BED BUGS

“A global pandemic.” That's what Missy Henrikson, the vice president of public affairs for the National Pest Management Association, called the bed bug problem during a congressional forum last November in Washington D.C. Scary pictures and revolting stories have the public in a panic and hotel owners and operators aren't far behind. The tiny insects aren't a cleanliness issue and can crop up at the finest hotels.

The recent surge in manifestations is a result of less toxic and more pest-specific treatments, says Orkin's Technical Services Director Dr. Ron Harrison. Various approaches in prevention, detection and treatment are available from all types of hospitality vendors and service providers.

Companies like Western Pest Services offer integrated pest management (IPM) solutions that combine prevention, detection and treatment. Advanced K9 Detectives offers the unique approach of begbug sniffing dogs to detect the insects, while treatment options include sprays and disinfectants, like STERI-FAB from Noble Pine. A slew of companies offers mattress and box spring encasements and protectors that prevent the need for disposing of infested bedding.

Check out www.bedbugtoolkit.com, a free online resource from Ecolab Inc. and the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, for more information on how to handle the growing problem.

PLUG AND PLAY

The dominant buzz at last month's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas centered on the new generation of Internet-connected TVs for home use. This technology allows viewers to watch web-generated content, as well as traditional over-the-air, cable and satellite television programming. Sony says 80 percent of its consumer Bravia sets sold this year will connect to the Internet.

While these developments garnered a lot of print and electronic media coverage, many hoteliers view this idea as old news. For more than three years, hotels have been able to configure their in-room TVs with “jack pack” devices that serve as all-in-one-hubs for multiple audio and video inputs. The devices, which LG Electronics has been marketing to hotels since 2006, allow guests to plug in their external devices, such as PCs, DVD/CD players, camcorders and more, and view their own content on guestroom TVs. In 2007, Hyatt Place and Red Roof were among the first chains to adopt this technology as a free-to-guest amenity.