Courtyard and Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru ORR traditionally stayed away from social events like the big fat Indian wedding. It was not because the business was not welcome. Rather, the brands were focused on the corporate crowd, business travellers and millennials who sought comfort, quiet, privacy, and unique experiences at its premises.
However, along came the pandemic and upended this tranquil equilibrium. That is when Pranay Verdia, Multi-Property General Manager, Courtyard and Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru ORR hotel realised that weddings can be a key demand driver.
“We see a surge in wedding and wedding-related events, post Q4 2020. The general sentiment is to conduct all events that could not take place in 2020,” he stated.
Moreover, there is also a conscious mindset to have smaller weddings with intimate bespoke events. This is gaining ground with the second wave of the pandemic sweeping across the country. “This development put everyone on tenterhooks just as things began to normalise,” Verdia noted. According to him, weddings are yet to peak to pre-pandemic levels, but he expects this business to revert to normal by Q4 2021.
Business hotels and properties located at a city’s outskirts have been the biggest gainers of the scaled down wedding trend. For starters, most of them had not explored this customer segment earlier. Moreover, since the scale of operation is smaller, they can quickly pivot their processes to cater to this new business stream, as compared to larger hotels. They can also provide a plethora of options across various budgets for guests to choose.
CHANGING NUPTIAL DYNAMICS
The wedding industry is amongst the biggest revenue generation streams for hotels. The ‘Digital Classified in India 2020’ report by KPMG India and Google pegged India’s wedding market at $50 billion with a rapid annual growth rate. With almost half the country’s 1.3 billion-strong population below 30 years, it is safe to expect 11 million weddings annually.
This steady flow of nuptials has given a fillip to an entire range of products and services, from wedding planners to florists, designers, videographers, makeup artists and of course, hotels. Moreover, given the pivotal role marriages play in the country’s cultural framework, these ancillary industries have been growing from strength to strength.
However, the frequent lockdowns, intermittent curfews with restrictions have dealt a massive blow to this sector. Verdia is grateful that over the course of time, a set of dependable guidelines has been established for the hospitality segment. “Hotels can now focus on this segment by employing necessary safety and security measures,” he stated.
Fortunately, he can pull out some pages from the Shaadi by Marriott initiative. This offers a variety of premium wedding experiences, while subscribing to strict government guidelines that guarantee the safety and wellbeing of its guests and associates.
KEEPING IN SIMPLE
The ever-shifting curfew and lockdown rules have definitely affected the size and budgets of guests planning weddings. In turn, it caused a ripple effect on the revenue of various businesses involved in the supply chain, including hotels. Many properties are seeing mass cancellations or requests for later dates.
While acknowledging this, Verdia stated, “Customers are well aware of the constantly changing guidelines and are willing to work alongside hotels to ensure that it is a win-win situation for both parties. A bit of flexibility needs to be exercised by both to ensure smooth execution of events.”
This flexibility is essential because traditional Indian weddings are based on auspicious dates. Most would rather proceed with smaller gatherings comprising only close family members than cancel the function.
According to Verdia, that is an advantage for hoteliers. “Customers are understanding as well of the changes in rules being implemented and are willing to work with hotels accordingly. But yes, there is a risk of potential revenue loss due to cancellations,” he admitted.
Interesting, over the past few years, destination weddings, especially at exotic locations, had become quite popular. The suspension of international flights has encouraged couples and their families to consider local hotels for their nuptials, which is music to the ears of hoteliers.
“Destination weddings have seen a drop with only a few domestic destinations currently available in India. We have noticed a trend where people are shifting from traditional wedding halls to hotels.
This is primarily driven by their confidence in the safety and hygiene measures taken by branded hotels,” Verdia opined.
MAKING WAY FOR INTIMATE EVENTS
Traditional Indian weddings feature lengthy guest lists, which made it a highly lucrative business for hotels. Now, this has shrunken significantly with a cap on the number of guests who can attend weddings.
Of course, this has hurt hotels’ revenues, but Verdia would rather look at the upside. “The positive side to this is that since the scale of the wedding is small, the turnaround time also reduces accordingly, enabling
hoteliers to cater to more events,” he pointed out.
Taking a less traditional approach, many guests are opting for intimate weddings in accordance with the local government guidelines. Hotels have been forced to reinvent themselves to cater to the new norms, needs and hygiene requirements.
Verdia believes that tough times call for quick thinking. “These are erratic times and we have learned to be agile. We constantly curate customised and unique experiences that are bespoke in addressing customer needs. There is no fixed format for success, we need to be willing to continuously experiment and explore,” he claimed.
Additionally, several guests are choosing to host ‘virtual weddings’ by live streaming the ceremony for families and friends. This is another opportunity that hotels can tap. “While the format of the event is virtual, in terms of the food experience we can deliver hampers right to an invitee’s doorstep simultaneously across different destinations. With the presence of a brand like Marriott across so many cities in the country, experiences like this can be easily be curated,” he stated.
In a country where parents plan for their young children’s weddings and educational goals side by side, the pandemic might have hit their dreams hard. However, hoteliers are rolling out the red carpet to ensure that the day they always dreamed for is nothing less than surreal – armed with mask, sanitiser and a warm, reassuring smile.
