November officially marks 35 years of Quest Apartment Hotels in Australia, and the leading serviced apartment brand continues working to ensure every guest has a home away from home experience at Quest.

To celebrate 35 years, Quest engaged in a number of purpose-led partnerships in 2023. Quest was the first major accommodation operator to engage with Australian accessibility community Accessible Accommodation.

According to Tourism Research Australia's (TRA) National Visitor Survey, people with a disability accounted for $13.5 billion (17%) of domestic day and overnight trip spend in 2021, and the figure is set to grow as the population ages.

“By late 2022 over 80% of our properties consistently had their accessible rooms fully booked year-round, which presented a challenge but also an opportunity for Quest,” said Quest GM Brand & ESG, Anthea Dimitrakopoulos.

“To continue providing a home away from home experience for all our guests and to scale up our accessible offering, Quest needed to improve our accessibility standards by working with experts and people with lived experience. This partnership is a perfect example of how Quest continues to be an inclusive brand that puts in the work required to authentically live our purpose of making guest stays effortless.”

Accessible Accommodation Founder Kerry Williams has travelled across the country for a series of workshops with Quest teams this year, and says Quest recognises the need for a collaborative approach in meeting the growing community need for accessible rooms.

“I’m proud to have authored a Quest accessibility playbook and to have shared the Tourism Accommodation Inclusion Training Program for all 1,900 Quest team members,” said Kerry.

“Quest's approach to accessibility is evolving beyond the standard style of accessible room. With my consultancy service, I am assisting Quest in creating seamlessly accessible and beautifully appointed serviced apartments. Business owners are eagerly integrating new features to provide delightful and accessible travel experiences, while their new hotels are setting new standards for style and amenities available in accessible rooms."

With 3 new properties adding more accessible rooms to the network this year, Anthea says Quest is a perfect example of the positive change the industry can lead at both a local and national level.

“The social impact we continue to make stems from the individual actions of Quest business owners. Every cause they donate towards, every accessible room they invest in, and every conversation they start within their own networks around major social issues we shine a light on, like homelessness and gender equality, represent individual moments that matter to us.”

“Over 35 years, our people have created so many moments that matter which amplify our impact as a brand across all the local communities Quest are proud to continue supporting.”

Quest’s inclusive partnerships continue building brand resonance across the full spectrum of guests, and are part of a sustained focus on incorporating ESG into everyday operations.

Anthea says the inclusive values that underpin the brand ensure everyone continues to have a place to be themselves when staying with Quest.

“Social license is deeply embedded within Quest,” said Anthea. “The measure of our success will always be our proven ability to strike the right balance between profitability and purpose.”