Recovery of travel, tourism, hospitality sectors hinges on timely tech interventions
September 27, 2022: The interlinked business sectors of travel, tourism and hospitality, were among the biggest sufferers in industry, during the two years of Covid lockdowns – but the numbers suggest, the bad days are behind them
A survey by credit ratings agency ICRA in June2022, declared that the hotel business was  on an upswing again and was expected to hit pre-Covid levels of occupancy,  during the fiscal 2022-23: The  surge in leisure travel, the return of wedding events and a tangible return to  physical Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE), have ensured that the  weather cock  for hospitality’s health: the Average Revenue per Room or ARR  across premium hotels was inching back to just shy of Rs 5000 and a few high-end  hotels had even exceeded their pre-Covid rates.
With restrictions eased across the country, Indians are indulging in what the media has dubbed ‘Revenge Tourism’ -- travelling with a vengeance, after months of being cooped up, almost as an act of revenge.  But revenge doesn’t mean recklessness
Educated by the pandemic experience, travellers have become wary, demanding a safer, less-contact if not entirely contact-less experience at every point on their tours. |
IRCTC’s online booking services are now a mature part of the train booking experience and have made pushing and shoving at reservation counters a thing of the past.
Airports are trying to reduce the physical contact during unavoidable processes like entry, check-in, security and boarding.  Swarajya reported recently on the use of Face Recognition by two airlines at two airports to eliminate the inspection of ID cards, boarding passes and the like. This is being gradually extended to other carriers and airports.
Keyless guest room entry
As early as in 2015, Aloft Hotel Bengaluru, introduced keyless check-in and guest room entry in India.   Customers can book rooms online, after which they receive a software ‘key’ on their mobile phones, even as they are en route to the hotel.  Avoiding long queues in the lobby or check-in counters, the guest proceeds to the designated room, where pointing the  phone at the door, opens it.   Hilton has embraced the same keyless technology across the 18 hotel brands in its group, going a step further: the digital key is shareable between two or more guests in a room.  Keyless hotel access may soon become the New Normal, trickling down from the luxury brands to other 3-to-5 star establishments.
Robot butler
Room service is another concern of travellers: they want minimal contact with other humans for information and in-room dining. Internationally hotels like the Marriott group are experimenting with smart speakers like Amazon’s Echo or Google’s Nest in the guest room. These can be programmed to answer frequent questions like ‘when is the gym open?’,   ‘what are the attractions nearby?’, to control room appliances like TV or air conditioning – or to take room service orders for food, water  etc.  The signs are clear: When it comes to customer contact, voice is the way to go for hotels in the future.
Humanoid robot waiters in restaurants have been around in India since December 2017, when an eatery in Chennai, called Momo acquired   four robot waiters and renamed  the establishment itself, “Robot”.   Soon after, the Indian Swag restaurant in Ahmedabad, introduced Lexa, the robot waitress who could speak Hindi, English and Gujarati.
Globally, robotic butlers which execute your in-room dining orders or bring you fresh towels have been around in some high-end hotel chains but surprisingly have not come to India – yet. But it is an inevitable development, especially as these humanoid service robots are increasingly made-in-India now.  Technoxian recently compiled a list of the 'Top humanoid robots made in India'.
There are other technologies that are increasingly being deployed to increase guest confidence: They include things like special chatbots to replace your friendly human concierge as a font of information, to Virtual Reality tours of places like museums to help tourists avoid human contact ( and sore feet!)
Google Arts & Culture has created  360 degree virtual tours of attractions at Hampi, Goa, Delhi and Amritsar.  Many states like Kerala are following suit with their own virtual  e-books of tourist attractions.
Here are Six Technology trends redefining the hospitality industry since Covid, compiled by Entrepreneur magazine
Caravan tourism
Post-covid travel options have evolved in response to customer concerns and a preference to avoid travelling in larger groups by public transport. Earlier this year, the Chennai-based SRM Travels closed its  long distance and interstate bus business and converted many of its Benz, Volvo and Scania buses into caravans.  These are becoming popular with some Indian tourists who want to visit offbeat, less crowded places and who want to avoid bus or train travel as well as the expense of hotel rooms.  Some states like Kerala have seen an opportunity in caravan tourism, and have created a separate  Caravan Policy.    
On one hand, the state has partnered with Pithampur (Madhya Pradesh)-based Pinnacle Industries to offer for hire 2-person and 4-person   air-conditioned motor homes complete with kitchenette, toilet, beds and running water. On the other, it has created caravan parks to park the vehicles and enable the visitors to spend a night or an extended period to explore the destination. 
Perhaps most usefully for post-Covid travel, Kerala was the first to offer a Rs 5 lakh insurance policy (with United Insurance) for tourists who visit any of 60 ecotourism centres maintained by the Forest Department. The premium person is just Rs 250.
Agricultural tourism
One new emerging niche is farm or agricultural tourism.  From bee-keeping centres to citrus fruit orchards to dairy-farms, city-bound Indians longing for change , seem to prefer  the outdoor experience which might involve the  family  soaking in  offbeat experiences -- from milking a cow, riding a tractor or joining an outdoor cookout.    Farmers in Punjab and tea estates in Darjeeling and the North East, have been quick to ride this new wave of interest. Maharashtra has been a pioneer in this niche and has seen many private enterprises  trusts and NGOs  like the Agricultural Development, Baramati  (Agritourismbaramati.com) or  Agri Tourism Development Co  (ATDC) to promote the concept. promote agro tourism  as a way to improve the viability of farming as a profession. a dedicated
The Times of India reported on September 19 that Uttar Pradesh has designated 2 villages in each of  18 districts to promote  what it calls Agro-Rural Tourism.|
Workations for Bleisure
To combine business with pleasure has emerged as a challenge and an opportunity in the months since Covid restrictions began tapering off.  Many professionals needing a break after two arduous months of work from home, centred around laptops and zoom video conferences, feel the need of a breakout – and leaving the family behind is not an option. Hence the new buzzwords: Bleisure – business with leisure and Workation – combining work and a vacation.  Hotels including IRCTC, have embraced these new trends and advertise a combo of rooms with a good work desk and WiFi Connections and a slate of attractions for children.  Beach guest houses are particularly popular with this crowd and Airbnb has been listing many such options. 
Last year, Intermiles, the airlines and lifestyle awards programme,  listed the Top 10 Indian destinations for a workation. It can be read here.  Another  more recent compilation from Trawell  is here .
In more ways than one, the story of the rebirth of travel, tourism and hospitality after the  forced closure of Covid is a  story of technology and innovation deployed in the right way, to  assure  Indians that  foot-loose can be fancy-free – and  safe at the same time.
This article has appeared in Swarjyamag
For images illustrating the technologies and initiatives described, see Image of the Day