Industry Overview
by Mark Harris
Costs are no longer the sole drivers in corporate
accommodation procurement. The work place has changed dramatically in the last 15 years. The workforce is increasingly mobile according to Manpower, more people are living and working away from their home countries than at any other point in history.
| Year | Increased | Decreased | Same |
| 2006 | 69% | 10% | 21% |
| 2007 | 67% | 8% | 25% |
| 2008 | 68% | 5% | 27% |
| (expectation) |
Source: 2008 Global Relocation Trends Survey and
GMAC Global Relocation Services, LLC
Most mobile workers are moving to improve their financial circumstances. They either move to a wealthier nation where the same work offers a better reward, or to another location where there is a shortage of individuals with their specific skills sets, and where the laws of supply and demand dictate greater rewards.
The US, UK and Spain are the countries most mobile workers wish to work in, however regional tastes vary somewhat. The U.S. is the preferred destination in the Americas; China in Asia Pacific; and the UK in the EMEA region.
In the modern business world, apartments
are working for corporates because there
are more of them, they are cheaper than
hotels for long stays, they provide travellers
with greater privacy, independence and
overall convenience, and because they
are serving a market populated with
younger and more flexible travellers.
Corporate Relocation
The global expatriate population has
increased steadily in the last 2 years.
Heavily male-oriented (71% in 2007,
according to GMAC Global Relocation
Services), 60% are married, and 83%
are accompanied by their partners
when they relocate.
| 1. United States | 1. United States | 1. China | 1. United Kingdom |
| 2. United Kingdom | 2. Canada | 2. United States | 2. Spain |
| 3. Spain | 3. Spain | 3. Australia | 3. United States |
| 4. Canada | 4. Australia | 4. Hong Kong | 4. United Arab Emirates |
| 5. Australia | 5. Argentina | 5. United Kingdom | 5. France |
| 6. United Arab Emirates | 6. Brazil | 6. Singapore | 6. Australia |
| 7. France | 7. France | 7. Taiwan | 7. Italy |
| 8. Italy | 8. Italy | 8. Japan | 8. Germany |
| 9. Germany | 9. Mexico | 9. Canada | 9. Canada |
| 10. Argentina | 10 Portugal | 10 Malaysia | 10. Portugal |
Source: Manpower's "Relocating for Work Survey 2008"