UK: TrustedStays, an industry booking platform for professional short-term rentals, has launched on the Global Distribution System [GDS]. Amongst the first properties are Canary Wharf Group’s Vertus developments, expanding accommodation choice and flexibility for the corporate and relocation markets.
Canary Wharf Group, on behalf of its Vertus build-to-rent development, is amongst the first in the world to bring individual apartment inventory onto the GDS accommodation world [estimated by Skift as a $46 billion annual market], currently dominated by hotels.
As an exclusive platform for corporate stays established by the UK Short Term Accommodation Association [STAA] and the UK Apartment Association [UKAA], TrustedStays seeks to bring together accredited companies in the hospitality and real estate industries and connect them to the growing demand for apartments by business travellers.
TrustedStays claims to offer the first-of-its-kind connection into the GDS in partnership with Amadeus, the world’s largest GDS company, and Canary Wharf Group’s Vertus build-to-rent development is ideal given the range of corporates with offices nearby.
With more professional short-term property owners, property management companies and build-to-rent / multifamily industry providers onboarding into the GDS, corporates will now have a diversified range of accommodation choices for their employees within the systems and through the Travel Management Companies [TMCs] they already use.
For longer business trips, project-based employee stays, relocations, or the emerging trend for ‘bleisure’ [a combination of business and leisure] travel, employees increasingly want more space, more choice, and flexibility when choosing their accommodation. The TrustedStays and Amadeus partnership services the ever-growing needs of these customers and provides a single platform to all professional operators in the short-term rental market to access this counter-cyclical demand.
Merilee Karr, CEO of TrustedStays, said: “Launching this global connection with Canary Wharf Group’s Vertus development marks an industry milestone. By offering short-term rentals on the GDS, we are opening up new opportunities for business and leisure travellers to access high-quality accommodation and unlocking new potential for both the short-term rental and build-to-rent sectors.
“This exciting development reinforces our commitment to innovation and breaking down barriers for our industries to access this demand and for corporates and employees who benefit from more choice,” she added.
Freya Richard, director – leasing & operations of Vertus, said: “We are excited to be part of the ground-breaking TrustedStays platform with Amadeus where government and corporate travellers can now access our luxury accommodation for their business trips and relocations. We value the innovative and strategic partnership with TrustedStays as it is another avenue to maximise the yield for our developments.”
