U.K. firm MYSA, formerly called My Serviced Apartment Consultancy, is releasing new sourcing and booking platforms to allow corporates to control and manage their serviced apartment accommodation program.
According to the company, the sourcing platform allows the direct procurement of serviced accommodation similar to hotel and air programs. It said property data provides greater intelligence to manage duty-of-care compliance while travel managers can benefit from cost transparency, with the platform overseeing the RFP process.
The booking platform, meanwhile, has been developed to meet the needs of travelers and delivers pre-qualified accommodation options, secure payment and a simplified booking management experience, MYSA said. Invoices are also automatically reconciled against booking data before payment is taken.
MYSA CEO and founder Gary Hurst said: "There is a real opportunity for the serviced accommodation sector to play an important role in supporting the corporates and their travelers in the wake of Covid-19. With travel management teams set to face an unprecedented shift in the way business travel is conducted, serviced accommodation is uniquely placed to respond.
"Unlike hotels, most have minimal communal areas and provide sufficient social distancing between guests to mitigate the risk. However, we must ensure operators are committed to stringent health and hygiene disciplines both now and in the future. A safe ‘home from home' experience means travelers can relax in their own space with no risks incurred from room service or daily housekeeping. For that reason, this option can help travel management teams in tackling the expected increases in anxiety for travelers."
Joakim Everstin, CTO, added: "Having worked closely with corporate buyers and taken on board their frustrations, I know that the serviced accommodation sector needs to change to protect its future. For the past two years, we have been developing this technology and know-how to enable corporates to directly manage the procurement process."