NEW YORK — Selina, the experiential hospitality brand targeting Millennial and Gen Z travelers, plans to open five new properties in Chicago, Washington D.C., Guadalajara, Jerusalem, and Paros, Greece by the end of Q3 2021. These new locations will add approximately 2,000 beds to Selina’s global network of living spaces for digital nomads and advance the company’s strategy to scale in large urban markets.
Selina’s experiential hospitality model focuses on hotel and co-working destinations that are developed specifically with Millennial and Gen-Z travelers in mind‚—a cohort that is estimated by Selina to spend approximately $350 billion per year on travel. The hospitality brand offers these generations of travelers a full-service experience and a variety of accommodations at a good price point, enabling them to discover the world, stay productive, and build connections.
“Continuing to build our footprint in urban cities represents a compelling growth opportunity for Selina as the vast majority of hotels in these markets don’t address the wants and needs of our target audience,” said Rafael Museri, Selina’s co-founder and CEO. “Moreover, we have continued to recover from the restrictions on travel that occurred during the pandemic. With younger travelers showing clear desire to see the world after being stuck at home for a year, and a rising number of underutilized hotels globally, we recognize a clear opportunity to rapidly scale our offering. Opening these new locations will introduce Selina’s strong value proposition to thousands of potential customers and help grow our community of local talent and creators who spread our brand around the world.”
Selina’s new 600-bed Chicago property will be located on Chestnut Street, and its first Washington, D.C. property will be located in the Union Market district and have 372 beds. The new 346-bed Guadalajara destination will be situated at Av. Chapultepec, and mark Selina’s 10th property in Mexico. With the opening of its 70-bed Jerusalem Mountains and 545-bed Paros properties, Selina will operate four destinations in Israel and three in Greece. These openings follow Selina’s entry into other major urban markets such as Miami, New York, London, and Lisbon.
Since its inception, Selina has steadily grown its footprint across North, Central and South America, Europe, and Israel by delivering a community-based offering with flexible work, learn, and stay solutions to digital nomads. It leverages technology to identify underperforming hotels and transform them into cultural hubs through partnerships with local artists and food and beverage providers, as well as introducing programming that promotes social experiences. The company’s expansion to urban markets as an add-on to its offering of remote locations represents a diverse array of accommodations worldwide, as well as its recognition that Millennials and Gen-Z travelers are looking for authenticity in their travel experiences.
As it continues to scale, Selina is seeking to build a brand that resonates with its target customers. Selina expects to benefit from the surge in remote working and the prioritization of health, wellness, and experiences among Millennial and Gen-Z travelers, which are anticipated to become even more pronounced post-COVID-19.
