Smog in New Delhi. Pankaj Nangia/India Today Group/Getty Images
Hotels around the world are providing rooms with air filtration or purification systems to combat threats of outdoor pollution, the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: 91% of the world’s population lives in places where the air quality exceeds World Health Organization limits, and that's created a business opportunity for hotel chains.
- Hotels are charging a 5% to 7% premium for rooms with filtration and purification systems.
- The Intercontinental San Francisco installed air purifiers following the wildfire in Paradise, Calif.
Worst case scenario: NYT reports that the Oberoi in New Delhi reopened last year from a renovation and installed air purifiers that filter exterior air as it enters the building throughout the entire hotel. The city's air quality index is 12 times the U.S. government-recommended level, per WHO.
Go deeper: Air pollution reduces average life expectancy by 2 years