Tourists worried by NY's bedbugs
Source: Agencies |
October 26, 2010, Tuesday
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NEW York City's bedbugs have climbed out of bed and marched into landmarks such as the Empire State Building, Bloomingdale's and Lincoln Center, causing fresh anxiety among tourists who are canceling vacations planned for the height of the holiday season.
Some travelers who had arranged trips to New York say they are worried about staying in hotels and visiting attractions as new reports of bedbugs seem to pop up every few days. Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration is concerned about the effect on the city's image and US$30 billion tourism industry.
Discoveries of pests at high-profile places are often not full-blown infestations, or even in public areas. Bloomingdale's reported finding exactly one bug in the department store, the Empire State Building had them in the basement and Lincoln Center's were in a dressing room. But those reports, along with bedbug discoveries in movie theaters, hotels and clothing chain stores, are causing skittish travelers to call off trips planned months ago.
Industry professionals - who have privately told city officials that they are nervous about bedbugs hurting New York's reputation - say publicly that they are not aware of any bedbug-related cancelations.
But would-be tourists say they are canceling trips as they fear the bloodsucking pests.
"It sounds like you can get them anywhere, any time of day and not know it until you get home," said Patty Majerik, from Baltimore.
She said she may not travel to Manhattan next month with her children, as they do every year around the holidays to shop and see shows. "I hate to say it, but I doubt we're going to come this time," Majerik said.
Florida resident Suzanne Baldwin said she is forfeiting money spent on reservations for a trip next month as she is now overwhelmed at the idea that the bugs have spread beyond hotels. She said: "We decided, even knowing we would lose quite a bit of money from nonrefundable tickets, it was not worth the worry."
Sightings of the rust-colored bugs, which are about the size of an apple seed, have surged around the United States in recent years. Experts have theorized that an increase in global travel and the banning of certain pesticides may be responsible for their increased numbers. Bedbugs are famously difficult to eradicate as they hide in many more places than beds and can go for a year without feeding.
The city's tourism agency, NYC & Company, said it has not seen mass cancelations because of bedbug fears. But officials said some New York hotels and tourist attractions have told the administration they are concerned the bedbug rumors will scare travelers away.
City officials and experts say it is difficult to fully measure the extent of the problem, partly because of stigma and the lack of solid data.
Some travelers who had arranged trips to New York say they are worried about staying in hotels and visiting attractions as new reports of bedbugs seem to pop up every few days. Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration is concerned about the effect on the city's image and US$30 billion tourism industry.
Discoveries of pests at high-profile places are often not full-blown infestations, or even in public areas. Bloomingdale's reported finding exactly one bug in the department store, the Empire State Building had them in the basement and Lincoln Center's were in a dressing room. But those reports, along with bedbug discoveries in movie theaters, hotels and clothing chain stores, are causing skittish travelers to call off trips planned months ago.
Industry professionals - who have privately told city officials that they are nervous about bedbugs hurting New York's reputation - say publicly that they are not aware of any bedbug-related cancelations.
But would-be tourists say they are canceling trips as they fear the bloodsucking pests.
"It sounds like you can get them anywhere, any time of day and not know it until you get home," said Patty Majerik, from Baltimore.
She said she may not travel to Manhattan next month with her children, as they do every year around the holidays to shop and see shows. "I hate to say it, but I doubt we're going to come this time," Majerik said.
Florida resident Suzanne Baldwin said she is forfeiting money spent on reservations for a trip next month as she is now overwhelmed at the idea that the bugs have spread beyond hotels. She said: "We decided, even knowing we would lose quite a bit of money from nonrefundable tickets, it was not worth the worry."
Sightings of the rust-colored bugs, which are about the size of an apple seed, have surged around the United States in recent years. Experts have theorized that an increase in global travel and the banning of certain pesticides may be responsible for their increased numbers. Bedbugs are famously difficult to eradicate as they hide in many more places than beds and can go for a year without feeding.
The city's tourism agency, NYC & Company, said it has not seen mass cancelations because of bedbug fears. But officials said some New York hotels and tourist attractions have told the administration they are concerned the bedbug rumors will scare travelers away.
City officials and experts say it is difficult to fully measure the extent of the problem, partly because of stigma and the lack of solid data.
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