Why there’s reason to be positive in the New Year for the Hospitality Industry

The global pandemic has emphasised what we already knew: that the hospitality industry is the economic backbone of most countries.

It is important to remember when we talk about the industry, we don’t just mean hotels; we are referring to a vast range of ancillary elements. Think about restaurants, camping sites, cruise lines, excursion companies, entertainment, sporting events – the list goes on and on.

Hospitality generates substantial revenue for local businesses as tourists spend money in everything from spas to souvenir shops and local markets. It is a huge job creator and often stimulates the building of infrastructure such as roads and public transportation.

The arrival of Covid-19 had a massive impact on our sector and there’s no doubt this has been a challenging year as hotels did all they could to stay open, adapt, install the correct safety measures, and reassure dwindling guests.

But as we look towards 2021, with an effective vaccine as a reason for cheer, I anticipate the health protocols currently in place are here to stay for the foreseeable future.

That’s okay, people should still feel optimistic – we’ve weathered the storm and in fact enjoyed some silver linings.

For one, staycations have become increasingly popular this year due to border closures, with people looking for hotels reasonably close by for a much-needed escape.

A survey paid for by Groupon found that in the US more than 75% of consumers plan to support local businesses in their community – and this extends to their future travel plans as well. This is a trend being seen globally, and I believe it bodes well for individual economic recovery.

In Pakistan – as with many nations – the travel restrictions have seen domestic tourism flourish. At Hashoo Group we embraced people’s renewed interest in holidaying at home with many individuals saying to us “I’d wish I’d taken this opportunity earlier to visit the wonderful places right on my doorstep.” That’s heart-warming to hear.

The UAE too has seen a new love affair with staycations and the country has been clever in marketing highly attractive deals while assuring people that every health precaution is being met.

I see reasons for continued optimism because I have witnessed what the hospitality industry is capable of when its back is against the wall.

I am extremely proud to say that our company has held on to its full team of employees – albeit with some manoeuvring – and that morale is high. Occupancy rates have remained at a decent level, and we are confident next year will see things improve further.

As we prepare for Q1 2021, there may yet be a few more bumps in the road. But in the middle of difficulty comes opportunity and I predict these opportunities will further reveal themselves after January.

Things ARE going to slowly open up, so instead of fearing 2021 let’s all start to welcome it.