Serviced apartment agency SITU has announced the launch
of a portfolio of instantly bookable accommodation.
SITU Live: Global Network allows accommodation providers to connect
their inventory, availability and pricing to SITU; buyers can then book online
through SITU’s customer portal or through a third-party booking tool.
The company says that on launch SITU Live will offer
instantly bookable accommodation at more than 40 UK locations and aims to expand
this to more than 200 worldwide by December 2020.
SITU managing director Phil Stapleton said: “We are
delighted to launch the SITU Live: Global Network in answer to what has been a
long-held point of contention for the business traveller and business travel
buyer – that serviced apartments are harder to book than hotels.
“This tool
allows our team to work with our clients and build bespoke accommodation
programmes that blend online and offline bookable inventory globally.”
Instant booking of service apartments has been available for some
time - SilverDoor launched its Orbi
instant booking tool in 2018, for example. However, agents have often struggled
to get live bookings for apartments in secondary and tertiary locations, because
providers have been reluctant to give up control of their inventory. Many
providers also choose to offer live availability through AirBnb and Booking.com rather than dedicated corporate tools.
In the current envionrment with soft corporate demand, many buyers are also looking less for instant booking and more about getting the best possible accommodation for their budget.