How well the hospitality industry has recovered from the Covid-19 crisis?

"The recovery of the hospitality industry is quite encouraging on the one hand. Our occupancy rate is better than we expected in our forecasts. We have been very cautious when we prepared the budget. We notice a strong interest, especially from Mauritius, and international institutions. In a nutshell, from a business perspective, we see a major market trend: business travel has resumed. On the other hand, I think it is too early to assess how well the leisure market has recovered as we took our time to lift travel restrictions. Our three hotels in Tana are not exactly intended for leisure purpose."

Opening three hotels right after the pandemic is quite unusual. How are things going?

"Same. I think we were lucky in one way, that we opened just before the restrictions were lifted and not the other way around. The Covid period allowed us more time to prepare and adapt our post-Covid strategy, and to undertake renovations to the other properties.

The hotel opening was successful, probably because of the timing and the product, three well-located hotels. However, I fail to understand why there are still no direct flights from South Africa. Same for the PCR test requirement before and after boarding the plane that handicaps the full recovery of the sector. Business travellers, especially those who come for a short stay of four of five days, become reluctant."

Radisson Blu Waterfront - Antananarivo, Madagascar 

How do you think the hospitality trends would evolve moving forward?

"The trends have remained steady since 2019, even though there was a lot of interest in sustainability and doing business in a responsible way. Hotels that considered those aspects are better positioned in the guests’ choices. That is a worldwide trend that has not changed, but even gained in value.

Hygiene and Safety are now more important than ever. People are more aware and more cautious. Large events that gather large crowds in one room would not be as they were before.

But one thing is sure, the current trend revolves around sustainability and the guests’ concern with social responsibility."

Interview by The American team - in The American magazine #15