Green shoots of tourism picking up across cities! From Hyatt Delhi Residences at Aerocity to ITC Hotel’s first hotel in Himachal

Travellers, good news for you! The recent launch of Hyatt Delhi Residences in New Delhi and ITC’s first hotel launch in Himachal indicate that domestic travel is witnessing a clear uptick in spite of continued worries about the coronavirus pandemic. As cited by PTI in its report, Union Minister for Tourism Prahlad Patel had stated that it is now necessary to look to domestic tourism as the only way to keep the tourism sector above water.

He further said that promoting unexplored regions of the country is a necessity as the loss suffered by India’s tourism segment cannot be currently ascertained. Highlighting the importance of domestic travel, the Tourism Minister encouraged people to visit places within the country, particularly unexploited destinations.

Speaking earlier to Financial Express Online, Harshit Vyas, SVP & COO, Franchisee Business – OYO India and South Asia had indicated that leisure destinations with shorter routes and distances from cities are likely to see higher demand in the coming months. He highlighted that business travel has now begun to witness an uptick as the workforce is now getting back into action.

Domestic travellers opt for varied hospitality options

Looking at the recent launches of restaurants and hotels across the country such as Hyatt Delhi Residences and Welcomhotel Shimla indicate a silver lining for domestic tourism and hospitality witnessing a demand from travellers within the country. In particular, for those visiting Delhi and Gurugram, Aerocity is a viable location, which is Hyatt Delhi Residences has rolled out around 124 service apartments that include one-bedrooms,two-bedrooms in addition to three-bedroom apartments. For those travellers who want more space, there are two-bedroom and three-bedroom duplex townhouses as well.

Speaking exclusively to Financial Express Online about the launch of Hyatt Delhi Residences at Aerocity, Madhav Sehgal, General Manager stated, “Guests can enjoy the right blend of comfort and luxury at Hyatt Delhi Residences while making a lifetime of memories with their loved ones.”

Dining options are also provided at AnnaMaya, which is the 24/7 European Food Hall, besides the gin-based cocktails at Juniper Bar and Cantonese food at The Hong Kong Club. Another option is to check out the eatery Soul Pantry, known for serving locally sourced grains and nutritional flatbreads.

According to Madhav Sehgal, General Manager, Hyatt Delhi Residences, “Our team is enthusiastic about making guests feel at home, customising each and every service to cater to guest’s requirements.”

Meanwhile, in Shimla, an all-time favourite popular tourist destination that continues to witness an uptick among domestic travellers, ITC Hotels has launched its first Welcomhotel Shima in Himachal.

Speaking exclusively to Financial Express Online, Nakul Anand, Executive Director – ITC Ltd stated, “ITC Hotels is delighted to announce the launch of Welcomhotel Shimla. Wrapping up this year on an illustrious note, our first outspot in Himachal Pradesh will definitely excite travellers. The hospitality industry is going through a recovery phase and we are happy to be a part of the silver lining.”

Once a trendy ‘feel-good’ term – sustainability – is now fast becoming a serious commitment and a core value in India’s hospitality segment. This may be due to the fact that travellers are increasingly conscious about sustainable choices such as recycling, green living spaces, carbon neutrality and more. From food choices to waste, sustainability has become a buzzword in the hospitality segment.

READ: Taj Safaris Boost to Ecotourism!

Not only hotels, food entrepreneurs are also launching unique initiatives and experimenting with niche segments within the hospitality segment. The current buzzword is sustainability. Right from sourcing ingredients to serving artistic dishes on a plate, the emphasis on sustainable choice is unmistakeable.

Sheetal Saxena, co-founder of COLOCAL told Financial Express Online, “We source high quality cacao beans from the southern region only because the cacao can only be grown in 20 degrees either side of the equator and southern India falls in that belt. So, we source cacao from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and a bit of Andhra Pradesh as well. Araku Valley is known for coffee particularly. However, Idukki Hills in Kerala grows maximum high grade cacao and we source a lot from Idukki hills.”

In 2021, expect Indian travellers to make sustainable choices from food they eat to places they visit such as Nature-centric leisure destinations that include hill stations, beaches, wildlife tourist spots and so on.

Talking to Financial Express Online about popular destinations likely to emerge in India next year, Lakshmi Sharath, well known travel blogger and social media influencer said,”Mostly natural and wildlife destinations, hill stations, beach towns and smaller towns located near natural spots like waterfalls or lakes. People will spend more time in Nature and try to be away as much as possible from civilization – at least, I would.”

Clearly, the green shoots of domestic tourism are set to emerge.