Hotelier India - July 2018

Main article: Alan Watts, executive VP and president, Asia Pacific of Hilton Hotels & Resorts is quick at spotting industry trends and acting fast to capitalise it. This trait held him in good stead at InterContinental Hotel Group for over two decades, where he was responsible for operations in 280 hotels across six brands and 40 countries and territories, and where he breathed life into the group’s substantial pipeline and brand introductions.
He now plans to replicate this success story at Hilton Hotels & Resorts in India, which has a smaller footprint despite its veritable global lineage and presence for almost a century. And he has begun by bringing on board industry veterans like Navjit Ahluwalia as senior VP and country head, India, and Jatin Khanna as VP and head of operations, India. In the cover story, Watts and Ahluwalia reveal how they will focus on select brands to create a significant impact on their existing business as the company aims at doubling its portfolio in the next three years, and also establish a collaborative relationship with owners.
In this issue also finds out how the roles and responsibilities of revenue managers have changed with the advent of multiple distribution channels. While their mission is to sell as many rooms as possible at the best rates conceivable, their ultimate focus remains a healthy bottom line. To help them in this endeavour, they are increasingly using technologies like artificial intelligence to forecast and model the business impact of various combinations of channel mixes.
Talking about technology, we discover how blockchain has the potential to offer several advantages to the industry, including security and stability benefits.
This is just a primer of the articles that will definitely get you thinking and discussing. There’s a lot more in store.