Hospitality Industry Should Beware of Bed Bug Infestation

For the past decade, tourism in Malaysia has grown by leaps and bounds. This growth is expected to continue as tourism in Malaysia rebounds from two major aviation incidents in 2014 and significantly reaps benefits from promotional campaigns administered in 2018. In fact, if all goes as planned, and Tourism Malaysia hits its target of 33.1 million arrivals this year, Malaysia would experience a 27.8% boom in tourist arrivals compared to 2017. With all these positive signs in place, tourism in Malaysia will foresee continual growth ascension in years to come.

As the local tourism scene continues to flourish, demand for short-term accommodation would surely increase. This means good news for hotels and hostels alike as occupancy and turn-over rates can be expected to rise alongside the boom of tourist arrivals.

Be warned though, that humans may not be the only guests arriving at your doorstep. Unbeknownst to the travellers themselves, a sneaky pest may have also hitchhiked on to their luggages or backpacks. This pest is none other than the blood-consuming, itch-inducing - bed bug.

Bed bugs are a nightmarish issue for the hospitality industry. Neither reputable hotel chain nor local backpackers hostel would want their names associated with this irksome pest. Yet, try as anyone might it is nearly impossible to deter bed bugs from checking in due to the sheer number of guests moving in and out. This is probably also because bed bugs are very small, can be hidden in articles of clothing or baggage and are hardly noticeable to the untrained eye. Not surprisingly then, that bed bug infestations are only reported when a severely bitten guest raises a complaint in anger to the hotel’s management or posts a less than satisfactory review online.

Compounded by the fact that tourism is on the rise, bed bugs are more likely than ever to infiltrate establishments. This may sound like lousy news for those in the industry, but all hope is not lost to those looking for solutions to prevent this predicament. The infiltration of bed bugs may be unavoidable, but preventive measures such as education in bed bug identification and keeping a trusted pest management partner at hand may very well be the most ideal ways to prevent bed bugs from tarnishing a hard-built reputation.

Awareness and education in bed bug identification is crucial because it enables hotel and hostel managers to isolate and solve the issue before any guests become victimised. Once an infestation has been identified in a particular room, it is critical to first seal off that room to prevent further spread. The next course of action would be to contact a professional to eliminate the pest. Needless to say, it is important that the pest management company you contact is able to respond to your needs quickly, akin to how Rentokil can ensure response within 2 hours of your call.

At Rentokil, we understand the need for good pest management in your business, and the urgency that comes with eradicating a pest that has been identified. With our expert knowledge on the bed bug life cycle and behaviour, our solution is designed to minimise business disruptions and effectively take action against bed bug infestation and tailored to accommodate different levels of infestation.

As part of our service, we also offer a proactive inspection service to reduce future risks. Our experts will also train your staff (upon request) on early alarming signs to look out for when suspecting an infestation. Early detection of bed bugs is essential to quick and effective treatment. If you suspect there might be a bed bug infestation in your establishment, let us help you today. Call Rentokil at 1300 882 911, or send us an enquiry to find out more.