W. (2019). Análisis documental
sobre calidad y seguridad turística en las festividades de Tungurahua, Ecuador. Revista
Digital de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, 6, 96-110.
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/235987307
Shin, H., & Kang, J. (2020). Reducing perceived health risk to attract hotel customers in the
COVID-19 pandemic era: focused on technology innovation for social distancing and
cleanliness. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 91.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278431920302164
Singerman & Makón, E. (2020). Posibles Escenarios del Consumo y del Turismo Post
Coronavirus. https://singerman-makon.com/consumo-y-turismo-post-coronavirus/
Vargas-Guzmán, F., Palomino-Alvarado, G., Santellán-Poinedo, K., & Gárate-Ríos, J. (2021).
Tourism security and development in the face of covid-19: an international literature
review. Sapienza: International Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2(2), 126-136.
https://doi.org/10.51798/sijis.v2i2.84
Villacé-Molinero, T., Fernández-Muñoz, J., Orea-Giner, A., & Fuentes-Moraleda, L. (2021).
Understanding the new post-COVID-19 risk scenario: Outlooks and challenges for a
new era of tourism. Tourism Management, 86.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2021.104324
