Wellness in Hospitality - Interview with Nenad Praporski

“The investments in the spa and wellness component will continue to grow...because it is, in our case, an important part of who we are, a part of our DNA.” - Nenad Praporski

If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it is that the hospitality industry is both fragile and resilient. I know of a new build hotel that had just opened its doors in 2018 and had been successful throughout 2019. This hotel was projected to surpass many records in 2020, and the first two months proved they were on the right track. Sadly, when the pandemic hit, everything changed within a space of two weeks. Even more unfortunate is the fact that this story is the same for a lot of other hotels across all markets in the world. And yet the hotels that remain standing have put on such a show of resilience and steadfast innovation that we can still retain a modicum of hope as an industry.

This hope is reflected in my next interview. I sat down (virtually) with Nenad Praporski, a highly astute general manager based in Austin in the United States. Nenad has over 18 years of experience in the industry, beginning with front desk operations and working his way up to general manager. This close proximity to guests, coupled with his own leadership skills, have helped shape his perspective on the industry.

Interview Highlights:

1. Wellness in the business segment

The business segment of the hospitality industry has undoubtedly taken a huge hit. As a result, a sizeable portion of the wellness component in most hotels has also been negatively affected. Usually, when business clients stayed in a hotel they would also make use of the wellness facilities, either through spa sessions or other forms of treatments. It is, therefore, highly unlikely that wellness in itself would be able to fill the void left by the MICE segment since a healthy chunk of its market are business travellers that also consumed wellness services. A good number of people still express the desire for proper human contact through in-person meetings and handshakes, hence, when the business segment picks up again, wellness in hospitality will consequently increase as it is an intrinsic part of business travel.

2. Optimising operations for survival

The US market is predicted to have a full recovery by 2023 to 2024, and this time period could be applied to the rest of the world too, with some adjustments. However, as this is still several years into the future, the industry still needs to find ways to survive the turbulence ahead. In the short to mid-term, we have to find ways to optimise all operations so hotels can still run successfully under strict regulations. This way, hoteliers can protect their businesses, and more importantly, protect the jobs of the many employees who have dedicated their lives to serving the hotel and its guests.

3. Investing in wellness now

There is still great utility in investing in wellness right now, even as everything has slowed down and all active stakeholders have to be cautious with their resources. For starters, wellness has become a major guest expectation, particularly in the midscale and luxury segments. The pandemic has brought about a new level of hygiene and cleanliness that will likely become the permanent standard in the industry. Although there are substantial limitations to what can be achieved right now, keeping wellness as part of the hotel’s DNA will undoubtedly yield fruit in the long-run. As the demand begins to pick up again in the next couple of years, supply will follow and the hotels that have the strongest wellness arm will make up the bulk of the preferred supply for guests.

As we kick-start the year with vaccination campaigns across the globe, there is a chance we may still see an improvement in the industry this year. Caution and foresight are two strategies that will carry us through 2021.

My heartfelt gratitude goes to Nenad for taking the time to answer all my questions with a healthy mix of both optimism and realism. 

Thank you to everyone who has been following this series and engaging in the constructive discussions in the comments section. If you are a hotel general manager, hotel owner or investor and you are interested in being part of my Wellness in Hospitality interview series, direct message me here on LinkedIn. Please note responses may take a couple of days due to increased interest in putting wellness at the core of hospitality.