SAN RAMON, CALIF.—As travelers, workers and students begin to adapt to changing COVID restrictions, the need for portable sanitization increases. According to the MMGY Travel Intelligence Team, even during this global pandemic, 42 percent of U.S. business and leisure travelers are likely to take a trip in the next six months. The new Raycop GO is the industry’s first portable UVC vacuum that uses UVC light to eradicate 99.99 percent of bacteria and viruses. It is an easy-to-use, go-anywhere, sanitizing, portable vacuum and UVC light appliance. The new RAYCOP GO is designed to enhance safety during and after the COVID pandemic with...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Support for the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AHLA) Safe Stay initiative continues to grow with endorsements coming from leading scientists, physicians and public health experts in epidemiology and infectious disease. The new endorsements come from the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Association for Linen Management which represents the personnel involved in the textile care industry, as well as a certified industrial hygienist and former infectious diseases epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention and World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Murray Cohen. Safe Stay is an industry-wide initiative focused on enhanced hotel cleaning practices, social interactions, and workplace protocols to meet the new health and safety challenges and...

MIAMI—The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the annual gathering of international leaders in the multitrillion-dollar global wellness economy, has received rave reviews for its first-ever hybrid event, which promises to be a new model for conferences. Notable as one of the first U.S. meetings to take place both in person and virtually, the hybrid “Safe Summit” was held at The Breakers Palm Beach from November 8 to 11, and attracted 100+ in-person delegates and 500+ highly engaged virtual attendees. “We knew the only way to host a Summit this year was to create a new model for how a conference can...

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.—SpectraShield Technologies LLC, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based disinfection company, has received notice from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the company’s SpectraKill RTU disinfectant has been approved for inclusion on the EPA’s List N: Disinfectants for Coronavirus (COVID-19). SpectraKill RTU’s inclusion on List N comes after successful third-party lab testing against Human Coronavirus. SpectraKill RTU is a rare disinfectant that combines broad-spectrum efficacy against bacteria, viruses, mold, and mildew, yet is biodegradable, low in toxicity and corrosion and is Certified Green by the Green Cleaning Institute. Most disinfectants kill organisms by poisoning them to death. This poisoning effect is why...

What an adventure the past couple of weeks have been for all of us—with news developments impacting our industry dramatically—a new president who immediately announced a new COVID-19 advisory task force, the news that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine could be up to 90 percent effective, yet day upon day of records for new virus cases that are certainly keeping travelers from wanting to travel to hotels in those hot spots. Without getting political here, please keep up the mask wearing, the hand washing, the social distancing, and require those of your guests. I dropped my son off at his after-care program...

LONDON—A staggering 9.2 million jobs could be lost in the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector in 2020 if barriers to global travel remain in place, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) revealed. The new figure comes from WTTC’s latest economic modelling, which looks at the punishing impact of COVID-19 and travel restrictions on the Travel & Tourism sector. According to the latest data, 7.2 million jobs in the United States have been impacted. If there is no immediate alleviation of restrictions on international travel, as many as 9.2 million jobs—more than half of all jobs supported by the sector in...

CHICAGO—Chicago-based company AEX Technology Solutions LLC, a leader in innovative business technology, announces the launch of the AiroDoctor photocatalytic UVA LED air purification system for the United States and Canada. “We are extremely excited to bring AiroDoctor to North America,” says Vishal Goyal, Co-founder of AEX Technology. “Despite the significant increase in the demand for air purifiers, many of the units on the market are consumer-grade only yet are being used in commercial settings. AiroDoctor is a scientifically tested and cost-effective solution specifically designed for commercial environments, providing significantly cleaner air and a sense of comfort to you, your colleagues,...

BENSALEM, PA.—American CleanCoating Company announced that it is now offering its exclusive, XTI-360 nanocoating technology to the hospitality industry. With this focus on the hospitality sector, XTI-360 hopes to play a part in helping companies deliver peace of mind to guests eager to meet, dine, socialize, and stay at their facilities, as well as to their employees. The company kicked off its hospitality sector XTI-360 launch in late October at Connect Marketplace, one of the nation’s largest gatherings of planners, suppliers, and experts across the Meetings and Events industry. The company also provided the attendees with its StaClean brand...

LOCKHART, TEXAS—Tolley Brothers, an antimicrobial copper research firm, has launched a full range of germ-mitigation products designed to protect electronics devices and office workspaces from harmful microbes. This new product line consists of peel-and-stick EPA-registered antimicrobial copper designed to be applied to any surface, eliminating the need for complete resurfacing. The antimicrobial properties of this technology provide immediate and continuous germ protection for cell phones, work spaces, and other surfaces as long as the product remains in place. Additionally, the company has developed a timer-based UV-C light that’s designed to douse your workspace overnight, effectively killing germs while the user sleeps. Effectiveness...

HORSHAM, PENN.—Defend Tech hand towels from Sofidel’s Papernet brand are the latest solution launched to support the new standard of cleanliness. The hand towels are infused with orange essential oils, which can kill germs captured on the paper itself. Essential oils have many applications because of various properties—they are antimicrobial, stress-relieving and gentle on delicate skin. “Sofidel, with its professional brands including Papernet, is positioning itself as the leader in innovative hygienic solutions with an emphasis on sustainability,” said Fabio Vitali, Vice President, Marketing, Sofidel. “In addition to our award-winning Bio Tech, Dissolve Tech and Freshen Tech products, Defend Tech...