Towards 2025

THERE HAS been a good reason to celebrate the arrival of year 2020. 

It is great news that India’s ranking at the World Economic Forum Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index has grown stronger year on year. From 65 in 2013 to 40 in 2017 and then scaling six spots forward to 34 in 2019.

A lot of credit goes to the Ministry of Tourism for their pro-active attitude and a truly incredible think tank that is giving focused attention on how to further strengthen Indian tourism. The role played by State Tourism boards is also praiseworthy.

In India, the Foreign tourists arrivals crossed 10.5 million mark in 2018, grew by 5.2 per cent over last year. This is expected to reach 30.5 million by 2028 (IBEF, Ministry of Commerce). The Foreign exchange earnings in 2018, grew by 4.7 per cent to US$ 28.5 Bn while the Domestic tourist arrivals reached 1.8 Bn in 2018.

World Tourism stood 1.4 Bn arrivals in 2018 and the International receipts from tourism US$ 1.7 trillion in 2018

While the numbers will remain dynamic what has remained a constant in the past few years or so is the role of technology in the hospitality market, be it domestic or international. Technology as a tool to create unique differentiators in the industry, technology as a facilitator for better processes and technology to identify guest preferences much more closer. 

Way back in 2009, digital innovation was just about hitting the market. Apps were creating the buzz but still the poster boy of social media-Instagram had really not made the noise. All this was about to change. Most were focusing on the T of Tourism without realising that another T was about to unleash a swashbuckling momentum that would metamorphose the industry. Literally, in the blink of an eye. This was the T of Technology that had the power to enable a personalized experience for every guest.

The hospitality industry has become highly technology-driven. 

In today's rapidly evolving environment, significant cultural and economic issues are converging with impact being felt across multiple industry sectors including hospitality. While manpower attrition remains a key challenge for the service industry, the biggest challenge comes from the Environment itself. Most business cycle downturns are short lived and cyclical in nature. However, it will be almost impossible to turn back the clock on Nature. 

As an industry, Hospitality players must read the writing on the wall and work towards Planet Positive. Each of us must do our bit.

Supporting national priorities, ITC is committed to making a meaningful contribution to national economic development as an employment multiplier creating sustainable livelihoods, while enriching the tourism landscape of the country. Since our inception, over 4 decades ago, ITC Hotels has followed the organisation’s lead in making our business practices sustainable. So while we were building these luxurious, world-class hotels we wanted to ensure that the luxury experiences we were creating were also making a meaningful contribution to society and creating a positive environmental footprint through the ethos of Responsible Luxury.

At ITC’s hotels, guests enjoy every luxury while we take care of the earth’s precious resources – water, energy and waste management. Our guests aren’t burdened with things like reusing towels after a shower because we promise to make every indulgence guilt-free! For instance, very soon we will meet more than 65 per cent of the total electrical energy demand through renewable sources. Water consumption has been reduced by 50 per cent. We recycle and treat enough waste water to irrigate 65,000 trees. 

Introduced in 2010 as the way forward for ITC Hotels, Responsible Luxury became a global phenomenon and is now a global Case Study published in Harvard Business Publishing.

We reimagine existing processes so that we can deliver enriching experiences for our guests, without compromising on the highest benchmark of quality, while creating a positive environmental and social footprint.

This belief is manifest in the ITC Luxury Collection Hotels, which are LEED Platinum Certified along with our headquarters, the ITC Green Centre at Gurugram.

In the coming years, the focus on Sustainability will be far more. We at ITC have always believed that businesses cannot succeed in societies that have failed. Going forward, this realisation will be far more global.

Blending luxury with responsible practices in this way makes for an experience that has a more meaningful impact on society and the environment. It emphasizes our approach to look beyond ‘business as usual’ towards ‘business that cares’.

For instance, ITC Hotels pioneered the Clean Air initiative in Indian hospitality. We offer Indoor Air Quality at par with WHO standards, which is 50 per cent better compared to the Indian standards (60 micrograms per m3 for PM2.5).  The project was initiated at ITC Maurya, New Delhi and is moving to other hotels as well in a phased manner. The indoor and outdoor air quality readings can be seen live on a monitor installed at the hotel lobby and guest floor areas.

ITC Hotels has been the first chain to eliminate single use plastic products. Infact way back in 2012 we were the first to introduce water in glass bottles – ŚūnyaAqua’, which means 'zero-mile water'. Instead of purchasing commercially provided water in plastic bottles, we fill glass bottles within the hotel premises, using internationally accredited purification techniques. This helps us minimize our carbon footprint and reduce plastic waste, while still ensuring guests have the fresh, clean water they need.

The coming years will see many more initiatives from ITC Hotels in the Sustainability space. We are working towards 100 per cent solid waste recycling by converting waste to energy through a bio-methanation project and will be introducing a chemical-free and waterless laundry system.

Using hydroponic technology for onsite gardens and farms is another of our Responsible Luxury initiatives. More than two decades ago, Westview at ITC Maurya had the foresight to pioneer the Farm to plate concept through its terrace garden. A trendsetter way ahead of its times. 

Food waste is an obvious area of concern for every hotel, and we have spearheaded a large number of initiatives to address this challenge. For example, at ITC Hotels we have introduced the concept of the WelcomMeal, where guests can indulge in a well-balanced menu ranging from Indian to Oriental to Western but in smaller portions, thereby ensuring that there is less wastage and similarly we have introduced WelcomSthalika which is Welcomhotel brand’s signature thali offering; a smorgasbord of regional dishes that offers a glimpse of the region’s most cherished delicacies.

We also make continuous process improvements through purchase and inventory management, optimizing our food production, and implementing stringent storage protocols. We regularly review our portion sizes and configure our buffets to prevent wastage, and what is not eaten is composted onsite.

India’s rich heritage of indigenous produce is constantly showcased to create enhanced economic opportunities for farmers and local partners. We are especially proud of our Local Love initiative, which celebrates local indigenous flavours. Through Local Love, we give our guests an unforgettable regional cuisine experience while also procuring local produce from local farmers.

In fact, more than 40 per cent of our edibles are sourced locally. This means we are positively impacting social factors, such as helping to provide employment for local producers, as well as environmental ones such as minimizing our carbon footprint.

In addition, through the Choose Wisely program, under the guidance of WWF-India and Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, all domestic species that are endangered have been entirely omitted from the menu. Instead, a guest in our restaurant can choose seafood options from our menu that are ranked using a sustainability traffic light system.

The world is changing and with change come challenges and opportunities.  The Hospitality sector will carry both. It is upon us to make it a smooth ride by converting every challenge into an opportunity and every opportunity into an asset for the future.  The global hospitality sector embraces us all. It is here that the pace of change will be the fastest and the need to change the greatest.