‘We envision having over 100 hotels by 2027’

UMIL Hotels, a part of Ahmedabad-based Unique Mercantile India Group, was founded and established in 1996 by Rajkumar Rai, its current Chairman & Managing Director. UMIL Hotels features global brands and its home brand, Renest in the mid-market segment. Since its inception in 2012, UMIL Hotels’ focus has been thoughtful service, backed by the promise to create a lasting impression at three levels – new connections, memorable stays and immersive discoveries. Renest Hotels & Resorts is a brand that was formulated as being close to Nature and one that brings value to the target segment. Excerpts from an interview with Rahul Rai, Executive Director, UMIL:

Combining sustainability with tourism 
The hospitality and travel sector were among the worst hit by the recent pandemic. However, since people have now resumed travelling, the market is gradually picking up but there is a huge shift in consumer behaviour that is being witnessed. “People are now more aware than ever of their health, fitness and the environment. Thus, consumer demand for sustainable tourism practices is inevitably growing and responding to the consumer’s wants is the need of the hour. However, the sector faces very many challenges when it comes to sustainable tourism. That being said, hotels can be more sustainable by incorporating small things in their operations and ensuring that the plastic usage is minimal. It is our responsibility to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity,” says Rai.

Renest Manali

USP of Renest Hotels & Resorts 
“Our USP lies in giving the guests a magical first-hand experience. Our superpower is generating and making the most of opportunities as a brand that is continuously searching for ways to grow and improve. We are keeping experiential locations, offbeat sites and corporate venues on our radar to deliver the best and most unique experiences possible to our target segment,” he shares.

Changing consumer pattern post-pandemic
Most travellers are now making travel plans not more than 10-15 days in advance unlike earlier when the travel plans were made months in advance, says Rai, adding that things have changed and so are the booking trends as everyone is trying to adapt to the new normal.

Occupancies and ARRS post-Covid19 
“We are glad the industry has touched the pre-pandemic levels and with the wedding and festive season approaching, we are assertive that the business would prosper,” opines Rai.

Employee retention tools
The Executive Director, UMIL, says that employee retention is a challenge for every industry, especially hospitality since it is competing for a small talent pool. “To find the right talent, train them and retain them is an arduous but imperative task. It is not an unknown fact that the hospitality industry is quite demanding and thus we have employee recognition programs in place to keep the teams motivated at all times. That apart, we endeavour to provide our teams with not only a healthy work environment but also one that celebrates the rich culture of India. Additionally, we have an incentive scheme to encourage the teams and promote a culture of high performanc,” he says.

Scope for growth in India’s hospitality sector
For the fiscal year 2020-21 due to the impact of the pandemic, the Indian hotel industry had taken a major hit in revenue. However, in comparison to 2020, the year 2021 was better for the sector due to the relaxation of the curbs, says Rai. “As for 2022, things have been going good so far as people have resumed travelling for business and leisure. As a result, the hospitality industry expects a healthy recovery in the coming year. The wedding industry and MICE segment have also started picking up a good pace which could mean a significant rise in business for us in the coming time,” he adds.

Reaching out to newer audiences
Rai feels blessed to a good team, a strong on-site and regional sales team who are hands-on when it comes to identifying new segments within the travel sector and reaching out to them. “Our reliable and collaborative marketing team leaves no stone unturned in reaching out to new audiences in different ways including but not limited to targeted advertising, influencer marketing, direct marketing and inclusive loyalty programmes,” he says.

Renest Shirdi

Challenges hospitality industry needs to overcome 
“There are very many challenges the hospitality industry faces on a daily basis, but I feel that only makes us stronger by the day. As mentioned before, hiring the right talent is one of the many challenges that the industry deals with. The dynamic market and the ever-changing consumer needs/demands are others that top the list. Rising operational costs is yet another challenge that needs to be addressed. Not only that, protecting the online reputation or ORM is something that every brand is struggling with today,” Rai opines.

Capitalising on new and emerging trends
After being stuck indoors for almost two years while being surrounded by uncertainties, 2022 has been all about revenge travel where people were looking to relax and unwind. People have a strong desire to be outside than ever, thus demand for destinations close to nature and spiritual destinations will continue to rise. “To provide our guests with yet another property in the holy land, we recently opened Renest Haridwar, a 74-key property, located on Rishikesh Highway, 3 km from Har Ki Pauri. At Renest Hotels & Resorts, from growing our organic produce to recycling rainwater and from establishing vertical gardens to open skylights, we have incorporated sustainable measures to preserve and protect our environment,” he shares.

Trends for upcoming winter season 
“At the outset, we as a brand are all charged and geared up as the festive season is approaching. However, the market these days is quite dynamic to predict things well in advance,” says Rai, adding that from the past trends, he can conclude that domestic tourism is on the rise, and people are drawn towards off-beat destinations, unique experiences and wellness retreats.

Future plans
“We are a growing and evolving brand that aspires to be the preferred brand for both domestic and foreign travellers. We have properties coming up in Gurgaon and Udaipur very soon. Yes, we will undoubtedly expand to other locations across India and in the long run, we would like to see our brand have an international presence as well. We envision having over 100 hotels by 2027,” concludes Rai.