Without govt. intervention we stare at a 2.5 to 3 crore job losses: Le Meridien, New Delhi VP

How are you personally seeing Covid 19?

The Covid-19 calamity has stopped the world in its tracks; it is incomparable with anything that has happened before or anything that we are prepared for. The critical aspect is safety, that of our guests and our associates, our community , country and humanity alike.

What are the current solutions on which the hospitality industry is working on to cope with the situation after lockdown ends and life return to new normal?

Tourism today has come to a crumbling crash, it will be hard to put back the pieces together and once again be back on our feet. Having faced global calamities in the past decades, we are now faced with one of the toughest challenges, and navigating this road ahead will be a very rocky terrain to tread. As an industry that is build by the people and is for the people, we will always remain at a high risk - be it security threats, epidemic outbreaks, wars or natural disasters.

The industry in India employs over 5.5 crore people, post the lockdown we need to take care of them but with most of us sitting on near to zero billing, it will not be possible, unless the government has the capacity, will and vision to bring us back on our feet. We have demonstrated our resilience before and now with an understanding and a revival stimulus from the government we can come back stronger. We can contribute to the country’s growth going forward; we contribute over 10 per cent to the country’s GDP. Perhaps it is with this wisdom that countries across the globe have liberally infused the industry stakeholders with funds and rebates. Without this intervention we are today staring at a 2.5 -3 crore job losses and over five hundred thousand crores of revenue loss 

What changes do you think will come in the profile of the visitors and lodgers in your hotels/retreats/lodgings after Covid19?

We are definitely looking at a very big decrease in all segments; the most damaged segment is long haul travel. I don’t see tourism back for a long time, like group travels. Virtual exhibitions also may be the order of the future. Cruise business may stay stagnant for over a year. Meetings, conventions and exhibitions may happen but not before next year, provided the MICE industry offers solutions to issues like social distancing hygiene, etc.

Business travels will decrease with increased dependence on virtual meetings. Fat weddings will lose most of its weight, replaced by small though exquisite settings in quaint easy to travel destinations

Do you think the industry will go for layoffs? How are you coping with it?

Cost is definitely of the greatest concern, it is loud and clear that businesses in the industry will have to become lean and mean; there are two ways of looking at it, layoffs or additional revenue opportunities to to enable them earn their wages.

Every company works with its own ethos, each company has a different outlook and company values, nothing in this is right or wrong, it is just the way you want to take your business forward.

What does the future hold for hotel management graduates?

Well, the industry is not shutting down, we shall remain positive and as always overcome this too; may take longe than ever before. Also please dont forget that Hotel Management courses cater to may related/allied industries, like Banking, Hospital management, Retail. Luxury, Wedding, E Commerce.

Every adversity brings oppurtunities, we will definitely see oppurtunities in our industry too; large hotels may offer services like catering, laundry, facility management; perhaps co-working and co-living; smaller boutique hotels, wellness resorts, medical tourism, senior citizen co-living, all may be now the offshoots of the industry.

There is speculation that work from home will be a preferred option even after Covid – your take on that?

Yes that is true. But managing a hotel remotely is not a possibility. However, yes, certain departments, sales, marketing, HR, etc. wll perhaps more and more work virtually.

Till what extent will the focus shift to hygiene?

Completely. More than ever before. The focus was always on hygiene, the difference now will be moving more towards automation to reduce physical contact.

We will and must practice hospital like cleaning procedures/ laundry services, have a thrust on constant need of disinfection, defined procedure of disposal of waste from rooms and public areas, and have our housekeeping associates in protective uniforms.

Above all our guests, customers, our associates and vendors must feel a sense of comfort, and therefore a communication strategy around this must be designed

We have seen a big growth of Oyo Rooms and Airbnb, etc. kind companies in recent years. How big was the challenge from them to the traditional hotel industry?  How is the impact going to be on them. Will it be less or more easier for Oyo/ Airbnb to deal with Covid-19 effects than big to medium budget hotels?

Yes, hotels had seen a major shift in choice, especially the millennial travelers; however, that was so far offset by increase in demand. Also hotel brands innovated; they rolled out services and products that offer options of easy luxury and experiential service delivery to accommodate the trending needs.

In my personal opinion, there will be a shift back from B&B products to hotels, primarily as bigger hotels will endorse, demonstrate and communicate the emphasis and shift of focus on hygiene. I don’t see that effort working in the B&B model.