June 1, 2020 - Office Activity Update
Lt. Governor Dan McKee held a virtual roundtable discussion with Israeli and British tourism leaders to discuss the obstacles facing hotels, restaurants and leisure tourism and how to maximize reopening strategies to promote tourism.
Participants included Eitan Sasson of Dan Hotels in Israel, Adrian Farmer in England and the directors of several Rhode Island tourism councils.
The group discussed monetary losses in all three countries due to lack of tourism and how COVID-19 has created a reluctance on the part of tourists to begin taking short vacations or venturing out.
Local tourism leaders noted that Providence has lost $48.5 million in revenue due to canceled sporting and concert events. All participants agreed that the meetings market will be the last to rebound as social distancing will dictate fewer participants.
The group also discussed protocols in Israel that require hotels to take the temperature of guests and offer masks and hand sanitizer to anyone who enters a hotel. They also talked about the enforcement of rules and regulations in the three different countries.