‘Business is back on track'

This winter is expected to be completely different from the last two for the hotels in Agra. In fact, it is likely to witness a major boom for not only has there been a stupendous rise in the bookings from domestic travellers but the historic city have been receiving international guests in sizeable numbers too. “The inbound numbers were close to zero in the last two years. Things are constantly improving, and tourism is back in full swing. For Agra, in particular, this season is a good one as the connectivity has improved too as we have direct flights from Mumbai,” says Rahul Joshi, General Manager, Taj Hotel & Convention Centre Agra. 

Rahul Joshi, General Manager, Taj Hotel & Convention Centre Agra

He adds that Delhi was the major domestic source market for them earlier but now they have access to many other markets. “One segment which hasn’t changed a lot is the wedding segment. Only the turnout of guests has increased as restrictions have been lifted. Weddings during last two years were happening at a comparatively lower scale and the segment continues to remain strong,” shares Joshi who has spent over 25 years in the industry. “I’m fortunate having had varied stints, resulting in an enriching experience. From having worked with business hotels to being appointed in various roles at leisure hotels and resorts, my professional journey gave me an opportunity to experience markets as diverse as Delhi, Goa, Pune, Jaipur and the Central Asian city of Tashkent,” he says. Joshi joined IHCL two years back and the brand Taj is now an integral part of this rewarding career journey, he feels.

The pandemic changed the matrix completely in the Agra market which was traditionally dependent on inbound tourism. “For last two years, inbound tourism has been nearly zilch. Domestic tourists, however, made up for this loss as revenge tourism meant higher occupancies and room rates. Beginning October, we have started witnessing queries from international travellers trickling in. The numbers aren’t very strong right now but from January 2023 we expect traction from this segment,” he opines.

The Taj Hotel & Convention Centre lies a short walk away from the Eastern Gate of the fabled monument of Taj Mahal. The luxury hotel has 239 plush rooms including 12 lavish suites and one presidential suite to whisk guests away into a world of repose. A refreshing rooftop infinity pool with magical views of the monument of love, an invigorating spa and a buzzing fitness centre are at hand to rejuvenate guests. There is also an abundance of dining options to delight the epicurean. The property also confers pride of place to 3700 sq m of event spaces, conference venues including one of the biggest banquet halls in the city.

On what, apart from room occupancy, drives business at Taj Hotel & Convention Centre, Agra, Joshi says that right positioning of the property, setting and meeting customer expectations and value propositions are top growth drivers for a hotel. “Taj Hotel & Convention Centre is positioned as a property that is highly desirable among both short and long-haul vacationers and most preferred for both big ticket marriages and MICE. We are at equal ease in curating customised experiences for every kind of guest from the one who is planning an official offsite, to drive-cationer to a family eyeing the property for solemnising that dream wedding,” he says, adding that curated experiences span fine dining by the infinity roof-top pool, special informative culture show and guided visit to the Taj, among many interest-stimulating activities. “Hence, other activities collectively assume as much importance we accord to room revenue. F&B, spa, weddings and MICE are top draws that drive our revenues. In fact, our F&B revenue is slightly higher if you compare it with the room revenue. This is also an indication of how the destination is faring in terms of positioning,” Joshi avers.

Palato - All Day Dining

Sharing his take on how he sees the present-day hospitality landscape and what does the future hold, the General Manager says that the new normal has been a little trying for both hoteliers as well as guests. “Touchless and yet an efficient service, IT and AI-driven systems and yet customer friendly and setting fresh SOPs which are ever-evolving are key regular hygiene issues we have dealt with in the last two years. Now, I can confidently say, both us and guests and embraced the change and evolved accordingly,” he says.

Business for the sector is back on track, but market demographics have changed considerably, feels Joshi. “Some markets that were top revenue churners have muted a bit and laggards have assumed significance in revenue generation. Inbound tourism has not yet returned to pre-pandemic level. We are still moving ahead cautiously. But we are highly positive that many markets will start perfuming next year with more buoyancy kicking in thanks to expected Budget announcements, arrest of sliding Rupee and further taming of inflation,” adds Joshi who feels that while skill development shall always be at the core, a successful hotelier would be driven by passion and focus. “The ability to get attuned with customer desire takes you places. You have to constantly harness that innate ability to be a successful hotelier,” he says.

One of the biggest challenges the hospitality industry faced during the period of the pandemic was to retain talent. Voicing his take on this issue, Joshi says, “It is a challenge to retain good talent. During pandemic, we saw many people cross-over from hospitality to other sectors. Though being a brand like Taj helps in attracting good talent, we are mindful about retaining them. Gen Y and Gen Z work very differently. For them, work-life balance is a priority. So, our HR policies are designed to cater to this segment. We are conscious of their needs and are constantly thinking how we can work together.”