EDITOR'S COMMENT
• A week on from the launch of Hopper Homes, we spoke to its head, Susan Ho, to make sense of how the business will position itself in the travel ecosystem and what we can expect from it in the future.
Speaking on the latest episode of the ShortTermRentalz podcast, Ho was keen to point out how the Gen-Z-focused online travel agency is attracting a "sticky" customer base among its core demographics and eliminating pain points in the end-to-end booking experience.
Appealing to a younger core customer base that has been acquired over several years under the Hopper umbrella will be crucial. Phocuswright's recent study reveals that Gen Z / millennial travellers are twice as likely as other age groups to book homes, which is reflected in Hopper "doubling" its revenue in 2020 despite Covid.
It is therefore no surprise that Hopper Homes is focusing on mitigating the frustrations that are felt most acutely by Gen Z and millennials. The company is doing this by introducing "clear, transparent and flexible" cancellation and payment policies - something that could be deemed as a direct challenge to its OTA counterparts who struggled to issue guest refunds and placate hosts - and further fintech service rollouts are expected in the coming months.
So what we can learn from this? Hopper Homes has clearly spotted a market opportunity to create a loyal following of customers in the OTA landscape, and its commitment to transparency, flexibility and professionally managed inventory across its verticals will not only keep customers in the Hopper ecosystem but allow it to entice hosts from rival platforms.
To listen to the Hopper Homes podcast episode in full, follow this link.
• The entries period for the 2022 Shortyz Awards is open until Friday 11 March - to avoid missing out, submit your entries in as many of the 20 categories here at no cost.
Hear from some of our judges and 2021 winners about why you should enter the 2022 Shortyz Awards and what it meant to them to win their awards.
Please click here or contact me if you have a story you want us to tell the industry, or you would like to take part in a feature, podcast or webinar.
For more information and sponsorship / creative solutions advice, contact us at info@internationalhospitality.media.
