As we wind down 2022, we look forward to an exciting and hopeful New Year. A report from MarketWatch found up-trending news for the pest control industry regarding bed bug incidents, which may mean bad news for the hospitality industry overall. The global Bed Bug Control Products and Services market size is projected to reach $3.65 billion by 2027. This represents a 78% increase from the from $2.05 billion generated in 2020. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during the period of 2021-2027 is projected at a rate of 8.6%. Anecdotally, major firms like Rentokil have mentioned during various pest control events since early 2022 that they have experienced significant month-over-month growth in the hospitality sector during 2022. A booming pest control industry unfortunately means more and more hotels throughout the country are calling their provider for pest control support.
As business largely returned to pre-pandemic levels across many industries in 2022, a significant number of dormant bed bugs began to search for their first blood meals in months in previously vacant rooms in the hospitality sector. The true number of bed bugs present throughout hospitality is unknown, but there are likely more lurking than you may realize. It is important to note that an adult bed bug can live for up to five months without feeding. Other research suggests even longer survival times for beds bug without a blood meal. That means a dormant bed bug can withstand almost two entire seasons without detection! Bed bugs are also top of mind for millions of travelers, as one out of five Americans have had an experience with a bed bug or know someone who has experienced an infestation.
Although bed bug prevention may not be considered the most exciting use of your time as a hotelier, consider bed bug prevention in the same way you would elevator or HVAC maintenance. It is much better to prevent issues before they occur than to deal with the consequences once an untoward event occurs. A hotel-wide prevention strategy that utilizes tools like active mattress liners will greatly reduce the likelihood of an interaction between your guest and a few introduced bed bugs. Active mattress liners are designed to prevent bed bugs from laying eggs, effectively stopping an infestation before it takes hold. Reducing the overall number of bed bugs in your property will greatly decrease the chance of upsetting a guest. Simply stated, a well-designed bed bug prevention strategy is the best method to avoid lost room revenue, costly lawsuits and negative media attention. Make investing in bed bug prevention your New Year’s Resolution for 2023!
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