Brining in hyper-flexibility and resilience into hospitality

As part of its initiatives to highlight dynamic leaders and companies and share their insights, which can benefit their peers and the industry at large, the New Delhi edition of GM Summit by Hotelier India, saw a fruitful discussion on highly pertinent topics that directly impact the hospitality business. The Summit was hosted in collaboration with partners: BMW, Nestle and Jaguar.

Success Matters

Starting the first panel discussion, Himmat Anand, Founder, Tree of Life Resorts & Hotels, said, “I think every brand is all about leadership, which determines the success of a brand.” Kicking off the conversation, Benita Sharma, Area Manager North, Luxury Hotels & General Manager, ITC Maurya, said, “There is an opportunity in every adversity, and I had a great team that supported it.” Vineet Mishra, Cluster General Manager, Accor & General Manager, Pullman & Novotel New Delhi Aerocity, added, “For me, it is about navigation, which is all about continuity. It’s about where you are reflecting on and what your options are at that point in life, then choosing one of them and accepting what comes your way as you move ahead.” Arun Kumar, Market Vice President-North India, Nepal & Bhutan, Marriott International, said, “I think I have gone to places where nobody wants to go, or taken on projects as given to me. And that has really helped my career.”
Loving the job and the passion for this industry has kept Satyajeet Krishnan, Area Director-New Delhi and General Manager, Taj Mahal New Delhi, abreast of the changing times. He states, “I have worked a little bit more on being meaningfully engaged with stakeholders, both guests and colleagues. This has really helped me evolve into what I call “collaborative decision-making.”

Speaking about the relationships that he formed over the years Shrikant Wakharkar, Area Vice President North India and General Manager, Hyatt Regency Delhi, said, “I personally believe that in a country like India, it is relationships that drive business.”

Reinventing it right

Hotels are no longer about putting heads to bed as there has been a dramatic shift in the customer’s thought process. Hotels need to weave themselves into the social fabric of the environment. Wakharkar said, “Take the example of the Grand Hyatt Kochi in Bolgatty. This hotel opened four years back and we were able to make Kerala a formidable destination with this one hotel. With its 264 keys, four villas, and almost 100,000 square feet of banquet space, this is a formidable destination and is a very successful hotel with a five-figure ADR in a city like Kochi.” Kumar added that in Indonesia, there is a clear method of community integration into the business. “We have started the process in some destinations, but for a vast country like India, a lot of work still needs to be done to integrate communities with the business.” Apart from food delivery, monetising spaces in different ways is also a good idea.

Food Facts

Another important aspect going forward is our focus on specialised F&B outlets, even as hoteliers face competition from standalone outlets that are reinventing the game as far as this is concerned. “We reinvented the entire takeaway scene and were able to mop up a lot of revenue with the gourmet couch serving signature cuisine. We also have progressive food, and it is all about creating experiences and wellness, and every meal is a true culinary experience,” said Sharma.

Hotels earlier used to have restaurants as an afterthought. Mishra avers, “Today, the fact is that nonresident guests are the ones who create your reputation. That leads to your banqueting, and that leads to your room. We also invest into keeping the chef consistent to maintain uniformity.”

Sustainability in food is also a key question, with carbon footprint and calorie counts mentioned. Krishnan explains that apart from mentioning the calorific value, the culinary team of the Taj has worked very hard on immunity. “We teamed up with Arya Vaidya Sala Kottakkal, a reputed alternate healing kind of organisation, to develop a food concept we call Innergise. This food is conceptualised on a holistic approach and talks about conscious eating. We also went a step ahead and created Innergise retreats, where you get a holistic health experience.” Wakharkar agrees, “Today’s generation knows what goes into food, and it is our duty to let them know beforehand what exactly they are consuming.”

Looking Ahead

The session also had a presentation by Gourav Vyas – Head of Corporates Sales & Used Cars, BMW India. The role of people, risk and reputation, were aspects discussed in the second panel discussion, ably moderated by Patanjali Keswani, Chairman & Managing Director, Lemon Tree Hotels. Jatin Khanna, Chief Executive Officer, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, said, “One of the big lessons for me was, it doesn’t matter what position you are at, you have to a micro and macro perspective across all board, and it is serving me well.”
Puneet Dhawan, Senior VP Operations, India & South Asia, Accor, who moved from the Philippines to India, agrees, “None of us had a playbook. We learned and adapted. Agility became key, and we took quarantine business. Collaboration and transparency became very important.”

Indians are discovering India once again, and they are ready to pay for top quality. Anil Chadha – Chief Executive Officer, ITC Hotels, said, “The retail business is booming. There is a certain need for travel which has emerged, which is a great sign, and I think everybody is putting in a huge effort.” Vibhas Prasad, Director, Leisure Hotels Group, explains, “It taught us to have a hyper-flexible mindset and taught us resilience. We were prepared for the long haul, and keeping the team together and realising that customers will come back was proven right.” Revenue management is being used based on the ground conditions, and it is all about timing and as the demand is increasing, good days have certainly returned to hospitality.