Small Spaces, Big Potential

Pod hotel Bobobox is one step ahead in changing the game of budget hospitality industry.

- Marella Putri

Indonesia’s hotel industry has become a devastating victim of COVID-19 pandemic, which began causing a series of blows to the country’s economy. The country’s statistics body shows that the national average of hotel occupancy rate, which had always stood at over 50%, plunged to 12% in April. The staggering rise of COVID-19 cases across Indonesia and the globe was responded with travel restrictions, physical distancing, and so on. Hotel occupancy rate in main tourist destinations like Bali even fell to a single digit. Businesses were forced to shut down due to burdening operational cost. Thanks to its business concept, pod hotel PT Bobobox Mitra Indonesia (Bobobox) still manages to take less hit.

The Bandung-based accommodation startup claims to have maintained its occupancy rate amid the pandemic at 50%-60% through its nine hotels in Jakarta, Bandung, and Semarang—although its average regular occupancy rate could reach 90%. And as it has been running on a lean operating model since its inception in 2017, Bobobox hasn’t only been resilient against one of the most challenging times but is also one step ahead in fulfilling its purpose to disrupt the budget hospitality industry.