Five Tips to Avoid Hotel Bedbugs

Sept. 29, 2010— -- You've just checked into a hotel after a long trip and plop down on the bed to get some rest. Little do you know that there are thousands of tiny little bugs in the mattress, ready to nibble away at you.

Reports of bedbugs are popping up across the country and striking fear into the hearts of many travelers.

A seemingly clean room might still have bedbugs. And the insects don't discriminate between roadside motels or luxury beachfront resorts. But there are steps you can take as a traveler to at least minimize your risk of getting bitten.

"Though it seems stories of bedbugs are everywhere, don't let it prevent you from taking a vacation. The truth is, the vast majority of travelers will have no issues with bedbugs during a trip," said Genevieve Shaw Brown, senior editor at Travelocity.

Bedbugs have been found in movie theaters, office buildings, department stores and plenty of homes and apartment buildings.

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The National Pest Management Association says that bedbugs are on the rise in America, with a 71 percent increase in bedbug calls since 2001. The rise might be blamed on increased travel, lack of awareness and precautions, and changing pest control methods. The association did a study and found that bedbugs are a much greater problem in urban and suburban areas and are among the most difficult pests to treat.

"It's definitely something to worry about, but it's not something that you can control. They're very tiny, they're very hard to spot," said Anne Banas, executive editor of travel Web site SmarterTravel. "You can't prevent it 100 percent. There's just no way."

The American Hotel & Lodging Association said in a statement that "the increase has had a minimal impact on the vast majority of hotels."

"Bedbugs are brought into hotels by guests; it is not a hotel sanitation issue," the association said. "Education, awareness, and vigilance are critical. A trained and knowledgeable housekeeping staff is one of the best lines of defense, along with having regular pest control inspections."