Guest x Bed Bug Survey
Summary of findings
The majority of UK citizens would prefer the hotel industry to tell visitors about what methods hotels and Airbnb’s use as protection against bedbugs (63%), and few disagree with this statement (5%)
Over half of all regions in the UK agree hotels should tell visitors about their bedbug protection
People from the East of England (70%), the East Midlands, and Greater London (75%) are particularly keen for hotels to disclose their protection measures.
People living in cities such as London (70%) were more likely to agree, along with residents in Leeds (68%), Nottingham (72%), and Plymouth (75%).
56% of guests are happy to prioritise booking a hotel that offers a bed bug protection promise.
Between two thirds and three quarters of hotel and Airbnb bookers would prioritize hotels with a bedbug protection promise and proactively shares their measures online
This promise would be most popular with women (77%), and the vast majority (78-87%) of people between 25-44.
Customers that book hotels or Airbnb from Greater London (78%), the East Midlands (77%), and especially the Northwest (83%) and Northern Ireland (85%) are most likely to prioritize hotels offering this kind of guarantee.
Customers that book hotels and Airbnb’s from cities such as Belfast (85%), Bristol (82%), and Edinburgh (89%) were more likely to prioritize such accommodation, whilst the majority of other cities conformed to the average.
The recent bedbug outbreak has had a noticeable impact on bookings in the UK with one in five people having been put off from booking a hotel as a result, and as many as 1 in 3 people who have needed to book a holiday recently may have been put off.
Young people are more likely to be put off, with a third (37-38%) among 16–44-year-olds who needed to book a holiday this year.
People from Greater London are most likely to not book a domestic holiday with almost half (43%) not doing so.
For people in cities across the UK, they were as likely to be put off as not - however this is still cause for concern.
Around two thirds of UK customers
would be willing to pay more for protection guarantee, thereby mitigating the costs for Airbnb and hotels for implementing a solution without significant loss of business.
The vast majority of 25-34 year olds (72%) and 35-44 year olds (73%) are willing to pay more.
Customers in Greater London (73%), the Northeast (73%), Southwest (70%) and Wales (77%) are most willing to pay.
People from Bristol (72%), Cardiff (86%), Edinburgh (72%), London 70%, Newcastle (72%), and Plymouth (73%) were more likely to say that they would pay at least £1 extra.
Customers in the UK are generally willing to pay as much as £2-4 extra for such protection, and some areas would pay up to £5.
One in four (26%) UK residents would pay £1 and no more, however 73% of respondents would pay £1 or more, with the mean price at around £3.37.
The younger age groups (especially 16-24 year olds) were more likely to be able to pay more than £2, and have the highest mean costs of £4.56.
Areas with the highest mean amount include Greater London (£4.33), Northeast (£5.15), the West Midlands (£4.49), and Yorkshire and the Humber (£4.28).
Citizens in Birmingham (£4.36), Leeds (£4.46), Newcastle (£5.04), and Plymouth (£4.51) have high mean amounts, which indicates that such areas are more willing to pay up to £5 for the service.
Around half of people in the UK are put off by staying in hospitality venues that might have bed bugs - and are twice as likely to be put off than from a place that is known to them such as friends or family. This indicates that bedbugs and the thought of bedbugs can be critical in the decision of whether or not to visit a venue.
People from Edinburgh, Leeds, Norwich, Plymouth, and Southampton were more likely to be put off from hospitality accommodation by bedbugs.
Around 60% of women would be put off from hotels and Airbnb’s by the idea of bedbugs.
67% of 16-24 years olds would also be deterred from staying at a hotel or Airbnb by the fear of bedbugs.
Over two thirds of UK respondents agree that the hotel should be required to adopt a bed bug protection promise logo, similar to the Hygiene Standard ratings certificate required for the restaurant industry.
This is particularly strong among the vast majority of 25-34 year olds (75%).
It is also particularly popular among people from Greater London (79%), the West Midlands (72%), Northwest (72%), and the Southwest (70%).
Guests were asked six questions
Q1: How much do you agree/disagree with the following statement: The UK hotel industry should be more proactive in telling visitors about the methods they have in place to detect and protect against bed bugs.
When it comes to customer sentiment regarding hotels disclaiming their methods of detection and protection against bedbugs, the majority of UK citizens would prefer the hotel industry to tell visitors about what methods.
This is consistent across all ages and genders; however, some regional differences exist: The vast majority of people in the East of England (70%), the East Midlands, and Greater London (75%) were likely to agree that hotels should disclose this. By contrast, a smaller majority of people in Scotland (54%) and the Southeast (55%) were likely to agree - with individuals being less sure of their answers.
​Citizens in London (70%) were more likely to agree, along with residents in Leeds (68%), Nottingham (72%), and Plymouth (75%).
Citizens less likely to agree resided in Brighton (50%), Edinburgh (55%), Glasgow (54%), Liverpool (58%), Sheffield (46%) and Southampton (51%).
This supports the notion that the majority of people would prefer to know the protection that hotels can offer, however some regions are less certain than others.
Q2: How much do you agree/disagree with the following statement? I have been put off booking hotel accommodation this Easter/Summer due to the recent bed bug outbreaks abroad and in the UK.
The recent bedbug outbreak has had a noticeable impact on bookings in the UK. Whilst not catastrophic for the industry, our survey revealed one in five people have been put off from booking a hotel, and up to one in four men. Additionally, on inspection, as many as 1 in 3 people who have needed to book a holiday recently may have been put off. However, this is not universal - as many people who have been deterred due to bedbugs have not been put off.
The younger generations are more likely to be put off, with 29-31% of 16-44 year olds being likely to be put off from booking a holiday due to the outbreak, and a third (37-38%) among people who needed to book a holiday this year). This declines in the older age groups -with the over 55’s being undeterred (13% agree). This could suggest higher fears in the younger age groups - however these groups are generally less affluent, meaning their holiday spending is more discretionary, and also more tech savvy so might be better informed about these matters. These factors might explain the difference in behavior by age.
Regionally, people from Greater London are more likely than average to be put off booking holidays with 34% of total respondents, and almost half (43%) of holiday bookers having cause not to book a hotel as a result. People from the West Midlands were also likely to be dissuaded from booking, however most other holiday bookers in other regions conformed to the average. Interestingly there was a higher level of disagreement among potential holiday-goers in Scotland, the Southeast, and Northern Ireland (despite agreement being close to the average) suggesting that a large contingent of people in these areas simply do not care as much.
Interestingly, for people living in the cities, as many people were likely to be put off going on domestic holidays as not, but few (other than residents of cities such as Norwich and Birmingham) really outweighed the desire not to go on holiday, thus it could be argued that for people in cities it is as likely to deter residents as not.
In fact, residents in cities such as Belfast, Plymouth, Liverpool, and Southampton were less likely to agree and even disagree with the idea that they have been put off - perhaps demonstrating that they are either more motivated to go on holiday, or less deterred by bedbugs. However, given higher levels of disagreement in these cities, it could be argued that the bedbug outbreak is not enough to deter residents from booking accommodation.
Overall, this suggests that people in the UK are equally as likely to be affected by the bedbug outbreak as not, however with almost 1 in 3 people being deterred overall, and higher from areas such as London, this should give cause for thought for hotels.
Q3: How likely would you be to prioritize booking a hotel or Airbnb which offers a bed bug protection promise and proactively shares their measures online, if at all?
The majority (56%) of UK customers would book a hotel or Airbnb which offers a bed bug protection promise and proactively shares measures online, and the vast majority (77%) of people in the UK that use Airbnb or hotels.
Among those that actively book hotels and Airbnb’s this is most popular with women (77%), and the vast majority (78-87%) of people between 25-44. People over 55+ are less keen on average, which perhaps reflects either generational attitudes, less technological familiarity, or perhaps a lower aversion to bedbugs.
Regionally, customers that book hotels or Airbnb in Greater London (78%), East Midlands (77%), and especially the Northwest (83%) and Northern Ireland (85%) are most likely to prioritize hotels offering this kind of guarantee. This is less important to people in the East of England (65%), and Northeast (61%), but still is influential for around two thirds of people that would book.
Interestingly, customers that book hotels and Airbnb’s from cities such as Belfast (85%), Bristol (82%), and Edinburgh (89%) were more likely to prioritize such accommodation, whilst the majority of other cities conformed to the average. Customers from cities such as Brighton (31%), Leeds (35%), Manchester (31%), and Plymouth were not likely to prioritize such a promise.
This supports the premise that across the country between two thirds and three quarters of hotel and Airbnb bookers would prioritize hotels with this kind of a guarantee.
Q4: Would you be willing to pay £1 extra per night to stay in a
hotel or Airbnb which has a bed bug protection promise in place?
Around two thirds of UK customers have shown willingness to pay an extra £1 for a hotel or Airbnb which has a bedbug protection promise.
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This is especially true of the younger generations with the vast majority of 25-34 year olds (72%) and 35-44 year olds (73%) willing to pay more. Even the majority of more skeptical older generations would be willing to pay £1 extra.
Regionally, customers in Greater London (73%), the Northeast (73%), Southwest (70%) and Wales (77%) were most willing to pay. Customers across the rest of the country conformed to the average, with only Northern Ireland and Yorkshire & the Humber slightly less than average enthusiasm, with the majority (over 60%) still interested.
People from Bristol (72%), Cardiff (86%), Edinburgh (72%), London (70%), Newcastle (72%), and Plymouth (73%) were more likely to say that they would pay £1 extra. On the other hand, people from Glasgow were less likely (56%) to say yes to paying, they did not state that they actively would not. People from Liverpool were more likely not to be willing to pay (53%) and more to state that they would not pay more (28%).
This indicates that the majority of UK customers would be willing to pay more for protection guarantees, thereby mitigating the costs for Airbnb and hotels for implementing a solution without significant loss of business.
Q4a: How much more would you be prepared to pay per night to stay in a hotel or Airbnb which has such protocols in place?
Willingness to pay in the UK is price flexible with a clear relationship between rising price and willingness to pay.
Of respondents who were willing to pay at least £1, one in four (26%) would pay £1 and no more, however 73% of respondents would pay £1 or more, with the mean price at around £3.37.
In terms of age, the younger age groups (especially 16-24 year olds) were more likely to be able to pay more than £2, and have the highest mean costs of £4.56.
Areas with the highest mean amount include Greater London (£4.33), the Northeast (£5.15), which is unsurprising given their higher-than-average enthusiasm for paying for the service. Interestingly, the West Midlands (£4.49), and Yorkshire and the Humber (4.28), also showed willingness to pay more, despite showing lo3wer than average enthusiasm (though still a majority) for paying £1 in the previous question, perhaps signaling lower enthusiasm, but higher purchase intent among the majority.
On the other hand, the East of England (£2.95), East Midlands (£2.30), Northwest (£2.48) Scotland (£2.59), and Wales (£2.40) have a lower mean willingness to pay, despite mostly average levels of agreement and disagreement with being willing to pay for the service. This perhaps indicates that in these regions, the service is more price sensitive up to £3 extra.
In terms of cities across the UK, citizens in Birmingham (£4.36), Leeds (£4.46), Newcastle (£5.04), and Plymouth (£4.51) have high mean amounts, which indicates that such areas are more willing to pay up to £5 for the service.
By contrast, residents in Bristol (£2.20), Edinburgh (£2.15), Liverpool (£1.98), Manchester (£2.54), Norwich (£2.11), Nottingham (£2.32), and Sheffield (£2.01) have a much lower mean amounts - conforming mostly with their regional counterparts, and confirming that these regions and their cities are more price elastic up to £3.
Q5: How much do you agree/disagree that the hotel industry should be required to adopt a bed bug protection promise logo, similar to the Hygiene Standard ratings certificate required for the restaurant industry?
Over two thirds of UK respondents agree that the hotel should be required to adopt a bed bug protection promise logo, similar to the Hygiene Standard ratings certificate required for the restaurant industry.
This is consistent across genders, and is particularly strong among the vast majority of 25-34 year olds (75%), though slightly less popular with the 45-54 year olds (60% compared to an average of 66%).
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​It is also particularly popular among people from Greater London (79%), the West Midlands (72%), Northwest (72%), and the Southwest (70%). However, though the majority of people in Scotland, Wales, and Yorkshire & the Humber would like to see this change (over 50%), there is less agreement among these groups, perhaps because these groups are less fearful of bedbugs.
In terms of cities, residents from Birmingham (74%), Bristol (71%), London (74%), Manchester (72%), and Plymouth (70%), were more likely to agree with the statement.
By contrast, residents from Brighton (71%), Cardiff (56%), Glasgow (52%), Liverpool (60%), Sheffield (42%), and Southampton (55%) were less likely to agree, though none substantially disagreed more than the average.
This largely supports the idea that the majority of people in the UK would welcome and value assurance from hotels and Airbnb’s around their ability to protect customers from bedbugs.
Q6: Which of the following does the idea of being bitten by bed bugs put you off sleeping in, if any at all?
Around half of people in the UK would be put off sleeping in hotels or Airbnb’s and are almost twice as likely to be put off staying in a hotel/Airbnb on account of bedbugs than their own bed, a friend or family’s bed, or even a partner’s bed.
This Is more common among females (60%), and 25-34 year-olds, though people aged 45 and over are less likely to be deterred. People in the East of England are particularly put off by the idea of hotels and Airbnb's with bedbugs, as are people in Scotland, though most regions conform to the average.
Interestingly 25% of people stated that the idea of getting bitten by bedbugs does not bother them at all. This is particularly common in Northern Ireland (31%), the Southeast (34%), Wales (33%), perhaps explaining why these groups have shown less enthusiasm for anti-bed bug measures in other parts of the survey.
People from Edinburgh, Leeds, Norwich, Plymouth, and Southampton were more likely to be put off from hospitality accommodation by bedbugs than residents from Belfast (45%), Cardiff (44%), and Liverpool (42%) are less likely to be put off - the former two in line with regional preferences.
Overall, however, around half of people in the UK are put off by staying in hospitality venues that might have bedbugs, well over and above familiar locations, and indicating that bedbugs and the thought of bedbugs can be critical in the decision of whether or not to visit a venue.
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Research commissioned in collaboration with Censuswide. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.
One thousand nationally representative UK respondents.
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