Raoof Dhanani, MD, Sayaji Hotels, says hospitality start-ups have gained investors' interest

The demand for hotels has strengthened after Covid19 pandemic. We are witnessing pent up travel demand, determining this to be the best time for hospitality start-ups to boom. Half the start-ups are backed by venture capitalists whereas the other half are surviving on their existing resources. Hospitality start-ups have garnered the interest of investors who are betting big on the post-pandemic era. International investors also desire to witness an empowered India as far as nurturing and nourishing new hospitality start-ups are concerned.  

There are a lot of budding start-ups flourishing in the market to deliver new ideations at reasonable prices providing them an edge. A few of these ideas are Cloud-based property management software, Cloud kitchens, hybrid event organisers, nutritious and healthy food delivery services, last minute room bookings etc. Many start-ups saw this current market as an opportunity to emerge as winners. One such winner that stood out from the crowd for me is an app that allows us to book rooms online, gift it to someone via an e-gift voucher, edit and upload hotel pics, videos, reels and get an immediate social media presence. A guest gains credit ranging from 10 per cent to 20 per cent of their booking amount for this activity. This hospitality venture uses technology in a more effective way for better travel experience. I found this concept extremely impressive for its unique features and user-friendly accessibility. It will surely provide an exclusive and enriching booking experience for guests once it’s relaunched. 

Hospitality industry is growing at a rapid pace and these start-ups are adding to the growth rate every day. They are based on a creative ideas and a pattern to deliver not only the best but also the latest to their customers and users. On this World Tourism Day 2022, I would like to congratulate all the growing start-ups on their new business endeavours and hope for growth and prosperity for them. Like our honourable Prime Minister rightly mentioned on National Start-up Day, start-ups are going to be the backbone of new India. Don’t just keep your dreams local, make them global.