Times are changing

The industry needs to tighten its seatbelt and remain mentally healthy and strong for the next few months, says the trade.

Mahendra Vakharia, EC Member & Immediate Past President, OTOAI and MD, Pathfinders Holidays

I strongly believe that for the next few months, we will have to tighten our seatbelt and remain mentally healthy and strong. It is very important not to be bogged down or demoralised with the present situation – pull up all your reserve strength to sustain and endure this period. The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic may have wreaked havoc across the country but surely, in a few months the situation will change. As an optimist I will always say, this period is another Bend in the journey and not the End of the journey. Last year’s challenge came with its own set of opportunities. We are very excited to start a new vertical which will not only complement our services for existing clients but will also help us reach new ones.

Pradeep Saboo, Partner, Guideline Travels

Any hope for revival at least for the Indian outbound market in 2021 has been laid to rest now. We hope that 2022 shall see the dawn of a new sun rising and bring the travel trade out of oblivion. I believe security (financial and otherwise) for an unforeseen, difficult situation such as this should be planned by each one of us. Only those who had this buffer could sail past this tsunami and the rest are left struggling. I don’t think any new business has a long-term outlay currently, though I see lots of my trade colleagues engage in other businesses such as medical, sanitation, etc. We will need to devise a new strategy, innovate and evolve, to suit new business situations and travel patterns.

Mehernosh Colombowalla, Director, Beyond Borders

We anticipate a lot of last-minute bookings when the situation eases and things start opening up. I would like to mention here that the percentage of advance confirmations has dropped considerably. As travel agents, we will also be very careful in choosing or recommending hotels and will only promote those that have supported us and the clients during the first phase of the pandemic. One thing I am confident about is that after two years when there is herd immunity, travel will boom and will be the best business to be in. Until then, we must simply cut costs, multitask and hang in there. For those who cannot sustain these times will have an option of closing temporarily for two years and then restart afresh.

Ranjeet Das, Immediate Past President and Adviser, Tour Operators Association of Assam (TOAA)

COVID-19 has created three clear opportunities. It has demonstrated the need for tourism. It has also shown that a more sustainable model is needed for our region. And thirdly, using digital tools for good destination management will be an essential step for us. Travel experiences will change immensely going forward. So it’s less about predicting certainties and more about forecasting possibilities. While tourism remains a means for primary earning, it is necessary to diversify into other priority sectors such as Agri business and outsourcing services. Innovative ways to overcome the impact and thereby survive is the need of the hour. The importance of a cash reserve is a learning.

Pranav Kapadia, Founder, Global Destinations

In my opinion, one of the key learnings from the first wave of the pandemic and its eventual impact on business has been adopting resilience as a crisis management strategy. With resilience you can adapt to the environment and new circumstances to mitigate the effects of any undesirable event. So when the dust settled in from the first wave, we not only prepared ourselves but also advised and motivated our stakeholders to be prepared for many such upcoming uncertainties. Another key learning has been that an individual or a business for that matter, has the ability to play many different important roles rather than focusing all energies on any single piece. As an organisation, we consistently invest in skill development.

Debajit Borah, President, Tour Operators Association of Assam (TOAA), Director, Brahmaputra Cruise

Most operators are still in the travel business trying out new strategies for survival. We will now have to wait for the situation to improve. Once it does, we will need to be more careful on the travel protocols so that another surge in infections does not happen. Meanwhile, we may need to focus on regional tourism keeping our boundaries tight especially in case of the Northeastern states. Though regional tourism does not help local operators much, it provides sustainability to the other stakeholders. And considering the geographical and cultural trait of the region, travel within the seven states can be a huge support.

Inputs by Hazel Jain