THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE I 39
Go Native goes for growth THE REVIEW ›› THE ROOM REPORT
BTS NEWS
SERVICED apartment provider Go Native is rapidly
expanding in London following an injection of £100million by UK and international investors. The growth initiative will focus
on the City, West End and South Bank, with the company’s portfolio having already grown by 130 per cent since September 2011 and now totalling 750 apartments. It added six London locations
last year including Pioneer Point, in Ilford, East London, which became its largest property when it opened in December comprising 159 units offering short, medium and long-term stays. “We have no plans to slow down
our expansion,” says Go Native’s head of agency sales, Samantha McKnight. “We have lots of expansion plans, but London is the focus for now. We want to do that well before diversifying. The reality is that there’s not one company big enough to handle
HRS' GLOBAL EXPANSION
BTS NEWS
HOTEL booking specialist HRS enjoyed
everyone’s requirements,” she adds, explaining the fact that many apartment providers cross- sell each other’s stock. Go Native launches a new
website this March that features live availability and bookings for its own portfolio, with the same facility for its network partners’ apartments due to be added in by the year’s end. Called IGNITE, the reservations tool has been two
years in development. Go Native COO Shaun Prime says, “Serviced apartments have long been behind the curve. Historic complexities have slowed every provider’s ability to offer real-time, online availability and automated booking, but that is set to change.” McKnight adds, “The sooner we
can offer a seamless booking process the better. We’re moving the industry forward.”
impressive growth in 2012 but says it still needs to add to its inventory in certain regions around the world. Michael Simon, managing director of corporate solutions at HRS, reports "medium-range double digit growth" for the company that was some 40 per cent above target. "We’ve had a major push in China and Japan, now we’re looking Down Under. Africa, India, the Middle East and South America are all good growth markets," he explains. A landmark deal was signed
with the Amadeus GDS a year ago but, says Simon, "integration is running a couple of months late. The first real positive impact we’ll see is late 2013 and early 2014".
PROFILE IS KEY FOR DEEP BLUE APARTMENTS
BTS NEWS
DEEP Blue Apartments has launched a ‘Flying Butler’
service for guests at its portfolio of locations across London. The service allows guests to
request the likes of airport transfers, grocery deliveries and housekeeping services. The company was exhibiting for the first time at the Business Travel Show in a bid to raise its profile across the industry.
“We’re not the smallest of apartment operators but we’ll never be one of the biggest,” says Deep Blue’s director, Avril Larner. “It’s a young, growing industry but we’re treading carefully.” A number of new locations will
take its portfolio to around 120 units and further expansion is expected. “We’re looking for small, boutique locations with anything from seven to 15 units –
we don’t want huge, impersonal buildings,” says Larner. “We have distinctive colour schemes and we’re trying to roll out a brand so that guests know it’s a Deep Blue apartment they’re staying at.” Including apartment inventory
on the GDS and in self-booking tools is “key to the industry moving forwards”, says Larner, who also believes a ratings scheme would be good for the sector.
meet and
greet
by Executive Service for the Business Traveller
• Drive straight to the airport terminal where you will be met by a purple parking chauffeur.
• Saving time to continue your journey.
• On your return your vehicle is returned back to the terminal for your collection.
For corporate rates and more information call Julie Divine on 020 8867 4500 or contact your TMC or email
julie.divine@purpleparking.com
We work with
all the leading
TMC’s and integrate with most self
booking tools
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