ONE FIFTH OF BUYERS BOOK MORE SERVICED APARTMENT NIGHTS

The Business Travel Show's annual buyer survey is hot off the press and the first stats to be revealed tie into the serviced apartment sector, which has been growing consistently for a number of years now. 

Skyline Worldwide. A Business Travel Show exhibitor.

The survey revealed that nearly one fifth (19 per cent) of travel managers booked more serviced apartment accommodation this year, an increase of 4 per cent on 2014. The number of buyers whose programmes consist of more than 50% of serviced apartment rooms doubled from 1 to 2 per cent, though for 89 per cent of buyers they account for 10 per cent or less (84 per cent in 2014).

We revealed these stats to tie in with The Association of Serviced Apartment Providers’ (ASAP) annual convention, which took place in London on 3 December. The Business Travel Show exhibited for the first time.

182 European buyers took part in the survey, 72 per cent from the UK:

• 19 per cent booked more, or significantly more, serviced apartment rooms this year compared with 2014
• 73 per cent booked the same
• 8 per cent booked fewer
• Serviced apartments account for more than 50 per cent of room nights for 2 per cent of buyers (1 per cent in 2014)
• 89 per cent of buyers’ accommodation programmes include up to 10 per cent of serviced apartments (84 per cent in 2014)

Nearly half (48 per cent) of buyers insist travellers stay in serviced apartments when their trip exceeds a certain duration:

• Three nights or more – 16 per cent of buyers (11 per cent in 2014)
• One to two weeks - 12 per cent (22 per cent in 2014)
• Two to four weeks – 11 per cent (8 per cent in 2014)
• Over one month – 9 per cent (6 per cent in 2014)

Thirty-eight per cent of respondents had more money to spend on accommodation this year, compared to 30 per cent in 2014. One third will have more budget again in 2016. Over half (51 per cent) of buyers will book in excess of 5,000 room nights during 2015, an increase of 12 per cent on last year.  

Serviced apartments have been a familiar sight at the Business Travel Show since 2010 and we have some great exhibitors again this year, including: 

• Apple Apartments
• Berkshire Rooms
• BRG Hospitality – new exhibitor
• Bridge Street Accommodation
• Brussels Business Flats
• Cheval Group of Serviced Apartments
• Cotels Serviced Apartments
• City Apartments
• City Marque
• Dreamhouse Apartments
• Frasers Hospitality UK
• Go Native
• Knightly Apartments
• Marlin Apartments
• Oakwood Worldwide
• Premier Apartments
• Roomspace – new exhibitor
• stayCity Apartments
• The Apartment Service
• The Serviced Apartment Company.

This post was written by Sam Cande, group commercial director, Business Travel Show. 

The Business Travel Show takes place at Olympia Grand from 24-25 February in London. Register for free at http://goo.gl/F55mKX If you're a serviced apartment company and you'd like to exhibit, please contact Sam at sam.cande@centaurmedia.com.