SALES & MARKETING
4 post-pandemic opportunities
FOR EXTENDED- STAY HOTELS
Contributed By KELLY POLING , EXTENDED STAY AMERICA
Last year , extended-stay hotels reported some of the highest occupancies , according to research from STR . That ’ s no small feat during a global pandemic , when the industry saw many hotels closing their doors for months . According to the hotel data company , the segment also maintained its occupancy premium over other types of hotels , even as the industry ’ s overall occupancy dipped in January 2021 amid a second COVID-19 wave . During that time , extended-stay hotels averaged occupancy 20 points higher than non-extended-stay hotels .
While the pandemic set forth many new challenges for extended-stay hoteliers , it also presented several opportunities for lessons learned . Following are four things that changed for the segment , the lessons Extended Stay America learned as the leader in this segment , and how extended-stay hoteliers can use these insights to continue to future-proof their commercial approach .
1 . THE CHANGING GUEST PROFILE What ’ s changed : The pandemic opened up new opportunities for extended-stay hotels in terms of targeting guests . Essential workers — such as frontline healthcare workers and government and military personnel — created an increased demand for both short- and longterm housing solutions to support pandemic relief efforts . Additionally , with the importance of social distancing , many colleges and universities had to reduce the number of dormitory rooms available for student housing . Extended-stay hotels became viable housing options for students . Extended Stay America was able to close deals with close to 30 colleges and universities during the height of the pandemic .
Lessons learned : Agility and creativity in marketing and sales efforts are crucial to adapt quickly . The world will continue to change , and new guest segments will emerge . For instance , the work-from-home workforce has given way to “ digital
118 hotelsmag . com November / December 2021