Inquiring About Bed Bugs: Essential Questions for Travel Managers

By Stephen Barth, Founder, HospitalityLawyer.com

As more reports of bed bug incidents surface, travel managers may want to ask the following questions of a destination:

1. Has the hotel identified bed bugs on the premises in the last twenty-four months?
2. If so, what steps did the hotel take to eliminate the infestation?
3. What types of preventative training occur at the hotel?
4. How frequently does the training occur?
5. How often are the rooms and common areas inspected for bed bugs?
6. How frequently is the property proactively treated for bed bugs?
7. 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.

Photograph by Orkin Pest Control