Asia Pacific Opinion Articles

August 29, 2022

HVS Monday Musings: Income Capitalization Approach – The Gold Standard for Valuing Hotels

According to a recent GlobalData report, 573 deals (including mergers & acquisitions, private equity, and venture financing) were announced in the global travel and tourism (T&T) industry in the first half of 2022, reflecting a 3.1% increase over the same period last year. However, before these deals are concluded, the asset needs to be valued. So, how do we determine a hotel's market value and what exactly is valued under the category of hotels? The main valuation techniques are briefly covered in this article.

By Anand Rai, Assistant Vice President - Transaction Advisory, Mumbai, HVS

India

Opinion Article Operations & Strategy

August 22, 2022

HVS Monday Musings: Airport Hotels: A Growing Trend in India

Airport hotels - properties located near or within airport premises - are becoming increasingly common around the world, including in India. The concept, which was first introduced in the US in the early 1930s to provide convenient accommodation for airline crew and passengers, has emerged as an important sub-segment in the hotel industry in recent decades. As in other countries, airport hotel supply took off in India as airport infrastructure improved.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article Operations & Strategy

August 15, 2022

Bleisure Travel is Back in Business

With the steady recovery in corporate travel, the concept of bleisure travel, also known as blended travel, is re-gaining popularity. Prior to the pandemic, bleisure was primarily a millennial trend; however, as flexible work arrangements and remote work have gained traction, bleisure has become more common and acceptable across age groups and among professionals from various industries. As a result, the global bleisure tourism market, which accounts for 30%-35% of the global business travel market, is expected to reach US$ 497.5 billion in 2022 and will grow at a 19.5% CAGR over the next ten years.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article Wellness & Wellbeing

August 8, 2022

HVS Monday Musings: The Heal in India Initiative – An Opportunity for Indian Hotel Sector

India has emerged as a preferred medical tourism destination, with the Medical Tourism Association ranking it as the world's 10th most attractive country for medical tourism in 2020-21 out of 46 destinations worldwide. Nevertheless, India ranks higher in terms of medical tourism costs and facilities & services. The presence of several high-quality, well-equipped healthcare facilities, as well as a strong base of highly skilled and specialized English-speaking medical professionals, offering world-class treatments at much lower costs than in developed nations, are some of the reasons for the growth of this segment in India.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article Markets & Performance

August 1, 2022

Indian Hotel Sector – 1H2022 Performance Review

The Indian hotel sector made steady progress in the first half of the calendar year 2022 (1H2022). Nationwide occupancy was in the 56-58% range, 21-23 percentage points (pp) higher than 1H2021, and only 8-10 pp lower than 1H2019. The strong recovery in demand is driving steady increases in average room rates, with hotels, particularly in the leisure sector, outperforming their pre-pandemic average rates. Commercial markets are also gradually improving as corporate travel and large-ticket conferences and events return. As a result, the country’s average rates in 1H2022 were 44-46% higher than 1H2021, while still remaining 7-9% lower than pre-pandemic levels. The strong recovery in occupancy and average rates has helped India-wide RevPAR to reach INR3,100-3,300, reflecting growth of over 130% compared to 1H2021.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article

July 18, 2022

HVS Monday Musings: Reviving Luxury Trains in India

Luxury travel has recovered faster than other global travel segments following COVID, and according to a recent report, the global luxury travel market is expected to grow at an 8.8% CAGR from 2021 to 2028, as demand for unique, highly personalized, and exclusive experiences grows. In line with this trend, luxury train travel is also reviving around the world. The luxury tour operator, Luxury Gold, for example, has reported a 17% increase in demand for tours which include luxury rail journeys.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article Operations & Strategy

July 11, 2022

Can the Hotel Lease Model Gain Momentum in India?

Lease agreements are a less common type of contract in the Indian hotel industry, as opposed to mature markets like Europe, where they are widely used due to the presence of several institutional hotel investors and owners. In fact, some European hotel companies, such as Pandox, have grown by focusing primarily on the leased model.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

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Why Hospitality Net Leads B2B in Hospitality

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Hospitality Net

Opinion Article Operations & Strategy

July 4, 2022

All-inclusive Resorts are Regaining Popularity

All-inclusive resorts, as the name suggests, typically provide guests with bundled services and amenities ranging from accommodation, multiple dining options with unlimited meals and beverages in most cases, to spas and various sports, entertainment, and cultural activities as part of the pre-paid resort rate. The packages may differ from one property to the next, but one thing is certain travelers can completely relax and enjoy the vacation, knowing that there won’t be any surprise payments when they check out.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article Sales & Marketing

June 27, 2022

Rethinking Hotel Loyalty Programs in the Post-COVID World

Loyalty programs are not new in the airline and hotel industries, dating back to early 1980s when American Airlines introduced AAdvantage, one of the world’s first travel loyalty programs. Hotel chains quickly jumped on board, with Holiday Inn and Marriott being credited with the first hotel loyalty programs in 1983. Since then, loyalty programs have not only been an effective marketing tool for increasing customer loyalty, but also for increasing repeat customers and revenue for hotels.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article Human Resources

June 13, 2022

Multiskilled Workforce – A Necessity for the Indian Hotel Sector

As per a recent survey, strong growth in travel demand has resulted in a 352% year-on-year growth in hiring activity in the Indian travel and hospitality industry in May 2022. However, as additional supply enters the market, the industry's struggle with a skilled labor shortage is only expected to worsen. One reason for this is that several hospitality professionals who were displaced or lost their jobs in the last two years have found alternative employment in other allied industries, while others are hesitant to join the hospitality industry due to the current uncertain market conditions.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article

June 6, 2022

Ancillary Revenue Opportunities – Only Our Imagination Limits Us!

Ancillary revenue, which includes all non-room revenue opportunities, was often overlooked by hoteliers until the pandemic struck. When room revenue became negligible during the peak of the pandemic, many hoteliers began to look beyond traditional room revenue and explored the opportunity that exists in ancillary revenue by finding creative ways to use their assets. Food delivery, DIY signature meals, laundry, and housekeeping, are some of the more popular forays into which hotel companies have ventured to survive the difficult times and grow their topline. For instance, QMIN, IHCL’s e-commerce food delivery platform, had a massive INR 66 crores GMV in FY22. Similarly, ITC Hotels has introduced food delivery (Gourmet Couch) and laundry services (Lavanderia), Ibis entered the coworking space, and The Leela recently introduced their signature fragrance and bath amenities.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article Operations & Strategy

May 30, 2022

Sports Tourism – A Rewarding Opportunity for Hotels

The global sports tourism industry, as per Industry Reports valued at US$ 458.8 billion in 2019, is one of the fastest-growing segments in tourism, with a CAGR of 16.1% expected to reach US$ 1,803.7 billion by 2030. In 2019, the US alone recorded 180 million sports-related visitors, generating 69 million room nights for hotels. The sports tourism market, like all other tourism segments, took a hit due to the COVID-19-related restrictions on travel, with the segment’s value declining to US$ 323.42 billion in 2020. Having said that, unlike corporate meetings and other events, sports events cannot be hosted online.

By Dipti Mohan and Saniya Zanpure

India

Opinion Article Operations & Strategy

May 23, 2022

Alternative Accommodation – Threat or Opportunity for Indian Hotel Sector?

The pandemic has accelerated the growth of the alternative accommodations segment, which is disrupting the Indian hotel sector. Tired of being locked up in their homes for months, several domestic leisure travelers took road trips to motorable destinations, preferring to stay at vacation rentals, villas, or homestays instead of hotels for their first vacation after the pandemic because they provided more privacy and a private bio-bubble.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

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Hospitality Net

Opinion Article Operations & Strategy

May 16, 2022

Soft Brands – the New Norm in the Indian Hotel Sector?

In recent years, the Indian hotel sector has seen soft brand launches by domestic and international chains operating in the country, with the shift toward the soft brand model gaining traction post the pandemic. Soft brands typically have more flexible development guidelines that allow independent hotels to join a larger chain while retaining their distinct design and features. The rise in travelers looking for authentic, unique, local experiences and willing to seek alternative lodging to obtain them has pushed hoteliers to respond to these changes by developing unique properties.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article Markets & Performance

May 9, 2022

Indian Hotel Sector – Recovering the Lost Ground

The recovery of travel demand in India is gathering steam, thanks to the relaxation of restrictions, positive travel sentiment, and the resumption of scheduled international flights, which has resulted in a significant increase in flight and hotel bookings in the country.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article Sales & Marketing

May 2, 2022

Northeast India: The Unexplored Paradise

Northeast India, comprising eight states, is a stunning combination of majestic mountains, lush green valleys, scenic landscapes, rich biodiversity, and historical sites. Rich in flora and fauna, as well as diverse culture and traditions, each state – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura – offers a unique experience to travelers ranging from heritage and cultural tourism to wildlife and adventure tourism.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article Sustainability

April 26, 2022

ESG Review of Six Macau Casino Operators

Following the previous article about ecologic obsolescence, this article presents the sustainability performance and initiatives in the hospitality industry. Commonly known as ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance), which covers a wide range of key performance indicators (KPIs) in corresponding aspects, such as green house gas (GHG) emissions, stakeholder engagement and people management. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, environmental and social issues received increasing attention, and ESG disclosure became a critical indicator of corporates being good citizens and neighbors. This article provides an overview of how the six major casino operators in Macau disclose their ESG performance in 2020 and reviews the quality of their reporting with recommendations for future reporting. The full article is available for download here!

By Daniel Voellm and Anchi Liu

Macau

Opinion Article Sales & Marketing

April 25, 2022

Unlocking the Potential of Heritage Tourism in India

World Heritage Day, also known as the International Day for Monuments and Sites, is celebrated on the 18th of April every year to raise awareness about the importance of preserving our heritage and culture. Several events and exhibitions were held across India last week to commemorate the occasion. With 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and another 49 on the tentative list, India ranks sixth in the world in terms of the number of UNESCO sites.

By Mandeep Lamba and Dipti Mohan

India

Opinion Article Markets & Performance

April 25, 2022

Laos Pipeline Increases, but Occupancy Still Lags 2019 Levels as per STR

Laos is becoming an increasingly important part of the tourism and transport chain in south-east Asia and should aim to become a tourist destination unlike any other. Lao National Tourism Administration (LNTA) predicted that Laos will have 4.1 million tourists by 2020 however the tourists volume was down with 886K in 2020. Laos government closed international borders in April 2020 due to the pandemic, and tourism is negatively impacted until today.

By Dr. Rachel Mammen, Doctoral researcher in the Department of Hospitality and Retail Management, Texas Tech University

Laos

Opinion Article Sales & Marketing

April 18, 2022

HVS Monday Musings: Lonavala: a Thriving Leisure Destination in Maharashtra

Lonavala, popularly known as the “city of caves” or the “jewel of Sahyadri” is a small town located more than 2,000 feet above sea level in the Sahyadri range in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is one of the most visited hill stations in the country due to its tropical climate and pleasant weather all year round, as well as its strategic location 60-80 kilometers from key metropolitan cities in the state such as Mumbai and Pune. Moreover, the town is surrounded by dense forests, magnificent waterfalls, tranquil lakes, green valleys boasting spectacular views, caves, and forts, which have made Lonavala a sought-after destination for camping, trekking, sight-seeing, bird watching, and adventure sports.

By Dipti Mohan and Saniya Zanpure

Maharashtra, India

Technology 12 hours ago

Beyond Transactions: Why Payments Are Becoming the Backbone of Modern Hospitality

FreedomPay's SVP Kevin Carson argues hotel groups must shift from fragmented payment systems to integrated commerce platforms to improve resilience, staff productivity, and cross-property consistency.

Shiji

Sales & Marketing 3 days ago

Not every lost group deserves a follow-up email

The piece argues that sales teams should use meeting intelligence platforms to prioritize re-engagement with lost group accounts based on actual booking activity, not generic outreach schedules.

Cendyn™

Technology 3 days ago

roommaster Reveals Its Reimagined Hotel Platform at Independent Hotel Show Miami 2026

roommaster will demo its rebuilt cloud-native PMS at Booth 419 and present a session on Revenue Per Available Guest (RevPAG) for independent hoteliers on September 16 in Miami Beach.

roommaster

Miami Beach, United States

Technology 3 days ago

Otel AI Releases New Product Video: The AI That Gives You Your Morning Back

Otel AI's platform connects PMS, RMS, POS, and other hotel systems to automate reporting and run AI agents, with customers reporting 20+ hours saved weekly and RevPAR gains of 8.6% at The Alex Dublin.

Otel AI

Ireland

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