A Year of Hope and New Expectations
As economies adapt to the new normal, several factors contribute to revolutionise travel. Guest hygiene and safety will be of utmost priority to the sector operations as safety guidelines become a mandatory factor of traveller choice. Lakmini Raymond, Vice President – PR & Branding, Aitken Spence Hotels, shares more with TTJ.
The hospitality industry is shown to have doubled over the past ten years, capturing attention as the fastest growing sector in the past decade. Although the global pandemic disrupted this flow of fast growth in 2020, given its formidable presence and resilience, we are positive that the sector will show quick recovery. We remain hopeful as lockdowns and travel restrictions ease and airports reopen; the pent-up international tourism demand will prompt the revival of the sector to emerge stronger than before. Sharing insight on the anticipation and expectation in the hospitality industry, Lakmini shares, “While India’s borders remain closed for regular air travel as the country fights against the multifaceted crisis, the travel bubble established with the Maldives in August facilitates a safe corridor for the flow of travel to resume. As the first in South Asia to enter into such an agreement, this proves as an encouraging sign for those who have long-awaited a visit overseas. As a part of the hospitality sector, it is our strong belief that the resilience of the industry and the spirit of travellers will support the quick recovery in 2021.”
As economies adapt to the new normal, several factors contribute to revolutionise travel. Guest hygiene and safety will be of utmost priority to the sector operations as safety guidelines become a mandatory factor of traveller choice. The safe travels stamp introduced by the WTTC allows travellers to identify companies across the world that have implemented standardised health and safety procedures in their operations. Apart from this, the ‘Safe Travels’ list is widely available to reassure them of stepping into a safe destination. “We have faith that the demand for the sector will bounce back, but this demand is likely to be different from that we have seen pre-COVID. The change in behavioral patterns has created an environment where guests prefer exclusivity over crowds, thereby the services offered in accordance with the safety regulations are adaptable by all travellers alike. As the mass market is advancing towards the trend of responsible tourism, Aitken Spence Hotels aims to strengthen its efforts to accommodate sustainable travel in the new normal by addressing challenges of climate and biodiversity. Furthermore, the role of automation will contribute greatly to social distancing standards as it eliminates unnecessary contact in procedures,” adds Lakmini.
While these factors encourage travellers to embark on a stress-free vacation, the industry remains positive of the worldwide efforts, with the rollout of the vaccination inclining towards success and the easy access to PCR tests anywhere in the world. A variety of challenges comes into play as hotels reopen, from analyzing changed consumer behavior to enforcing alternative business models and revenue streams to support the revival of the sector. COVID-19 has created a novel reality in the hotel industry, permanently and embracing this unanticipated future will become the stronghold of our development.
The efforts enacted by the Company to address heightened health and safety will be reviewed as an ongoing plan to give the guests peace of mind regarding future stays. Whilst the guidelines enforced support the national and international efforts undertaken by the national government and health authorities, the hotel staff are well trained to address any further challenges faced when the country reopens to international tourists. Lakmini quotes, “2021 has been marked as the year for us to launch new campaigns, partnerships and events reflecting the changing consumer behavior, online and offline. All while ensuring our plans do not disappoint our loyal customers whose expectations derive from our ongoing business model and campaigns that have succeeded across the years. Our flexible cancellation policy and the ongoing voucher system provides a distinct advantage to our guests to overcome the uncertainty in their holiday plans.”
Understanding the significance of data in our day-to-day hotel operations, the Company is making a concise effort to implement data-driven decisions and reviewing customer feedback to provide an efficient, personalized service. They have witnessed a significant improvement in occupancy across, Maldives properties that have been in operation since July 2020 along with the successful enforcement of standardized safety measures that have enabled Aitken Spence to provide an enhanced service experience.
“Our Group’s strong business contingency plan will ensure our guests and associates are supported regardless of the challenges that lie ahead. Aitken Spence Hotels is working closely with local authorities in adapting towards this new normal and above all, supporting the recovery of the hospitality sector. As the borders open in various parts of the world, we are eagerly anticipating the arrival of international guests and are well-focused to deliver a safe re-launch,” Lakmini concludes.