With hotel check-ins, add hotel check-ups

There’s a hospitality sector binge underway. Hotels are not just springing up in boom towns and ‘strategically targeted’ neo-getaway destinations like Ayodhya and Lakshadweep, but they are hot and happening across India. This is not just to cater to post-pandemic revenge tourism – with a statutory nudge to ‘travel and see India’ – but also to a revival with a vengeance in corporate travel. Tatas-backed IHCL, for instance, is pushing the embossed envelope and welcome tray, by opening, according to MD-CEO Puneet Chhatwal, ‘two hotels a month’. That suggests a troops-level occupancy demand.

Included in this accelerated ‘room service’ spree are high-end hotels. With this premium sub-sector comes assured quality stay. This is important for the travelling businessperson and corporate jaunter. Apart from taken-for-granted features like grade A in-room dining, spa services et al, this is the right time for business guests to be provided in-house doctor’s service. With premium hotels comes a bespoke aspect that can be extended to in-house healthcare – not restricted to emergencies but for check-ups, diagnostics, the works… the same way one avails of a fine-dining experience or a gym associated with the hotel.

Last year, Hotel Association of India anticipated hotels to grow by 11%, 13% and 15% in the short, mid and long term. This includes associated services that include F&B, spas and salons. Adding new verticals like in-house doctors to expand the range of premium services that a top-notch hotel provides will only add that qualitative edge to the already burgeoning numerical one. Luxury cruises provide this necessary feature. There is no reason why the business traveller should only be provided this service only when stranded at sea.