Winning direct bookings from China; busting the myths and giving practical takeaways with expert guests Sam Rason and Gabriel Nicklin episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 30, 2026 · 41 MIN

Winning direct bookings from China; busting the myths and giving practical takeaways with expert guests Sam Rason and Gabriel Nicklin

from Housed: The Shared Living Podcast

China is one of the most misunderstood markets for student housing, BTR,  universities and the wider rental living sectors - we wanted to bust some of the myths surrounding this market and, in true Housed style, dig deeper and get some practical takeaways to share with the sector. We learnt so much from this conversation with Sam Rason, CEO of VIVA - Mini Programs and Gabriel Nicklin, Managing Partner of TONG Global and are pretty sure our listeners will feel the same. This episode covers:- Why China is different?- WeChat, platforms and direct engagement- Marketplaces and the 'convenience trap'- Diversifying your marketing mix- How to practically build a direct China strategy- What the future looks like for this sector A big thanks to Sam and Gabriel for joining us, we felt that we only just scratched the surface of this topic - if you do have any further questions please get in touch with Sam or Gabriel directly.And if there any other hot topics you would like us to cover on Housed - please do get in touch.Stay up to date on Housed podcast via its LinkedIn page.Dan Smith is Founder of RESI Consultancy and Co-Founder of Verbaflo.AI.Sarah Canning and Deenie Lee are Directors and Co-Founders of The Property Marketing Strategists - Elevating Marketing in Property.Thank you to our season four sponsors:Mystudenthalls.com -  Reach thousands of students searching every month with 0% commission student accommodation listings.Utopi - The smart building platform helping real estate owners protect the value of their assets.Washstation - Leading provider of laundry solutions for Communal and Campus living throughout the UK and Ireland.Howden  - With a lifetime of expertise, Howden provides tailored insurance, property risk management, and wellbeing solutions for accommodation providers across the UK.Who this episode is for:PBSA and student accommodation professionalsBTR, co-living and rental operatorsProperty developers and investorsUniversity and higher education leadersAnyone working in or around housing policy and shared livingThe views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers, organisations, clients, or partners. This podcast is for general discussion and informational purposes only. Nothing said should be taken as professional, legal, financial, or investment advice. While we aim to be accurate, we make no guarantees and accept no liability for decisions made based on the content of this podcast. This was a jointly sponsored podcast. 

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China is one of the most misunderstood markets for student housing, BTR, universities and the wider rental living sectors - we wanted to bust some of the myths surrounding this market and, in true Housed style, dig deeper and get some practical takeaways to share with the sector. We learnt so much from this conversation with Sam Rason, CEO of VIVA - Mini Programs and Gabriel Nicklin, Managing Partner of TONG Global and are pretty sure our listeners will feel the same. This episode c...

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Winning direct bookings from China; busting the myths and giving practical takeaways with expert guests Sam Rason and Gabriel Nicklin

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