Page 24 - StudyTravel Magazine April 2022 Issue

ACCommodAtIon

speCIAl report

Providers offering accommodation for
international students across the globe report
recovering rates of occupancy amid ongoing
travel restrictions. Joshua Walton learns
how they plan to sustain this increase in
bookings.

AssociAted

Photos: Londonist

ome accommodation companies there was considerable uncertainty Maintaining mental health
have been far more adversely around bookings for the 21/22 aca- International students have had to
Saff ected by the Covid-19 pan- demic year. To our positive surprise, endure limiting restrictions and living
demic than others, yet most have bookings exceeded pre-pandemic conditions throughout the pandemic,
reported positive trends in the sector levels, giving us confi dence that with accommodation providers noting
in recent months that point to its students, despite restrictions, want to this as a prominent concern that the
potential recovery. continue to pursue their studies in the sector has needed to address.
Michele Da Silva, Managing Director UK and Ireland.” She adds, “We remain Cigdem Vardar from GoBritanya
at Britannia Student Services https:// positive that numbers will continue to notes, “Students were and still are
britanniastudents.com/ in the UK, grow for GoBritanya.” missing out on valuable time with their
notes, “During January 2022 we made Comparing pre-pandemic levels to friends, family and loved ones, which
17 per cent of all the bookings we current bookings, the company has had a noticeable impact on students’
made in the whole of 2021. We are taken a larger share of the market in wellbeing. Our on-site team has
now seeing a trend for longer stays if the UK and Ireland, with more beds worked hard throughout the pandemic
compared with pre-pandemic dura- available in London, Brighton and to ease some of these diffi culties
tions of stay. Dublin, and consistent high levels of and provide residents with guidance
She adds, “Although January 2022 occupancy, Cigdem explains. and support to alleviate the negative
booking numbers were up, booking Alia Leoussis, Managing Director impacts of these restrictions, such as
numbers for 2021 were down by an of Find Digs Limited/Find Education signposting, socially-distanced events
average of around 50 per cent com- http://www.fi nddigs.co.uk/, notes and welfare checks.”
pared with 2019. However, we believe that 2020 saw its accommodation Alia Leoussis from Find Digs Lim-
our company, and the wider accom- operating at 80 per cent occupancy, ited/Find Education says that a spike
modation sector, is now on its way whereas this year the company in mental health issues occurred
to recovery and booking has seen occupancy return during lockdowns, with students
numbers will reach pre- to pre-pandemic levels. becoming more anxious, withdrawn
pandemic levels in the She says, “Our or needing to talk to counsellors. She
near future.” Chinese market has adds, “We have noticed universities
Cigdem Vardar, shrunk quite con- have been incredible at reaching out
Business Develop- siderably, or we to any students suff ering with mental
ment Manager at have seen trends of health issues.”
GoBritanya https:// Chinese students Xior created a digital platform for
www.gobritanya. arriving in students, where they could study, play
com/, says, “At the January instead games or watch fi lms together, and
beginning of last summer of September opt- also off ered mental health advice.

ApRIl 2022 21