So far, except for a few hotels in the northernmost part of California, which are not subject to the ban, all hotels in California can only accommodate “essential travelers”. However, the Los Angeles Times randomly asked more than 50 hotels in California, but found that only a few strictly comply with the ban, but most hotels have found another way to emphasize that they only accept essential travelers, while asking travelers to determine for themselves whether they are essential travelers.
The California Department of Public health defines an essential traveler as one who is traveling for work, school, critical infrastructure maintenance, economic services and supply chain, and medical, personal care or security personnel. Non-essential travelers are defined as trips that can be considered sightseeing or recreational in nature. Governor Newsom said that everyone must show responsibility in order to prevent and contain the outbreak.
The California Hotel and Lodging Association says the ban in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley is now largely self-regulated by honorable industry, with hotels unable to require travelers to show proof, and California now having no official documentation to support the necessity of the trip. The association’s website suggests that operators at least state the rules on their website and remind travelers again before they check in, and then perhaps again at the same time as they check-in.
However, for the irregularities found in Los Angeles in accepting reservations, the California Department of Public Health said the running surface would have to be asked of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), but the office did not respond. For its part, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said it has briefed hotel operators, but has not yet issued a ticket.
A random sample of Los Angeles hotels were selected by stating that they were not essential travelers, but rather for leisure and sightseeing, and then asked if they would accept reservations from December 18 to 26, and found that six of the seven hotels in the Los Angeles area and Ojai in Ventura County accepted reservations, but asked travelers to define themselves as essential travelers; four of the five Airbnb owners in the San Diego area accepted reservations; three of the five in Santa Barbara accepted reservations; and four hotels in Palm Springs graciously accepted reservations, but one required travelers to sign a pledge that they were essential travelers.
In addition, 18 out of 20 Airbnb homeowners in the Giant Hills do not accept bookings from Dec. 20 to 27; only one out of five San Francisco hotels are willing to accept bookings; six in the Lake Tahoe area do not accept non-essential travelers or simply all travelers, and the situation is similar in the area north of Lake Tahoe. Overall, Lohse said, it is more common for hotels in Southern Canada to not follow the rules, and a higher percentage in Northern Canada are willing to comply.
Recent Comments