London/New York (Reuters)- The COVID-19 pandemic will mean holiday goers will shy away from larger hotels for the foreseeable future in favour of boutiques and home rental. The CEO of India-based hospitality startup OYO Hotels and Homes told Reuters.
The comment by Ritesh Agarwal underscore the anticipation within the hospitality industry that the coronavirus outbreak will fundamentally change the nature of travel.
“The hospitality industry will never be the same again, that is absolutely clear,” Agarwal said on a video interview.
“Small hotels are going to be in vogue. In my view, small is going to be the new big, wherein people will rethink a lot about going back to the 1,000 room hotels versus going to a 40 room niche hotel.”
OYO, founded by Agarwal in 2013 when he was 18, allows guest to book hotels through its mobile app and also franchises its brand and offer standardised amenities at hotels on its network.
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