5 KEY POINTS I LEARNT FROM A HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONAL FROM JAKARTA RUNNING FESTIVAL 2024.

Running is now entering its worldwide boom. Race events is increasing and the number of runners and running community is on the rise.

Tapping in this latest boom means everyone is jumping into this trend, organizing race and inviting all runners to participate in hopping to break their own personal records or maybe a national record.

There are a few key highlights from the eye of a hospitality person, of what key aspects to make a successful race event and for a hospitality business to learn from organizing a race for a total of 16,000 runners.

Tapping into the running community in Indonesia, the organizer able to harness the power of social media to communicate their events, race plan, and all race-related information effectively. Running community happily to relay the information thus increasing the awareness of the event with enough time allocation. Ensuring a massive exposure and thus interest from the running world.

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Hospitality Business needs to engage the community to build that 'belong' sense be part of the larger picture. Any hospitality that manages to do that not only will benefit from having guests but will also belong to a group with a larger audience that would be willing to support their business year after year.

Jakarta hotels and FB business you needed to tap into this market, the running community is a source of your potential revenue, from tapping into weekend race day stay packages (runners usually bring their family to race day why not indulge them to stay ) to offering special gym membership paired with spa for the running community.

Special breakfast for your runner guests, or early runners breakfast. The options is endless.

I believe Artotel Group GBK was the official partner for Jakarta Running Festival due to its proximity to the location of the event but any hotel within 2-5km from the event location with a pre-booked shuttle to the location on the day of the event would certainly be an interesting factor and can certainly take part and be the optional stay for the runner for their easy start of the race. Your weekend business is secured. and for weekdays, perhaps offer a runner breakfast package to the community so they can sample your hospitality who knows perhaps they will stay in your hotel one day soon.

From the moment we arrived for the Race Pack Collection (all registrations are done smoothly via the website) , all event staff were very helpful and on hand. We do have a slight glitch with the email of our participation confirmation in less than 15 minutes on their Customer Service counter things are sorted and collecting our Race numbers others are done in 30 minutes total. Everyone seemed to know what they are doing and they been brief to help everyone with a smile on their face yes including to the private security company that oversees the event, no one is not smiling and that was calming for all the runners who were already very nervous about how their running plan for race day.

Mind you some of these staffers are volunteering duty, some are part-time workers, and no one is a full-time employee yet I guess through some sort of screening process they managed to find these staffers and they deliver a level of professionalism at the highest standard possible.

Come Race Day, everyone is on deck helping the runners directing them to where they needed to be, all area are clearly marked so no confusion that usually comes with the race day chaos, this time organising for 16,000 runners.

Upon finish, everyone is showing where things are toilet, medal collection and free refreshments for the runners, all are done very smoothly.?

Hospitality company, need I say more, train and train your staff for things if you want your team to deliver unreasonable hospitality to your guests. But you cannot do that if you keep changing your staff, finding the right one with the right attitude will save you from headaches, then train and train them well, do not let them do too many things at too many times but with little or less information. Having capable leaders and the ablity to translate the vision and mission of the company sure will make a difference, especially in an all-hand-on-deck situation. To remain calm and navigate each chaotic event one at a time needs an experienced leader who is calm under pressure, and the rest of the team will certainly see this and will be able to do their job and do their job well.

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The event branding is tactically and strategically well-placed, its design its catchy enough to be visible offline and online.

From the website to event banners to official running jerseys and medals, all are well place and easily recognizable. From what I gather the branding guide of the event will be used through their planned yearly event. Who knows perhaps this brand will represent Jakarta as a world Marathon Running Event (World Marathon Majors)

As a hospitality professional, I have seen too many hospitality businesses where the brand does not represent the core values of the business, often hearing its an afterthought instead of a well-planned design and background.

Brands have to represent the business core value that translates into vision and mission and eventually the service culture: how each hospitality business conducts their business towards their external and internal customers.

It needs each stakeholder's input to make one outstanding brand and the ability to translate that value and spirit into an image/words that would be easily visible and understood by everyone, especially their targeted audience.

From the day of the opening for race registration, the information relayed to the runners is very clear and concise.

Website information navigation as well as Payment and registration online are clear and easily understood.

All within the racing village and throughout the event all sign marking areas are very clear and easy to follow.

Come race day, suggestions to use public transportation MRT as the event is targeting a reduction in carbon footprints and how best to travel to the location are very clear for us to follow. Also, information to the general public on what happened on the event days and the road closing timing etc are very clear and easily understood.

Hospitality Business, when was the last time you did an audit of your website navigation and your booking process? wonder how many opportunities are lost due to frustrated visitors to your site not finding the right information or having an outdated photo of your business.

When was the last time you updated your hotel brochure or your E- hotel brochure?

If your potential guests are not finding the right information, how can they decide to choose yours instead of the others?

Everything about this event is all about collaboration.

From the team that works behind to the front of the event team, it takes a massive effort to pull this event smoothly and safely.

Also what every runner and visitor nonrunners is excited about is seeing what brands of sports gear or food outlets would wait for them at the finish line.

Major brands such as Adidas which is one of the major sponsors of the event are well in present but I want to highlight that the organizers are also featuring locally made Indonesian sports gear.

From running shoes to sportswear all are Indonesian-made and curated by local celebrity who understand the local sportswear market resulting in a well-represented 'Lokal Hood" village where all these take place.

In the Foodie Village, featuring all local independent the best-curated selections of Jakarta's comfort food and drinks.

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What the Hospitality Business can learn here is to collaborate with suppliers and vendors to deliver a unique experience for your guests.

Get your croissants from one of the best vendors in Bali instead of struggling to make your own but increasing your cost is just an example of how to collaborate. How bout conducting tea brewing from a local tea master during breakfast?

The local product is rising and I am personally always excited to discover the next local product to work together.

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