UAE - Officials in Dubai are calling on residents and visitors to be vigilant and report any violation of Covid-19 precautions - be it at a mall, in a restaurant, store, gym or any other facility.

"If residents or visitors feel that an establishment within the tourism ecosystem is not following proper safety protocols, they can always reach out to us on 6005 55559 or via email on info@dubaitourism.ae," said Khalid Saeed bin Touq, executive director of tourism activities and classification sector at the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism).

Similarly, the Dubai Economy has called on the public to aid in its mission to protect consumers against any venue or destination that is seen flouting the safety protocols that are in place to protect against the coronavirus.

Mohammed Rashed Ali Lootah, CEO of the Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection (CCCP) Sector in Dubai Economy, explained that inspectors from the CCCP ensure that all the precautionary guidelines are implemented by businesses without fail. "Fines related to Covid-19 are issued by the federal public prosecutor and vary from a few thousands to more than Dh50,000, depending on the violation."

He stressed that public health is a top priority and that stern action will be taken against any non-compliance found during its inspections, or which has been brought to its attention by the public. "The disciplinary action taken as a result is meant to be a deterrent against any violation or abuse."

Experts at the Dubai Economy advised residents to report any non-compliance against precautionary guidelines that they have witnessed by using the Dubai Consumer app, which is available on the Apple, Google, and Huawei stores. Alternatively, residents can also report their observations by calling 600545555, or by visiting the consumerrights.ae website.

Vigilance is a must

The call for the public to be vigilant comes as a number of locations across Dubai were recently fined and shut down due to their failure to follow the social distancing rules established by the authorities. "Health and safety will be foremost on the minds of travellers when selecting their destination. And since tourism is a key contributor to Dubai's economy, we have adopted a zero-tolerance approach to protect the reputation of Dubai as a global city and one of the world's safest destinations," Bin Touq told Khaleej Times.

He explained that the Dubai Tourism remains focused on ensuring that there is full compliance with the wide range of guidelines that have been outlined by Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, as part of the ongoing city-wide management of the pandemic.

"We have also sought the cooperation of all our stakeholders to ensure that both staff and visitors to their establishments adhere to the precautionary measures at all times to help protect and build on the gains made by the Government of Dubai that have enabled both residents and visitors to enjoy the diversity of Dubai's offerings within a safe environment."

Dubai Tourism has rolled out the 'Dubai Assured' stamp to certify hotels and retail establishments, F&B outlets, and attractions that have implemented all public health protocols. In addition, it constantly conducts a thorough inspection of all establishments across tourism touchpoints to ensure that they have complied with health and safety guidelines. Violators will face strict action in line with the penalties stipulated by the UAE Public Prosecution.

 

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