Over the past few months, the travel and tourism industry is devising inventive ways to overcome the pandemic’s economic side-effects. Guest safety and support to local communities are the emerging trends this year, at least for Hotel Sahara Star.
The Mumbai-based property reopened its doors last November 2020 with a motto ‘You are our only concern’. This was to reassure guests and associates that it was following enhanced cleanliness and safety measures.
According to Manish Sodhi, CEO, Hotel Sahara Star, 2021 will be all about the experience, and not just the destination, for guests. As their preferences and behaviours shifted towards the familiar, predictable, and trusted, he is confident that his property is in a strong position to grab a bigger piece of the city’s resurrecting hospitality pie.
What new tourism opportunities will 2021 provide, which were missing before?
At Sahara Star we are seeing an increase in curated social experiences and weddings. Though the number of guests has reduced, there is an increase in personalised activities, larger F&B spread and tailor made events. Similar trends are visible with our staycation guests, who don’t mind spending a premium for these unique experiences.
Of course, with safety and hygiene being the biggest parameters, our discerning guests are extremely interested in learning about the measures implemented by the hotel. We are seeing a growing number of such inquires by our corporate and social guests.
We are looking for new verticals, like creating a work space from the hotel, more residential weddings with maximum in-house services and pre-booking of bulk inventory for future dates along with health and safety briefings by the hotel team. These steps will surely help improve our top- and bottom-line.
Which domains will propel footfalls and revenues in the hospitality business this year?
The present time requires the hospitality sector to come up with innovative ways to leverage their offerings and services for revenue generation. Each hotel is striving to become a better version of itself
right now.
Brands are strategising marketing plans that specifically cater to families seeking a place that provides calm and peace during the weekend. So, staycations would be the buzzword for 2021. Hoteliers would take advantage of this by adding more amenities and providing personalised experiences to guests.
As the vaccination programme in our country gains ground, business tourism and MICE industry have also started gaining momentum. At Sahara Star, we are extending a warm welcome to all our guests who want to host their next event; whether it is a wedding, corporate function, exhibition or any social gathering.
We expect the first quarter of 2021 to witness an increase in air travel, thereby propelling hotel occupancies across India’s tier-1 and tier-2 cities. With the ongoing vaccine drive coupled with the robust
health and safety measures undertaken by the Indian government, we foresee more positive numbers and footfalls from the second quarter onwards.
When do you expect booking trends to revert to pre-COVID numbers?
Pre-COVID business numbers can be achieved once the vaccine is administrated to at least 50% of the population and the government relaxes current operational norms and quarantine protocol on a state-to-state basis. Hotel occupancies and F&B revenue can be driven to pre-COVID days when the government lifts the cap on banquet gatherings, restaurant operational hours and other allied hotel services such as spa, salon, gym, etc. With the current pace of affairs we are confident of a turnaround in the second quarter of 2021.
Which response strategy helped your hotel tide over the lockdown crisis last year?
We have always focused on the little things; big things always fall into place if the little things are well looked after. Our foremost priority has always been the safety of our guests and team members. We developed several safety practices and measures over the past year, so that our guests can focus on enjoying the leisure experiences we have to offer. Our team was trained and reskilled to service guests while taking care of themselves and their family. We introduced a safety program for guests called, ‘You Are Our Only
Concern’, and one for our team members, titled ‘Safe Me, Safe We’. These two programmes helped build the confidence of our guests, team members, business associates and trade partners.
How can hoteliers differentiate themselves in the crowded marketplace by offering meaningful experiences to guests?
At Hotel Sahara Star, we indulge our guests with luxurious staycations, food festivals and opulent brunches; we welcome them to unwind and embark on a journey of immersive experiences. Be it our restaurants with rooms of the majestic lagoon or city views; or the private dining room that is covered by a marine aquarium on three sides.
We also offer our guests a private movie theatre to enjoy their favourite Bollywood or Hollywood films. Likewise, all hotels need to focus on their core strengths and ensure that they retrain their loyal guests during these challenging months.
Do you think digitalisation can displace the omniscient personal touch in the hospitality domain?
Guests are now expecting contactless technology as a pre-requisite for a safe and seamless hospitality experience. The idea is to leverage technology for good and facilitate delivery of effective and sustainable solutions for the hotel.
At Sahara Star we have collaborated with the Prefme app for reservations and contactless service during the stay and post-departure activities. Most guest service touch points have become no-touch or low-touch and we ensure that whenever our guests check-in, they experience safety without compromising the human feel.
Our focus today is to develop robust social media strategies to remain relevant and facilitate further engagement and trust with guests, and even expedite problem solving. I firmly believe that the personal touch will remain supreme. But the use of effective technology will ensure that hotels remain competitive and embrace change as a routine, rather than as a mandate.
