Bed bugs have a significant impact on people of all walks of life, from ruining family vacations to impacting European elections. This summer season has been especially troublesome for hotel managers looking to protect their reputations. Globally hotels are seeing an increase in bed bug activity, mostly fueled by the bugs “hitchhiking” around the world with increased ferocity. This is partially due to the increasing number of summer travelers. The seasonal travel spike means your guests are at a heightened risk for bed bug bites. As we see all too often, this increases the likelihood of broad legal action and punishing media attention affecting your establishment.
A local article in Washington, DC, highlights the rising effects of summer bed bug activity. Jared Davis from ECO Bed Bug Exterminators in Washington notes that 80% of his clients pick up bed bugs while traveling, leading to a surge in service calls. Davis also mentions that bed bugs can survive for months without feeding. This combination becomes even more concerning when you consider recent research regarding the bugs’ bites.
The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment conducted a study on bed bugs in May that supported previous research about these pests. It includes the production of significant amounts of histamine, a signaling chemical in your immune system known to cause dangerous allergic reactions and anaphylactic symptoms. The study reinforced concerns about the health implications of the bugs. This in turn placed the hospitality industry in even more dire straits.
Apart from the significant long-term impact of histamine in the short term, a bed bug bite will likely lead to a guest developing large welts. The best strategy to avoid upsetting and alarming your guests is preventing bed bug infestations from taking hold at your facility in the first place. Active mattress liners such as ActiveGuard® are critical to any hotel’s bed bug prevention strategy. ActiveGuard Mattress Liners last for two years, making them the only bed bug treatment product that outlast the life cycle of a bed bug.
Click here to learn more about how ActiveGuard can protect your hotel from infestations. You will immediately realize they are unrivaled as part of a robust bed bug strategy, especially during the summer months that contribute so much to your bottom line.