How Business Travel Has Changed in a Post-Pandemic World
Much has been said lately about the fact that employees must be prepared for a different travel experience in today’s post-pandemic world. Business travelers, who previously only had to worry about itineraries and loyalty programs, now have several other factors to take into consideration when booking a trip. Here are some of the things your teams need to know as they prepare to venture out.
The Service Experience Has Changed
Over the course of the pandemic, hotels have responded to the changing landscape of business travel by reducing the services offered in their properties. In many cases, as consumers have become accustomed to this level of service, hotels are choosing to make these changes permanent. According to a survey by Amadeus, a leading global provider of hospitality operations technology, as many as 26.46% of hotels in the U.S. plan to do away with nightly cleaning, while 20.51% of global hotels plan to remove this service for good. Approximately 20% of global hoteliers also intend to permanently reduce or eliminate other services that require staff-guest interactions, such as happy hours which serve food or beverages, meal delivery room service, and laundry or dry cleaning services.
For some, these additional services were some of the most attractive elements of staying in a small hotel room during a busy trip. Now, travel buyers are increasingly looking at alternative accommodations such as serviced apartments. In the past few months, Dwellworks Living has experienced a 300% increase in request for corporate housing. These fully-furnished, whole home rentals make up for the decrease in services with increased space, privacy and convenience in the form of full kitchens, separate living and work spaces, and even in-room laundry machines.
Advanced Planning Recommended
It’s no longer safe to assume that all accommodations are wide open just waiting for travelers to appear. As social distancing guidelines have relaxed, travel has returned in many key markets. In fact, in many cases the demand for available rooms in highly desirable locations is pushing prices up to pre-pandemic levels. Reservations should be made well in advance to ensure a desired location will be available, particularly in destination cities that are popular with business and leisure travelers alike.
Be Flexible with Food Choices
Many of the restaurants and coffee shops that weathered a decrease in demand during the pandemic are now operating with abbreviated hours or limited seating. Business travelers who take care to book accommodations with kitchens, such as corporate housing and serviced apartments, may find themselves more able to adapt to the local scene. The convenience of an in-room kitchen can allow travelers to easily make their own meals and snacks when reservation times at their favorite eateries are offered earlier or later than usual.
Know the Rules
In areas where the infection rates have subsided, mask mandates are starting to relax; but they are not yet non-existent. Local restrictions aside, many privately owned businesses also may vary in whether or not they choose to require a mask in order to enter their establishment. It’s likely that masks will need to be at least a pocket accessory for quite some time in order to comply with local rules.
In addition to masks, virtually every country in the world, and every state in the United States, has taken its own approach to vaccine protocols and mandates. While the prevailing approach in the U.S. is to allow for voluntary vaccinations with no need to prove your immunity, some countries and regions, such as the European Union, are developing systems to certify that individuals have gotten the vaccine.
As a global supplier of corporate housing and destinations services support, Dwellworks has local experts in key markets who can help clients set proper expectations for their traveling employees. Contact us to learn more about how we can help your team make the most of business travel.
Dwellworks Living: Global Solutions for Corporate Accommodations
Dwellworks Living is committed to providing our clients and their employees with the best possible corporate housing and serviced accommodations experience. With a global network of property partners, a tri-regional team of customer experience and supply chain professionals, and a wide range of services for global mobility and travel customers, Dwellworks Living can provide the perfect corporate housing solution for any need or budget.
Dwellworks Living is the global corporate housing solution of Dwellworks, an award-winning, business-to-business provider of global mobility and business travel services. As a global leader in corporate housing and serviced accommodations solutions, Dwellworks Living is uniquely positioned to meet the temporary living needs of businesses and their employees who are relocating or traveling on short-, medium- or extended-stays. With 60,000 high-quality professionally managed properties in over 125 countries worldwide, Dwellworks Living is the preferred housing solutions partner of many Fortune 1000 and leading relocation management companies.
Dwellworks Living's corporate housing and serviced accommodations solutions are designed to help businesses attract and retain top talent, support employee productivity, and ensure a smooth and successful relocation or business travel experience. In addition to our core global accommodations management services, Dwellworks Living, through our worldwide network of local experts, is uniquely capable of offering our clients expanded and related services, such as area orientations, group move assistance, destination services and intercultural training.
Whether you have corporate housing needs for an individual employee or a large team, Dwellworks Living can provide the serviced accommodations solutions you need anywhere in the world to ensure a safe and successful stay. Please contact us to learn more or visit our Properties page to begin your search for global corporate housing accommodations.