Would Better IAQ Increase Loyalty? Hotel Guests Say ‘Yes.’

In a telephone survey conducted in mid-September by Opinion Research Corp. on behalf of Kimberly-Clark Filtration Products, 381 frequent travelers weighed in on the issue of indoor air quality in the country’s hotel rooms. Survey participants identified stuffiness (59 percent) and odors (68 percent) as the most frequently encountered IAQ problems.

“It’s estimated that Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors,” says Alexandra Duran, marketing manager, Kimberly-Clark Filtration Products. “We move from our airtight homes to offices with windows that don’t open and other public spaces and accommodations in which people are at the mercy of a piece of equipment to filter out harmful air contaminants. Because poor IAQ has been linked to serious health problems and employee productivity issues, it’s important to look for ways to minimize exposure to bad indoor air.”

Smells and stale air are only half of the story. Sixty percent of respondents who stayed in a suite with poor indoor air quality experienced poor sleep, a runny or stuffy nose, dry nose, sneezing, headache, or a cough and sore throat as a result. Poor air quality has motivated many individuals to share concerns with hotel management; 42 percent of surveyed travelers have voiced complaints. “There are a number of things hotel operators can do to improve their indoor air quality,” Duran explains. “From periodic monitoring of IAQ conditions and checking HVAC systems for mold and other contaminants to the simple act of upgrading their air filters, hotels would be well-served to make IAQ improvements a priority.”

More than half of survey participants noted that improved IAQ would become more loyal customers if hotels installed advanced in-room air filtration to minimize allergens, dust, and odors.

To learn more about this survey, contact Kimberly-Clark Filtration Products or visit (www.kcfiltration.com). For more information about IAQ in hotels, read “Hospitality and IAQ,” an article that appeared in the November 2005 issue of Buildings magazine (http://www.buildings.com/articles/detail.aspx?contentID=2795).