PAYDAY CITY BREAKS HELP BRITS BEAT END-OF-MONTH BLUES

According to data from leading Proptech firm Staykeepers, which specialises in filling empty rooms across a multitude of property types, the most popular period for holiday check-ins in the first three months of 2022, were the final three days of the month – up 81% compared to the three days prior – as Brits looked for a payday getaway.

The most active day for check ins was Monday 31st January, however, proving not just to be a January blues escape, throughout Q1 2022 Mondays were consistently the busiest for short-stay check-ins, with Sundays a close second.

Commenting on the trend, Miro Gospodinov Co-Founder and Director of Staykeepers, said: “At the end of each month, check-ins significantly uplifted, which indicates that guests are booking holidays for shortly after they have been paid. The recent pandemic and the travel restrictions that have been, and remain in place, have significantly changed our travel habits and looking at the data we believe more people are looking to get away when they can and payday allows them the opportunity to be impulsive and book a short break.”

Delving deeper into the trend, the Staykeepers data revealed that domestic city breaks were the most preferred, seeing UK reservations increase 20% month-on-month. The relaxation of international travel restrictions saw more Brits head overseas, with the short trip to Dublin, Ireland, proving the most popular, whilst London was the most visited UK city break destination.

For those looking for a warm weather getaway, reservations in Spain more than doubled in March (up 137%), with the most popular city for check ins was the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, Malaga. Offering average daily temperatures of 15°, an inviting mixture of historic architecture, wide promenades and a gorgeous golden sand beach, it’s easy to see the allure for travellers.

Miro, added: “We are always fascinated, when our latest set of data comes through, to see the trends that are beginning to appear and what is clear is that the myth that people are avoiding cities due to COVID-19 is well and truly busted. The UK is somewhat ahead of the curve in relaxing restrictions, so Brits are leading the way in terms of travel and getaway trends, but it’s interesting to see that the domestic market has remained strong, whilst previously popular short break city destinations, such as Dublin and Malaga, are coming back in a big way.”

Founded in 2015, Staykeepers is one of the UK’s leading property technology companies focused on connecting quality build to rent, co-living and student accommodation with guests and travellers around the world.

Active in over 57 cities around the world and working with some of the biggest multi-purpose accommodation operators, Staykeepers works to fill short term and long term lets, affording its landlords and investors maximum exposure across world-leading platforms such as Boking, AirBnB and Expedia.

Discussing Staykeepers’ unique model, Ivo Gospodinov, CEO & Co-Founder of Staykeepers, commented: “We work with a wide range of accommodation providers that are looking for long- or short-term solutions to occupy empty rooms or units and one of the biggest markets is short-stay visitors looking for a quality alternative to traditional hotels or guest houses. We use an intricate digital system to market these spaces to the most relevant audiences across over 400 channels. In terms of popularity, we have found that by simply listing across multiple platforms, such as Airbnb and Booking.com alone provided a 128% increase in reservations for our clients.”