Safety first, more than a word

By: Giovanni Da Lozzo ‘Senior Guide’

When you decide to put safety first in your business, then you decide to keep the value of your services up for your customers. At Venice Kayak we know what this means.

We see customers rather as friends and for this reason we want them to savor the beauties of Venice feeling safe.
For us at Venice Kayak, being a guide means having fun with customers, informing them about the nature and culture of Venice in order to make them feel Venetian and help them in case of difficulty.

To do this, we undergo continuous training to be able to face unexpected events and prevent accidents from occurring. It is not a question of pinning a star on the chest, but of understanding one’s limits and overcoming them with the strength of the group first, and then alone to transmit the teachings to customers.

It is for this reason that, despite a period of economic difficulty due to COVID-19, we have decided to close the company for a Saturday in the middle of the high season to fully dedicate ourselves to the safety protocol. Which we continually do for team training once every 2 months.

“We see customers rather as friends and for this reason we want them to savor the beauties of Venice feeling safe.”

The new guides needed to learn safety on land and on boats, but not only that. It was a day in which all the Venice Kayak guides took lessons in meteorology, hydrodynamics, assisted rescue and self-rescue. We did it because for us safety is not an empty word, but the foundation of our business.

Kayaking is a beautiful vehicle, which allows us to explore even corner that remains invisible to those who go on foot or discover places that those who go by motor boat cannot reach. It is also ecological and healthy, as it has almost no impact on the ecosystem and is healthy as it puts the whole body in motion and relaxes the mind.

Too often, however, we see people using kayaks without safety devices, conducting it irresponsibly, we do not tolerate this. They are strong words, we know, but it is the truth.

We know that other companies do not have the same perspective, but we never look towards those who work worse than us and we only take an example from those who work better. Because maybe we are not the best, but we always try our best to get better to be sure that step by step we will become the best by setting the right standard for kaying in the lagoon of Venice.

When we provide material to customers such as life jackets or splash guards we not only explain how to wear them, but also why they should be worn.

Sometimes customers ask us not to use them, and we clearly state that they must wear them uncompromisingly or they do not participate in the tour.

Of course, in this current moment when it comes to safety the first thing that comes to mind is viruses, well we sanitize every garment or element that comes into contact with customers, before and after each tour.

But safety also means hydration and skin care and we provide water and sunscreen, wetsuits, hats and dry bags. All obviously included in the price.
But in addition to safety we try to create comfort for the customer from when she or he arrives to when we say goodbye. Coffee and biscuits are good fuel before a tour and a hot shower after an outdoor tour is the best way to relax muscles and the body. All which we offer our guests.

During the tours we put safety first and this is also why the guides take photos during the tour so that customers can focus on what they see, that a dialogue can be established between guide and customer. In any case, the photo shoot is included in the price and all photos are sent by mail.