Hospitality 2.0: Rebuilding, Reinventing and Rising Stronger

Growing at a CAGR of 9.4% between 2024 and 2030, the hotel industry is growing steadily, both globally and in India driven by a mix of economic recovery, changing travel habits, and new business models. What emerged was a clear message that hospitality is not merely recovering; it is being rewritten.

Innovation is Not Optional, It’s Survival

Harshal Dilwali, Director & CEO, Clarissa Hotels & Resorts spoke about reinvention. With properties across Goa and Uttarakhand, he witnessed firsthand how domestic travel surged as international inflows stopped.

“We didn’t see any charter planes coming in.” Dilwali recalled. “But we saw a boom in domestic tourism. People began exploring states they had never visited before. Parallel to this came a technological leap. Clarissa Hotels became one of the first in its category to introduce web check-ins during the pandemic allowing guests to upload documents, select rooms, choose meal plans, and even handle billing online.”

This is common now, but at that time it was a big boost. Technology played a crucial role and will play even bigger rule in the future. As guest expectations rise every six months like new menus, room design upgrades, personalized experiences, Dilwali believed innovation is not optional. It is survival.

For Vishal Vithal Kamat, ED, Kamat Group of Hotels whose family has run hotels for nearly eight decades, the pandemic wasn’t a pause. It was a catalyst.“There is no post-Corona. Evolution happened while Corona was still on.”

Kamat explained how lockdowns created unexpected entrepreneurs like home bakers, home chefs, and small-format operators who eventually expanded into standalone restaurants or experiential dining spaces across tier-II and tier-III markets.

He noted a significant cultural shift. Diners became more adventurous. Audiences began seeking out non-brand experiences. Hospitality opened its doors to passionate creators who were not from traditional “pedigree” backgrounds.

The result is a diversified landscape one where homestays, boutique restaurants, and niche F&B concepts are no longer alternate formats but legitimate competitors in the new hospitality ecosystem.

When Authenticity Becomes Non-Negotiable

For the catering industry, the pandemic wasn’t just a challenge it was reawakening.

Mayank Prasad, Founder & CEO, Curated Catering by Design who leads a high-end catering and wine-events brand pointed out that customer expectations today have reached unprecedented levels. “Customer delight is no longer the end point,” he said.

“Expectations increase day by day. You either meet them or surpass them. Innovation happens in every sector, changes are happening in formats in terms of hotel operator and catering, and they are evolving in new ways of how to retain a client.”

He described how luxury clients now demand hyper-customization right down to niche cuisines such as Bihari live stations, regional specialties, or authentic international dishes.

“Clients are well-travelled,” he explained. “They know what they are asking for, and they know exactly how it should taste.”This shift pushes caterers to maintain authenticity, broaden their culinary networks, and ensure their teams can deliver diverse experiences with precision.

The Standalone Advantage

One of the most heated topics was the changing power dynamics between hotels and standalone restaurants. “Standalone restaurants benefit from 5% GST, making them seems more affordable than luxury hotel venues taxed at 18%.Malls today are effectively five-star ecosystems without roomsoffering spas, entertainment, shopping, and trendy dining under one roof,” shared Kamat by adding that hotels have had it tough. Many have shifted to functional formats rather than experiential ones.

However, loyalty programs whether Orchid Rewards or Taj Inner Circle remains powerful tools to keep existing customers engaged. Many of the hotels have in-house programs to cater to. They have corporate clientele as well. And despite the challenges, opportunities remain for hotels willing to collaborate with external operators.

“One of the important things is loyalty recognition. Restaurateurs are already doing this apart from hotels which we know. In Orchid Hotel, we have 10 lakh members and hence we are collaborating with other hotel and brands to give our guest more through the loyalty programs. They can stay in other hotels through orchid rewards,” pointed Kamat.

The Future of Collaboration

Kamat highlighted a major shift underway. “Hotels are increasingly open to bringing in standalone restaurant brands particularly in new developments where back-end infrastructure can be designed for diverse F&B operators. In older hotels, challenges like shared kitchens and space limitations complicate outsourcing, but not impossible.”

He added, “There’s a hotel in Mumbai that has outsourced even room service with a fixed menu and revenue-share model.” The key lies in early-stage planning and designing a hotel that supports multiple culinary formats. The newer places are thinking on this line, while the older places are focused on what they do.

Caterers Inside Hotels: A Modern Win-Win Model

For Prasad, partnerships between hotels and caterers are not just workable, they are increasingly essential. His company manages several hotel banquets as a white label catering partner, where they operate under the hotel’s brand. “Goodwill plays an important role in hospitality. We are associated with many brand owners, hotels and some of the places where we work as white label as an associated catering partner.”

There is a lot of flexibility which a caterer gives to the property owner. The benefits to hotels include Zero staffing and salary burden, Access to specialized culinary expertise, Flexibility across cuisines and Ability to meet fast-evolving guest expectations.

Dilwali shared, “People are not entering the hotel by looking at fancy tiles or flooring, giving a personalized service is majorly important than anything. Hotels are not only facing competitions from one another but they are facing competitions from airbnb. We want to make them feel valued by creating good memories and give nostalgia which make them comeback.”

And, we can say that what began as a crisis has evolved into one of the most transformative periods in India’s hospitality history. Whether through technology, partnerships, design innovation, or new F&B models, businesses are rewriting their future. One thing that we can say is adapt, evolve and deliver experiences that will help today’s guest to return for tomorrow.