Smoke Free Hotels
I recently wrote a quick article about how the Marriott International Inc. is banning smoking in all their North American Hotels, and now all this week I have been reading more and more articles on what people prefer – smoking or non smoking.
Whether you prefer a smoker friendly hotel or a smoke-free hotel a new reality is settling - smoking is not as cool as it used to be. Gone are the days when classic actors and actresses push the smooth refreshing taste of cigarettes on the Radio. Smoking is just not as accepted as it once was.
According to a J.D. Power and Associates 2006 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study 79% of hotel guests want to stay in smoke-free environments. It is even becoming more common for restaurants and other private businesses to ban smoking in their establishments. In fact in some cities they are making it law.
There is a large push in many cities to ban smoking in all public places (this includes outdoors as well), and while I think that may be a bit extreme, I do agree that banning smoking in places such as hotels and restaurants is a good idea. I worked in a restaurant before and after smoking was banned in my home town, and working in a smoke-free restaurant was far more pleasant experience for me.
I think a lot of smokers forget that not only is a non-smoker forced to breathe their polluted air, but if said non-smoker worked at a restaurant or in a hotel, they also have to pick up after the smoker.
You may put your cigarette out in an ash tray, but someone has to clean that out, someone has to clean the smoke smelling sheets in your hotel room too, and if you are staying in a hotel room that allows smoking...those walls probably weren't yellow to begin with.
The balance between smoker and non-smokers rights in a tricky one. But I for one am happy that 79% of poll hotel guests by J.D. Power and Associates were against smoking. What do you think?
