FreshAir Sensor, a company specializing in monitoring indoor air quality, has launched FreshAir Certified, a bookable room attribute that lets hotels promote air quality as a purchase option available to guests.
FreshAir Sensor's molecular air-quality monitoring solutions are installed directly in the hotel guestroom to track and certify rooms that are free of common irritants (including odors from unauthorized smoking of tobacco and marijuana, scented sprays and conditions for mold). Operators can offer these rooms to guests at a premium as part of their booking process.
The program is rolling out at hotels across North America and, according to the company, already is helping hoteliers generate significant ancillary revenue annually. FreshAir Sensor calculates that U.S. hotels could gain more than $1.5 billion in new ancillary revenue annually with the certification program.
Indoor Air Quality as a Profitable Differentiator
According to the company, hotels that prioritize clean air can drive higher guest loyalty, positive reviews and increased revenue. Studies show that:
- More than half of guests rank odor-free rooms as the top indicator of cleanliness, making air quality a major influencer on guest perception and satisfaction (AHLA)
- In hospitality, 58 percent of guests cite odors as a leading cause of negative reviews, affecting a hotel's reputation and repeat business (AHLA)
- Increased focus on personalization can improve hotelier insight into traveler preferences, improving conversion rates by up to 16 percent (Deloitte).
"FreshAir Certified turns air quality into a valuable, revenue-generating amenity for hotels," Will Darrah, chief commercial officer at FreshAir Sensor, said in a statement. "Through our Certification program, hotels can monetize their air quality, elevate the guest experience, and unlock new profits—without the need to spend CapEx money or take up valuable staff time or resources."
How It Works
The FreshAir Certified program uses FreshAir Sensor's molecular technology to provide a real-time inventory of rooms with verified indoor air quality standards. These rooms can then be offered to guests in the booking flow, in pre-stay communications or at check-in at an additional cost.
As part of the certification process, each room is verified to have high air quality for at least 60 days prior to check-in, helping hotels sell guaranteed air-quality upgrades to guests with sensitivities, differentiating their properties in a competitive marketplace and generating ancillary revenues with each booking.
"FreshAir Certified has provided Ocean Casino Resort with another attribute-based revenue stream that required minimal additional work on our side beyond the initial setup of the add-on in our direct booking channels," said Ryan Burch, vice president of hotel operations for Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. "We've been thrilled with the number of guests adding the FreshAir Certified add-on to our booking engine, and we're excited to begin offering this in our pre-stay communications and during check-in. Ocean is all about going above and beyond, so we're pleased to see our guests expressing appreciation for the extra measures we're taking to provide odor-free stays."