Hotelier Hospitality News: Bedbugs in hotels: New data behind growing epidemic

Thousands of US travelers hoped that the bedbugs wouldn't bite this summer but reports show that they did, at an outstanding rate. In the wake of the 2010 Bedbug Epidemic the number of bedbug reports for 2011 (January 1—September 1) shattered 2010 totals by more than 660%.

Since the beginning of the year reports of traveler encounters with bedbugs have trickled into Raveable.com, which compiles reports from users.

Since 2010 the number of individual hotels with bedbugs has risen 250%, showing that bedbugs aren't last year's issue. Below are cities with the highest number of hotel bedbug reports in 2011 during the period January through September 1.

Rank
City Name
% Increase 2011/2010

1
Las Vegas
330%

2
New York City
135%

3
San Francisco
209%

4
Orlando
317%

5
Atlantic City
282%

6
Chicago
207%

7
Los Angeles
329%

8
Washington, D.C.
192%

9
Columbus
667%

10
Anaheim
340%

"It is a groundbreaking year for bedbugs," says Philip Vaughn, CEO of Kirkland hotel review website Raveable.com, who notes that some of the most popular summer destinations are the hardest hit by hotel bedbug infestations. Last September and October reeled in some of the highest numbers of bedbug reports. This fall is projected to be worse. As the bedbugs enjoy the late summer travel season, travelers can do nothing but arm themselves with information and hope that they will not become another statistic.

Travelers concerned about bed bugs can "look before they book" by checking out Raveable's Bed Bugs in Hotels resource page, provides links to city-specific bedbug data and gives tips on how to stay safe during their stay.

Source: eTN