Back on the road again

It’s been over 20 months since the pandemic first hit, and admittedly during this time, I’ve done a fair bit of imagining – where would my first business trip be and how would it feel to be on the road again??

?Fast forward to today, a few lucky stars, and after countless virtual meetings, I embarked on my first business trip to India and then the Maldives.

?As an industry that focuses on connection, the human touch is the bedrock of hospitality. While we have accelerated embracing technology, the value of human connection is irreplaceable. I was reminded of this the moment I checked into the hotel. And more importantly, it reminded me of the power of travel and hospitality – creating extraordinary experiences and making our guests feel at home even while on the road.?

I was fortunate to travel through Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore – meeting with our owners, our partners, and our tremendously resilient associates – the core purpose of these business trips. It was humbling to see the resilience of India and its people despite a difficult second wave.

I want to thank the teams at JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity, The Westin Hotel Mumbai Garden City, The St. Regis Mumbai, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu, Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway, The Ritz-Carlton Bangalore, JW Marriott Bangalore, The Westin Gurgaon and our Above Property Teams across Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore for the warm welcome. It means a lot to me to finally be able to meet and engage with our associates, owners, and partners in person, just like we used to.?

Whilst in India, we were also able to announce that we signed 22 new hotel deals in South Asia over the last 18 months. The announcement is testament to the immense power of our brands, the confidence our owners have in us, and the incredible work of our development team. Despite being one of the most difficult times our industry has ever faced, these signings reiterate our long-term growth plans and commitment to the region.

My next stop was the Maldives – which has opened its borders to vaccinated international travelers since 2020. Our business has performed comparatively well in the Maldives over the last year and I could not be prouder of our teams.?

Opening a hotel during the pandemic is no mean feat. Our newly opened resorts – The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, and Le Méridien Maldives opened successfully and marked the debut of the two new brands in the Republic. It was particularly rewarding to welcome these new associates to the Marriott family.?

I was able to engage with our associates at the JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa, W Maldives, and Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa where I experienced the resort’s Coral Conservation activities as part of Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy. It was meaningful to experience this firsthand, knowing that it positively impacted marine conservation efforts in Maldives. ?

The biggest reason travellers choose to stay in international hotels post COVID is the assurance of enhanced sanitation and cleaning, and I take heart knowing that our associates have been working hard to implement Marriott’s Commitment to Clean enhanced safety and hygiene regimes throughout our properties. I thank each and every associate wholeheartedly for their effort to ensure that guests are able to travel with a peace of mind.?

With cross-border travel in Asia Pacific gradually picking up, I believe that people will embrace travel with a renewed sense of purpose of not just to escape, but to discover – ourselves, each other, and the world everyone shares.?

The power of travel – whether on personal well-being as it broadens horizons and connects people and culture; or on global economies through tourism, has never been clearer through this difficult period. Marriott will continue to inspire travel, continue to have tough but necessary private-public conversations to lobby for reduced travel restrictions, and ensure that we have all the necessary protocols in place to welcome our guests back.

We are optimistic about the future of travel and I truly believe that we will emerge stronger, and we will travel again.

In the meantime, take care and stay safe.?