PESHAWAR: The tourism department has made it mandatory for visitors to the tourist spots in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to submit Covid-19 vaccination certificate or negative test report with the hotels at the time of bookings as the provincial reopened the recreational sites on Monday.

The instructions are part of the standard operating procedures the tourism department has issued for the hospitality sector and tourists, according to a statement issued here.

Under the SOPs, reservations would not be done for guests over 40 years of age after July 1, 2021, without vaccination certificates or negative Covid-19 test results.

The statement said hotels and guesthouses won’t book rooms for those above 50 years of age without vaccination certificates or negative Covid-19 test results after June 1, 2021.

Besides, the hotels would also ask the vaccinated guests to deposit copy of authentic vaccination certificate.

The department has also asked for vaccination of the staff of hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, tour operators and tour guides as per the National Vaccination Policy.

It also directed the tour operators and hoteliers to share booking and visit information of each tourist with the local authorities.

It has made temperature checks of visitors at the entrances to hotels mandatory, and asked the hosts to assist any symptomatic guest in getting immediate healthcare from local health facility.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2021