What trends are uniting hospitality and property sectors?
I think the trend is not so much a commercial trend but a trend of human behavior. As we see how people are changing how they live—we have digital nomads, traditional families—people live digitally very differently depending on their stage in life, their demographic, and everything else. What’s important is that as a sector, as a society, we keep pace with human behavior by providing housing solutions and homes at those various stages, and break out of the very narrow product offering that we currently have in terms of accommodation and housing. So the trend I see is a massive diversification in how people live. Within that, we’re seeing trends emerge that are market opportunities—whether it’s flex living in Spain or the UK. I think short-stay accommodation will continue to grow, but long-stay accommodation will always be the bedrock. We just need to adapt around the edges.
How are operators rethinking design, operations, and staffing?
At the end of the day, we’re all in this to make some level of profit and whilst human contact can’t be replaced, technology will increasingly play a part in how we deliver homes to the market. There’s a big revolution coming in tech, especially as society becomes more comfortable with it. But there always needs to be a human in the background if something goes awry.
What proptech is most impacting guest and resident experience?
Convenience is king and always will be. Tech that enables guest convenience and enhances the customer experience will always take precedence. I’m seeing interesting new management technologies—tools that help operators demonstrate good property management, adherence to parameters, and more. Technology and AI are going to play increasingly significant roles. We’re just scratching the surface. Avatars could be used to engage customers or train staff, and AI will generally act as a problem solver more and more.
What’s one big disruption you see coming in the next 5 years?
In the next five years, especially in short-stay and flex living arrangements, we’ll see a huge rise in resident-managed stays. Rather than corporate-run models, residents will increasingly want to generate revenue from their leases. This resident-based short-term letting will grow significantly.
What trends are you taking from Vitur 2025?
It’s a huge honor to be in Málaga. The short stay and flex economy in Spain is larger than in the UK, so there’s a lot we can learn here. One reason I’m here is to share knowledge, but I’m equally excited to see how things are being done differently, how well they’re being done, and how opportunities are being capitalised on. It’s a great environment, and I’ve enjoyed it thoroughly.
As Brendan Geraghty outlines, the rental living sector is on the cusp of major change. Technology will continue to transform operations and engagement, but staying in tune with human needs and behaviours remains critical.
The future of rental living lies in flexibility, convenience, and smarter use of tech—with people always at the centre.
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