All hotel owners know how much hard work and thought is put towards the number one goal of operating a hotel: satisfying guests. As a “home away from home,” hotels put in a lot of time and effort to provide guests with a safe, enjoyable, and unique environment. While hotel operators may typically think of room accommodations and amenities, they should also be cognizant of indoor air quality, which is fundamental to guest well-being, perception of safety, and overall health.

As hotels have recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a greater emphasis on the safety of indoor environments. Masks and hand sanitizer stations in common areas are now a staple of public spaces. With these higher standards, hotels must be considerate of indoor air quality, an often overlooked element of guest safety.

Prior to the pandemic, air quality was most commonly associated only with the outdoors. People focused on outdoor air quality issues like smog and pollution. However, the pandemic has expanded this focus to include indoor air quality, especially in the hospitality business which is filled with shared spaces. In fact, 40% of business travelers now rank health and safety as their primary factor when booking a trip. Before the pandemic, this figure was a paltry 5%. The reality for hotel owners is that health and safety have never mattered more in operating a successful hotel.

Why is Indoor Air Quality Important for Hotel Owners?

As a hotel owner or operator, monitoring indoor air quality has never been more essential and also more accessible. Heightened awareness of the transmission of illnesses in indoor spaces has led to the development of new ways to measure pollutant levels and purify air. If it is important to guests staying in hotels, it should be important to you too.

It also means that people are more skeptical of hotels than they used to be. People are more reluctant to stay in hotels now than ever, due to a variety of factors, including:

• Fear of contact with diseases and illnesses
• Concern for indoor air quality and regulation
• Reservations about cleanliness
• The rise of Airbnb and VRBO

These fears apply not just to traditional “tourists,” but business travelers as well. Nearly 75% of business travelers have expressed concern about traveling for work and staying in hotels again. People do not consider hotels to be “home away from home” in the same way they may have used to. Fortunately, you can still show people that hotels are a great, and safe, place to stay whether they are traveling for business or pleasure.

What Can You Do to Improve Indoor Air Quality at Hotels?

Hotels should be taking steps to reassure people that it is a safe place for people to spend their time and money. You may want to invest in commercial purifying systems and air quality monitors, like those offered by WYND. These high visibility tools are great for changing the perception of air quality in hotels. Advertising that you have invested in elevated safety standards is an effective way to make your property stand out from the competition. Furthermore, these products provide easy, efficient solutions and tracking. Potential patrons can feel assured that there is nothing more valuable than their health and safety. 

Here are the three best reasons your hotel should consider investing in solutions to improve indoor air quality.

1.  Enhanced Customer Experience and Amenities

It won’t be long before customers expect better air quality. For hotels looking to attract potential patrons, the best thing to do is overcompensate for this increased awareness. Guests spend a lot of their time in the hotel either sleeping or staying in their room. This means that poor indoor air quality could have an adverse effect on their health and stamina. Poor air quality can lead to drowsiness, light-headedness, or even illness when exposed to pollutants for extended periods of time. Indoor contaminants could make otherwise healthy guests feel unwell.

If they do not feel like their usual selves, they may be quick to identify poor indoor air quality as a reason. In pre-pandemic times, guests may have just chosen to not frequent your hotel again or leave an unkind review, but now they may preemptively seek out information on indoor air quality before booking a stay. Air monitoring and purification solutions are a proactive way to address customer expectations and can be a great addition to your advertising efforts.

Your ability to prove to guests that the indoor air quality is good is valuable. It will bolster your reputation and increase the chances that happy guests recommend you to their friends and family.

2. Lower Repairs and Maintenance Costs

Better indoor air quality will reduce your maintenance costs and slow the growth of any mold in your rooms. If you have poor indoor air quality, combined with factors like high humidity, it is likely that your rooms or common areas will develop mold or bacterial growth. Not only does this cost money to fix, but you also lose potential revenue as the rooms are out of commission. By detecting and removing unnecessary moisture from your rooms, these monitors can save you money upfront. 

Owners must be especially vigilant with indoor air quality when rooms sit vacant for extended periods of time. Maybe during the off-season of your market, rooms could go unused for weeks at a time. As rooms stay unoccupied, poor indoor air quality could slip under your nose, and surprise you with a massive mold or bacterial growth issue. That is going to cost you a lot of money to fix. If you invest in proper air quality measures, like those from WYND, you can avoid the issue altogether.

3. Improved Staff Productivity

Your guests are not the only ones who benefit from more care and attention to better indoor air quality. Your staff will appreciate the gesture too. Not only that, but they will be more clear-minded and focused on the task at hand, undistracted by feelings of poor sanitation or foul smells.

Improved air quality means that they will not suffer the negative effects of cleaning solutions, fresh paint, or whatever other products are used in the day-to-day operation of hotels. Employee health and comfort will improve the daily happenings of your hotel. Your staff will thank you for it, and the guest experience will improve because of it.

Closing Thoughts on Hotel Indoor Air Quality

We hope that this will drive you to action on improving the indoor air quality of your hotel. It will cut back costs, improve guest experience, and increase the efficiency of your operations. There have never been more solutions to track and monitor air quality for your business. If you have any questions about how to get started, or the benefits of taking action, be sure to contact an expert on the WYND team.