Fortune Park Sishmo, Bhubaneswar displays powerful signs of recovery
After an exceptional summertime booking season, Fortune Park Sishmo Bhubaneswar eyes supporting avenues to sustain the high influx of travellers.
The post-pandemic comeback for the hospitality industry had been long-awaited. Welcoming this anticipated rebound, Sushant Lamba, General Manager, Fortune Park Sishmo, Bhubaneswar, shared that the recent busy booking season has outperformed even the pre-pandemic period. Set off by the pent-up demand over the two years of lockdown, summer occupancy for hotels fared an astounding response by the Indian traveller. Highlighting this extraordinary occurrence, Lamba said, “We have outperformed our monthly goals, and I’m delighted to report that we’re on schedule to finish the first quarter of the fiscal year strong.”
Subsequently, this gratifying upswing has also yielded benefits in all areas of business for the hotel, including - hotel occupancy, leisure, corporate bookings, and restaurant dining.
During COVID-19, the tremors of decreased inbound travel were felt throughout the industry. This uncertainty was a precursor to the potential fall of industry giants. However, recent developments have given the industry some respite. Contrary to the slow but much-needed recovery of inbound travel, the MICE segment has shown impeccable and speedy results. Moreover, the MICE movement has stirred ancillary demand for hotels. Individuals are ready to step out and embrace the joy of having in-person conversations and shaking hands with their peers. Fortune Park Sishmo has facilitated successive jumps in the
demand for residential and non-residential business events.
For hotels in Bhubaneswar, the leisure segment undergoes a significant fall in the number of inbound travellers during the monsoon. The trend this year was no different, as it translated into lower occupancy rates for hotels. To brave this adversity, Lamba banks his hopes on domestic business and local tourism. He said, “We are hopeful that this time the domestic business segment will continue its pace. We are also creating special and enticing room packages targeted to attract our local community.”
While room reservations account for the chunk of the revenues for hotels, the young traveller today invests heavily in experiences, which have subsequently led to the rise of demand for the local culinary experience. To capture their attention, Fortune Park Sishmo, Bhubaneswar, aims to nurture an excellent dining experience within their facility and raise convenience for their consumers by providing services such as home deliveries, take-aways, and outdoor catering.
Acknowledging the general pricesensitive nature of the modern traveller, Lamba shared that post-COVID travellers are inclined towards branded and luxury hotels for their safety and hygiene protocols. The change in consumer behavior is linked to the need to ensure the precaution and safety of consumer’s loved ones. Fortune Park Sishmo, Bhubaneswar’s new age protocols to ensure cleanliness and hygiene, have proved instrumental in attracting more customers towards them. Adapting to the needs of evolving consumers, Lamba touched upon Fortune Park Sishmo’s outlook on this situation. He said, “Our strategy has drastically evolved over the last two years, particularly in light of consumer behavior and visitor expectations. The criteria used to select a restaurant or reserve a stay have changed, and we have followed suit.”
Working round the clock to secure safe surroundings for their consumers, Fortune Hotels introduced the ‘Safe Stays at Fortune Hotels’ program, which offers uninterrupted safety and hygiene protocols. A seamless experience across the consumer journey is ensured from pre-checkout to checkout. This is made possible by contactless checkins, sanitised facilities, and meticulous staff. Huge amounts of effort, work, and time is invested to improve the consumer experience. “We have further strengthened our commitment to this program by obtaining the ISO 9001:2015 certificate,” added Lamba.
The gravity of the challenges faced by the hospitality industry has collectively been a testimony for most hotels. Sharing his insights on how Fortune Park Sishmo, Bhubaneswar is preparing to tackle these challenges, Lamba spoke extensively about how hotel alternatives are here to stay and it makes it imperative for the hotel to put certain practices in place. Lamba said, “We are building our food and beverage strategy on three strong pillars, critical attention to upholding the highest standard of Hygiene and safety, contactless delivery and takeaway service, and an at-home hassle-free premium dining experience by means of outdoor catering.”