It seems bed bugs, those notorious freeloaders of the insect world, are enjoying something of a renaissance. While most of us would prefer them confined to horror stories and childhood rhymes (“don’t let the bed bugs bite”), summer 2025 in the Northern Hemisphere has proven they’re alive, well, and enthusiastically hitching rides on the surge of global travel.
According to the French Bed Bug Canine Detection Experts Association (SEDCPL), reported infestations in France alone rose by 50% in June 2025 compared with the same month a year earlier. Germany’s Pest Control Association (DSV) has also confirmed infestations are steadily climbing. To top it off, Madrid Airport had to be fumigated in May—an image no tourism board would dare splash across a brochure.
And it’s not just Europe. In California, a jury recently fined a Ventura hotel US$2 million after guests were attacked by bed bugs during their stay. The bill was steep, but the reputational fallout could prove even nastier.
A shift from denial to defence
Hoteliers, once resigned to reacting after guests found themselves scratching through the night, are finally changing tack. The industry increasingly recognises that prevention isn’t simply cheaper, it’s smarter.
“Shifting from a reactive model to prevention has been key to this progress,” says Martim Gois, CEO and Co-Founder of Valpas, a Helsinki-based platform for safe, sustainable, bed bug–free travel. “Statistics show that adopters of precautionary measures report up to a 70% year-over-year decrease in infestations. We call on the industry to continue implementing preventive initiatives to keep incidents under control.”
That statistic is not to be sneezed at. In a climate where infestations are climbing, a 70% reduction for hotels that take action is remarkable.
From hidden menace to marketing advantage
Valpas has spearheaded a quiet revolution. Its patented in-room technology now safeguards more than 300 hotels, 40,000 beds, and 40 cities worldwide. These IoT-enabled devices intercept bed bugs without pesticides at first contact, neutralising infestations before they spread.
The badge of honour? Hotels that meet the standard receive Valpas Certification and can prove, digitally and in real time, that every guestroom is protected. It’s no longer just about pest control; it’s about building trust with travellers.
As Gois puts it: “Prevention isn’t just a hygiene measure, it’s a trust signal. Valpas-certified hotels show guests they’ve invested in safety before there’s a problem, avoiding pesticides and the cascade of financial and reputational damage that follows an infestation.”
The payoff goes beyond peace of mind. Certified hotels report higher guest satisfaction, more direct bookings, and stronger RFP conversions. They also avoid the messy optics of chemical fumigation, cutting a hotel room’s carbon footprint by up to 1.4 tonnes of CO₂ per year. In today’s climate-conscious market, that’s not just a bonus, it’s a booking magnet.
A foe as old as travel itself
Bed bugs are no modern inconvenience. A recent Biology Letters study revealed these insects have shared our beds for at least 60,000 years. They were thought extinct in parts of Europe until 2018, when global travel, pollution, rising temperatures, and resistance to chemical treatments fueled resurgent infestations.
The insects are not just resilient—they’re cunning. Resistant to many common pesticides, bed bugs thrive in warm, densely populated environments, making today’s bustling hotels, airports, and transport hubs perfect breeding grounds.
Put bluntly, they’re not going away. Prevention is no longer optional; it’s a necessity.
Prevention as the new hospitality standard
The penny has dropped: guests expect more than crisp sheets and chocolates on pillows. They want proof that their stay won’t come with a side order of pests. Hotels that step up to the plate and adopt visible, verifiable prevention measures are setting the new standard in hospitality.
In fact, proactive pest control is evolving into a competitive advantage, a quite differentiator that travellers increasingly factor into booking decisions. Those who ignore the trend may find themselves battling insects and watching their competitors lap them in bookings and reputation.
The final word
For centuries, travellers have sought safety in an inn for the night. Today, safety means more than a lock on the door, assurance that bed bugs won’t bite.
Valpas and like-minded innovators are pushing hotels to rethink their approach, replacing fire-fighting with foresight. In doing so, they’re helping the industry safeguard its guests and its bottom line.
The lesson? Prevention isn’t just cheaper than cure and far more marketable. And in an era where reputations travel faster than guests, hotels can ill afford to let bed bugs call the shots.
By Sandra Jones
