Almost two thirds of city apartment bookers are women (61%) according to the responses from the survey, with families (57%), couples (26%) and solo (16%) being the main types of travellers.
In a recent study of their leisure customers, Citybase Apartments have discovered that despite the rise in social media and 78% of their customers active on social networks like Facebook, the most popular way to share travel experiences on returning home is still in person. 57% of respondents said that they shared their experiences in person after their trip, compared to 41% sharing on social media. 44% of people also said that they share some of their city break experiences on social media whilst they’re still away.
The survey, which captured the responses of over 1,000 Citybase customers who have chosen to stay in one or more of their serviced apartments, went on to reveal a number of city break travel habits:
- Almost two thirds of city apartment bookers are women (61%) according to the responses from the survey, with families (57%), couples (26%) and solo (16%) being the main types of travellers. Only 9% of survey respondents were below the age of 25, with the majority of serviced apartment customers aged between 25-54.
- Solo travellers were found to be the most frequent travellers taking on average 6+ trips every year, compared to families and couples who both said they typically travel 2-3 times a year.
- Data from Citybase bookings made in 2014 highlighted that London was the top UK city that customers were travelling to, with Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Leeds all making the top 5.
- The most popular activities enjoyed by city travellers included sightseeing (69%), shopping (64%), local cuisine (60%), exploring (54%) and bars and clubs (48%).
- The most popular form of transport for getting around cities is by walking, selected by 56% of the survey respondents. Conversely only 6% of respondents chose cycling as a form of transport they normally use during city breaks, despite many major cities offering cycle hire. 35% said they were happy to drive during their trip, but parking facilities were found to be the least important factor when selecting city accommodation.
- When it comes to packing for a city break, both men and women said that their number one travel item was a mobile phone (31% men, 24% women). Men also favoured iPads/computers (24%) and money (13%) as their top travel items, while women were sure to pack hair and beauty products (20%) and a camera (11%).
As well as highlighting a number of travel behaviours, the survey also touched on the key reasons why serviced apartments were chosen as an accommodation choice over hotels, and the main factors that are considered when it comes to booking accommodation:
The survey showed that the location of the accommodation in relation to places the customer wished to visit was the most important factor when deciding on what apartment to book (29%), with the general quality and standard of the accommodation close behind (23%).
The main reasons why serviced apartments were chosen over hotels were space (65%), value for money (67%) and cooking facilities (52%). Other top reasons included affordability (34%) and a personal feel (39%).
65% of people claimed they read reviews before booking accommodation, with 54% also establishing a budget before they commit to book. The most popular activities after booking accommodation are to identify nearby attractions (41%) and restaurants (43%) to visit, while 39% of people also took this time to work out transport routes.
Stuart Parker, Managing Director of Citybase Apartments reflects on the recent findings: “As a family business we weren’t surprised to see that the majority of people still choose to share their city break experiences with family and friends in person. There’s something about reliving your trip first hand that keeps the experience alive, and inspires others to take their next break.
It was interesting for us to reaffirm that families, couples and solo travellers made up the majority of our leisure customer base, and that’s the beauty of a serviced apartment. It can cater for everyone, and every kind of trip.”
Infographic – Citybase Apartments
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
