TTT SPECIAL : GEARING UP FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON: HOW HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES IN INDIA CAN MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES

BY HANINDER SACHDEVA,

CEO, EIGHT CONTINENTS HOTELS & RESORTS

NEW DELHI, 14 OCTOBER 2024:

India’s festive season, marked by vibrant cultural celebrations, weddings, and long holidays, presents a significant opportunity for the hospitality industry to boost its revenue and enhance its brand image. The period from October to December sees a surge in domestic travel, family gatherings, and celebrations, making it a crucial time for hotels, resorts, and other hospitality ventures to position themselves for success.

Here’s how hospitality businesses can strategically gear up for the upcoming festive season and capitalize on the heightened demand.

1. Tailor-Made Packages and Festive Deals:

One of the most effective ways to attract guests during the festive season is to offer customized packages that align with the cultural and celebratory atmosphere. Festive packages can be designed to include staycation deals, culinary experiences, cultural events, and wellness activities, adding value for guests while enhancing their stay.

• Staycation Offers: With increasing interest in domestic travel, creating short-stay, all-inclusive packages is a way to entice families, couples, and friend groups looking for a quick getaway.
• Wedding Packages: Since weddings peak during the festive season, hospitality businesses should curate special wedding packages. These can include venue rental, décor, catering, and even tie-ups with local event planners, florists, and designers.
• Festive Dining: Indian festivals are synonymous with indulgent meals. Curating festive-themed menus or organizing special dining events with regional delicacies, live music, and thematic decor can appeal to local visitors and traveling guests alike.

2. Enhancing Guest Experience with Personalized Services:

In the age of experience-driven hospitality, personalization is no longer a luxury—it’s an expectation. Hotels and resorts can win customer loyalty and positive reviews by offering bespoke services that cater to individual guest preferences.

• Welcome Gestures: Small, thoughtful touches such as festive-themed welcome kits, personalized notes, or complimentary sweets can make a lasting impact. These gestures not only reflect attention to detail but also make guests feel more connected to the brand.
• Special Activities: Organize events that cater to the festive spirit, such as diya lighting ceremonies for Diwali, cultural performances, or local artisan fairs. This adds a unique experience for guests while supporting local artists and businesses.
• Flexible Check-In/Check-Out: Many guests prefer flexible schedules during holidays. Offering early check-ins or late check-outs, especially for families, adds to the overall guest satisfaction and can encourage longer stays.

3. Leveraging Technology for a Seamless Experience:

Technology plays a key role in providing a smooth, stress-free experience for both guests and staff, particularly during high-demand seasons like the festive period.

• Contactless Solutions: From digital check-ins to room service via mobile apps, offering contactless options can streamline operations while enhancing the guest experience.
• AI-Driven Personalization: Many hotels are now using artificial intelligence to provide recommendations and tailor experiences based on previous guest data. Whether it’s suggesting a personalized spa treatment or recommending local festivals to attend, AI can help in delivering more targeted services.
• Automating Operations: High guest volumes require efficient backend operations. Hotels can use property management systems (PMS) to automate everything from housekeeping schedules to reservation tracking, ensuring that services are prompt and organized during the busy festive season.

4. Maximizing Visibility Through Targeted Marketing:

Marketing is key to attracting guests, particularly when the festive season sees heavy competition in the hospitality space. Targeted marketing campaigns that reflect the joyous atmosphere of the season can engage potential customers both online and offline.

• Digital Marketing: With social media playing an increasingly significant role in holiday planning, hotels should use platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to showcase their festive packages, unique experiences, and property features. Creating content that aligns with popular trends—such as short video reels, influencer collaborations, or contests—can significantly boost visibility.
• Local Partnerships: Collaborating with local travel agents, influencers, and tour operators can help hotels reach a wider audience. Additionally, leveraging platforms like MakeMyTrip, Yatra, or TripAdvisor to showcase special packages and customer reviews can increase booking conversions.
• Email Campaigns: Targeted email campaigns to past guests with early bird discounts or special loyalty offers can help drive repeat business. Highlighting the festive experiences, special packages, and events planned at the property can serve as a gentle nudge to prompt bookings.

5. Focusing on Hygiene and Safety Standards:

Post-pandemic, guests are more concerned than ever about hygiene and safety. Ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness is not just a regulatory requirement but a critical factor in guest decision-making.

• Certifications and Protocols: Emphasizing hotel hygiene certifications such as Safe Travels, or complying with national safety standards, will reassure guests that their health is a priority. Clearly communicating safety protocols through websites, social media, and at check-in provides transparency and builds trust.
• Sanitized Spaces: Regular sanitization of high-touch areas and providing guests with sanitizers and masks, if needed, can reinforce the feeling of security. Additionally, offering contactless services like digital menus and cashless payments minimizes physical interaction while maintaining convenience.

6. Training Staff for the Festive Rush:

A well-prepared team can make all the difference in how a hotel handles the influx of guests during the festive season.

• Festive Training: Ensuring that staff are trained in managing high occupancy levels, dealing with a diverse clientele, and providing excellent service under pressure is essential.
• Cultural Sensitivity: During festive times, cultural sensitivity becomes even more important. Staff should be aware of different customs, rituals, and dietary preferences to provide a smooth and culturally inclusive experience.
• Upskilling for Personalization: Beyond the basics, training staff to offer personalized services, handle queries quickly, and solve problems on the spot will ensure that the guest experience remains top-notch even during peak times.

Conclusion:

The festive season in India is a period of high energy, tradition, and celebration. For hospitality businesses, it represents a prime opportunity to attract more guests, enhance their brand image, and boost profitability. By crafting unique experiences, maintaining high safety standards, leveraging technology, and ensuring that staff are well-prepared, hotels can make the most of this busy season. With the right strategies in place, hospitality brands can not only meet guest expectations but exceed them, creating memories that will last beyond the festivities.