The tourism and hospitality industry is opening to full swing almost after two years due to the outbreak of Covid-19 – which affected almost each and every business, and needless to say that this industry was the first and worst hit. Although, even after two years of challenging times, there is a hospitality brand – Royal Orchid & Regenta Hotels, eyeing to achieve the magical number of 100 hotels by the end of FY 2022.
One of India’s fastest-growing hospitality brands, Royal Orchid & Regenta Hotels is managing a portfolio of over 75+ properties across the country as of now. The group is planning to revamp the entire organisation with better ambience and feel so that it can provide better quality of management and ROI to the owners.
The leading hotel chain caters to business and leisure travellers who value comfort, great cuisine, distinctly warm Indian hospitality and value for money. Group’s modern and fully equipped hotels, resorts, long-stay suites and inns make its guests return time and time again to the properties in metro cities, holiday destinations, pilgrimage sites and wildlife parks.
While exclusively speaking to Whereabouts, Chairman & Managing Director of Royal Orchid & Regenta Hotels, Chander K Baljee says, “Today we have 75 operational properties and 16 are already signed that becomes 91, so we need another 10-12 properties within this financial year to reach the magical figure of 100 hotels.”
Elaborating on this ambitious growth plan Baljee says, “Our development team including the vice presidents, cluster heads and consultants are sourcing properties and working aggressively in this direction. I am sure that we will reach the target within the time frame.”
“Also, this (brand popularity) is a word of mouth; if you deliver something nice to the owners and they are happy, they will surely refer business and investors to us, so we are expecting some referral business too,” informed Baljee.
Last two years have been very difficult for the hospitality sector. Nevertheless, during pandemic the group added 15 more properties to its portfolio. “Owners were finding it’s useful to tie-up with the brand to get better visibility, marketing and operations, and showing their interest to join the leading hospitality chains,” he informed.
According to him, “The market itself is doing well. Since last two months our hotels are rocking, they have beaten all the records. I feel, unless there is another calamity or Covid-19 wave, things are going to be bright for us.”
When recalled the journey so far, Baljee says, “When started in 2001, my ambition was to reach ten hotels and then retire. Now it’s going to be a hundred hotels! So it’s been a very satisfying journey and I enjoyed it. Though it’s a difficult business, it’s a people’s business; you have large number of staff, customers and owners to satisfy. You have to take in account their needs, aspirations and need to fulfill them.”
Talking about the Covid-19 effect Baljee says, “The pandemic (Covid-19) has taught us Standard Operating Process (SOP’s) which we have been able to do that across the group. By adopting the New Normal we have become lot more efficient. And, now with business returning back our profitability is more than the pre-pandemic era.”
However, the group is spending a lot in CSR activities as well. Apart from achieving the hundred hotels, training a large number of students is another prime focused area of the group.
