GSAIR 2023 : AMERICAS 12
Hoihou – the female led serviced apartment business
Question and Answer
With Yanina Nuñez and Brenda Albornoz Co-Founders of Hoihou
Pronounced ‘ Hoy-ho ’
Brenda and Yanina , please tell us about yourselves briefly and your career history prior to the establishment of Hoihou ?
Brenda : I studied Hospitality in La Suisse Cepec University and started my professional career 16 years ago in hospitality at Hyatt hotels . I worked in Buenos Aires , Argentina , and after a few years moved to the Hyatt Regency in Auckland . My experiences there included several positions in training , events , reservations and the commercial team . I achieved many goals for the company which also aligned with career milestones that I had envisaged for myself . My experience in the hospitality industry brought me , years later , to consider a related career pivot and in 2011 I started work in the relocation industry assisting companies all over the world . 8 year later , I decided to start a personal project and alongside Yanina , I launched Hoihou Corporate Housing .
Yanina : I have a degree in Tourism and an MBA in Strategic Management from Palermo University . After a long career in the tourism industry where I held various relevant positions in wholesalers and in airline companies , I assumed the role of General Manager – Argentina at Copa Airlines . During my leadership , I oversaw the opening of several new routes like Montevideo in Uruguay and Asunción in Paraguay and in Argentina : Córdoba , Rosario and Mendoza to Panama and Conexions . That was an incredibly fulfilling role as my personal growth was matched by that of the company as we expanded from 14 weekly flights to 49 . In 2016 , I was honoured to be recognised as “ Woman to Watch ” and this has given me the opportunity to speak in several conventions , forums and events on women in leadership .
And where did your company name come from ?
Yanina : That is a very good question and when we started to think about our company , we wanted something different . We wanted a name that had a relevant meaning . It ’ s a Hawaiian word that means to come back home and that ’ s all that we want to provide to our guests ... for them to really feel at home . It ’ s not a slogan . That ’ s the experience we want all our guests to have .
What inspired you to set up a serviced apartment business ?
Yanina : Brenda had been working in the relocation industry for several years developing relationships with partners and suppliers . I was negotiating a change in my professional career and with the expertise of the corporate housing business and the knowledge of strategic management and the corporate world , we decided that together we could build a strong and sustainable company providing excellent service to clients and suppliers .
Brenda : In the LATAM region there is a limited number of reliable companies dedicated to corporate housing . We identified this gap and committed ourselves to providing a solution for this . Our professional journey has enabled us to do that , sourcing the best options available in the region . It is vital that Hoihou is seen to provide a consistent service in all the areas it covers . Our brand identity is based on reliability .
We started the company in 2019 in Argentina , but quickly we were able to deliver a portfolio in more than 15 countries in Latin America .
Is there anything about being female owned and run which makes your product different to other operators ?
Yanina : We think that being women helps us to understand the full breadth of the details that make the difference in the customer journey , to negotiate different solutions , to achieve diversity , to appreciate all different kinds of client needs , particularly when it comes to finding family friendly solutions . Often in global mobility you ’ re not just accommodating an assignee but an entire family .