Hotel Chain Startups’ Strategies to Survive in the Middle of Pandemic

The hotel chain startup became one of the sectors whose transactions declined due to the corona pandemic. However, OYO, Bobobox, and RedDoorz have a strategy to survive in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Bobobox prepared five strategies to welcome new normal (new normal). First, apply physical restrictions.

“We will create the experience of staying without physical contact, starting from the check-in process to checking out,” Bobobox CEO Indra Gunawan told Katadata.co.id, Thursday (11/6). Second, apply stricter hygiene standards in the area of ​​lodging. Among them cleaning public areas to sleeping pods that are thoroughly disinfected.

Third, provide additional security in the lodging environment. The intended security is like checking body temperature, requiring the use of masks, and ensuring the availability of hand sanitizer in every corner of public areas. Fourth, provide flexible room booking options.

Finally, limit the number of people in the communal area, by reducing the number of chairs at each table. Among other things, the domestic market is slowing down due to the coronavirus pandemic and ensuring the safety and comfort of each guest.

OYO Will Reduce the Capacity of Its Partner Hotels’ Guests

While OYO Hotels and Homes Indonesia Country Stock Head Carlo Ongko said the company would reduce guest capacity at partner hotels. For example, one room for one person. “As for larger rooms, the maximum limit is two to four people,” Carlo said during a virtual press conference.

He asserted, the company would comply with the government’s call for preventing coronavirus transmission. In addition, OYO asks partners not to open public facilities such as swimming pools, children’s playgrounds, and others.

The Indian startup will also apply requirements for hotel guests. Among them fill out a self-declaration form (self-declaration) related to travel history, interactions with positive victims Covid-19, and others. “We hope consumers can be honest because that will maintain the security of partner staff,” he said.

So far, OYO has not required guests to show Covid-19 test swab results. If the Department of Tourism or the government requires it, the company will follow it. At present, OYO noted that hotel partner occupancy rates have dropped 60% due to the pandemic.

RedDoorz Cooperates with IAKMI to Launch a Certification Program for Its Partners

While RedDoorz in collaboration with the Indonesian Association of Public Health Experts (IAKMI) launched a ‘HygienePass’ certification program for partners. This is to provide hygienic standardization and cleanliness of the hotel.

RedDoorz Founder and CEO Amit Saberwal said 1,400 partners in Indonesia underwent a comprehensive audit to get the certification program. He said that the certification is open for any hotel business to adopt. This will help them to meet new hygiene and sanitation standards in the new normal era.

The requirement to get a certificate is that every hotel routinely implements some strict hygiene and hygiene measures every day. This includes implementing special cleaning methodologies, checking employees and guests’ body temperature, and providing anti-bacterial products.

The company will provide equipment for room and public areas’ disinfection and improve the general cleaning practices. “A comprehensive audit process will be carried out and assessed independently by IAKMI,” he said.

The latest, RedDoorz launches the ‘Hope Hotline’ program. Through this program, the company provides counseling session services to partners online, by hiring counselors and psychologists.

“We hope the counseling session can provide positive feelings and optimism,” Amit said. Specifically in Indonesia, RedDoorz partners with KALM startups. Even so, a startup similar to Airy Rooms decided to stop all of its operational activities in Indonesia on May 31 last.

Meanwhile, in the new normal era, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government will allow hotel network startups such as OYO and RedDoorz to resume operations by implementing health protocols.