Cleanliness is next to hotel bookings

Major hotel chains and smaller operators face an uphill battle convincing Americans that it is safe to travel and stay in their properties following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The industry has seen $23 billion in lost revenues since mid-February, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association. “The first question that comes to mind when someone’s making the decision to book is: ‘Am I going to be safe?’” said Suzanne Markham Bagnera, Ph.D., assistant clinical professor and chair of the undergraduate program in the School of Hospitality Administration at Boston University. “Cleaning has traditionally been a back-of-the-house or behind-the-scenes tactic, hotels are now needing to bring that to the center stage.”