MyStay International (MSI)
The effect that COVID-19 has had on household income is being addressed by the Australian Homestay Network – Australia's largest independent international student homestay company.
Parent company, MyStay International (MSI), is diversifying its services, providing more hosting opportunities to boost supplementary income for thousands of local families.
MSI's nationwide network of hosts has lost nearly $20 million of household income in the last two years due to COVID-19 border closures, which reduced the number of international student homestay placements.
MSI's new projects are designed to return this much-needed extra income to Aussie families while helping to alleviate broader local social hardships caused by COVID-19.
MSI will expand beyond its core international student offering to include local programs relating to support for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants as well as improving accommodation options around major hospitals. MSI will also provide both regional and city hosted accommodation programs for the first time.
MSI Founder and Executive Director, David Bycroft, said the company was well-positioned to diversify into the broader short-term accommodation industry.
"Our experience, the excellent relationships we have established with our hosts, and our ability to adapt our proprietary platform means we are primed to launch a range of product models.
"I am excited by the new projects we are developing and the significant benefits they offer to the broader community," Mr Bycroft said.
Mr Bycroft said MSI's strategic plan provides more hosting options, meaning everyday Australians with a spare room and a desire to share a good dose of hospitality stand to earn supplementary income through homestay.
"The introduction of new programs will require more hosts, giving more people the opportunity to support their household income while making new connections. Every little bit helps." Mr Bycroft said.
New MSI projects include:
Disability Homestay Network (DHN)
Hosts will provide short-term accommodation and support for eligible participants who receive funding under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
HealthStay
Helping meet the demand for well-located, cost-effective accommodation near hospitals, specialist centres, etc. for out-of-town patients and their carers.
MyRegionalStay
Giving travellers the opportunity to connect and stay with different hosts throughout regional
Australia while injecting money into local communities.
ABOUT MSI
MyStay International (MSI) is Australia's largest and leading standards-based international student homestay provider. In 2015, MSI was established to incorporate the consolidation of the Australian Homestay Network (founded 2007) and the American Homestay Network (founded 2012). The Australian Homestay Network has received acknowledgement and commendation for 'appropriate' standards from industry bodies and in two Australian Government reviews.
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