Tornos’ COVID-19 Sanitisation Guidelines

Date of Implementation: (Wef. 15 April 2020 and recently Renewed on 15 Feb 2022 for the fifth time)

Tornos is certified with SAFE TRAVEL STAMP by WTTC, which commits to understanding and providing Safe Travel at all times for its clients and also protecting its staff and partners by following stringent guidelines. 

While we use only standard hotels and have ensured that hotel follow set guidelines based on WHO’s COVID-19 parameters, we understand the importance of sanitisation and disinfection in our cars and coaches. COVID-19 is a very unfortunate pandemic at least till all and each one is vaccinated. Rest assured, each of our staff is fully vaccinated and responsible so that clears off the doubt of any of our staff which includes our car managers (drivers), tour guides, walk-leaders, transfer assistants, office staff et al . In the wake of such a situation where safety is paramount, we have streamlined our cleanliness and upkeep norms that will now pass through an additional stage, ‘Stage-2’ after being cleaned as general norm of ongoing ‘Stage-1’ that was always in place at Tornos.

Tornos always provided supervised cleaning and our fleet is audited by international independent audit agencies but after COVID-19 threats we have brought ‘Stage-2’ in place that happens after the change of guest in our vehicles and this may be even thrice in a day or even more. The reuse of car is now further spaced due to Stage-2 norms that are now prioritised over Stage-1 that only involved cleaning and checks.  Our ‘Stage-2’ is basically sanitisation and disinfection based on COVID-19 protection requirements of our cars and coaches.

We at Tornos never leave safety and security of our guests to chance and at all times ensure utmost care and safety.   

Stage-2 Process is undertaken after each guest changes the car or once every 24 hours whichever is earlier. 

TOUCH POINTS EXPLAINED…

• Vehicle door handles (inside & outside)
• Seat belts & seat belt buckles
• Trash bags replaced and disinfected
• Stability handles in cars and coaches
• Window buttons/blinds/curtains/mesh
• Tray tables, goodies baskets and goodies packets
• Arm rests in cars and coaches
• Seat adjustment buttons and leavers
• Mobile charger and mobile charging chords 
• Steering wheel, gear leaver and all electrical switches of the vehicle
• Overhead and front racks and storage
• All child/infant seats, wheelchairs etc that may be externally placed 

Other Important Parameters

• • All this is undertaken by specially trained staff wearing protective gears and disinfecting him/herself after each process.
  • Of course each car/coach will have hand-sanitiser, dry and wet-tissues, face masks and plastic gloves for the use of guests and our car managers, representatives and guides.
  • Cold Towels, Fabric Seat Covers have been discontinued for now and only wet-tissues will be available for guests at least till the time COVID-19 threat looms.
  • Flowers on arrival to incoming guests that was a standard till now will be discontinued temporarily.  
  • Tornos never issued any physical documents, such as itineraries, vouchers, invoices etc. All these were in Electronic forms since 2010, so will continue in the same pattern. 
  • In coaches for tourist groups, earlier there was no seat allocation. But now we have a seat number system and as an advisory we will request guests to use their respective seats while disembarking and embarking from the coach during tours.  
  • All Car Managers (drivers) and representatives will be compulsively wearing masks while with guests on and off duty – This is for guests’ protection against droplet infection from the front-line staff.
  • In case of flu like symptoms no staff will be allowed to be on duty, unless recovered fully and having spent mandatory 14 days on leave.  

Tornos cares for the health and safety of all its guests and people. Our guests are absolutely safe when using our services and we have taken all necessary measures based on WHO guidelines.

In case of any clarification, please do get in touch with us on our e-mails and we will be happy to answer your queries regarding the sanitisation and disinfection in times of COVID-19.  

General Service Parameters that were in place since 2001 may be seen in this video:- (amended from time to time and now will include COVID-19 safeguard parameters)

Guides, Escorts, Walk Leaders & Car Managers (Front-line Team)

• 100% Front-line and back-end team of Tornos at all locations are FULLY VACCINATED – 3rd booster shots too administrated to many, based on eligibility (all with only ‘Covishield’ – AstraZeneca/Oxford as known in the UK)  as on 31 December 2021. (Even the external interactive point of contacts such as ticket window staff, ticket checking staff, shop-keepers, stewards at restaurants etc. are fully vaccinated)
• All guides and walk leaders use three layered face mask during tours and interactions with guests.
• Sanitised Electronic Tourist Guide Systems will be available with each guide to manage distanced commentary.
• All car managers, guides and walk leaders sanitise and disinfect themselves at Tornos office before taking on assignments. 
• In case of flu like symptoms, no staff is allowed to be on duty, unless fully recovered and having spent mandatory 5 days paid leave.
• All our car/coach managers (drivers) and guides are tested for COVID-19 through a self -test kits before assignments.

Medical Emergencies and COVID Care

Tornos has appointed a health consultant who would not only monitor implementation and suggest changes to the parameters from time to time but will also be available for our guests in case of need. A quarantine facility too has been identified and readied in case our staff requires the same at any point of time.

We at Tornos never leave health, safety and security of our guests and our people to chance, and at all times ensure utmost care and safety.