BEDBUGS INCREASE BY 278% AMID FEARS OF EASTER HOLIDAYS BEING RUINED BY PESTS

Anxious Brits are being put off going away on holiday this Easter due to a dramatic rise in bed bug cases, according to new research.

Thousands of households have been seeking help to deal with bed bugs over the past year and pest control firms say they have been ‘inundated’ with calls. It has meant that the number of people in the UK using Google to search for information on the bugs has rocketed nearly fourfold.

And the worry over bedbugs has spread into the holiday sector due to the massive spike in cases with an increase of 278% in levels of the bugs in the past two years, according to data by Spotta, an AI insect monitoring company.

The Cambridge based firm compiled information after monitoring 2.5million room nights over the past five years to come up with the figures - and the indication is that this year is going to be even worse. During the first three months of this year there have been five times as many bed bug cases as during the same period in 2023.

These findings are also in line with the number of complaints on Booking.com about bed bugs in UK hotels with a review showing there had been an increase of 289% over the same period. And new research shows that almost a quarter of British consumers (22%) have been put off booking a hotel this year due to bed bugs in the UK and abroad - with the fear of being bitten putting off more than 51% of people sleeping in a hotel bed.

Travel expert Simon Calder says: “I’m very concerned about this new research from Spotta. The recent bed-bug outbreaks are deterring some people from taking well-deserved holidays and short breaks. Worries about these pesky insects could have a long-term effect on behaviour. And if people decide not to travel because of their fears, it will be highly damaging for an industry which is still recovering from the impact of the pandemic. The hospitality industry, and travel as a whole, needs to tackle the problem swiftly.”

The omnibus poll also found that 63% of people feel that the UK hotel industry needs to be more proactive in telling guests about their protection policy against bed bugs.

Mr Calder continues: “It is clear that guests believe hotels have a duty of care – and that the onus is on managers and owners to protect them from bedbugs. I have talked to fellow travellers who have actually cancelled trips because they are worried about bites – and also I’ve encountered hotels that reluctant to talk publicly about their bed bug measures. Consumers need to be confident that the property is taking measures to deal with the situation – and are prepared to pay more for hotels that demonstrate their concern about the problem.”

He continued “Unfortunately bed bugs are not going away. So it’s vital consumers get the information – and protection – they need to make confident decisions on where they choose to sleep to ensure a good night’s sleep and peace of mind.” Interestingly, the survey also found that a majority of people would be happy to pay £1 more to stay in a hotel or Airbnb which has a bed bug protection promise.

Robert Fryers is a world tech pioneer in the fight against insect pests and CEO and Co-Founder of Spotta that offers protection services for hotels. He said: “We’ve been hearing from worried consumers for some time that they want more reassurance and better protection from bed bugs when they stay away from home; and our new research reinforces this with 66% believing the UK hotel industry should be required to adopt a bed bug protection promise logo - similar to the Hygiene Standard ratings certificate required for the restaurant industry. So we’ve decided to take action.”

2024-03-28T10:53:25Z dg43tfdfdgfd