Due to the current health emergency, the government has implemented some regulations to protect Peruvians and foreigners health and safety. One of the most important regulations is the one concerning biosafety protocols for national and international travellers. All these saftety measures have been learnt and practiced by TIERRAS VIVAS STAFF.
There are many tourist destinations in Peru, such as Machu Picchu, Inca Trail, Salkantay, Cusco, Titicaca Lake, Nazca Lines, Northern Beaches, Huacachina, the Moche Route, the Amazon River, and many more and Peru has awarded with the SAFETY TRAVELS stamp in 2020.
The Peruvian government reopened the all tourist attractions of Peru.
The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) approved an important regulation on 28 September 2020. It means the “Health Guidelines for COVID-19 for Tourist Destinations”. The approved documents are added to the eight sector health protocols that were published by the Mincetur to date. In this way, TIERRAS VIVAS reopen for the total resumption of activities related to tourism.
It is important to mention that the TIERRAS VIVAS is been working on a SAFETY TRAVELS, which seeks to certify our services as a safe activity, guaranteeing compliance with the protocols and biosafety measures.
Traveller Health Guidelines
- Before you travel, must be vaccinated against COVID or must provide a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of travel. In case you don´t have this document, you could make a covid discard in the international airport and wait the 72 hrs for the result.
- Do NOT travel if you were exposed to COVID-19, you are sick, or you test positive for COVID-19.
- Follow all entry requirements for your destination and provide any required or requested health information.
- If you do not follow your destination’s requirements, you may be denied entry and required to return.
- During travel, wear a mask, avoid crowds, stay at least 6 feet from people who are not traveling with you, wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer, and watch for symptoms.
- Before traveling back your country by air, get tested with a discard no more than 1 day before your flight departs. The test result must be negative. Keep a copy of your test results with you during travel in case you are asked for them.
- After you travel, get tested 3–5 days after travel AND stay home to self-quarantine for 7 days after travel. If you don’t get tested, it’s safest to stay home to self-quarantine for 10 days.
- Bring extra supplies, such as masks and hand sanitizer.
- Avoid contact with anyone who is sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Note Important: All travelers arriving to Peru, must provide the discard document of COVID-19.
Tierras Vivas Health Guidelines
- We follow the “Health Guidelines for COVID-19 for Tourist Destinations” issued by the Peruvian government.
- We keep our groups small: 2-6 participants.
- Everybody needs to wear a mask.
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizer and soap are available during the whole tour.
- Our Tour Guides check that the participants and staff use masks and clean their hands correctly.
- Our Guides check the body temperature of passengers regularly and monitor and record any incident.
- The Tour Guides remind participants about health and safety guidelines during the tour.
- Our Guides have emergency numbers ready to report any suspect coronavirus case.
GUIDELINES FOR TOURIST DESTINATIONS
With the issuance of the “Health Guidelines for COVID-19 for Tourist Destinations”, the great regulatory framework is established that will allow organizing and managing the resumption of activities in the various tourist destinations of Peru. This is in accordance with the measures issued by the Ministry of Health and the protocols approved by the sector.
“With this standard, we give the general guidelines to monitor, prevent, and control COVID-19, in the process of resuming activities in tourist destinations. Therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism deployed actions so that these guidelines are applied by public and private participants. The total resumption of tourism will only be possible with the support of all ”, explained the Mincetur.
To see the complete guidelines in Spanish, please click here.
HEALTH PREVENTIVE MEASURES
The Local Tour Operator must implement the preventive health and operational measures established in the protocols according to their particular conditions.
Cleaning and Disinfection
1. Before a Service
- The Tour Operator must ensure the number and location of handwashing points (e.g. a sink, pipe with connection to drinking water, liquid soap or antibacterial soap and paper towels) and alcohol-based disinfectants (gel or liquid) for the free use of its staffs. All cleaning and disinfection products must be properly stored and labeled.
- One of the washing points or alcohol dispenser should be located at the entrance of the agency, establishing handwashing or disinfection prior to the start of their work activities, as far as possible with mechanisms that avoid the contact of hands with taps or handles (Please note: the handwashing point must have liquid soap, paper towels, and a solid waste container.).
- Install means of disinfection of footwear (sole). Implement the frequency of the disinfection of the workplaces, the daily cleaning of the workplace, the protection measures for the workers, and the necessary training for the personnel who carry out the cleaning and disinfection of the environments and work surfaces. Also, introduce the availability of the substances to be used for this purpose, according to the characteristics of the workplace and the type of activity carried out, must be determined by the person in charge of the workers’ health and safety service or whoever takes their place.
- Clean and disinfect all busy environments and surfaces that come into contact with hands (of staff or clients) as often as possible (Please note: if the cleaning and disinfection service is outsourced, the supplier must present its proof of registration of resumption of activities, which must be verified.).
- Disinfect work areas, equipment, materials, and other necessary accessories, before, during, and at the end of the beginning of all activities (Note: the measures of Annex No. 8 can be taken as a reference for the cleaning and disinfection of living and inert surfaces.).
- Prepare an exclusive area for cleaning and disinfection of cleaning tools or other materials. All must be kept in good condition, operational and hygienic.
- Prepare a reception area for products and belongings of passengers. All the surfaces of the equipment and materials must be disinfected.
2. During the Service
- Each Tour Guide must ensure that his/her passengers wear appropriate personal protective equipment and use it correctly. The guide must verify that passengers wash their hands with soap and water or disinfect their hands at each embarkation and according to given third party protocols (tourist transport, tourist sites, others).
- The guide must verify that the passengers disinfect their footwear (sole) at the beginning of the service and according to given third party protocols (tourist transport, tourist sites, others).
- Request the guide to take and record the body temperature of the passengers and driver at each boarding, and according to the protocol of the scheduled tourist transport services.
- Monitor the operation and record any incident.
- Have emergency numbers at hand to report suspected cases of Covid-19 and provide timely assistance.
- Please take a note of the emergency number 113 and other institutions at the discretion of the agency.
- The guide must remind passengers about the health prevention protocols of the third parties scheduled in the program.
- Coordinate with the guide the timely management of suspected cases of Covid-19 during the tourist service. To do so, the guide must act as follows:
a)n case when passengers show Covid-19 symptoms:
- Use the personal protective equipment provided by the agency. Isolate the suspected case, implement a physical barrier, or apply a distance of at least 2 meters as far as possible.
- Also, apply the Symptom Sheet to the passenger (see Annex No. 7) and keep with the agency’s protocol regarding the actions to be taken in the event of a suspected case of infection.
b) In case the guide shows the Covid-19 symptoms:
- Keep with the agency’s protocol regarding the actions to be taken in the event of a suspected case of infection.
- Avoid manipulation or exchange of objects and physical contact during the handling of passenger complaints and claims (the tour guide and/or agency personnel who are present at the service).
3. After the Service
- Request the tour guide to record your body temperature and health condition on the evaluation form (see Annex No. 6).
- Process payments and reports brought by the guide through digital channels. Disinfect and dispose of all the material, documentation, or others related to the travel group that has been physically returned by the guide.
Monitoring and Inspection
The Mincetur called on regional and local authorities to monitor compliance of the regulations given by the protocols. It is important to mention that both, the regional and local authorities, according to their powers, are responsible for making checks and inspections. The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, through its “Safe Tourism” initiative, will provide support to the inspection work.
As it is recalled, the activities that take place in the urban areas of Arequipa, Ica, Junín, Huánuco, San Martín, Madre de Dios, and Áncash have been exempted from the implementation of the third phase of economic reactivation.
