Time to be agile, innovative

Kerrie Hannaford, Vice President – Commercial, Accor India & South Asia, talks about the launch of Raffles Udaipur as a move in line with the brand’s long-term vision to operate in the ultra-luxury and premium segments.

Lipla Negi

What have been your considerations behind coming to India?

We strongly believe that the future of luxury hotels is very bright in India. Raffles is the 10th brand that Accor is introducing in the country. There is a promising future for such brands in the region as there are discerning customers that are actively looking for memorable, inimitable luxurious experiences that a brand like Raffles delivers.

Was ‘social business’ (M!CE & big, fat Indian weddings) a consideration for entering India?

M!CE and weddings are segments that remain a focus area for most hotels. In a country like India, weddings will always see traction, as they are firmly entrenched in the culture. The ongoing global pandemic has brought in a wide range of new trendsetting patterns in the ‘Big Fat Indian Wedding’ industry – a complete shift towards contactless food services and micro wedding ceremonies in addition to the present norms of socially distanced gatherings, with a focus on highly sanitised venues. Our brands have a strong focus on the meetings and conventions market as well as an extremely high brand recall in the weddings and socials market.

Raffles Udaipur will extend the largest ballroom in the city facilitating big meetings, weddings, conferences and product launches while the smaller meeting rooms can be used by corporate groups staying with us for their board meetings, giving us an opportunity to engage with the business segment.

Major international luxury hotel brands are not present in India. Do you think Raffles Udaipur will give you an edge over others?

Our aim is to deliver the Raffles legendary brand experience in India and to match with the other most prestigious Raffles hotels and resorts worldwide. We are confident that our immersive hospitality and unparalleled experiences are what will charm our guests. We want our guests to see what we have created, amalgamating Raffles’ global ethos with local Indian sensitivities.

Why choose a season-specific market like Rajasthan? Why not a beach destination or Himalayan luxury?

Rajasthan is a place with a vibrant culture and a rich history. It is the perfect destination to explore for leisure travellers who are on a constant quest for peace, calm and discovery. One of the most preferred domestic as well as international tourist destinations, Rajasthan is brimming with cities such as Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Mount Abu and Bikaner that boast of beautiful and inviting landscapes, delectable cuisines and warm people. It was all these elements that helped us choose Rajasthan for India’s first Raffles.

Industry forecasters and experts are predicting a slow pace of hospitality business for the next two years. What made you go ahead with the decision to launch the hotel this year?

It has been our long-term vision to operate in the ultra-luxury and premium segments, and we’ve always had a forward-looking attitude towards new signings and openings. Yes, the recovery is going to be slow, but we are already seeing a return of luxury travel across the globe, in countries that are opening up. Things are looking bright for the luxury segment, especially because after all the uncertainty and chaos that people have been through because of the pandemic, they are now looking for ways to indulge in lavish but mindful experiences.

Today, fixed costs are high and travel restrictions are here to stay for a while. How do you plan to sustain for the next two years when the property would majorly be relying on domestic business? We will certainly see more caution, and guests will be more prudent while making travel plans. The hospitality industry will remain dynamic but will now be extra cautious, agile and innovative. The future is still unknown, but we are cautiously optimistic. Under current circumstances, with travel restrictions, more and more Indians are exploring domestic destinations. We strongly believe that this will help us sustain bookings and attract more traffic to the hotel.