WYSE accommodation members: promote your health and safety initiatives

WYSE Travel Confederation is encouraging youth travel accommodation members to promote their safe environment for young travellers by participating in a self-certification programme. The certification covers a range of matters from fire safety to alcohol service, to health and hygiene and adequate employee training. It indicates a standard to which members of the WYSE Travel Confederation community subscribe.

“The promotion of a safe environment within a communal accommodation facility for young people is important to WYSE Travel Confederation,” said David Chapman, Director General, WYSE Travel Confederation.

WYSE Travel Confederation is encouraging youth travel accommodation members to promote their safe environment for young travellers by participating in a self-certification programme. The certification covers a range of matters from fire safety to alcohol service, to health and hygiene and adequate employee training. It indicates a standard to which members of the WYSE Travel Confederation community subscribe.

“The promotion of a safe environment within a communal accommodation facility for young people is important to WYSE Travel Confederation,” said David Chapman, Director General, WYSE Travel Confederation.

“Our accommodation members have the opportunity to display a certificate bearing our logo. This sends a message to the consumer, as well as to industry counterparts, that the establishment satisfies certain safety standards and upholds WYSE Travel Confederation values.”

The certification checklist asks questions relating to laws and regulations, and company policies. The standards have been designed to accommodate variations in local laws and regulations while still implementing a set of requirements for all operators irrespective of location.

Once the youth travel accommodation provider has confirmed their compliance with the self-certification requirements, the business will be issued a certificate by WYSE Travel Confederation. The certificate displays the year it was issued, and establishments must renew their certificate each year.

For establishments that have taken care to prioritise the health and safety of guests, this self-certification process is very straightforward. It can also make a significant impact on the perception of the business within the youth travel community.

“I feel as though this certification process shows how far we have come as a business and knowing that we have all the laws and regulation in place for the sake of the business, guests and employees is satisfactory,” explained Kim Whitaker, Co-founder, Once Youth Hotels.

“Through offering a space that is safe and innovative, we will achieve our goal of promoting further Once in Cape Town and Once in Joburg ‘Poshtels.’ The WYSE Travel Confederation self-certification will assist us in aligning us on the international map.”

Learn more about the requirements and how to self-certify here.