Navjit Ahluwalia
Considering the future, we took several decisions that were in the best interests of the organisation, but some of these were extremely difficult as it involved our people
While visiting Bengaluru recently, Navjit Ahluwalia, Senior VP and Country Head, Hilton India was told that the city would add nearly four times its existing capacity in convention space. This did not surprise him; not just since Bengaluru Airport is in expansion mode, but also because India is witnessing many infrastructure-related developments. “Better infrastructure means more visitors, be it for business or leisure,” he reasoned.
This is a welcome change from the year gone by, when COVID- 19 created unprecedented challenges for the industry at large, and Hilton in particular. The company learned to reengineer its business and realign priorities to capitalise on the Indian growth story over the next decade.
“We took a serious look at many aspects of our management and operational setup and strategy,” Ahluwalia revealed. This included taking tough calls necessary for its business continuity. “Considering the future, we took several decisions that were in the best interests of the organisation, but some of these were extremely difficult as it involved our people,” Ahluwalia stated. His team tried to manage matters in as transparent manner a manner as possible to protect as many livelihoods as feasible.
A STEADY HAND
Hilton India took several measures to support its business partners and look after their investments in the hotel chain. Explaining how he did it, Ahluwalia said, “Empowering my team, having the courage to take a few difficult decisions in a transparent manner and having a steady hand on the overall operations during the most challenging times were key aspects of riding through that difficult period.”
The company currently runs 21 hotels with an inventory of 3,500 keys in the country. While its journey has been largely passive in India till recently, things are likely to pick pace.
“With India set to become a $10 trillion economy by 2035, as a leader in hospitality we need to be ready to capitalise on the growth that will come for our sector due to the massive growth in the Indian economy,” said Ahluwalia.
The hotel major is keen to set up a flagship hotel in Mumbai or New Delhi soon, especially focusing on the ‘big-box’ format. In the US, Hilton has been successful in these complex projects that have large room inventory coupled with multiple convention spaces. Closer home, Hilton India has set its sights on 12 mega-projects and is scouting for partners who can help it achieve this goal.
