As the United States eases coronavirus restrictions and reopens for business, big hotel companies are competing on cleanliness. At the end of May, hotel stays in the U.S. were down 43 percent compared to May of 2019, reported market research business STR. As more people travel, hotels consider increased cleanliness measures in an effort to make visits more appealing to the public. The companies also see a chance to get back business from competitors, such as the home-sharing company Airbnb. Larry Yu is a professor at George Washington University’s School of Business in Washington, D.C. He said some hotels are stricter about cleanliness than others. But stronger measures for cleaning operations are happening everywhere. “Everybody is doing it, because it is now expected by consumers,” he said.
