Uncertainty hits India’s travel and hospitality segments when once more! At a time when the travel and hospitality market had begun to witness an uptick in terms of demand, the second wave of the pandemic brought every little thing to a close to standstill when once more.
From weekend getaways and staycations to Nature centric leisure destinations, Indian travellers are when once more taking a more cautious strategy to travel, especially as the nation is fighting the second wave of COVID-19.
So, how is the hospitality segment which includes the vacation home segment at present coping with this diminished demand in terms of bookings?
Hospitality segment: Learnings from last year’s lockdown
“We have several learnings from last year’s lockdown and the immediate rebound in demand we witnessed when things re-opened.
Last year, there was uncertainty when things would return to normal and we had to take difficult calls from the get-go such as salary cuts and layoffs. This year, we are better prepared to deal with such shocks. This starts with streamlining the entire process by prioritizing the most important assets: our team. This year, we are not undergoing layoffs to control costs. We saw how resilient the holiday home rental industry was and are positive and are preparing for a robust next quarter,” Ankita Sheth, Co-Founder Vista Rooms tells TheSpuzz Online.
Hotels offer you self isolation, quarantine facilities
While the return to weekend getaways and staycations could not look quick, hotels are supplying self isolation facilities to guarantee and assistance the nation’s healthcare program at a time when it is facing unprecedented pressures.
Welcomhotels has rolled a notable initiative to enable flatten the COVID-19 curve across India by supplying quarantine facilities. Teaming up with companion hospitals, the offer you is applicable to asymptomatic patients and these who are mildly symptomatic as nicely. Besides a comfy and clean accomodation with in-area hygiene protocols and meals delivery, the remain contains for guests all meals at the hotel itself. Further, on web page healthcare care has been made readily available to track crucial parameters as and when it is essential. There are e-mail IDs on which booking queries can be made to kickstart the course of action of booking for quarantine facilities. More particulars are shared on the hotel web site.
Terming it a ‘tough time’ for all, Anil Chadha, COO-ITC highlighted that the Welcomhotels’ collaboration with companion hospitals strives to provide relief and comfort to the neighborhood.
With its “Stay Safe, Stay Healthy’ self isolation facility, Sarovar Hotels and Resorts makes it possible for guests to directly book for self-isolation or quarantine. For those guests who are relocating to a new city, want a leisurely place to work from or simply want a comfortable space to stay in, this option can be availed. Bookings can be directly done for select locations through the hotel’s website.
What if lockdown restrictions continue?
Ankita Sheth, Co-Founder Vista Rooms tells TheSpuzz Online, “This quarter is focused on controlling all non-team expenses such as admin and marketing costs. If things extend beyond a month or two is when we need to think of other ways to manage costs.
This means we are ensuring the well-being of local people, who are employed at our properties. We are getting all covered under insurance and conducting a vaccination drive.”
Based on the existing trends, hotels could be in for a extended haul as more and more folks are falling sick amidst the second wave. However, the concentrate is now shifting to utilizing this downtime to set sustainable paradigms in the hospitality segment.
Recently, Andaz Delhi became the very first hotel to group up with Swajal WaterCube to guarantee minimal wastage. With this collaboration, all water bottles are sanitised, sterilized and thereafter, filled with water. In a nutshell, this guarantees that glass hotels recirculate in the hotel premises with minimum wastage, thereby lowering carbon footprint.
Not just hotels, the vacation home segment is spearheading sustainable initiatives as well. “Another important step is energy conservation at all our properties. Additionally, we are emphasizing more the farm to fork initiatives, so that we can reduce the carbon footprint as well as reduce the transportation cost of sourcing vegetables from cities. Lastly, rainwater harvesting is another important step we are taking so that natural water can be reused, thereby easing the dependence on other sources,” informs Ankita Sheth, Co-Founder Vista Rooms.
From hotels to home stays and vacation houses, there is a heightened awareness from last year’s learnings. Now, the coming months hold the crucial to sustaining the travel and hospitality segment.