As more reports of bed bug incidents surface, travel managers may want to ask the following questions of a destination:
Has the hotel identified bed bugs on the premises in the last twenty-four months?
If so, what steps did the hotel take to eliminate the infestation?
What types of preventative training occur at the hotel?
How frequently does the training occur?
How often are the rooms and common areas inspected for bed bugs?
How frequently is the property proactively treated for bed bugs?
Who is the bed bug treatment provider?
The business of housing travelers carries with it the inevitable risk of acquiring a bed bug infestation. Realize that even the most luxurious hotels can’t reliably guarantee that you won’t encounter bed bugs during your stay. However, the hotel must still provide reasonable care to its customers; asking these questions will help you ascertain the level of care being provided and how diligently the hotel maintains it.
Stephen Barth, an attorney, professor, and author of Hospitality Law, Intelligent Emotions: On Self Responsibility, Owning Our Emotional Power and Changing Our Reactions, and co-author of Restaurant Law Basics, is well-versed in the world of hospitality law.
Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Houston, Conrad N. Hilton College, he was an adjunct professor at Texas Tech University. With over twenty years of experience in hospitality operations, including line positions, management, and ownership, Professor Barth is a regular guest speaker covering a variety of issues for national, regional, and local industry associations and businesses.
Professor Barth is a member of a select group of instructors worldwide designated by the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association to instruct its Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) program.
Recently, he has been quoted in many national publications including: Hotel News Now, Leisure & Hospitality International, USA Today, Successful Meetings, NBC News, and the Los Angeles Times.
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