Some hoteliers are finding the growing trend towards smoke–free is also increasing their bottom line: higher occupancy rates.
Said Denis Herron, director of sales and marketing, Hilton Palm Beach Airport:
“Our occupancy jumped nine percentage pints in 2005, from 78 to 87 percent, partly because of our decision to go smoke-free.”
The movement in that direction is obvious.
Just two months after FreshStayRM launched its online directory of hotels offering clean indoor air products and practices, 200 smoke-free properties joined the network.
The company says five smoke-free properties are being added daily.
The company’s site, www.freshstay.com, awards hotels in pineapple symbols. Smoke-free hotels automatically get three pineapples.
The company says smoke-free is joining such industry standards as cable TV, in-room movies and high-speed internet access.
Report by David Wilkening
