India-based Oyo Hotels & Rooms has launched an initiative called Hospitality 2.0 to overhaul its operations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region amid the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
As part of the initiative, which has been developed in response to the pandemic, Oyo will introduce greater automation and hygiene procedures across its properties in the Middle East.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The significant changes in the Hospitality 2.0 initiative will include the use of airline-style kiosks allowing minimal contact at the time of check-in and check-out.
To avoid the spread of virus, extra focus will be on sanitation.
Other overhaul features will include automated check-in machines for verifying the identity of a guest; providing paper room cards that are disposable and sensor-based remote diagnosis of maintenance requirements in rooms.
The hospitality group will also ensure hygiene packs and masks are provided to guests
Oyo Middle East operations head Manu Midha was quoted by Arabian Business as saying: “At the end of the day, while each travel market and individual government does what it feels is best to keep its people safe and its economy running, the hospitality industry too must actively work on defining Hospitality 2.0 in the new normal.
“For Oyo, we believe that technology combined with human commitment is the key in making all of this possible.”
Oyo with its partners in the UAE and Saudi Arabia is also working to prepare its hotels for the increase in demand for hygienic stays.
Last month, Oyo in Japan announced plans to combine its hotel and rental apartment businesses to reportedly cut down costs in the wake of the pandemic that has badly hit the hotel industry.
