Standalone brands, hospitality chains shift into overdrive as demand rises

Other legacy brands are bracing to wrest the odds in their favour by creating niches within their portfolio for offering bespoke services to their guests

Whether it is taking a walk in a tea estate, swimming with sharks, or an adventurous forest trail, experiences drive the modern traveller. If anything, the Covid-19-induced lockdown that forced people to remain cooped up at home has only added more to the trend.

But the pandemic has also permanently changed travellers’ hospitality preferences. Brands such as Airbnb and home-grown properties such as Oyo, Vista Rooms and SaffronStays stepped in almost six to eight years ago to fill in the white space left by traditional hospitality chains. In the process, these brands have carved out a billion-dollar category and an