‘Our focus will be to get on track while adhering to government regulations’

The black swan event has disrupted the entire value chain of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Apart from learning to co-exist with the coronavirus, how has HRH Hotels stayed afloat during such challenging times?

'Afloat' is the key operating word in your question! Yes, at all times we have to stay afloat and not go under the pressure of either too little business or too much of it. We have been around for several decades and have learnt to take the rough with the smooth. Undoubtedly 2020 has been one of the biggest tests of survival and keeping our flock together.  

Where do you see the Indian hospitality market heading in a world that is still in the throes of novel coronavirus?

Hospitality is not existing in isolation; we are completely networked and enmeshed with airlines, railways, road transport, the food and supply chain logistics, the health and safety infrastructure of the entire country. What happens in the country, happens to hospitality! If the state of the country's GDP has dipped to a record low, hospitality is part and parcel of that rather depressed story. 

The Government, at the centre and state, has taken charge and made the key decisions which are affecting the economy and social life in all spheres. We are still a long, long away from normalcy and pre-Covid times. We are abiding with all governmental regulations and look forward to the opening up of all sectors. Till then, we have to keep our chin up.

I wish I could reply with evidence and validated data but yes, we can see that people have begun travelling. The wedding season in India has its own dynamism; but pilgrimage tourism is still to open up. Across the country, the spread of the pandemic continues and it is not advisable to go against government regulations applicable to travel advisories, public places or cultural spaces. 

According to you, which states have gone ahead and made some fantastic policy changes? How can other states emulate these changes and help grow hospitality and tourism in their respective state?

Tourism, its growth potential and trajectory, are huge subjects and need a plethora of experts to be debating on every aspect of it!  It cannot be discussed in a few sentences. A webinar or a series of meetings have to be organised that cover all the aspects related to tourism and its policies as it concerns culture, transportation, infrastructure development, finance and taxation, foreign investment: as I said, humungous subjects and each one warrants and demands detailed discussions not just in the context of 2020 Covid-19, but for the next decade or two. Not just today or tomorrow but please initiate the thinking for 2040 or 2050. It is never too early. 

How was the year 2020 for HRH Hotels in terms of occupancy and RevPAR across properties?

The calendar year began with a bang and the first two months were truly remarkable. But I guess once the pandemic took over, time just had a stop. We cannot be talking about 2020 in normal terms and using the old categories of business revenues and ARR. It has been one of the toughest times. I am happy to say that we have risen up to fight the battles on all fronts. Hopefully in 2021-22 we shall be able to share the good news. Fingers crossed! 

Jagmandir Island Palace

How important a role will technology play in the hotels of the future? Please shed some light on the new implementations keeping the new norms in mind as well as keeping the ‘living heritage’ element intact?

Technology, especially information technology, has become the backbone of all categories of businesses; it has also become the vehicle for communication, management and everything else that keeps us going. For the hotel and hospitality world, the human factor is supremely important. The warmth of hospitality can only be shared between people and not with robots! In the years to come, health-hygiene-safety will assume far greater importance. 

In all our endeavours 'living heritage' remains the platform on which we build our present and future. Udaipur, as a heritage-city, and the HRH Group of Hotels as a chain of palace-hotels and sanctuary-resorts, is a shining example of 'living heritage'. 

What major plans and developments have you set in motion for HRH Hotels in the year 2021?

The challenges of 2021 are not going to be radically different from 2020. Our focus will be to get on track while adhering to government regulations, ensuring that the pandemic does not disrupt the social and economic life of our land. 

Gajner Palace

To grow the brand ‘Incredible India’, what is your take and how is HRH Hotels contributing?

We are Incredible India! The heritage of Mewar and Rajasthan, the tangible and intangible heritage of cities like Udaipur, Kumbhalgarh, Ranakpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner are the DNA, the lifeline of Incredible India. 

Through our iconic palaces, our festivals and events we continue to breathe more life into our heritage. As guests who walk through the Crystal Gallery or visit the Vintage and Classic Car Collection at Garden Hotel, they marvel at the heritage we have preserved and shared with global and Indian audiences over the years. Every facet of our living heritage has the potential to keep on growing and involving a spectrum of audiences who can enrich their lives. This is the soul of Incredible India and we are happy to be an integral part of it.