From serviced apartments to vacation rentals: Amer’s journey to building a mature operating model

From serviced apartments to vacation rentals: Amer’s journey to building a mature operating model.

I entered the furnished apartments field under its former name, now known as “serviced apartments.” The journey began in late 2017 as a family experiment, but it took me down a path I did not expect.

At first, I worked as a receptionist, then moved through every detail of operations until I took over full management of the apartments.

Although the experience was full of challenges and trial-and-error, it instilled in me a deep love for this field and made me see opportunities worth time and effort.

The COVID crisis… and a quiet end to a long-running experience

As the COVID crisis worsened, specifically in February 2020, the sector was shaken, affecting operations and continuity.

During that period, there was a persistent effort to find solutions to salvage what could be saved from the crisis’s fallout, including remote meetings with several government entities such as Monsha’at, Dllni, and the Chambers of

Commerce, in hopes of finding a lifeline and achieving the desired benefit.

In the end, after lengthy discussions, we reached an amicable exit with the owner. Thankfully, both parties agreed and were satisfied.

The decision was very difficult for me due to my deep attachment to the experience, but I later realized it was the most appropriate decision at the time.

The idea returns… but with a different model

After the crisis ended, the idea of returning to the tourism sector came back to me, but in a way that fit my circumstances then.

I admired the global Airbnb model and followed the early steps of the Jather-In app.

With the Tourism Development Fund entering the sector and Jather-In completing an investment round that included real estate developers such as Al Majdia, the contours of a real opportunity became clearer and the sector became more ready for growth.

I began discussions with close friends about entering this new field, even though the indicators at that time were modest and unclear.

After extensive research and attempts, we arrived at an entry model based on buying property instead of renting it, to achieve two main goals:

1. Owning a real estate asset that grows over time

2. Achieving the highest possible return through short-term rentals

Why Al Majdia projects?

We chose Al Majdia projects for several clear reasons:

• Architectural design that helps create a distinctive stay experience

• Their participation in the investment round with Jather-In reinforced our confidence in the sector

• Their good reputation among foreign visitors, an important factor in crafting an integrated hospitality experience

Focusing on the experience… before the model

After purchasing the units, we did not immediately settle on a single operating model.

We tried annual, monthly, and daily rentals to understand the differences in practice and reach a mature view of the sector.

This phase was important for us because it gave us a clearer perspective on operational requirements and what makes the experience complete from both the guest’s and the operator’s point of view.

My journey between serviced apartments and private hospitality taught me that the sector is full of challenges… but also full of opportunities.

With the development of local platforms, government support, and market maturity, private hospitality has become a space worth exploring in depth — especially for those who love this field and believe in its reality and future.

About the Author

Amer — a Saudi host interested in raising awareness in the tourism and private hospitality sector, specializing in managing and operating real estate units, with experience spanning from 2017 to the present.