guest column
There is a silver lining; Tourism will bounce back, for sure! We take a look at Aerocity as a hotel zone, revisit some of the large format hotels that had begun successful forays into weddings, banquets and conferences. Small would appear beautiful, again, as the industry gears towards a slow start to business again.
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by Rakesh Mathur
o it’s back; another crisis that Travel confidence shall only be restored steps will be taken. will directly impact the Hospionce a preventive or curative medicine is To my mind, the silver lining in the sky tality and Tourism Sector. But finally developed, which I hear could be is our huge domestic tourism potential. this is not the first time!! In my around November 2020 Once travel confidence is restored, the lifetime in the Hospitality InThe hospitality industry will thus regreat opportunities I see are in: dustry in India, it happened in 1994 as an cover very slowly and in stages. It may take Encouraging mid-market and upmarket aftermath of the Mumbai blasts. It hapmore than a year post elimination of the domestic travel as against outbound. We pened due to the plague in Surat. The incivirus to reach previous year levels. This will have lovely destinations all over the country dent of 9/11 in New York was a defining lead to tumultuous upheavals in the industry and those should be promoted. Kashmir moment on a global scale. due to its severe financial impact and prescomes straight to my mind. It was THE The Coronavirus is Global on Destination among the elite before the Far Eastern and Euroa much larger scale. Its effects as pean destinations took over. The an epidemic shall remain until a un-tapped North East of India is cure is found. Its impact will, also a great destination. however, be longer-lasting. Both One suggestion would be to give economic and social. a tax rebate on a domestic famOn the economic front, we are ily holiday travel. This will enall experiencing the complete loss courage domestic travel, generof business and closure of hotels ate revenues, without any real with no indication of when normalcy will resume. To my mind, cost to the government. the following may happen: The current scenario provides Once lockdown is over and us a great opportunity to promote travel is permitted, only essential Wellness Tourism which is India’s business travel will take place. inherent knowledge of Meditation, Yoga, Ayurveda, Spirituali Smaller meetings and SemiKashmir, one of India’s lovely destinations. A tax rebate nars will be curtailed both as a ty, Vast knowledge of Astrology on family holiday travel will boost domestic travel and generate revenue for the government. cost-cutting measure and due to as a Science based on Astronomy its replacement by “online” and its impact on our environsure on working capital. There could be ment and us. And promotion of India’s huge meetings. several sales of assets, a slump in revenues repertoire of vegetarian cuisines. There has Large Conferences, unless absolutely and consequent pressures on brands. been a worldwide resurgence of interest in all critical, will be postponed or cancelled, as One thing for sure, apart from re-enerthis in the past few weeks. a cost-cutting measure. gising the National Green Tribunal and Once travel confidence is restored, hope Foreign essential business travellers to fully around October or November, the third Pollution Control Board, the Government is India will not be inclined to take brief side great market to tap is to encourage Destinalikely to re-define health, hygiene and sanitrips to iconic tourist spots such as Agra, tation norms and enforce them with renewed tion Weddings, Weddings and Weddings, to Jaipur, Ellora etc. This was a significant vigour. So, hospitality service providers who fill up the empty convention spaces!! tourism contribution. have compromised on space, planning and One thing for sure. India will, as always, Western traffic to India will reduce drastically due to it being long-haul and they will implementation of proper hygiene and saniSURELY BOUNCE BACK. tation norms, shall have a lot to worry about. not be inclined to travel to the East, the origin of the virus. Rakesh Mathur is a veteran hotelier, and The challenge, of course, shall be the presently President, Responsible Tourism “Work From Home” culture will impact un-organised sector, but looking at the Society of India. travel. present mood of the government, concrete destination india | june 2020 | 34
