TAKING CHARGE

GM Summit's Bengaluru edition witnessed the congregation of some of India's hotel owners, operators, area heads, general managers, and key decision makers delve into some highly pertinent topics that have a direct bearing on the hospitality business

As part of its initiatives to highlight dynamic leaders and companies and share their insights, which can benefit their peers, the Bengaluru edition of GM Summit by Hotelier India, saw a fruitful discussion on highly pertinent topics that directly impact the hospitality business. The Summit was hosted in collaboration with partners: BMW, Maggi, Jaguar and Hafele.

CHANGING VISTAS

The first panel that debated the topic 'Shifting tides of recovery' was moderated by Vikramjit Singh, President, Lemon Tree Hotels. Speaking about how COVID has changed the industry, Vinay Gupta from ibis & ibis Styles India said, "There has been a real transformation in the industry and has brought more opportunities. Anyone who survived this is better prepared and more resolute. It is important to hold on to our lessons in this period." Ali added, "The biggest learning was people realising the importance of grace under pressure. We learnt how to cope with the situation by being able to recover sooner as the COVID waves progressed." Interestingly, the hospitality business has picked up close to and above pre-COVID levels in many cases, and learnings around health and cleanliness will help the industry in the long run, avers Puri.

POST-PANDEMIC CUES

As hotels move forward after the pandemic and being one of the industries that bore the brunt, hoteliers are ensuring the lessons learnt are not forgotten. Sabharwal, says, "It is important that we make sure the investment is right for the location and the product. Listen to the brand. We need to design and build people-centric hotels, keeping safety in mind. Thereby making it not just a great property, but also a secure workplace."