Less frequent but longer stays: that's one of the expected developments of post-Covid business travel. What many observers predicted is actually happening. Hotel reservation specialist HRS, among others, has noted that long stays of between 8 and 13 nights accounted for 39.2 % bookings of its business customers in the first eight months of 2021, compared with just 7.9 % of trips in 2019.
" The long-stay segment is an important new reality for buyers and suppliers, as our industry gets back to business "said Tobias Ragge, CEO of HRS. In response to this popularity, which could become a major trend in the future, HRS is adding a new 'Long Stay' segment to its booking platform, for trips lasting 8 days or more.
In addition to booking travellers, sourcing residential accommodation solutionsIn addition, negotiations with the various players and the loading of tariffs will also be strengthened. Buyers in particular will benefit from greater automation of the process, rather than the manual procedures often used in the long-stay sector. HRS's Invisible Pay solution will also facilitate virtual or centralised payment for long-stay bookings.
In parallel with this launch, the hotel reservation specialist is focusing on another trend that is increasingly influencing business travel: the environment. In this context, last March HRS presented its Green Stay initiativecombininganalysis of the sites' environmental policy according to validated United Nations methodologies and the Green House Protocol, and feeding this information back into the booking tools. This approach enables travel managers to put together their hotel programmes in line with their CSR objectives. " Dozens of companies have already indicated in their calls for hotel tenders that spending indicators on energy, water and waste management will be taken into account. "said Tobias Ragge.
The HRS initiative has been taken up by Accor, the first global hotel group to join the programme. " We are delighted to be working with HRS to help us drive further improvements in sustainability. "The French group has also recently joined the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, an international organisation that brings together hotel groups committed to sustainable development. The participation of the French group's establishments in the Green Stay initiative will enable them to highlight the initiatives they have put in place in terms of sustainable development, a promotion of eco-responsible hotels that will also be included in calls for hotel tenders.
