Approximately 600 words

How Indian travel and hospitality sectors will change post the COVID lockdowns

Travel and hospitality, once the most flourishing of sectors, have been hit the hardest due to the
pandemic. Airlines and hotels are bleeding losses heavily, waiting desperately for signs of the pandemic
to abate. The outlook for these two sectors however, looks grim. Industry experts say that even when
the lockdown is lifted, and permissions are granted for recreational travel and stay, consumer sentiment
is not expected to pick up immediately. The fear factor among consumers will be a major barrier to
revival of demand. The industry will need to woo customers aggressively with offers that offer
considerable value. Customers can expect price wars, which will eventually damage the revival
prospects of many operators. Given this scenario, what are the changes that customers can expect to
experience when they start travelling?

Customers can expect a digital first approach in all their interactions with travel and hospitality
operators. Self-ticket and room bookings, cancellations and other service requirements will be the norm
to start the travel experience as operators will rely heavily on automated platforms and artificial
intelligence based services to reduce staffing costs wherever possible. Your next room booking
experience may be guided by a chatbot instead of a customer relations or front office manager.

What about the valued holy grail of travel and hospitality experiences, “the personal touch in customer
services?” How will that fit in? The premium in servicing will now move towards “no touch services” and
“excellence in socially distant servicing levels.” We would be looking at self-service in-flight meals, no
contact meal ordering at hotels and restaurants, remote check in’s and private dining spaces.

Shifting preferences will also make customers seek our smaller and boutique properties and there will
be a premium on properties certified safe and hygienic. Review and rating platforms will also start to
feature properties at smaller, remote locations where people would be able to savour slow travel via
driving. Long road journeys will be back as customers try to connect with nature while avoiding mass
modes of travel like airlines and trains.

Large upscale chains and operators have legacy brands with considerable customer loyalty. They are
busy developing strong SOPs that will enable top notch safety precautions, blending hygiene and safety
standards with new norms like extra seating space, mandatory vacant seats, and precautions to ensure
high hygiene levels of food and service. There would be considerable reassurance for customers as they
would feel safe with travel and hospitality brands they have trusted before.

To sum up, we will see a far more fragmented market with many options for customers. Bundled value
packages will become the norm and large chains will be able score heavily by being able to create
bundled offerings. Booking and cancellation flexibility, free in-hotel and in-flight services, cuisine and
health meal options and various other offers will create attractive value propositions for customers.
Hotels, airlines and travel operators will tie up with other category brands to offer a variety of services
which will add to their value propositions. Customers can expect aggressive loyalty marketing offers
making them feel pampered. Well why not? As the saying goes, the motto of “customer is king” will
always hold true and the customer can look forward to royal treatment for a pretty long period of time
as the industry fights to win over the customer mind space once again.
About the author:

Manish Kumar has been writing for over 20 years on topics related to business, marketing, travel, food,
hospitality, technology and digital media as part of his profession. He works at a boutique advisory firm.