The pandemic has had a profound impact on our lives, particularly our perceptions and awareness of safety and health in the environment.Even before the current pandemic, rising pollution levels and worsening air quality were concerns. Having heard and read so much about the effects of aerosols (particulate matter), microns, etc. In the post-COVID age, we finally see the importance of indoor air quality.People who visit offices, malls, and hotels will soon be able to choose where they stay, shop, and visit. Despite the fact that we have been suffering from flu for decades, COVIDs are now a serious threat to our health. We will be taking IAQ much more seriously in the future.We believe corporate customers will demand safe/good-quality indoor air when choosing hotels for their employees. They may even be willing pay more to have this facility for their employees' safety. It will soon be an integral part the RFP process to ask the question: How clean is the hotel's air?To ensure that their guests are safe and healthy, hoteliers have begun to invest in air purifying systems for their hotels. This system, along with regular monitoring of the air quality and placing dashboards in public areas to communicate IAQ and other parameters (e.g. how often the HVAC system has been changed) will be crucial to reassuring guests after a pandemic.This strategy has been used by the aviation industry in recent years. In order to reassure passengers, both airlines and major aircraft manufacturers have advertised the cabin air quality, filters, as well as the exchange of fresh air. This will soon be a key marketing tool for the hotel industry.Hotel marketing teams will develop campaigns to communicate IAQ and safety parameters to ensure safe air in their hotels. This will help them retain and attract loyal customers.Ajay Mehtani is a veteran of over 25 years in Hospitality and FMCG. He has also worked for several international companies. He holds a PGD (PGD) in Hotel Administration, a PGD (Marketing Management), and certifications in Business Strategy and Digital Marketing. He was previously the Regional Director Sales & Marketing South West Asia IHG and Chief of Asset Management at Duet India Hotels. Prior to joining Marriott International, he was also the Regional Director South Asia For New Builds & Transitions for Starwood Hotels. Ajay can be reached at amehtani@hvs.com or www.hvs.com
