Leisure demand is growing, according to the results of Cheval Collection’s latest travel survey, with close to three quarters of those asked planning to take at least three trips over the next year.
The study also found that more than 75% of guests preferred to book direct, with a significant number also drawn to loyalty programmes.
The company reported that almost 72% of travellers were planning at least three leisure trips, up from just over 45% in the previous year. The bleisure trend of combining business and leisure had yet to be embraced by respondents, of whom at least half did not travel for business purposes.
The survey received almost 2,600 responses, most of which (75%) were from the UK. Forty-five per cent of respondents had stayed in at least one Cheval Collection property.
Robert Speirs, director of marketing, Cheval Collection, said: “It is reassuring to see that there is still strong demand from the leisure market, at a time when we are seeing headwinds in other segments.
“Serviced apartments have proven resilience and are now part of the mainstream for guests and investors, as we are hearing through the conversations we are having in dynamic locations around the world. The combination of flexible, luxurious accommodation and limber, efficient operations is only growing in popularity.”
When making a booking, almost 77% of those surveyed prefer to book directly or would actively consider doing so if the price was competitive. Only 18.5% expressed a preference to always book with an online travel agent such as Booking.com or Expedia.
Value remained a factor for guests and, when booking accommodation, between 43% and 45% of respondents said they would either book the cheapest, non-refundable rate or they would wait for a sales event before committing to a purchase. Just over 30% of travellers indicated a preference for a provider with an attractive loyalty programme.
Speirs added: “Guests increasingly expect a loyalty programme and earlier this year we became the first serviced apartment operator in Europe to join GHA Discovery. We believe it is important to be able to reward the loyalty of Cheval customers, as well as being able to raise our profile around the world as we continue to expand.”
Cheval Collection is continuing to pursue a strategy of growth through management contracts and is in discussions with a number of investors and developers in European and the UK. The company currently operates nine locations in London, three in Edinburgh and one in Dubai, with a second Dubai site; Cheval Maison – Expo City Dubai, due to open in Q1 2025 and the group’s first proper-ty in Saudi Arabia, Cheval Ladun Living, located in Riyadh, due to be completed in 2027.
