Homestay sees rise in business travel demand

Homestay sees rise in business travel demand

Cost-conscious business travellers are opting to stay in hosted accommodation, specialist accommodation provider Homestay.com claims.

Cost-conscious business travellers are opting to stay in hosted accommodation, specialist accommodation provider Homestay.com claims.

Booking statistics reveal a growing demand from corporate travellers booking homestays for work-related trips, including a year-on-year increase for females on business trips.

London and Dublin are the most popular business destinations in the world, beating Auckland, Perth and New York in the Homestay business destination top ten.

All of the ten top business travel destinations have seen a rise in bookings in the past year. Business travel is the third most popular reason for travel, after taking a holiday and education, according to the company.

The location of the accommodation is the most important factor in choosing a homestay, followed by friendly communication with the homestay hosts and value for money.

The average length of homestays by business travellers is 10.5 days. Longer business trips of this type tend also to be booked earlier than shorter trips, allowing hosts to prepare for their guests’ arrival and deal with any special requests.

Homestay.com is encouraging guests to use its video chat facility where they can see their hosts and talk about their upcoming visit.

Guests can tailor their search results with a range of filters including distance from the city centre, local neighbourhoods, catered meals, amenities including Wi-Fi and the hosts’ hobbies and special interests.

Each of the host profiles feature reviews from previous travellers, neighbourhood guides and photos of the accommodation.

Homestay chief executive, Alan Clarke, said: “The combination of comfort, value for money and the friendliness of staying with a host as compared to staying in a hotel, where you might not talk to anyone, are all contributing factors in choosing a homestay for a business trip.

“For solo travellers, there is also the added benefit of staying with a family and a host who can give local tips and advice.”

He added: “If you’re able to get out and experience a new neighbourhood while you’re away on business, it adds something to your work trip that you wouldn’t necessarily get from staying somewhere more conventional.”