As we recognize this is a tough time for the travel and hotel industry, recently VHP has partnered up with Siteminder, KAI Hotel Solutions and HERC (Hotel E-commerce and Revenue Community) Indonesia and held an industry-led panel discussion. The main focus was on how Indonesian hoteliers can find the best way forward in a world that has been changed by the Covid-10 pandemic.

The discussion held on April 21st, 2020 was hosted by Mrs. Komang Ani, Business Development Manager of Siteminder with contributions from hotel industry leaders: Mrs. Marcelyn Sunarjo (Head of Business Development – VHP); Mr. Reza Rizky (HERC), Mrs. Dian Ayu (HERC) and Mr. Rizky Januar (General Manager KAI).

Titled REACT, RESPOND, RECOVER, the panel discussed how hoteliers can react and respond now and how hotels can recover in the midst of many new complexities. Although no one knows how long the Covid-19 pandemic will lasts, a market recovery in the future is ultimately unavoidable, so it’s important to focus on the efforts hoteliers can make today, tomorrow and next few months to get through this difficult time.

React -The latest impact of Covid-19 on the Indonesian market

  • Local market has been hit very hard. Even harder than the previous epidemic such as SARS and MERS.
  • Due of lock down situation, people focus and spend their money on primary needs than travelling as movement is restricted anyways.
  • However there is some domestic market accommodating guests who spend their quarantine or isolation time in hotel.
  • Local market is predicted to recover sooner than international market.

Respond – Short-tem tactics and ways to optimize the business during these difficult times

  • Hotel need to check on the cash-flow for the upcoming months
  • Maximize all available resources to generate short-term potential income (food takeaways, outside catering, outside cleaning service, attractive room package, food delivery, beverage specials to go).
  • Communicate and engage with your guests via email newsletters, Live IG Feeds etc. re: what safety and hygiene measures have been taken; entertainment or cooking demo).
  • Prepare potential new demands of travelers such as health & hygiene considerations (thermo scanners, SOPs, documentation, protective gear for employees, etc.)
  • Create attractive packages for future travel dates with flexible terms.
  • Use the time for new skill development whereas currently many online trainings and webinars are offered.
  • Review existing infrastructure and look out for new cloud-based technologies to stay current whereas the world is experiencing a digital transformation due of physical restrictions caused by Covid-19 pandemic. The move into online and cloud technology will also ensure cost efficiency of the upcoming hotel business.
  • Review the hotel’s brand identity and refresh hotel’s branding and –website to come out in a new fresh once business comes back to normal.

Recover – How will travelling evolve in the future and how will it impact to the hotel industry

  • Travelers may become more concern on hygiene and health aspects.
  • Face mask and physical & social distancing will be long term measurements. Hotel will need to be prepared for contactless service such as mobile concierge, self check-in technology.
  • Significant increase on online business
  • Market will become more selective on their travel plans, more cost sensitive and more quality- than brand oriented.

 

Please click here to listen an on demnad recording of the panel discussion