TravTalk India Online Magazine
Steve Borgia, CMD, INDeco Leisure Hotels, dedicates the success of his hotels during the pandemic to domestic demand and suggests that brand India should also be propagated for its heritage and emotional quotient, as there is a big market to explore.
TT Bureau
Steve Borgia, CMD, INDeco Leisure Hotels, claims that even during pandemic INDeco didn’t take any beating because of domestic demand. “We recorded the highest occupancy at the time. Later, after the intensity of the pandemic reduced, we had to work hard to prepare ourselves to catch the outburst of domestic tourism,” he said.
Neighbourhood boon
Apart from the domestic tourism, INDeco had to prepare itself for neighbourhood tourism. “People around the neighbourhood started travelling into hotel. Earlier, INDeco Swamimalai always had people from France, US and Germany. We didn’t have people even from Bengaluru and Mumbai. Now, people of neighbourhood started coming into the hotel. That was a big segment and today we are full on weekends and weekdays. We do about 60-70 per cent occupancy without the inbound traffic. We used to be a 100 per cent inbound hotel three years ago.”
Secondly, he said, “ARRs also saw a new high during COVID. Earlier, we used to be `4,500 with the inbound traffic. Today, it is `6,500 to `7,000. Thus, we had to quickly upgrade our rooms for Indians. They asked for Palatial Suite, Maharaja Suite, room with a pool and pool villa. It was big learning for us and they were willing to pay as much as `30,000-`50,000 per night. All our tariffs got jacked up because we had put the amenities inside. This was a great learning, and people came and they mostly wanted to enjoy the outdoors. People would come into the hotel and call their friends and the occupancy would increase from one room to four rooms,” he said.
Partnership with Blusaz
Almost a year back, INDeco joined hands with Blusaz Hospitality. When asked about the same, he shared, “We are just a little below a year and it is early to judge that. Adapting to INDeco culture, the way we operate and our values is not very easy.”
Weddings galore
Borgia shared that INDeco Swamimalai is becoming a busy wedding destination. “We do wedding from 500 people to 1,200 people in a responsible manner involving local community. This boosts the sale of local products, which, in turn, increases their per capita income. Hence, we have translated weddings business as a major revenue not only for the hotel, but also for the local community,” he informed.
The Last Resort
When it comes to expansion and building the brand, Borgia said, “I’m trying to develop a hotel product with no buildings, and I want to call it The Last Resort, built in a beautiful mountain river area. It will be in 100 acres, with 30-40 hotels, very sensitive, ecological and sustainable. I’m planning to start this project in three months. We have just acquired the land for the same.” He claimed that they have always been a trendsetter. “After pioneering rural tourism, we want to tell people that there is a big market in not just experiential tourism, but in emotional tourism as well, where after visiting our properties people would call their close friends and near and dear ones too. This happens to 20-30 per cent of our visitors,” he claimed.
Way forward
When asked about how to attract inbound now, Borgia said, “We need to start focused marketing. India has big potential. India is the only country, which can sell experiences, and now we are moving from experiences to emotions. We are the only country in the world that can sell emotions. We should be to the world a heritage country. We can put people in palaces and make the royals sit next to them. The world has enough money to pay, and India has enough to show off.”
