The Altos, AltoVita’s flagship conference and awards event that recognises excellence and innovation in the corporate accommodation and hospitality industry, once again brought together a host of industry leaders to share insights into global mobility, hospitality and business travel trends.
The event took place December 2 on London’s Ham Yard Hotel, with panels and product demonstrations taking place in the afternoon, before The Altos awards ceremony in the evening.
Karolina Saviova, AltoVita's co-founder and COO, opened The Altos by outlining the past 12 months, and looking to the future.
Helping Clients Succeed In a Complicated Year
While she highlighted how 2024 had been “a very complicated year”, with a global election super cycle, geopolitical conflicts, and supply chain diversification, and de-risking, especially in China, in Asia Pacific, it was a year full of excitement and an opportunity to deliver consultative support to clients across AltoVita’s diversified verticals, including business travel, global mobility, construction & social housing.
Key trends include longer lengths of stay (especially in business travel), a decentralisation of corporate accommodation markets, and the rise of new asset types, including co-living spaces due to cost pressures. There's also been increased demand for fixed-rate bookings and a stronger focus on compliance, particularly regarding infosec, human rights and modern slavery policies
“One other important milestone of our strategy consists of Augmented Content. What does that mean? It essentially is all about moving beyond the just booking transaction (and standard listing content), making sure that we spotlight your properties in the way that our clients want to consume content - be it from compliance, sustainability and connectivity perspective.”
Karolina Saviova, COO & co-founder at AltoVita.
Despite the challenges, she shared how AltoVita had experienced its best year ever, demonstrating resilience and innovation. For example, AltoVita has expanded its services across new verticals, including business travel and construction, and diversified geographically with new operations in Singapore, UAE, and soon Saudi Arabia and GST registrations across six India States.
Investment in technology, talent, and R&D has also been key. And AltoVita continues to prioritize partnerships, showcasing its commitment to future-proofing the industry.
“We've been busy this year helping our clients find answers to many of the important questions, and delivering consultative support and consolidating their spend across global mobility and business travel,” she concluded.
Why the Middle East is A ‘Buzzing’ Location for AltoVita
The first panel discussion tackled the landscape of the Middle East, one of AltoVita’s fastest growing regions for 2024.
Moderator Fatine El Khayyari, Senior Sourcing Manager at AltoVita, shared how the region continues to be a “buzzing location” as it has been in the spotlight over the past few years, not least with ongoing growth in Dubai, but also with Qatar hosting the World Cup.
“And now we see Saudi Arabia with their 2030 vision, so there's a lot going on in the region. Along with this, we have seen a lot of relocation, as people and businesses are moving there, taking part in these opportunities,” she added.
The discussion with Rick Schultheis, Area Director of Sales at Rotana Hotel Management, and Radhika Gorsia, Account Executive at Aires, focused on the growing demand for relocation services across the region, with Saudi Arabia experiencing limited supply.
The audience heard how RMCs (Relocation Management Companies) are seeing increased demand in the region due to tax breaks and growing corporate interest, especially in technology sectors. This has led to challenges in securing sufficient accommodation, with RMCs advising clients to plan ahead and pre-book properties.
"We are proud that we have supported our clients for every step of the way during this journey. And not only our clients, but operators in key locations across the Middle East. We have built strong partnerships with both well known chains and also local brands. And we strongly believe that the collaboration with these partners is the foundation of our success."
Fatine El Khayyari, Senior Sourcing Manager at AltoVita
With a backdrop of limited availability in the region, Rotana Hotels is now expanding rapidly, including new properties in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and beyond, to cope with demand.
Rates are also expected to rise in 2025 due to ongoing supply shortages. RMCs are working closely with partners to adjust budgets and provide accurate cost projections, ensuring clients make informed decisions.
Regarding the choice of accommodation, panelists agreed that while some prefer large, well-known hotel chains, others trust local brands as long as they meet the required standards. Ultimately, the choice often depends on the needs and preferences of the relocating individuals or families.
"If clients make the decision to go in, then they're starting off with 100 people at once. So that's the challenge that we've got.”
Radhika Gorsia, Account Executive at Aires
Find out more about challenges and opportunities in the Middle East
A Masterclass in Collaboration: NBCUniversal & AltoVita
Following the Middle East deep dive, Karen Fitzgerald, VP - Head of Global Mobility at NBCUniversal, joined Vivi Himmel, CEO & Co-founder at AltoVita, on stage for a Fireside Chat.
Karen, a visionary leader with more than 20 years of experience in global mobility, explained how her role stands out from her previous positions due to NBC Universal’s diversity and the dynamic nature of the business.
She said: “No two days are the same. One day myself and my team might be dealing with journalists who are taken out into war torn zones. Next we're dealing with producers, creatives, and then the next day, we might be dealing with somebody who's maybe building a theme park in Bedford in the not too distant future.”
Karen also shared with the audience how working with AltoVita provides invaluable access to “preferred properties” rather than preferred suppliers.
She said it was like a “light bulb moment” having spent time with AltoVita focusing on this concept, with the scheme initially honing in on properties in London, New York, LA and Miami.
She revealed that in the past she had been let down by other providers operating in the temporary housing space. “We kind of decided we can no longer really just rely on the brands of corporate housing, but actually we need to start looking at the actual properties.”
Those efforts involved asking: What are the properties that are up to the standard that we expect at NBC Universal, within price points that we know that if we put people in there, we're not going to have challenges or concerns.
The initiative also means that the properties are able to be vetted every year.
Karen also shared how they conducted secret stays. “We told a number of our vendors that we wanted a property in New York, London, and LA. Different individuals from my team went and stayed in those properties, and from the moment of asking for the property through to the moment of vacating, we were assessing that company and the property,” she said.
Later on, when quizzed by an audience member on what the most difficult part of her job was, she revealed it was the current level of global uncertainty.
“The way the world is now, we just don't know what's going to happen,” she shared, highlighting the situation in Russia and Ukraine. “We had to deal with individuals who were basically leaving their families behind, and we were helping get them out.”
Partnering with the company’s news team, her department also moved two families from Afghanistan. These were families that had helped NBC Universal for years in the reporting space, and had been taxi drivers or runners.
“They lost everything in Afghanistan. And what was a really lovely story was my team managed to get to know these two families in the US. We rehoused them, and we, as a company, fully supported them,” she said. “There are difficult conversations, but actually they always end up positive in the end. Try to keep that mantra.
Another difficulty was “keeping everybody happy”.
“I don't like to use the word policy, if I'm honest. I hate it. I remember starting my career and people who say, ‘sorry, it's not part of the policy. You can't do that’ … I hate that with a passion.”
Karen FitzGerald, VP - Head of Global Mobility at NBCUniversal.
She also discussed NBC Universal’s “Symphony” philosophy, which creates the right conditions for collaboration across its diverse brands, from theme parks to news networks. This approach ensures innovative synergies and enhances employee experiences.
Karen also highlighted her team’s flexible approach to relocation, emphasising personalised services and aligning with company guidelines rather than rigid policies.
In particular, she highlighted how AltoVita assisted her with a VIP stay for one of their senior executives from NBC Universal parent company Comcast. He had made a personal request for himself and his family for a trip to the UK in August, ahead of the Olympics.
“I guess our first thought was the relationship that we had with Vivi and her team,” Karen said.
Together with AltoVita, Karen visited a number of properties and showcased them to the VIP. ”We even did some little videos of properties. We then agreed which property was going to be the right one,” she added.
Eventually the family arrived (earlier than planned) and AltoVita placed welcome gifts in the property. “All the things that you think people do as a standard, they don't. So all of those little value-adds really do make a difference, And the feedback that he, his wife and kids had for that experience, that feeling was huge. So it helped with our reputation, and it helped with AltoVita's reputation with the organization,” Karen continued.
Meanwhile, she emphasised the importance of building strong networks within her company, including senior leaders, to keep global mobility at the forefront of strategic thinking.
Watch the Fireside Chat to hear more about Karen’s approach to global mobility, and to discover more about how AltoVita helps NBC Universal across the globe.
Product Demo: How Do AltoVita’s Clients Book Properties?
Another standout session delved into how AltoVita’s platform works.
AltoVita’s Seb Hammond, Head of Customer Success Operations, and Elena Che, Product Manager, ran through AltoCurate, which is designed for large corporations that have global mobility teams and travel managers, and AltoSearch, a self-serve platform that allows employees to directly choose their property.
Watch AltoSearch and AltoCurate in action, and discover how images, amenities and other essential information is a breeze to access.
Why Bookers Want Augmented Content
The next panel saw Justin Ford, Director of Short-Term Rental Safety & Certification Programs at Breezeway, and Kim Winter, Key Account Director at edyn, share their views on why content is key.
Speaking on stage with Danni Prior, Head of Hospitality Growth Operations, EMEA at AltoVita, Kim revealed: “Content is key. Long story short, clients are asking for it.”
She said that businesses wanted to see more than just accommodation images; they need to see sustainability and DEI features, safety certifications, as well as aspects like Human Rights and Modern Slavery policies.
AltoVita’s clients are asking for evidence that the housing operators it works with have these policies in place, that they're conducting the training, Danni said.
“Through our AltoInsights platform, our clients can see those kinds of metrics when they're booking properties, like the carbon emissions. It is crucial that we have that detailed on the listing, so the client can make an informed decision and obviously have that reporting on as well,” she added.
The trio discussed how displaying enhanced content in the hospitality sector improves transparency and trust with clients.
Notably, safety, including ensuring properties undergo safety inspections (with special attention paid to smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, and gas checks), is a major concern, as a recent poll highlighted 62% of potential customers avoiding furnished accommodations due to safety issues.
Even small things like showcasing that on arrival, the lights in the property are coming on automatically, because that shows a level of care about how the guest will enter the property. Justin backed this up with a surprising statistic: “60% of all injuries at furnished accommodation occur within the first hour of arrival. That's when people are most unfamiliar with the dwelling. That's crazy.”
Kim also emphasised the importance of operators showcasing what sets them apart beyond basic amenities. For example, edyn has integrated sustainability features like solar panels and green energy into its listings.
Justin also shared how Breezeway’s safety inspections, which document and verify key safety measures, can build trust and ultimately increase bookings by ensuring clients feel secure.
“Doing these safety inspections with all of your partners has been key to enhancing these listings, and it's really pushed AltoVita, I would argue, to the top when it comes to this. And this is going to be a standard in a few years, but we're already there. And I think it's pretty amazing.”
Justin Ford, Director of Short-Term Rental Safety & Certification Programs at Breezeway
Hear from leaders at edyn and Breezeway, and learn how enhanced content can boost your business, and build trust.
Product Demo: AltoCore and the Tiering System
Next up on stage were AltoVita’s Julia Kichigina, Product Manager, and Lucinda Hindmarsh - Senior Client Development Manager.
They both explained how AltoCore, a request and booking management platform for hospitality operators, works. On stage the pair explained how it integrates real-time data, analytics, and booking features, seamlessly connecting with AltoOne and AltoCurate.
The audience at the Ham Yard Hotel in London also heard how it reduces administrative burdens, enhances property listings, and improves booking transparency. With a strong pilot launch, AltoCore has achieved impressive results, including a customer satisfaction score of 4.97/5 and a 45% conversion rate.
Future updates will include a property portfolio feature, enhanced asset quality tiering, and improvements to meet varying client budgets and needs.
See AltoCore in action in this live on-stage demo!
Final Reflections: ‘Bigger and better’
Rounding off the event, Karolina Saviova, AltoVita's co-founder and COO, began the closing remarks by summarising how AltoVita worked hard on turning Augmented Content into a product, driving high conversion rates, and saving time for its partners.
“We're looking forward to launching even more powerful features for hospitality operator partners, including Alto360 — our innovative platform that transforms real-time data intelligence into strategic foresight — next year.”
She then introduced Helen Jeffries, from PwC’s UK accommodation services team, to the stage to share her perspective on the day’s key themes and talking points.
“Great event, great location. So I think bigger and better is definitely what it is,” she began.
Helen then highlighted her key takeaways, including the importance of transparency, communication, and trust in corporate relationships, and the value of property positioning for corporate travelers.
She also acknowledged the role of sustainability, safety, and security in decision-making. At PwC, she outlined how there were some providers who did not provide the correct information, which meant that her organisation would simply not be able to do business with them.
“It's very important for us …. to tell our travelers we have these safety and security measures in place for them,” she told the audience.
Regarding the AltoCore demo, Helen noted: “One of the things that we were so massively impressed with is the technology, and everything that connects together so quickly, and everything that can be put into place very quickly by a lot of your teams.”
She continued: “We love the data and we get so much of that from AltoVita. It's great, because it shows what we're doing is right for us and for our people.”
Looking ahead, she emphasized AI's growing importance and the potential of data-driven insights: “We're doing a lot more with AI now, and working with partners who are bringing that into what they can do is fantastic for us. Alto360 and the launch of that, which again looks very exciting, will be fantastic.”
Thank you to our media partners Travolution, Urban Living News, Sustainable Hotel News, Serviced Apartment News, Independent Hotel Show and Globetrender.
Watch our highlight video bellow:
