By Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – Will you feel safe staying in a hotel room a year from now? Illinois’ hotels are taking steps to ensure customers feel safe.

One of the hardest-hit industries in the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic has been the hotel industry. To reassure travelers that it will be safe to book a room once restrictions are lifted,  the industry has instituted guidelines called the “Clean + Safe Guidance” checklist to ease those worries.

“Even before COVID-19, hotels were known as some of the cleaner environments out there,” said Michael Jacobson, president of the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association. “But, a stay in a hotel will look different from what it did two months ago. The moment you walk in, you’ll see signage of what social distancing requirements are in place. There will be floor markings in the lobby so you know exactly where you should stand while waiting in line to check-in or waiting for an elevator.”

Hotels that have verified they are using the guidelines will be given a decal to place on their premises as well as a digital one to show they’re doing so online.

Jacobson warned against states passing blanket laws on their guidance because the best practices may not be the same for all parts of Illinois.

“A 100-year-old building that’s a hotel in downtown Chicago obviously has very different considerations than a 75-room brand new hotel in Champaign,” he said.

Travel restrictions by states and fear of contracting COVID-19 have cost the industry more than 50 percent of its total employment, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

Illinois Radio Network can be reached at [email protected].