New Normal In The Hospitality Industry

As the hospitality industry is preparing itself to open or already opened after the lockdown in the various parts of the world, forget the way we used to travel before. From temperature screening to contactless check-in to wearing masks, check out some of the new normal in the hospitality industry from the hotel professionals across the globe!

Ryan Killeen

General Manager, Annex Hotel, Toronto, Canada

 

“You’re going to start to see things like the front desk become something of the past. Hotels will move to a touch-less, on-demand offering that allows guests to interact with the property as they see fit… Brands will get creative and enhance the guest experience through technology. Communicating with guests through their personal devices makes so much sense! Goodbye clunky room phones.”

 

---

Charmaine Wee

Accommodations Director, 8M Collective, Singapore

“Efforts to create a robust health and hygiene system while working closely with governing bodies and employing initiatives such as the clean accreditation from the government will be one of the top priorities for the hospitality industry. The properties also need to prevent congestion and address social distancing; check-in and check-out processes, layouts of lobbies and communal spaces. The use of technology to minimize daily touchpoints and a contactless stay where possible.”

 

---

Romain Meiran

General Manager, La Réserve Paris, France

 

“Within just a few months, the world has changed, but we have adapted. The current situation places health and well-being at the top of everyone’s agenda. Addition of the health and wee-being dimension, the clients will adapt their way of traveling: they will look for intimist hotels, villas or apartments and avoid crowded areas. The demand for absolute comfort is more relevant than ever now in the current scenario offering freedom of movement and independence, which have become rare commodities. Travelers would prefer more secluded wellness getaways and hotels/resorts will focus more on health & safety while promoting holistic experiences.”

 

---

Veronica Medina

Owner, Alquimia Hospitality Group, US

 

“I think there will definitely be stricter and new cleaning protocols,  safety measures such as social distancing and masks will be a must. All staff will wear masks and gloves. Social distance will be inforced. Guests will have to do most of the check-in procedures either online before checking or do a self-check-in at the front desk. Pools will have restricted access and will have strict social distance compliance. The industry might take a little to recover until people feel safe to travel again”. 

 

---

Vinit Kumar Chhabra

General Manager, Radisson Kandla, India

“New normal would be to follow the three critical parameters of ensuring that the pandemic is kept in check. They being: Social distancing, Thermal Screening & Sanitation as followed in hospitals. Also unlike our focus on one to one experience in handling guests, it would be more technology-based, be it guest check-in, check out, servicing of rooms, room allotment and dining experiences. The emphasis would be on minimum contact with guests for their safety. Similarly, all team members would follow the same guidelines, be it their lockers, team café and personal hygiene. Hand sanitizers in all key areas would become a norm and clearly there would be more emphasis on daily sanitation of key touchpoints like door handles, elevator call buttons, taps, etc”.

---

Françoise & Michel Scour

Founders, The Island Lodge, Vietnam

 

“We think that customer behavior should evolve towards a more boutique hotel which offers  20/25 rooms, and far from areas with large human concentrations (cities), so mostly in the countryside. People would prefer more outdoor activities and love to stay amidst nature. For that, we think that our kind of small boutique properties away from the hustle and bustle of city life would appeal more to future travelers”.

 

 

---

Asa Abraham

Corporate PR & Communications Director, The Paul Resorts & Hotels, India

 

“I feel that travelers would probably prefer to travel shorter and safer distances to destinations. So, more focus will be on domestic travel initially as compared to international.  People would appreciate clarity on the measures taken by hotels or resorts to ensure their safety and will choose accordingly. Service will still matter but differently. Reviews will still matter but the focus will change as personal safety and hygiene will be of prime importance and above all else”.

 

---

James L. Pancallo

General Manager, Lago Mar Beach Resort & Club, Fort Lauderdale, US

“There’s going to be a strict safety & hygiene measures as per government regulations for the hospitality industry in the new normal. Taking daily the temperature of the team and guests during the hotel check-in would be a regular routine. Wearing mask signs and sanitizer stations would be available in the lobby and all the other prime spots inside the hotels. The guestrooms would be without paper goods including magazines, paper pads, pens and bathrobes from the guest rooms. Hotels and resorts will focus on maintaining social distancing & contactless experience throughout their premises.”

---

Catarina de Pina Joana

Marketing Coordinator, Epic Sana Luanda Hotel, Angola

“We can expect hotels to introduce new standards in order to adjust to the new reality such as introducing acrylic covered front desks, face masks for staff and guests, reinforce frequent hand hygiene, limited seating at F&B outlets and proper distancing between seats, introducing digital menus and QR code’s with direct access to menus from guest’s devices, switching from self-serving buffets to assisted buffet services, and create new safety standards for Housekeeping. Moreover, I believe that there will be two separate traveling groups emerging, such as the “free & fearless” travelers, versus the ones who are more hesitant to travel due to the impact that the COVID19 has had in the world as a whole, therefore there might be a big challenge for certain hotels to keep in business. However, the future of Hospitality is in all our hands, there will be a much bigger need to differentiate and stand out from the competition, to innovate and attract more clients, and lastly, to change dynamics and adjust to the sudden changes that will be happening in the near future”.

---

Did you like this post? Then, don’t forget to pin it!