IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jtourh/v5y2024i4p65-1181d1516588.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Recreational Water Safety in Hotels: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Way Forward for a Safe Aquatic Environment

Author

Listed:
  • Antonios Papadakis

    (Department of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes—Staurakia, 71110 Heraklion, Greece
    Public Health Authority of the Region of Crete, 71201 Heraklion, Greece)

  • Dimosthenis Chochlakis

    (Department of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes—Staurakia, 71110 Heraklion, Greece)

  • Eleftherios Koufakis

    (Civil Protection of the Region of Crete, 71201 Heraklion, Greece)

  • Vilelmine Carayanni

    (Department of Tourism Management, School of Administrative, Economics and Social Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece)

  • Anna Psaroulaki

    (Department of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes—Staurakia, 71110 Heraklion, Greece)

Abstract

The recreational waters of hotels are widely used by locals and travelers all around the world, and this impacts public health. In this regard, the WHO frequently offers recommendations—especially during the COVID-19 era—that operators and managers of public pools, hot tubs, or splash pads should continue to follow. This study aims to evaluate the microbiological results of COVID-19 sanitation protocols in recreational waters in hotels during the summer periods post-COVID-19 (2020–2022) and compare them with those pre-COVID-19 (2019). Of the samples tested during the pre-pandemic period, less than 1/5 were positive for total coliforms, common aerobic bacteria , and P. aeruginosa , while less than 3% of the samples tested were positive for E. coli . During the pandemic years, the percentages dropped by half for total coliforms , common aerobic bacteria, and E. coli , while only the percentage for P. aeruginosa remained the same. The relative risk (RR) for the presence of P. aeruginosa in recreational waters was greatly affected by chlorine levels, pH values, and water temperature. Our results elucidate the impact of sanitation protocols on the safety of recreational waters in hotels during public health crises. Moreover, the challenges operators face in maintaining long-term implementation of these protocols are highlighted, which in turn dictates the appropriate choice of preventive and applicable measures to ensure health and safety.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonios Papadakis & Dimosthenis Chochlakis & Eleftherios Koufakis & Vilelmine Carayanni & Anna Psaroulaki, 2024. "Recreational Water Safety in Hotels: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Way Forward for a Safe Aquatic Environment," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jtourh:v:5:y:2024:i:4:p:65-1181:d:1516588
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/5/4/65/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/5/4/65/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lemonia Anagnostopoulos & Leonidas Kourentis & Antonios Papadakis & Varvara A. Mouchtouri, 2022. "Re-Starting the Cruise Sector during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece: Assessing Effectiveness of Port Contingency Planning," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-21, October.
    2. Guy Ziv & Karen Mullin & Blandine Boeuf & William Fincham & Nigel Taylor & Giovanna Villalobos-Jiménez & Laura von Vittorelli & Christine Wolf & Oliver Fritsch & Michael Strauch & Ralf Seppelt & Marti, 2016. "Water Quality Is a Poor Predictor of Recreational Hotspots in England," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(11), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Antonios Papadakis & Dimosthenis Chochlakis & Vassilios Sandalakis & Maria Keramarou & Yannis Tselentis & Anna Psaroulaki, 2018. "Legionella spp. Risk Assessment in Recreational and Garden Areas of Hotels," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Roger S. Fujioka & Helena M. Solo-Gabriele & Muruleedhara N. Byappanahalli & Marek Kirs, 2015. "U.S. Recreational Water Quality Criteria: A Vision for the Future," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-25, July.
    5. Federica Valeriani & Lory Marika Margarucci & Vincenzo Romano Spica, 2018. "Recreational Use of Spa Thermal Waters: Criticisms and Perspectives for Innovative Treatments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-22, November.
    6. Seyfried, P.L. & Tobin, R.S. & Brown, N.E. & Ness, P.F., 1985. "A prospective study of swimming-related illness I. Swimming-associated health risk," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 75(9), pages 1068-1070.
    7. Ananda Tiwari & David M. Oliver & Aaron Bivins & Samendra P. Sherchan & Tarja Pitkänen, 2021. "Bathing Water Quality Monitoring Practices in Europe and the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-15, May.
    8. Marco Guida & Valeria Di Onofrio & Francesca Gallè & Renato Gesuele & Federica Valeriani & Renato Liguori & Vincenzo Romano Spica & Giorgio Liguori, 2016. "Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Swimming Pool Water: Evidences and Perspectives for a New Control Strategy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-13, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Athanasios Tselemponis & Christos Stefanis & Elpida Giorgi & Aikaterini Kalmpourtzi & Ioannis Olmpasalis & Antonios Tselemponis & Maria Adam & Christos Kontogiorgis & Ioannis M. Dokas & Eugenia Bezirt, 2023. "Coastal Water Quality Modelling Using E. coli , Meteorological Parameters and Machine Learning Algorithms," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(13), pages 1-22, June.
    2. João Brandão & Elisabete Valério & Chelsea Weiskerger & Cristina Veríssimo & Konstantina Sarioglou & Monika Novak Babič & Helena M. Solo-Gabriele & Raquel Sabino & Maria Teresa Rebelo, 2023. "Strategies for Monitoring Microbial Life in Beach Sand for Protection of Public Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-21, May.
    3. Elisabete Valério & Maria Leonor Santos & Pedro Teixeira & Ricardo Matias & João Mendonça & Warish Ahmed & João Brandão, 2022. "Microbial Source Tracking as a Method of Determination of Beach Sand Contamination," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-17, June.
    4. Annalisa Lombardi & Tonia Borriello & Elvira De Rosa & Fabiana Di Duca & Michele Sorrentino & Ida Torre & Paolo Montuori & Ugo Trama & Francesca Pennino, 2023. "Environmental Monitoring of Legionella in Hospitals in the Campania Region: A 5-Year Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-17, April.
    5. Agapi I. Doulgeraki & Vasiliki Bikouli & Anthoula A. Argyri & Nikos Chorianopoulos & Elisavet Mitre & Georgia Charvourou & Patra Sourri & Chrysoula C. Tassou & Alexandra Oikonomou, 2020. "Exploring the Bacterial Communities of the Kaiafas Thermal Spring Anigrides Nymphes in Greece Prior to Rehabilitation Actions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Rosa Anaya-Aguilar & German Gemar & Carmen Anaya-Aguilar, 2021. "Challenges of Spa Tourism in Andalusia: Experts’ Proposed Solutions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-17, February.
    7. Ananda Tiwari & David M. Oliver & Aaron Bivins & Samendra P. Sherchan & Tarja Pitkänen, 2021. "Bathing Water Quality Monitoring Practices in Europe and the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-15, May.
    8. Samuel Dorevitch, 2015. "Health Effects of Waterborne Contaminants: A Focus on Emerging Concerns," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-3, October.
    9. Iolanda-Veronica Ganea & Ramona Bălc & Robert-Csaba Begy & Ioan Tanțău & Delia Maria Gligor, 2023. "Combining Contamination Indices and Multivariate Statistical Analysis for Metal Pollution Evaluation during the Last Century in Lacustrine Sediments of Lacu Sărat Lake, Romania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-17, January.
    10. Federica Valeriani & Lory Marika Margarucci & Vincenzo Romano Spica, 2018. "Recreational Use of Spa Thermal Waters: Criticisms and Perspectives for Innovative Treatments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-22, November.
    11. Aleksandra Grobelna & Magdalena Bogalecka, 2024. "Tourism and Career Development in the Face of Seawater Threats: Understanding the Perspectives of Tourism and Hospitality Students from Coastal Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-31, November.
    12. João Brandão & Chelsea Weiskerger & Elisabete Valério & Tarja Pitkänen & Päivi Meriläinen & Lindsay Avolio & Christopher D. Heaney & Michael J. Sadowsky, 2022. "Climate Change Impacts on Microbiota in Beach Sand and Water: Looking Ahead," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-15, January.
    13. Eva Sievers & Christoph Zielhofer & Frank Hüesker, 2021. "Management of Global Warming Effects in the European Water Framework Directive: Consideration of Social–Ecological System Features in the Elbe River Basin District," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-20, August.
    14. Romina Kraus & Vanja Baljak & Darija Vukić Lušić & Lado Kranjčević & Arijana Cenov & Marin Glad & Vesna Kauzlarić & Dražen Lušić & Luka Grbčić & Marta Alvir & Marijana Pećarević & Slaven Jozić, 2022. "Impacts of Atmospheric and Anthropogenic Factors on Microbiological Pollution of the Recreational Coastal Beaches Neighboring Shipping Ports," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-25, July.
    15. Abdiel E. Laureano-Rosario & Erin M. Symonds & Digna Rueda-Roa & Daniel Otis & Frank E. Muller-Karger, 2017. "Environmental Factors Correlated with Culturable Enterococci Concentrations in Tropical Recreational Waters: A Case Study in Escambron Beach, San Juan, Puerto Rico," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-16, December.
    16. Luna Girolamini & Silvano Salaris & Jessica Lizzadro & Marta Mazzotta & Maria Rosaria Pascale & Tiziana Pellati & Sandra Cristino, 2020. "How Molecular Typing Can Support Legionella Environmental Surveillance in Hot Water Distribution Systems: A Hospital Experience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-17, November.
    17. Helena Ukić Boljat & Neven Grubišić & Merica Slišković, 2021. "The Impact of Nautical Activities on the Environment—A Systematic Review of Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-19, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jtourh:v:5:y:2024:i:4:p:65-1181:d:1516588. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.