Amid reductions across other sectors, the hospitality sector will employ thousands of new workers this year. The hospitality sector is anticipated to endure significant alterations in 2023 due to several factors. One of the primary drivers of change will be the increasing use of technology to enhance the passenger experience.
Hotels and other hospitality providers will invest significantly in digital technologies such as mobile applications, chatbots, and voice assistants to expedite the check-in process, offer personalized services, and enhance communication with guests.
Another trend that is expected to impact the hospitality sector in 2023 is sustainability. Consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious, and hotels and resorts will need to implement sustainable practices to attract and retain consumers. This could include reducing energy and water consumption, using eco-friendly products, and instituting recycling programs.
In addition, the rise of the sharing economy has disrupted the hospitality industry, and this trend is anticipated to continue in 2023. Platforms such as Airbnb and Homeaway have already attracted a significant number of travelers, and hotels will need to discover new methods to differentiate themselves from these competitors.
Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the hospitality sector, and some of the changes brought about by the pandemic will likely be permanent. For example, hotels may need to implement stricter cleansing protocols and social distancing measures to ensure the safety of their visitors.
The plans are following new hotel openings and pipeline figures, and the sector has progressed beyond the replacement hiring of staff that departed during the pandemic. Mandates are also out to employ more women across roles.
Rajesh Kumar, senior VP for human resources at Lemon Tree Hotels, said the chain would employ approximately 2,000 personnel for new hotel openings this year. “For the financial year 2024, our objective is to hire at least 15% women in the overall workforce number, and by the financial year 2026, our target is to have 30% opportunity-deprived individuals in our workforce. These would be individuals with disabilities, school leavers, bereaved people, and widows. Currently, we are operating with close to 7,000 employees,” he added.
A spokesperson for Leela Palaces Hotels & Resorts said the chain is seeking to employ around 800-900 associates to support its expansion plans this year. “We are looking at enhancing our senior leadership portfolio with female general managers, executive chefs, and department chiefs while continuing to strengthen overall diversity ratios across all properties in all departments,” the spokesperson added.
Franchised hotel partners of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in India are expected to generate over 500 jobs locally in 2023 for the chain’s newly opened hotels, said Nikhil Sharma, MD for Eurasia.
“The preponderance of our hotels are independently owned and operated. Our hotel franchised partners look after employment within their properties per their requirements. These are new positions that are anticipated to be created by our hotel partners in India,” he added.
Akhil Arora, chief operating officer at Espire Hospitality Group said the chain’s personnel would increase by 100% this year. “Earlier this year, we launched our Country Inn branded hotels in Udaipur, Mussoorie, and Chail. In the remainder year, we also plan to launch four more hotels under our ZANA and Country Inn banners, in Rishikesh, Ranthambore, Dehradun, and Jim Corbett,” said Arora. “We are not replacing talent, but recruiting new talent, following our development strategy,” he added.
