The easing of Covid restrictions, the rollout of vaccinations, ultra-low interest rates, declining unemployment are all helping to restore demand for events and accelerating recovery. Along with record rates of Australian consumer household savings, and positive consumer and business sentiment.
There is a growing sense of confidence, of life getting back to ‘normal’ and as a result we are seeing an increase in requests to book spaces.
Vennu connects people and spaces with ease. Vennu provides Hosts with an intuitive marketplace which allows guests to search, review and request to book local, affordable and Covid-Safe spaces simply and in one place.
1. Growing consumer confidence
Research conducted in mid-2020 in collaboration with Insurance Australia Group (IAG) revealed national attitudes and expectations of community, connection, and events in community spaces.
At that time, 70% of consumers were confident of hosting a safe, successful event, even as Victoria was in lockdown.
Reflecting consumers’ increasing confidence and desire for community, we have seen a significant uptick in booking requests already in 2021.
We anticipate the bounce back in the economy will emphasise those businesses that have a communal element, such as community spaces, restaurants and entertainment venues. Indeed, the rapid return to restaurants every time restrictions are lifted confirms the desire for physical presence.
2. Digital Booking - the consumer default
Our recent experience with Covid restrictions has seen the rapid adoption of technology, digitisation, and new ways of working.
Consumers and businesses have changed the way they buy and sell goods and services. Streaming content has become the go-to for entertainment, telemedicine the easy choice for many; we routinely order dinner online and use digital platforms like Airbnb for booking local and domestic travel.
Convenience is key, and those that went online for the first time during last year will continue to operate in this new way.
Vennu addresses customer expectations, dramatically heightened during the pandemic, that services will be digital.
3. Need for space, and spaces
The pandemic has made the home a place where we live, work, learn, shop and play. This is likely to continue as we look for ways to keep our families safe and sustain the advantages of working from home. However, people are looking elsewhere for events. This is especially the case where the home is not big enough to support numbers.
Community facilities have an increasingly vital role to play and are great spaces to hold events that allow for larger groups while following restrictions.
Our research shows that 67% of Australians intend to book at least one community space by the end of this year – with bookings for events close to heart such as milestone birthdays, kids’ parties, family birthdays, and long-postponed weddings most likely to go ahead.
So with some normalcy in sight, now is the perfect time to list your space with Vennu.
We understand the enormous opportunities for community spaces owners to accelerate innovation, increase utilisation and community connection in ways that talk to current guest needs.