Gunjan M. Sanjeev and Richard Teare
The paper aims to profile the theme issue of Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes titled “How is the need for innovation being addressed by the Indian hospitality industry?”…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to profile the theme issue of Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes titled “How is the need for innovation being addressed by the Indian hospitality industry?” with reference to the experiences of the theme editor, contributors from the industry and academia and the theme issue outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses structured questions to enable the theme editor to reflect on the rationale for their theme issue question, the starting-point, the selection of the writing team and material and the editorial process.
Findings
It highlights recent innovations that have taken place in the Indian hospitality industry especially in the areas of customer service, cost competitiveness, culinary management, revenue management and technology.
Practical implications
As hotel sector investment in India intensifies, this theme issue will be of interest to hoteliers, policy makers, analysts and others interested in the role that innovation can play in helping to facilitate differentiation between competing hotel products and services.
Originality/value
There is limited literature available on industry innovations in the Indian context. All the papers in this theme issue were written after several cycles of interaction between academics and practitioners and so they incorporate real–time, relevant and contemporary data.
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Gunjan M. Sanjeev and Vinnie Jauhari
The paper aims to provide an overview of the facts and trends relating to the Indian hospitality industry. It also seeks to identify the key strategic and financial issues that…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to provide an overview of the facts and trends relating to the Indian hospitality industry. It also seeks to identify the key strategic and financial issues that hoteliers are currently facing and to introduce the theme issue.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws facts and emerging trends from various official reports and collates key issues as highlighted by the theme issue contributors. All the papers in the theme issue identify salient points after rounds of discussions with practitioners.
Findings
Some of the key emerging areas are risk management, cost management, land management and policies, revenue management, growth challenges and innovative practices arising from an extended inflationary period.
Practical implications
With domestic hoteliers in an expansion mode and foreign operators' intention of investing in India, the paper is of interest to hoteliers and policy makers interested in knowing about emerging and topical issues relating to this market.
Originality/value
There are relatively few prior studies relating to the strategic and financial issues affecting the hospitality industry in India – particularly in the context of practitioner involvement. The theme issue involves senior practitioners in the review from the outset and this approach offers a significant contribution to applied research in this field.
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Shweta Tiwari and Gunjan M. Sanjeev
This concluding article summarizes the main findings in response to the theme issue strategic question: How are hospitality and tourism businesses in India responding to the…
Abstract
Purpose
This concluding article summarizes the main findings in response to the theme issue strategic question: How are hospitality and tourism businesses in India responding to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Design/methodology/approach
The conclusion identifies some contemporary and relevant areas for development in the post-pandemic era. To summarize, this paper draws out the key findings of the theme issue articles and presents the main recommendations for industry action.
Findings
This conclusion highlights emerging issues for Indian hospitality and tourism businesses and includes specific recommendations for industry professionals, policymakers and other stakeholders in relation to strategies that could be adopted to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Practical implications
Given the wide impact of the pandemic across industries, this issue will be of interest to practitioners, higher education leaders, policymakers and other stakeholders as it draws on industry-focused research to explore the challenges and possible solutions to current and pending challenges. This issue also provides insights for further collaborative research.
Originality/value
This article provides insights from practitioners and academics relating to the current and on-going impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and developmental steps that the hospitality and tourism industry in India is taking in response.
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Gunjan M. Sanjeev and Richard Teare
The purpose of this paper is to profile the experiences of the theme editor and the writing team of Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes (WHATT) theme issue “What should…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to profile the experiences of the theme editor and the writing team of Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes (WHATT) theme issue “What should Indian tourism and hospitality managers focus on to stay competitive in the coming decade?”
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses structured questions to enable the theme editor to reflect on the rationale for the theme issue question, the starting point, the selection of the writing team and material and the editorial process.
Findings
This paper identifies key issues shaping the Indian tourism and hospitality industry and some of the implications for managers. It also identifies ways of improving competitiveness and some of the ways in which the Indian Government (at national and state levels) is investing in and facilitating community-focussed tourism development.
Practical implications
The theme issue outcomes provide lines of enquiry for others to explore and reinforce the value of WHATT’s approach to collaborative working and writing.
Originality/value
This paper draws on discussion and applied research with industry to identify and assess the likely impact of innovation, information technology, social media and related developments on tourism and hospitality industry development in India. The theme issue collection of this paper provides a rich picture of the occurring changes and prospects for the future.
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Vinnie Jauhari and Gunjan M. Sanjeev
This paper aims to summarise and review the key strategic and financial challenges faced by the hospitality industry in India.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to summarise and review the key strategic and financial challenges faced by the hospitality industry in India.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws from the findings of the theme issue contributors. All the papers in the theme issue have drawn inputs from practitioners in the domain of strategy and finance.
Findings
The paper summarises the key issues in the areas of strategy and finance in the context of the hospitality industry in India. Some of the key areas that have to be addressed are: cost management, land management and policies, risk management, revenue management, branding, growth issues and talent management.
Practical implications
There are a number of implications for practitioners and policy makers that would help the hospitality industry to grow more quickly and contribute meaningfully to India's economic growth.
Originality/value
Practitioners' perspectives are important as they help in framing policies and guidelines to enable the hospitality industry to grow. The outcomes of the theme issue are especially helpful in this context as they yield insights on issues that really matter to the hospitality industry in India.
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This paper aims to summarize and review the key innovations that have taken place in the Indian Hospitality Industry in recent times.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to summarize and review the key innovations that have taken place in the Indian Hospitality Industry in recent times.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on the findings and managerial implications as outlined by the contributors to this theme issue: “How is the need for innovation being addressed by the Indian Hospitality Industry?”
Findings
The paper highlights some of the recent innovations that have taken place in the Indian Hospitality Industry, especially in the areas of customer service, cost competitiveness, culinary management, revenue management and technology. It also highlights some of the key challenges faced by senior management of selected hotels in implementing innovative ideas and related processes.
Practical implications
With domestic hoteliers continuously expanding and foreign players’ intent on investing in India, it will be of interest to hoteliers and policymakers to know about the recent innovative measures adopted by the Indian Hospitality Industry. The innovations will aid hoteliers as they seek to create differentiation for their products and services.
Originality/value
There is limited literature on innovation in the Indian Hospitality Industry, especially with a focus on practitioner perspectives. This issue offers a significant contribution in the field of research in the Indian Hospitality Industry.
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Gunjan M. Sanjeev and Rumki Bandyopadhyay
This paper aims to provide an overview of the facts and trends relating to the innovations that are taking place in the Indian hospitality industry.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide an overview of the facts and trends relating to the innovations that are taking place in the Indian hospitality industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws facts and emerging trends from the existing literature and other reports. The paper also serves as an introduction to areas covered by theme issue contributors that are discussed in detail in their respective papers. All the papers bring out key findings after several rounds of discussion with practitioners.
Findings
Some of the key emerging areas are customer service, cost competitiveness, culinary management, revenue management and technology. The paper also suggests that it is important to understand how innovations are being managed across different functional departments and whether managers face barriers to the implementation of innovative ideas and processes.
Practical implications
The Indian hospitality industry continues to expand despite tough competition. But, it is imperative that hotels are able to find ways to differentiate their products and services and by innovating, it is possible to sustain and create new forms of differentiation. Given this reality, the paper is of interest to hoteliers and policy makers who want to know more about the emerging innovation trends in the Indian hospitality industry.
Originality/value
There is limited literature available on innovations in the Indian context. Further, all the papers in this theme issue were written after several rounds of interaction with practitioners so as to incorporate real-time, relevant and contemporary data.