With Busy Summer Forecast Ahead, More Hotels Are Raising Hygiene Standards, Says UMF Corporation

CHICAGO, May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The hospitality industry is expecting a busy summer this year, and with the season set to kickoff over the Memorial Day weekend, more hotels and resorts are raising their hygiene standards – to the great satisfaction of customers, according George Clarke, CEO of UMF Corporation, a developer of infection prevention products.

"We're seeing more hotels and resorts adopting environmental hygiene practices developed for the healthcare industry," said Clarke.

He cites Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide among the larger chains that are placing a high priority on guest safety and satisfaction by ensuring that infection prevention levels of cleaning be used in guest rooms.

"The fact is, community-acquired infections (CAIs), like healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) in hospitals, have emerged as a serious public health concern," Clarke said. "Germs, allergens and other types of contaminants are a potential issue for everyone who visits a hotel and resort property."

Hospital-grade environmental hygiene practices include room specific color-coded products and one-per-room practices, which includes a color-specific product for each guest room and guest washroom, thereby ensuring that the washroom is isolated from other guest areas; an emphasis on high-touch surface cleaning; and a rigorous training and education regimen for relevant staff.

All these practices help to ensure safe environments for guests, and they also have a very positive impact on Guest Satisfaction Scores, according to Clarke.

"It's no secret the role hygiene plays when people go about selecting a hotel," he said, citing a survey last summer by Chubb Group Insurance Companies that found that cleanliness was the No. 1 most important factor to the average hotel guest in selecting, or returning to, a hotel – topping even price, location and security.

"No one wants to stay in a sick hotel room," Clarke said.

About UMF

Innovators and specialists in environmental hygiene, UMF Corporation delivers advanced, patented antimicrobial technology with industry-leading PerfectCLEAN® products, education, training, motivation and support.  The company, headquartered in the Chicago area, is the only U.S. company that designs, engineers and manufactures high-performance fibers and accessories to help its customers meet tough new challenges in public health and safety.  UMF Corporation is the annual sponsor of the Hygiene Specialist™ Excellence award to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of ES.  For more information, visit http://www.perfectclean.com.

CONTACT: Kenneth Swoyer, +1-847-424-1256, [email protected]

SOURCE UMF Corporation