Attracting business travellers is a top priority for many short-term rental owners and managers, especially those in serviced accommodation. Business travellers, often willing to pay more money, seek comfort and reliability from corporate housing companies for their employees. These guests not only boost local economies but also tend to be repeat customers. In contrast to leisure travellers who tend to explore new places to stay, business travellers want everything simple, and if they experience a comfortable and hassle-free stay, they’ll come back to you again and again.

How can you attract business travellers to your rental in a competitive market? Why do corporate housing agencies play a crucial role in this? We’ll explore the needs of both leisure and business travellers, how to equip your property for this market, optimise your listings for corporate guests, and where to advertise. Plus, get our list of top 10 corporate housing companies to boost visibility and capture more corporate guests.

Leisure Travellers vs Business Travellers

To attract more business travellers, it’s essential to understand how they differ from leisure travellers. People travel for various reasons, which affects their needs and the length of their stay. 

fff travellers have specific requirements and schedules compared to those travelling for leisure. Some trips last months, weeks, or days, while others may be less than 24 hours.

Business Travels

It’s called travel, but it’s not very different from your regular days at home. When most people think of “travel,” they imagine having fun, going to clubs, sight-seeing and everything that’ll cheer them up.

However, business travel involves continuing your work in a different city or even a foreign country. You need to meet clients or colleagues, handle professional issues, and sometimes manage difficult negotiations. 

Business travellers prioritise comfort in their accommodation. If they’re staying with colleagues, they need some privacy to recharge each night for the next day. This is where corporate housing companies can be incredibly helpful.

Leisure Travels 

As mentioned, leisure travel focuses on exploring new places, sports, entertainment, and recreation. Unlike business travel, leisure travellers choose to go on a trip purely for enjoyment. They often spend most of their time outside the accommodation, experiencing new activities. 

Consequently, they might prefer to spend less on lodging and more on planned activities to regain freshness and vigour. Ultimately, the main difference between leisure and business travellers lies in their needs and preferences.

5 Tips to Attract Business Travellers

1. Manage Bedrooms Arrangement 

For optimal comfort of business travellers, opt for properties with three or more bedrooms instead of sofa beds. Consider using sibling beds that can easily convert between single and double configurations to accommodate various guest preferences. 

Double beds can halve the occupancy for contractor guests who require separate sleeping arrangements. While contractors may share rooms, most prefer individual beds for privacy and comfort during their stay.

2. Provide Strong Internet Connection

Business travellers have to connect with their clients, colleagues, and even their boss in the company. Sometimes, they need to make immediate calls to consult with their company and make urgent decisions. So, providing them with a fast Internet connection, ideally free Wi-Fi, is a must if you want them to repeat their booking.

3. Enable Self Check-Ins

Contractors and corporate travellers prefer self check-ins as they usually might arrive at irregular times, especially if they’re travelling internationally. With self check-ins, Guests can skip the line and unlock their room directly using a special code or their phone via integrations with smart locks and access control apps. This saves time for guests and cuts costs for property managers by reducing staffing needs.

4. Offer Necessary Amenities

Business travellers need different amenities to reduce the time they have to take to prepare every morning, eat, and rest every night. So, amenities like breakfast, a coffee machine, an iron and ironing board are essential for morning prep. You can also leave welcome packs in the fridge for them or stuff over the weekend since they might not have enough time or energy to go shopping or cook for themselves.

5. Consider Discounted Sundays

Most businesses may use corporate housing companies and book their stays from Mondays so that they don’t have to pay for one extra day. 

However, this way their employees might be too tired on the first day, having to start their job as soon as they arrive. You can offer a discount if they arrive on Sunday. This is more profitable for you, AND an extra perk for your guests as well.

Bottom Line

With business travellers, you should keep things simple. They need a place close to work, so they don’t have to spend more than 15 to 20 minutes commuting to their destination. They don’t usually expect a luxury place; a clean and functional accommodation will do.

How Can Business Travellers Find You?

Make sure your listing(s) are visible on popular platforms such as Booking.com, Airbnb and Google My Business, just to name a few. Typically, companies search for accommodations on these online travel agencies (OTAs), then reach out directly. Ensure your listing stands out by highlighting specific features that appeal to corporate clients.

How to Attract Business Travellers through OTAs and Booking Platforms

Ensure that the main photo of your property on OTA platforms highlights features that appeal to corporate travellers, such as bedrooms with single beds for privacy. Avoid using images of the kitchen; instead, focus on showcasing the bedrooms. This reassures business travellers that they can enjoy privacy during their stay.

Opt for gender-neutral colours to maintain the interest of both male and female contractors. Incorporate keywords like “contractor,” “parking,” and the location of your property into its name to attract their attention. Additionally, include your brand’s name in the listing to facilitate easy online searches.

In addition, it’d be better if you optimise your Google My Business listing and have a direct booking website. This way, there’s a chance you can be found through organic search as well. 

Beyond these platforms, consider partnering with corporate housing companies that can further assist in attracting business travellers.

How Corporate Housing Companies Help You Attract Business Travellers

Another great way to attract more business travellers is by partnering with corporate housing companies or corporate agents. Many businesses prefer to book the same place repeatedly rather than searching for new rentals each time. 

Instead of browsing OTAs or Google, they often work with companies that bridge the gap between serviced accommodation providers and businesses. 

There are plenty of companies in the hospitality industry that specialise in this. Check out our FREE list of the top 10 corporate housing companies for 2024. Enjoy!

Top 10 Corporate Housing Companies 2024

1. AltoVita

AltoVita streamlines business travel accommodation, providing access to over 7 million vetted properties globally at the best prices. With real-time availability, instant booking, and comprehensive reporting features, AltoVita ensures seamless and cost-effective corporate travel. 

Their platform offers diverse accommodation options, enhanced safety measures, and a dedicated customer service team.

 Additionally, the fully immersive API connectivity allows for smooth integration with your existing systems, making business travel management efficient and hassle-free. 

2. Blueground

For business travellers, Blueground offers a win-win solution. They get flexible stays in furnished apartments with all the comforts of home, at a fraction of the price of comparable hotels. Blueground places business travellers in prime locations near business centres and public transport, and their user-friendly platform makes booking and receiving support a breeze. 

Whether it’s a quick trip or a longer stay, Blueground can make business travel smoother and more affordable. Blueground claims to offer savings of 30-50% compared to hotels of similar quality, which can be a significant advantage for businesses or travellers on a budget.

3. Homelike

Business travellers can ditch cramped hotels for Homelike’s spacious, furnished apartments. This means more privacy, a homey feel, and potentially huge savings compared to hotels – companies might see a 40% reduction. 

Homelike verifies apartments for quality and essentials like Wi-Fi and workspaces, ensuring a consistent experience. Plus, they focus on professional landlords with “business-ready” places, unlike vacation rentals on Airbnb. 

Homelike even streamlines booking for companies sending multiple employees, making business trips smoother and potentially cheaper.

4. Comfy Workers

Comfy Workers streamlines business travel for companies, offering a one-stop shop to book serviced apartments. This means easy booking, clear pricing, and flexible options for employees. Business travellers win too, with comfy apartments, amenities like kitchens, and potentially laundry or co-working spaces, all managed through a reliable network. 

Comfy Workers helps companies managing employee travel save on costs and hassles, making business trips smoother for everyone.

5. Urban Stay

Urban Stay offers premium serviced apartments tailored for business travellers. Located in central London and across the UK, Urban Stay provides fully furnished, high-quality accommodations with modern amenities, including high-speed internet and spacious work areas. 

Their flexible booking options, transparent pricing, and exceptional customer service ensure a seamless stay. Ideal for short or long-term stays, Urban Stay’s apartments cater to the needs of corporate guests, making business travel comfortable and convenient.

6. The Apartment Service

Approaching its 35th year, The Apartment Service (TAS) stands as Sydney’s largest and most trusted corporate accommodation provider, renowned for its expertise in meeting the long and short stay needs of business travellers. 

Offering hand-picked apartments in quiet yet convenient locations, TAS ensures a ‘home away from home’ experience with fully furnished and equipped spaces, including comfortable beds, fully equipped kitchens, working spaces, and flat-screen TVs. 

Catering to both short-term conference visits and long-term executive relocations, TAS provides complete flexibility in stay durations and corporate account management. Business travellers benefit from 24-hour check-in, key exchanges, concierge services, professional cleaning, hotel-grade linen, and free unlimited Wi-Fi, ensuring a productive and stress-free stay.

7. VIP Corporate Housing

VIP Corporate Housing provides fully furnished, move-in ready apartments that are both affordable and convenient for business travellers. 

As one of the largest corporate housing providers in the United States, VIP Corporate Housing meets nationwide needs with a complete array of furniture, housewares, linens, appliances, technology, and utilities included in their low daily rates. 

Their cost-effective, business-friendly environment makes them a preferred choice for many corporate travellers. They offer hundreds of apartments across the country, with a variety of options to suit every traveller’s needs and budget. 

VIP Corporate Housing can set up a home office upon request, and all apartments come with high-speed internet, with many locations featuring onsite business centres. 

Their apartments provide a home-away-from-home atmosphere with separate living, dining, and sleeping areas. Weekly maid service is optional, and their local staff are available to assist with community information, additional household items, or rental cars, ensuring a hassle-free experience for all guests.

8. SilverDoor Apartments

SilverDoor Apartments is a premier choice for business travellers, offering thousands of serviced apartments globally. Their clients range from FTSE 100 companies to independent contractors, boasting a 99% client retention rate. SilverDoor Apartments’ experts leverage their extensive market knowledge to find the best serviced apartments and negotiate optimal rates tailored to client needs. 

With trusted relationships with over 1,600 property operators worldwide, they provide an extensive range of options. Additionally, they offer expert industry advice, the widest range of apartment options, negotiated rates, and a complimentary account management service, ensuring a seamless experience for business travellers.

9. National Corporate Housing 

National Corporate Travel offers comprehensive corporate travel services, ensuring a seamless and stress-free experience for business travellers. They handle all travel arrangements, from flight and hotel bookings to car rentals, aiming to save clients both time and money. 

With a dedicated team averaging over 20 years of experience, National provides personalised travel management, resolving issues promptly and maintaining unused tickets for future use. Their close client relationships and attention to detail ensure smooth and efficient travel. 

Whether it’s managing travel changes or providing expert recommendations, National Corporate Travel is committed to making business travel easy and enjoyable.

10. United Corporate Housing 

United Corporate Housing offers top-tier temporary housing solutions with their “live where you stay” approach. They provide customised, fully furnished apartments and single-family homes for both short-term and long-term stays. 

Strategically located properties in major business hubs and diverse regions ensure employees stay connected to industry activities. Prioritising comfort and affordability, United Corporate Housing delivers modern conveniences at competitive prices. 

Each client enjoys personalised service with a dedicated account manager, rigorous quality standards, and 24/7 support for a seamless experience.