Healthcare Staffing Report: Jan. 14, 2016

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What to expect in hotel travel for 2016 — Promoted

Moving into 2016, a growing economy and traveling business sector will open up new opportunities and place higher demand on the hotel industry. The staffing industry itself is projected to grow 5% in the coming year, continuing an upward trend, following a 6% growth in 2015. As a leader in short term housing in both corporate apartments and hotels, Travelers Haven has identified a few trends for you to keep in mind while developing your 2016 travel plans.

With demand on hotel rooms increasing, hotels will become harder to find and more expensive. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) predicts a 4.7% rise in U.S. hotel rates. Experts are also cautious to see how the Marriott and Starwood merger to create the world's largest hotel company will affect competition and therefore, pricing. When planning your budgets, pay careful attention to fees as well as they are also expected to rise.

As a side effect of rate hikes and increased competition, expect rewards programs to be less generous. With regards to the Marriott Starwood merger however, according to an interview with the Marriott CEO in December, there are no plans to drastically change the rewards program of either brand.

Software as service and mobile apps usage will noticeably increase. Hotels will continue to make a big push in personalized guest services as they compete for market share. It's no secret that mobile technologies are overtaking every aspect of our day to day lives. A TripAdvisor study released last June reveals that 42% of travelers use their mobile devices to plan or book travel. This usage combined with the focus of hotels to capture the 'Millennial' generation will drive hotels to invest more in their technologies and custom mobile experiences.

According to a survey conducted by GBTA, the three main priorities for travel managers heading into 2016 are: reporting and analysis, traveler experience, and cost savings. As both travel and costs rise, it will become more difficult to excel in all of these areas. Maximizing spend and increasing insight into the performance of that investment will become more critical. Ensuring a quality experience for each traveler as the number of placements grows also becomes increasingly complex for travel managers.

Fortunately, Travelers Haven has built a business around these core values: Savings, service, software. As the technology leader in corporate housing, Travelers Haven offers mobile tools and an innovative booking platform to provide increased insight and flexibility to both travel managers and travelers. The proprietary technologies combined with a full time staff of hotel experts allow the Travelers Haven Hotels team to save travel managers both time and money, while ensuring travelers have the best experience possible.