In conversation with Saagar Panchal, Founder & CEO started Hireavilla Hospitality
Pvt ltd on his opinion on the future of the hospitality
business in India. Saagar Panchal is the Founder & CEO started Hireavilla
Hospitality Pvt ltd at the young age of 21 years. He started off with a team of
4 individuals and worked hard to gradually expand the business & its
properties to Lonavala, Karjat, Alibaug, Panchgani and other sectors of
Maharashtra & Goa. The business picked up so well that by the end of the
year 2018 the company had booked more than 2000+ bookings and served up to
15,000+ customers. He now has a team of 18 people.
How will new age hospitality look like?
As a villa or a hotel owner or even a staff
member for that matter, your first and foremost job is to ensure that your
customers are 100% satisfied. But let’s rethink this, in a world where your
customers are digital natives and have the ability to get what they need at
their fingertips then what does hospitality mean to them? I believe it is
important we ask ourselves this question – in the digital age, what does
hospitality actually mean? The most important thing to remember is that the
digital age means that consumers are always looking for reviews and information
about holiday villas, hotels and properties. Good hospitality – and pretty much
frankly good business – means you need to be as prompt as possible when
responding to both positive and negative feedback from guests. The second most
important development in the Indian hospitality industry is personalization
enabled via technology and analytics. Born in the lap of technology, our new
age Indian traveller has evolved with smart phone in one hand and ultra-fast
internet in the other. This has resulted in more and more customers expecting
their visits to be customized to them. I have realized over time that adding
touch of personalization also means keeping up with the new age hospitality
trends. New age travellers are looking to extract value and gratification from
every moment with highly personalized travel.
How digitisation will shape the travel and
hospitality sectors in India?
A growing wave of digitalisation is helping
to drive growth across the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors in India.
For instance for today’s new age generation, travel is a necessary tool for
growth and discovery, made incredibly easy with digitisation. Instant access to
price information and feature comparisons has led to 57% of consumers believing
that online channels give them better deals, while 41% find it more convenient
to book facilities online . Everything is on the digital front now, and I have
seen this transition over the past few years. There has been a tremendous
advancement, not just in the way that we use technology to communicate with end
users, but also how people are using it to travel. Furthermore, for millennials
seeking a life of adventure and spontaneity, quality experience is everything
and they are always on the look-out for experiences that keep them happy and satisfied.
Digitisation enables via technology is at top priority, whether it’s a faster
check-out system, vital Wi-Fi or USB ports in rooms, our new age travellers
need to be constantly connected. You don’t want their phones running out of
charge just as they’re uploading a drool-worthy picture on Instagram because
digital natives are quick to take to social media and report dissatisfaction
with 27% of millennials writing negative reviews online.
Is hospitality becoming more experiential
than transactional?
Hospitality is becoming more experiential
than transactional because they are dealing with a different kind of generation
now whose priorities are vastly different from every generation that has come
before. In a survey conducted by Goldman Sachs, 60% of millennials did not feel
strongly about owning a house while 82% of millennials save up for experiences
that they can connect to Opportunistic, energetic and young, they see great
benefits of travel as they gain cultural experiences which add value to their
personality as a whole. There was a time when the Indian luxury hospitality
experience was synonymous with checking into a fancy property, enjoying a
well-appointed technologically equipped room, and chilling in the pool or the
spa with some good food and beverages for company. While all of that still
holds true, today’s young and well-travelled Indian customers are more
“demanding” of unique experiences, over and above a comfortable stay. As this
generation enters its prime and makes its desires heard, hospitality along with
travel trends will vastly shift.
What will be the drivers of change in
hospitality?
Young Indians aren’t buying homes because
they’d rather travel the world, for example today’s generations aren’t buying
homes at the same rate as previous generations, and homeownership rates for the
young have steadily declined. The world of hospitality is changing thanks to a
rapid increase in traveler numbers. Not only are more people traveling, but the
way we shop for, book and experience travel is too. Consumers are demanding
more from hospitality providers, as they look for relevant, personalized
experiences that fit their specific needs. So whether it’s about replacing the
legacy technology with cloud-based system or whether it’s adding a touch of
personalization enabled via technology and analytics – all of these factors
will enable our hospitality sector to transition from a transactional to an
experiential relationship with its customers. So whether it’s the hotel
manager’s smile at check-in or the yummy food at the bar, the thoughtfully
designed lobby, or an easy-to-use mobile app, the Indian hospitality industry
is no longer a plain vanilla sector—every detail will plays an important part
in how much customers enjoy their stay. Appealing to the millennial mindset can
also be done through authenticity. Incentives like free breakfasts create
loyalty among Indian travellers. It is safe to conclude that as India’s new age
generation enters its prime and makes its desires heard, business policies along
with travel trends will vastly shift.
What is Hospitality 2.0 to you?
Hospitality is a customer-focused industry,
with the hotel, villa or resort’s brand reputation ultimate success dependent
on the quality of the experience of its guests. It is no surprise then, that
digital transformation efforts within the hospitality sector are focused on
technologies that improve the guest experience, from check-in to check-out and
everything in between. The hospitality industry has been undergoing tremendous
changes and disruptions over the last two decades. In this environment,
industry participants are trying to understand where we are coming from and
especially where the industry is going. I strongly believe that India’s travel
and tourism industry has huge growth potential. The tourism industry is also
looking forward to the expansion of E-visa scheme which is expected to double
the tourist inflow to India. India’s travel and tourism industry has the
potential to expand by 2.5 per cent on the back of higher budgetary allocation
and low cost healthcare facility, according to a joint study conducted by
Assocham and Yes Bank. Also the launch of several branding and marketing
initiatives by the Government of India such as ‘Incredible India!’ and
‘AthitiDevoBhava’ has provided a focused impetus to growth of hospitality 2.0.
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