A founder, entrepreneur and visionary are what best describes Chander K Baljee, who is also the Chairman and Managing Director of Royal Orchid Hotels. He is also actively a member of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Member of All India Management Association (AIMA). After four decades in the hospitality industry, Mr Baljee strongly advocates consistency and quality in everything with customers being a company’s top priority. He believes that perseverance and determination are what help a company sail the tide in good and challenging moments.
Royal Orchid Hotels and Regenta Hotels today have a portfolio of over 75 properties in more than 48 cities across India. The group has a target of a milestone of 100 hotels by the end of 2023. Regenta and Royal Orchid Hotels is one of India’s fastest-growing hotel chains. It primarily operates 5-star, 4-star, and resorts, enabling it to target discerning business and leisure travellers. The vision of the company is to be the Preferred Hotel Chain for the discerning global traveller. The brand ‘Regenta’ is an extension of the Royal Orchid Hotel Group. It is designed for travellers whose watchword is value and convenience. It is categorized into Regenta, Regenta Central, Regenta Resort, and Regenta Inn.
- How are the trends changing and contributing to the Indian hospitality industry?
(I give the context regarding the trend & guest experience at our hotels) Some interesting trends are emerging in the medium-to-long term. A lot of them will change the way we run our hotels.
Our experience of the pandemic showed that it helped transform our lifestyles. Working from home is more acceptable now and digital meetings are the way forward in a bid to utilize time more effectively. Socialising at home is gaining momentum backed by high-quality catering, instead of dining out. These are just some of the opportunities.
Then there is the emergence of restaurants with limited seating even within the hotel space. Furthermore, in a way to cater to demand, restaurants will extend their operating hours. The next is short-haul travel, staycation for extended weekends, and road holidays, this is a holiday on the road or travel within a four-hour radius of your country.
In a post-pandemic world, there is certainly more dependence on technology and automation in hotels. The focus of travel will now shift to personal well-being and the environment. There will be transformative changes in the way we travel and holiday, which will also be reflected in the hospitality industry. There will be more focus on experiences and emphasis on health and hygiene. Hotels will also rationalize their supply chain and run far more efficiently.
- What is your take on The ‘go-to’ expert for owned, leased, managed, and franchised hotel models?
We have always maintained that we follow an asset-light mode. Wherein, we manage and run the property by our brand name and SOPs on the owner’s behalf, this also includes operational expenses. In return, we charge a management fee from the top line and bottom line.
In the Franchise mode, we offer just our brand name while the SOPs with sales and marketing support, and the operations are managed by the owners.
- Kindly give us a brief on the patronage of having loyal members in India.
Royal Orchid and Regenta brands have a loyalty programme titled WANDERLUST. This premier guest loyalty program currently links our three lakh, active members, to Regenta and Royal Orchid Hotels’ pan-India portfolio of brands. The benefits provided within Wanderlust help them turn their hotel stays and purchases into travel experiences worth sharing with family and friends.
- What is the expansion plan of the company?
The Regenta & Royal Orchid Hotel brands are much preferred Indian brands by guests given their value and loyalty. With customer service as key, we will continue to expand our footprints in Tier three and four cities too.
We are now investing across segments such as in wildlife, spiritual, and leisure destinations while continuing expansion in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. Our expansion strategy is rooted in the fact that people today wish to travel further, more often, and to off-beat locations. We are constantly on the lookout for good locations and the right partners.
In 2021-22, we have opened nine hotels with 388 keys. We expect this momentum to carry forward into FY 2022-23 wherein we are better placed to strive for further growth in the years ahead.
