DRIVING THE SERVICED APARTMENT INDUSTRY IN 20241
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TOP 10 TRENDS
DRIVING THE SERVICED APARTMENT INDUSTRY IN 20241
The macro trends that will be driving the industry in the year ahead ; from hotels creating new extended stay brands , to connectivity , disintermediation and why ESG just got serious .
1 . Corporate demand has levelled off following the spike that peaked in 2022 and tailed off in 2023 ; post-pandemic travel programme reviews , growing corporate commitment to sustainability and the adoption of purposeful travel , resulting in fewer , but longer stays . 2024 should be seen as the new normal .
Credit : edyn
2 . Whilst many business travellers and assignees are still working remotely , there has been a gradual increase in the return to office-based work in some sectors , with companies now requiring employees to be in the office at least three days a week . The impact of which is rising hotel rates , especially in London . Workstations are now a mandatory element of corporate RFPs .
3 . During the pandemic , companies showed that projects could be completed without travel , let alone relocation . The relocation market has been becalmed by economic and geo-political factors , so apartment operators are looking to other source markets including blended trips and group travel associated with film , music , and sport .
4 . Although progress amongst operators is generally slow , ESG is no longer a box-ticking exercise . As well as Gen Z travellers , travel and mobility managers now require providers to evidence their Environmental , Social and Governance credentials in most RFPs . The brands have cottoned onto this , but smaller operators risk being left behind .
5 . Buyers want technology to provide more choice , slicker and simpler booking processes , and a better user experience . They remain frustrated by TMCs reliance on legacy GDS technology , despite the opportunities provided by API direct connects and AI . The problems start with the more emotive longer stays which demand human interaction .
6 . A combination of interest rates , rising building costs and increased regulation in major European and international cities has hit developers ’ margins hard , dis-incentivising new builds . With everyone fishing in the same pond , those who can think outside the box will be the ones to clean up .
7 . Hotel chains are reacting to fragmentation of the extended stay sector by launching their own extended stay brands , with built in GDS connectivity , either in dedicated buildings or as dedicated floors within their hotels . They have the economies of scale , but cannot realistically compete with the smaller , more agile players .
8 . The competitive advantage enjoyed by serviced apartments post-pandemic has been eroded by hotels . Radical collaboration between operators , especially around distribution technology , sharing data and common data platforms is required , to prevent market share being lost .
9 . Disintermediation ( direct selling to corporates ) has been accelerated in the air and hotel sectors by NDC ( New Distribution Capability .) If TMCs and RMCs do not expand their inventory and bookability , expect suppliers to ramp up their direct sales too . It won ’ t be long before TMCs start buying serviced apartment specialist agents , or vice versa .
10 . The serviced apartment industry is still struggling to attract talent , which is impacting the user experience and could contribute towards consolidation between brands , intermediaries , and technology providers . Unless operators are able to put hospitality at the heart of their offerings , hotels will take full advantage .
1 Based on 1-2-1 interviews with 30 corporate buyers , intermediaries , and operators April-May 2024 .