Who's looking for a room in 2022?

As the world enters post-pandemic mode, Christian Salloum, managing director of BrandPortunity F&B consulting, explores the trends that are set to shape hospitality and the companies shaking up the competition for online bookings.

The tourism industry is beginning to see an increase in active inquiries compared to the year that Covid-19 reared its ugly head and invaded the world.

We are all familiar with the likes of booking.com, which boasts 27 million total listings in more than 130,000 destinations, and Airbnb, with 5.6 million active listings in 100,000 cities worldwide. Interestingly, Airbnb outstrips the combined listings of hotel giants Marriott International, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Accor Hotel Group, Hilton Worldwide and Wyndham, with their combined 3.9 million listings. While the pandemic has affected this sector, following the implementation of Covid-19 regulations and safety and hygiene rules, the industry is preparing for easier international movement and is showing positive signs of recovery. What sort of lodgings are available?

Finding a suitable place to stay is one of the most time-consuming activities of planning a trip. Various types of accommodation and alternative lodgings — boutique hotels, all-inclusive resorts, private vacation rentals, hostels and motels, Airbnb and wellness retreats — are available on easy-to-book online platforms, and there are several newcomers on the scene. Tripping.com

As one of the leading search engines for holiday rooms and villa rentals, tripping.com hosts over 8 million properties in 150,000 destinations. They are pioneers of long-term rentals and a one-stop-shop for holiday homes. They've partnered with various virtual reality businesses to allow users to compare rentals across various providers. tripping.com HomeToGo

HomeToGo.com is the world's largest search engine for vacation rentals, with over 18 million offerings in over 200 countries. The platform integrates more than 1,300 providers, including booking.com, Airbnb, Vrbo, Expedia and TripAdvisor. HomeToGo.com simplifies the tedious process of finding somewhere to stay by curating the best offers in one easy-to-use space. hometogo.com FlipKey

Under the TripAdvisor umbrella, FlipKey is Airbnb's main competitor. It provides travelers with domestic and international offerings, property descriptions and availability. It has user-friendly parameters for accommodation, such as budget and family-friendly, and holiday types, including adventure or luxury. FlipKey has a growing inventory of over 300,000 properties in over 160 countries. flipkey.com OneFineStay

Owned by Accor, OneFineStay is gaining momentum in the holiday rental market for travelers seeking five-star experiences and amenities. The platform has over 10,000 luxury vacation rentals in spectacular resort destinations and cities around the world. Each property is handpicked and undergoes an extreme vetting process. OneFineStay has a team of dedicated travel concierge professionals to help you book your stay. onefinestay.com Vrbo

Vrbo is part of the Expedia Group. It quickly became one of the leading vacation rental platforms in the industry. Vrbo allows travelers to book entire properties for short and long-term rentals. The platform allows you to choose your accommodation type and also gives you additional preference choices, such as on the beach, pet-friendly and homes offering free cancelation. vrbo.com

HouseTrip

and it's a company to watch. The new online holiday rental marketplace is relatively undiscovered, so it's a great time to get listed for the long-term benefits and get a head start on other properties in your area. It's completely free to list your property. housetrip.com Luxury Retreats

Acquired by Airbnb, Luxury Retreats offers a plethora of unforgettable experiences and extravagant luxury villas and cabins. The platform has a carefully curated portfolio of 4,000 properties in over 100 destinations. You can choose from beach escapes and city breaks or vast properties for large groups or corporate retreats. luxuryretreats.villas Agoda Homes

Agoda Homes is the holiday rental offering arm of Agoda. You'll find almost 1 million apartments, vacation rentals, private villas and bungalows to choose from. agoda.com/homes Homestay

Homestay is a genuine hosting experience, and you'll get to stay in someone's home, have the opportunity to meet the locals and looked after rather than sitting empty. Usually, you'd stay for free in return for looking after the property, tending the garden and even caring for beloved pets. trustedhousesitters.com

and experience a new culture. Homestay is more about an immersive experience than just a place to stay. homestay.com

As opportunities to travel return, we expect to see more people looking for exciting experiences, fun accommodation and attractive offers.

Blueground

Blueground specializes in stays of over 30 days in furnished accommodation, sometimes with limited amenities, such as Wi-Fi, towels, linens, kitchen equipment and utensils. Blueground has 5,000 properties, which are primarily located across the U.S., Middle East and Europe. theblueground.com Trusted House Sitters

This is a popular movement that encourages the concept of house sitting. Many homeowners who want to travel would prefer their homes to be occupied RVShare

RVShare is an excellent alternative for adventurous travelers who want to continue to travel to mountains, beaches or cities. You'll find rental campervans, Airstreams, caravans and other mobile units instead of an apartment or villa. You can sleep in a different place each night, cook for yourself and explore new places. Think of RVShare as the mobile version of Airbnb, attracting millions of campers each year. rvshare.com

The Airbnb business model has been successfully used time and time again. As opportunities to travel slowly return, we expect to see more and more people looking for exciting experiences, fun accommodation, attractive offers and flexibility. We will continue to monitor the trends as they evolve in the travel and lodging sector and provide you with more fascinating insights in the future.