Self catering establishments making their mark

HOTELS are destined to feel the pinch as a greater percentage of corporates opt for furnished apartments in an effort to reduce travel costs. This picture emerges from an analysis of bookings with South Africa's largest self-catering brokerage, Optima. Figures show that a growing percentage of people who traditionally stayed in hotels are using self-catering accommodation, not only for holidays, but for business and even monthly stays and relocations between homes. Rioma Cominelli, managing director of Optima, says that while the South African public is becoming far more discerning about their choice of accommodation, however, it is very value-driven. "Businesses, in particular, appear to be moving away from pricey hotels and the high maintenance of owning their own apartments," she says. "Self catering accommodation in luxury flats cuts down on costs and increases flexibility in terms of meetings and catering arrangements." Cominelli believes that the leisure industry needs to take more cognisance of this trend. "There has been very little development in the area of self-catering resorts over the past five years. Developers continue to focus on hotels hoping to secure foreign tourist trade. The truth of the matter is that the foundation of South Africa's tourism goldmine is the domestic tourist and in this market, self-catering is king," she says. Research in this area estimates that self-catering accommodation is the choice of over 50% of local tourists. (Miguel de Sousa)