Bedbugs are a huge concern for the hospitality industry that can turn into a nightmare if overlooked. The main reason is that since people nowadays choose their accommodations by checking the online reviews, and if those online reviews hint of a bed bug infestation, consider your hospitality business destroyed.
The common problem of the dreaded bed bugs requires sufficient attention from the hotel managers. Also, since bed bugs are tough to kill, owing to their hard cuticle for protection, managers must address such issues swiftly using heat treatment from UNIVERSAL Bed Bug Heater Package.
So, here are the main reasons why bed bugs should be dealt with utmost priority.
Table of Contents
Financial Impact
A bed bug infestation can severely impact the hotel industry financially that cannot be understated, as a bed bug suit can be substantial. Bed bugs are a matter of great concern in the hospitality industry that cannot be attributed entirely to unsanitary conditions. However, experts have clarified that a pest infestation can have a tremendous negative economic impact on online reports and complaints of bed bugs in hotels and the value of protective services. Several reports have shown that, on average, a single mention of bed bugs in recent online reviews can lower the value of a hotel room by $23 per room per night for leisure travelers and $38 for business travelers. This is a considerable loss when calculated on a yearly level.
Health Risks
These tiny crawling bed bugs are annoying parasites that feed on human blood. Staying in a pest-infested hotel room can cause considerable emotional distress, but not necessarily a disease. However, in around half the victims, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have shown that bed bug bites produce itchy red welts that may develop in two days, complicating detection.
Threat To Reputation
Even the slightest hint of bed bug infestation in recent traveler online reviews not only financially impacts a hotel property but significantly hampers the value of a hotel room. Therefore, this can lead to negative publicity of your property and ultimately a diminished brand value that can result in significant loss of business. So, any pest infestations are not something to be taken lightly.
Moreover, surveys have revealed that a larger percentage of guests chose to switch hotels on finding signs of bed bugs when presented with various other concerning issues encountered in hotel rooms. While their typical reactions to other problems like unclean bathrooms, smoke odour, dirty sheets, etc., mostly concerned reporting the matter to the front desk and requesting another room.
This implies that bed bugs are extremely concerning to customers that can hugely impact a hotel in various ways compared to other issues.
Conclusion
Therefore, keeping in mind the increasing popularity of social media nowadays, it’s extremely crucial that hotels recognize the potential of negative reviews that can spread like wildfire and protect their business along with the health of their customers.
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