Can green chemistry truly save the hospitality industry?
As of July 2020, despite numerous countries across Europe and the Americas having opened their borders for travelers entering their territories, as well as certain stricter restrictions having been lifted, there is a general feeling of dread surrounding the idea of flying on a plane full of potential virus carriers and staying at a possibly contaminated room or apartment, and this sensation has caused tourists to postpone or abandon their travel plans entirely.
However, in an interesting additional detail, consumers have also expressed that they are willing to travel and stay in a certain hotel room or apartment if it can ensure the correct safety measures and cleaning protocols that will keep them protected against the virus and other pathogens. In fact, according to a survey made by Avvio.com, 21% of their followers on social media still wish to travel in 2020, with 13% of them planning to book later in the year.
This reveals something important that the chemical industry has already begun taking note of: the hospitality industry can and will get past this crisis if the right actions are taken, the sooner the better.
Sanitization is rapidly becoming a top priority, as is the disinfection of surfaces, and this is where green chemistry gains crucial importance: it is one thing to kill deadly pathogens at a hospital or in a lab with potent disinfectants, but the other is to use these same chemical agents in a space full of human beings.
Chemicals used for sanitization and disinfection must have mild effects on human health (if any), and they must fulfill all regulatory requirements that are expected of them, especially if they are to be used on surfaces that will be touched by travelers in airports, bedrooms, bathrooms, and planes.
It is for this precise reason that green chemistry is the overall best solution against hospitality, and why we can answer the initial question positively: yes, green chemistry can certainly save the hospitality industry.
But how will this take place? And what type of chemicals and materials will be used to protect travelers?
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