Is your hotel Clean, or is it just a result of good marketing?

COVID-19's global impact has changed the world, how we work, how we communicate, and more importantly, how we think. The hospitality sector is one of the worst affected with thousands of staff furloughed or retrenched and hotels closing at an alarming rate. Estimates Predict that it will take seven years to recover back to the annual growth rate percentage pre-COVID and bold estimations of a quick rebound will still only see the industry return to levels witnessed in 2016. Add to this the 9 billion dollars in expected cleaning enhancements for the hotel industry, and it is straightforward just how damaging this pandemic has been. Prominent world leaders have been claiming that "A vaccine will come and then things will go back to normal". That may be the case, but what about the next virus or the next pandemic? How can the industry future-proof itself?

When travel eventually resumes, it will be evident that the old indicators for deciding on a suitable hotel will have changed drastically. Gone are the days of reading reviews about 5-star hotels amenities and the breakfast buffet to help you choose where to stay. These will be replaced by how clean the hotel is what measures are in place regarding enhanced cleaning and the adoption of new technology. In the past, a bad review about cleanliness was not so damning, but in this post-COVID world, bad reviews could be catastrophic. With all the new cleaning regimes and everyone seeking the same certification, how can a hotel stand out from their competitors?

The majority of the new cleanliness measures are merely just a repackaged presentation of previous methods. It's crazy to think that by saying "I'm cleaning more often" and "I have a certificate that shows my hotel is clean" that this should be enough to re-install guest confidence. Even with enhanced certifications, they are usually attributed based on specific criteria and physical examinations. Once granted, it's near impossible for the governing bodies to keep monitoring and to check the standards of all rooms and properties involved. There is a reason hotels spent so much money on these new campaigns because that is what they are marketing to quell the worries of wanderlust ridden travellers who are yearning to take to the skies and visit foreign lands once again.

We all know that the keys to winning back travellers confidence are visibility, proof, and safety, and with everyone using the same certification, how will a guest know which hotel is cleaner and safer? It isn't easy to distinguish between legitimate cleaning efforts and public relations. Anyone can do a visual inspection, and looking clean, does not mean it is. Current aesthetic evaluations do not provide actual data on the cleanliness regime or the possibility of microbial contamination.

 New technological innovations such as contactless check-in and mobile apps for room service are a great start; they reduce the risk of contamination and make the guest feel safer. How do you give guests confidence so they can see what has happened to their room and how clean it is, Instead of worrying can I touch the remote or sit on the sofa. No gimmicks, just objective data.

Recent surveys show that 92% of travellers want more strict and visible cleanliness practices, and 85% of travellers prefer to stay in hotels using innovative cleaning technologies. It's not a coincidence; it is travellers wanting more than just paper and promises; they want actual proof backed by data.

Many of these solutions bring with them a new level of smart automation which is unrivalled by human interaction. Companies like SmartSpruce, for example, who build UV-C sterilisation solutions which efficiently kill up to 99.9% of harmful viruses and bacteria. Their system is also fully autonomous and uses no hazardous chemicals. In-room sensors capture the exact cleaning activities taking place. They then use this data to bring down operational cost and increase revenue. The beauty is that hotels can then share this information with guests so they can see what has happened to their room and how clean it is.

For the hospitality industry to restart successfully, the key to success is instilling consumer confidence that a hotel is clean, safe and secure. Technological adoption—coupled with transparency of precisely what's cleaned and to what level will go a long way towards winning back guest confidence.