It is inappropriate to expect hotels to accommodate people diagnosed with swine flu and it is inconsistent with agreed protocols for dealing with a pandemic, according to the Australian Hotels Association.

“Hotels have a role under the National Pandemic Action Plan which was developed after the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) scare several years ago,” said the AHA’s national chief executive officer, Bill Healey.

“This role involves hotels housing visitors who may arrive in Australia on a ship or plane after having contact with someone who has been diagnosed with a communicable disease. The plan provides for these people to be housed in hotels for observation in a quarantined environment.

“It was never our understanding that hotels would be expected to accommodate people who have been diagnosed with a disease. This is a health issue and people diagnosed with swine flu should be located in a health facility.”

The AHA’s comments followed media reports that people staying at Meriton Serviced Apartments and two people staying at the Holiday Inn at Darling Harbour in Sydney's CBD who had been quarantined or isolated after travelling on the cruise ship Pacific Dawn had been asked to leave the hotels amid fears bad publicity would drive other patrons away.

Bth hotel firms rejected those claims, saying other bookings and health concerns were behind the accommodation changes.

Healey said the hotel industry was continuing to consult with government about this issue.

“We are prepared to play a broader role if swine flu becomes an even greater problem in the community than it already is,” Healey said.