Regular COVID-19 testing for tourism employees mandatory in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: Employees working in Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector will have to undergo regular COVID-19 testing in a new mandate issued by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).

The DCT Abu Dhabi say the testing is part of its extensive and ongoing efforts in ensuring the safety of residents and visitors, as the emirate looks to gradually reopen its tourism and leisure sector.

The moves follows the DCT Abu Dhabi’s recent announcement of its ‘Rediscover Abu Dhabi’ campaign which aims to boost the emirate’s staycation market with a multitude of offerings to residents within the capital.

“The regular testing of staff provides another layer of safety for the community, helping to uplift the confidence of consumers and further activate the tourism sector in the capital,” said Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, executive director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi.

“We are working closely with all relevant authorities to ensure the successful implementation and ongoing management of this initiative,” he added.

“This, along with our Go Safe certification programme and the outstanding work being done by our government, will pave the way for a safe haven in the midst of this global pandemic,” Al Shaiba said.

The department has already visited 165 hotels and 450 restaurants with over 700 inspections conducted over a period of one month to ensure the sector’s compliance with its safety programme.