Get to Know The New Lifestyle Traveler of 2021
The travel landscape is in constant motion. It’s evolving to reflect new global trends in the way we live, travel, and work. With the pandemic accelerating these societal shifts at a rapid pace, keeping up with new consumer trends has become the focal point for hospitality companies looking to stay one step ahead.
Casai was born in 2019 from a need to modernize the hospitality industry as the lines between travel, work and leisure began to blur.
As the pandemic continues to accelerate these trends and working from home is now working from anywhere, the traditional framework of segmenting travel into business, leisure, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and events) no longer serves this new era of travel. People are redesigning their lives in a way that suits their own needs, whether that’s upgrading their office space to a palapa on the beach or incorporating a lunchtime workout into their daily routine.
It is from this shift that a new travel persona is born: the lifestyle traveler.
What is the Lifestyle Traveler?
This new guest persona is comprised of CEOs, software engineers, and creatives, who now have the freedom to travel anywhere with a reliable internet connection. At Casai, our guests include foreign ambassadors, start-up founders, government officials, and even award-winning actors.
They are not likely to stay at backpacker hostels or surf the web for budget travel hacks. This persona has higher spending power and is willing to pay for a heightened travel experience that effortlessly serves their work, travel, and lifestyle needs.
Understanding lifestyle travel behaviors
Home is anywhere
High mortgage rates, the flexibility of renting, and avoiding significant financial risks are among the top reasons millennials prefer not to own a home. Instead, many are choosing to invest in the sharing economy, opting for an asset-light lifestyle.
The sharing economy has made it easier than ever before to find authentic and locally immersive experiences while abroad. Say goodbye to cookie-cutter accommodation and hello to feeling like a local anywhere.
A sustainable mindset
A recent Deloitte survey demonstrates the modern traveler favors social change and accountability; with economic growth being among the top pressing issues. One way millennials are promoting social and economic growth while they travel is by putting their spending power to good use. They prefer to shop locally and experience authentic culture and cuisine while abroad.
Since day one, sustainable tourism has been priority number one at Casai. One of our core values is to leave the world a better place than we found it and we do this by outfitting our apartments in 90% locally sourced art and amenities, curating a city guide for our guests that support local businesses, and donating to local non-profits.
Community is king
Although a work from anywhere lifestyle may have its benefits, it does not replace the community felt by working in an office space or getting to know your next-door neighbors. The lifestyle traveler is finding new ways to build their own communities around the world.
We recently opened the Casai Club Lounge in Mexico City in response to an overwhelming demand from our guests to incorporate more community-building into our product offering. The Casai Club Lounge is available to all Casai guests for coworking, relaxing before or after check-in/check-out, and attending exclusive events like mezcal tastings and private concerts.
Flexibility is key
Our new reality is filled with unpredictable border controls, flight delays, and changes in national policy. Travelers today need consistency and flexibility from their travel accommodation and lifestyle travelers expect their hosts to anticipate any logistical needs that may arise before and during their stay. This includes flexible cancellations, last-minute bookings, and an overall seamless booking experience they can rely on.
With this in mind, our tech and product teams have prioritized creating a reliable booking platform from scratch that provides a user-friendly booking experience with minimal sifting and sorting necessary. Additionally, we offer greater flexibility in our cancellation policies to accommodate our guest’s changing travel plans.
Consistency in customer support
Similar to a reliable pre-check-in experience, travelers require seamless guest support throughout their stay. Our team at Casai has bridged the gap between digital and in-person support by providing our guests with a 24/7 mobile concierge through our app, as well as in-person support at our Casai Club Lounge.
For any in-apartment tech issues that may arise, we have eliminated one step of communication by designing a smart home app that gives guests the agency to control their apartment’s smart home technology through their phones.
Comfortable living
Because this new persona can work from anywhere, we’ve seen our average length of stay increase from three nights pre-pandemic to over five nights post-pandemic. And as guests continue to extend their stays, there is a new demand for spaces that feel like home.
The lifestyle traveler seeks comfortable spaces where they can live, work, and connect on their own terms. They are more likely to choose a home/apartment rental over a hotel for its homelike amenities: spacious rooms, fully equipped kitchens, comfortable workspaces, and more.
Creating spaces that felt like home was always a priority at Casai. Our main product focuses were stunning design, super-fast WiFi, ample workspace, equipped kitchens, and smart home technology and entertainment.
LATAM is a remote work hub
Latin America offers many benefits for remote professionals. Its physical proximity to the United States makes it easy for the 10.9 million Americans who consider themselves nomads to travel between countries with minimal time zone gaps or distance from family and friends. Other benefits include a lower cost of living, year-round warm weather, and a slew of social and cultural offerings.
A recent Travel Recovery Report conducted by Expedia lists Mexico City as one of the leading urban destinations in LATAM. Casai currently operates almost 300 apartments in Mexico City, with travelers from the U.S. being our second-largest demographic after domestic guests.
The lifestyle traveler meets Casai
With a society trending further away from the traditional nine-to-five, the lifestyle traveler is the new travel demographic to watch for. At Casai, we are excited and confident in our preparation for this shift, as our product was built to serve this segment from day one. With seamless reliability, curated locality, and comfortable living at the forefront of our product offering, we are providing elevated spaces for the lifestyle traveler who wants a comfortable place to stay with the high-quality guest experience they deserve.
Experience the lifestyle traveler way of life. Book a stay with Casai on your next trip to Brazil or Mexico.