The Amari Hua Hin hotel as part of the Onyx Hospitality Group. (Photo: Onyx)

Onyx Hospitality is taking measures to prevent the spread of the virus in its properties, as well as positioning itself for recovery.

Every hotel group has been affected by the current coronavirus crisis, but some in the Asia Pacific market are perhaps better positioned to deal with the crisis and plan for recovery, given that the region seems to be leading the way in containing the spread.

We find out how Onyx Hospitality is demonstrating leadership in this crisis, and what lessons it has for other groups around the world.

Safety and sanitation in hotels

Many hotels have had to shut their doors and lay off staff with unprecedented speed, as lockdowns have come into force around the world. While this is a tragic time for people in all sectors of employment, perhaps the hospitality and service industries have taken the biggest hits. But in some places, such as the Asia Pacific market, early action allowed certain hotels to remain open, and those properties still operational under the ownership and management of Onyx Hospitality are employing strict sanitation and hygiene regimes to protect their staff and guests. Some of the measures include supplying all housekeeping teams with masks, gloves and other protective equipment when cleaning rooms, providing hand sanitizer for use throughout the hotel and checking the temperature of all team members before they begin their work day.

Positioning themselves for recovery

In a live webinar hosted by Triptease on March 18th, the host spoke to Chetan Patel, Vice President of Digital & CRM at ONYX Hospitality, to find out his thoughts on managing the crisis and Onyx’s strategy for recovery. Patel listed a number of actions to take that can be applicable to any hotel group or brand so that they are in the best position to come out strong once the severity of the crisis passes.

In terms of pricing and promotions, some of the points he highlighted included:

• Be in line with competition/the market, but don’t drop too much, as pricing does not generate additional demand
• Skew pricing/perks towards markets still traveling to your property/destination
• Control the impulse to issue multiple promotions and offers to wholesalers and OTAs
• Offer more flexible cancellation policies

Referring to advertising and marketing, he said:

• Focus on capturing demands from markets that are still active
• Save on brand marketing and prospective campaigns
• Optimise for mobile and shorter lead times
• Use social media to educate guests on the situation and measures you are taking

To watch the full webinar, click here.