Optimistic about 2022, India’s leading hoteliers list the emerging trends for the year

The pandemic has been a game-changer for the hospitality, travel-tourism and F&B industries in more than one way. Not only has it transformed consumer habits, expectations and priorities, it has ushered in innovative and technological transformations too. With gradual lifting of travel restrictions and renewed traveller confidence, there has been a slow but steady recovery. But to bring back travellers and restoring confidence among them will require loads of creativity and new approaches. 

To understand how the hospitality industry will look like in 2022 and beyond, BW HOTELIER got in touch with hospitality professionals to map out their strategies and measures, keeping the changing scenario in mind. Most experts believed they have learnt newer ways and revamped business operations over the last two years and are therefore, ready to combat any new challenges. Some opine the pandemic has been a blessing in disguise as the industry was long due for changes and advancements which are now in place to instill trust for their brand among the guests.

“The year 2021 was one of great learnings that paved way for a vital evolvement of the industry. We have entered 2022 equipped with better resources and befitting advancements that give us the confidence to stabilise our business this year,” says Puneet Dhawan, Senior Vice President of Operations - India & South Asia, Accor. Agrees Rosakue Hospitality founder Deepika Arora. She shares that the downtime of 2020-21 threw open doors of unexpected opportunities. “We, as a brand, took the smart route by working doggedly during this phase to reposition ourselves, reassess our strategies and realign our plans. We will surely witness revival but it will be slow. However, stability is still far from sight,” feels Arora.

Zubin Saxena, Managing Director & Vice President Operations, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, opines that uncertainty can be the window to opportunity if we focus our energies on developing innovative, long-term and sustainable growth strategies. “The way the hospitality industry has stood tall and serviced the community in the wake of every crisis, especially Covid19, is truly amazing. It is this representation and fulfilment of humanity that will always keep us all going. The pandemic has given us an opportunity to reflect on areas in which India has a huge potential,” he says.

STABILISING BUSINESS

The industry has learnt its lessons and devised new methods to stay clear of negativity and roadblocks during this period. But then what is the ultimate goal to stabilise business? For Choice Hotels, commitment towards the success of franchisees and wellbeing of stakeholders is the foremost step towards recovery. “Ongoing investments in our partnerships and offering strong marketing and distribution opportunities, training programmes, operational processes, global recognition and local strengths help in transforming individual goals of asset owners into reality. Dedicated to work with our franchisees to provide them the tools, we need to succeed by extending reach and lowering costs with efficient operations, thereby accelerating hotel performance,” says Vilas Pawar, CEO, Choice Hotels.

Over the next few years, Hilton  is looking to add several new properties and launch many of its internationally well-known brands in India. “We will always remain committed to the country,” shares Navjit Ahluwalia, Senior Vice President & Country Head, Hilton India, adding, “In a year or so, we have built a strong foundation, be it having the right talent across our management team, re-engineering operational capabilities or strengthening relationships with valued business partners. We have implemented best-in-class safety, cleanliness and hygiene measures across all hotels to ensure the guests feel safe when they visit us. We remain among the best places to work too. ”

IHG Hotels and Resorts will carry on with its journey to tap into trends such as staycations and weekend leisure travel demand by running targetted campaigns in 2022. The company plans to capitalise on domestic corporate business and expects to benefit from their association with MSME Business Forum India for the IHG Business Edge programme, informs Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, South-West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts. He further adds, “Our focus on diversifying and enhancing F&B experiences including food delivery, takeaways and dial-a-chef service will continue.”

With 12 signings and five new openings in India, Wyndham too emerged stronger in 2021. Nikhil Sharma, Regional Director - Eurasia, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, says, “We are continuously monitoring the current situation by identifying different segment behaviour, driving shorter booking windows and the ongoing demand for flexibility.” 

The focus for Accor, on the other hand, remains on delivering the best experiences to its customers as they evolve with expectations and emerging requirements. The brand is taking a renewed and inclusive approach towards its existing partnerships and campaigns to continue to curate most memorable experiences by the loyalty programme, ALL - Accor Live Limitless for its guests.

As traditional business travel is yet to return, Best Western’s sales teams are pivoting their strategy to search for new creative opportunities. With optional offices and remote work gaining momentum, they will be working on positioning business hotels as a preferred location to host meet-ups for remote teams or for local businesses that have closed office space but require a physical location to meet clients. “We are working on the similar approach for leisure travellers who will have the flexibility of working from anywhere. This segment actively searches for hotels to explore new cities and regions. So, it’s important to build messaging and promotions that connect with them,” shares Atul Jain, Chief Operating Officer - India, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh, Best Western Hotels & Resorts.

On the other hand, Indian brand Royal Orchid aims to provide value to its owners which will subsequently lead to travellers finding value booking with chain hotels. “Our focus is on liquidity management, cash flow management and allocation of working capital to stabilise business. Identifying new opportunities including the alignment of business volume with the right scale of workforce costs will be prioritised,” shares Chander K Baljee, Chairman and Managing Director, Royal Orchid and Regenta Hotels. With over 70 properties across India, Royal Orchid is on a mission to set up 100 hotels by the end of this year.

For 2022, Radisson Hotel Group’s primary focus is to open more leisure destinations and strengthen its domestic network. As a part of this exercise, the brand will undertake development of Tier I and Tier II locations and strategic trade centres as almost 50 per cent of the business conversion is from these cities. “We aim to open 60 new hotels over the next five years,” shares Saxena, adding, “There is a continued scope for expansion in the metros too.”

Atmosphere Hotels and Resorts is also in the process of looking at some Greenfield and Brownfield projects in India. “The market is poised for significant growth over the next three to five years in India as the burgeoning upper middle and upper class seek local, domestic and outbound travel. We see it as a very promising market, including the surrounding Asia Pacific markets,” avers Souvagya Mohapatra, Managing Director (India, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka), Atmosphere Hotels and Resorts.

DOMESTIC TRAVEL ON THE RISE

Since the onset of Covid19, inbound tourism that generates hefty profits for the hospitality industry has been missing. And it is during this period that domestic business has come to the rescue of the industry with Indian travellers having amazed one and all with their desire to travel, within India. Of course, when the restrictions were lifted or relaxed. Arora points out that there has always been a market for domestic travel but it took a pandemic to remind everyone about it. “It is only now that most of us have started exploring our home turf. I feel the trend is here to stay. The only question is to what length the industry will go to entice this huge captive audience,” she says. 

Dhawan, on the other hand, believes domestic travel will be the crucial driving force not just for India but globally. “Domestic travel will lead business along with staycations, workcations and small MICE demands at leisure destinations,” he says.  Agreeing with Dhawan on the demand for leisure destinations going up is Saxena who says that hotels in suburban locations and drive-to regional markets have seen faster recovery and leisure-oriented demand. “We believe the Indian traveller is actively seeking immersive experiences and adventures. This trend can be expected to continue through the next couple of years,” he observes.

Baljee and Atul Jain are of the opinion that Indian travellers are looking for quick getaways and that domestic travel will always keep running. “In the second half of 2021, Hilton saw rapid occupancy recovery across its hotels – driven largely by leisure demand. In 2022, we believe leisure travel will lead the recovery again like in 2021. Gradually, business and MICE related travel will return. However, weddings, personal gatherings and events could surprise us positively as it has done so far towards the end of last year,” feels Ahluwalia.

KEEPING HIGH MORALE

According to the need of the hour, brands have adapted new measures, protocols and are adopting new trends. An important element under such testing times is keeping up the morale of their employees. Leadership is about being ‘one of the gang’ while demonstrating how to raise the bar. It’s not an either-or; one has to find the right balance. “An employee always tries to mirror his leader. As long as I’m gung-ho, they remain in high spirits too,” shares Arora. 

Accor too has consistently endeavoured to keep compassion at the forefront of all its initiatives. The brand launched the “ALL Heartist Fund”, a special purpose Covid19 vehicle for its team members facing financial challenges during the trying times. “Through the ALL Heartist Fund, over 2,500 Accor associates have received financial support across India,” Dhawan avers, adding, “We have introduced initiatives like Employee Well-being Assistance Programme (EWAP) providing round-the-clock access to clinical psychologists, a new Covid19 leave policy, assistance for home quarantine cases and 24x7 support from the leadership team.”

For Sudeep Jain, keeping colleagues involved and engaged as well as recognising their efforts in navigating through challenging circumstances is important to keep up their morale. “Honest and transparent communication is the key to build trust within the organisation. Our colleagues’ wellbeing is extremely important, and we will continue to live by these values,” he says.

As a leader, extending compassion and support is vital to keep employees motivated. Developing a harmonious working environment that puts empathy first will improve morale and reduce stress for everyone. “We have encouraged a healthy work atmosphere. Safety has been top priority for our employees and we encourage flexible work practices that give employees more room to take care of their personal lives,” informs Atul Jain.

At Wyndham, Sharma’s primary focus has been on the wellbeing of his team members, partners and community. “I’m fortunate to have the year-round support of our talented team members, working tirelessly to meet the objectives of Wyndham. Most importantly, my senior leadership’s continuous support and guidance keep me charged and enable me to motivate my team members and direct reports during these challenging times,” he puts in.

Royal Orchid and Regenta Hotels have provided flexible work practices to employees to make room for personal lives, initiated strategies to strengthen employee health and wellness, showed gratitude by exchanging motivational and uplifting appreciation messages. Considering employees as an important asset, Pawar says that as this is a crucial time, a host of team activities focussing on employee welfare and their physical and mental health to keep them engaged and motivated are planned. “Collaborative team activities and challenges effectively engage your team towards a common goal,” he highlights.

Radisson Hotel Group, at its end, is committed to growing and promoting talent and this continues to be a priority for them even in these unprecedented times. “Our employees, with the ‘Yes I Can!’ spirit, work hard and persevere to deliver unique and unforgettable experiences to our guests and make them feel at home. We strongly believe that maintaining a transparent and continued channel of communication with them has played an important role in keeping their morale high,” shares Saxena.

This article was published in BW hotelier issue dated '' with cover story titled 'JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL'