Abstract
M.Sc. (Geography)
Serviced apartments are a distinctive form of tourism product which have attracted only limited research attention. The growth of the executive serviced apartment sector represents a significant addition to the conventional form of short-term accommodation in South Africa. The objective is to examine the emergence and characteristics of the serviced apartment sector in South Africa as a new phenomenon within the urban tourism economy. The findings show its growth as linked to the expanding trend for business professionals and consultants to work abroad for an extended period of time, a globalization tendency accelerated in South Africa by the brain drain of skilled professionals. The evidence from this investigation reveals that serviced apartment complexes currently are geographically concentrated in the country’s major hubs for international business travel and that within cities the location of these facilities is focused mainly in upmarket residential areas which offer high quality living environments and access to business and entertainment nodes.
The allure of this form of accommodation can be attributed to a number of factors, these include: lower monthly rental costs when compared to extended hotel stays; the comfort and privacy of a homelike environment; the central locations; together with a number of services and facilities often associated with that of an upmarket hotel. In two of South Africa’s largest economic centres, namely Johannesburg and Cape Town, the serviced apartment industry has been predominantly fuelled by the business tourism sector. This is due to the growing number of visiting business tourists. Many countries rely on the income generated from the business tourism sector, and others beginning to understand the potential revenue of this phenomena. The South African business tourism industry is an important contributor to the economic and regional development of the country, and although the industry has shown significant growth in the past decade, has the potential to continue growing and contributing sustainably to the economy. This dissertation aims to identify, define and distinguish executive serviced apartments within the hospitality sector, and describe and classify their unique features and selling points, and what sets them apart from other forms of accommodation.