Before I begin, I want to say that, unlike a lot of my recent posts, this isn’t going to be a downer.
Why?
Because I genuinely believe that the worst has passed, and it’s time to look towards the future with hope and optimism.
World over, more and more people are getting vaccinated, which in turn has allowed governments to open up social venues, such as restaurants. And as more people get vaccinated, they are also a lot more comfortable going out freely. Even those who struggled and lost their jobs during the beginning of the pandemic, or were looking for jobs before the world shut down, are also finding more employment opportunities.
I don’t think this recovery is just a flash in the pan - instead, it is the world going back to normality, slowly but surely. Maybe not the normality that we know and remember, but a new normal where we are adapting to new rules, standards and ways of functioning.
Am I over-optimistic? I don’t think so. And there are three major areas that I have been tracking that give me just cause for the positivity I feel as I look towards the future.
1. Emergence of AI and Data in the hospitality industry
While industries around the world have already been leveraging the impact of AI and data to tailor communication to their target market, the hospitality industry is only now waking up to the benefits these emerging technologies can offer. The latest technological advancements can help in a variety of areas, including inventory management, manpower scheduling, reservation management and more - all of which can help reduce costs and improve efficiencies moving forward.
2. The pent up urge to travel
Ask anyone what they have wanted to the most since the lockdown began and odds are that most would say a single thing - travel. And I believe it is this pent up urge to travel, explore and experience the world that will drive the resurgence of the hospitality industry worldwide. This means leisure hotspots, restaurants, hotels and more will see an uptick in traffic in the coming months as more and more people get vaccinated and give into their urge to make up for lost time and live their lives to the fullest.
3. Greater focus on cleanliness and hygiene
The pandemic has put cleanliness at the forefront in every conversation - from an individual level, taking care of personal and home hygiene, to a macro level with hospitality businesses spending more time, energy and funds to focus even more on ensuring the utmost hygiene. With this greater focus comes greater trust in restaurants and other hospitality businesses as they do their utmost to maintain the highest levels of cleanliness. What is important is to communicate all the steps you are taking to protect your patrons so they understand how seriously you take their safety and health.
These are just three of the many indicators I see that predict a brighter future for the hospitality industry, and the world in general. As long as we stay positive and focus on giving customers what they want in this new world, I believe every hospitality business will be well placed to come out of this slump and grab the opportunities that tomorrow holds.