Work-from-Hotel: Adapting To The New Normal
With many hoteliers seeing rising vacancy rates in the wake of COVID-19, some providers within the industry are looking for new and creative ways to encourage bookings and maintain revenue despite travel restrictions.
As a large portion of the Australian workforce transitions to work-from-home arrangements, many employees are going a little stir-crazy spending every day in their homes. Asia-pacific chain Choice Hotels is offering a solution, with the recent roll-out of their ‘work-from-hotel’ option which allows guests to book a room to work in for the day. This allows those currently working from their dining room table a change of scenery, along with a quiet uninterrupted work environment.
Prior to COVID-19, many properties were branching out and incorporating communal workspaces into their floorplans to accommodate the needs of business travellers. The co-working industry is seeing significant growth globally, and it was a logical next step for accommodation providers to become involved, however such large shared spaces have been shut down in Australia during the pandemic. This work-from-hotel offering is an extension of this concept, simply talking into consideration social distancing requirements. The innovative solution offers hoteliers a way to make use of their empty rooms and fill a gap in the market.
Taking it one step further, many hoteliers are offering morning tea and coffee for their guests or arranging meal deliveries in partnership with local hospitality businesses. This community collaboration helps boost business for those operating within the area and is an excellent example of how Australian’s are adapting to the new normal. Further, having guests in their rooms, even if it is not for an overnight stay, allows hoteliers to keep staff hours up and mitigate the impact on the hotels supply chain.
Whilst properties are not expecting workers to check-in five days a week, the new work-from-hotel offering allows people to have a little break from what can be a distracting home environment. Plus, getting to take in skyrise views or watch a movie on their lunch break is an added bonus.
