String of Crises Puts Asian Hotelier Ovolo’s Brand of Creativity to Test
Photo Credit: Ovolo Hotels' new social hour trolley service delivers drinks to guests seeking isolation time in their rooms. Ovolo Hotels
Skift Take
There’s no avoiding the blow the coronavirus pandemic is causing the hospitality sector. Creative marketing could be one way to soften the pain for hoteliers while they strategize their business continuity plans amid the crisis.
While the coronavirus outbreak began its devastating crush on global tourism as it spread from China in late January, Hong Kong-based Ovolo Hotels was already caught in the throes of months-long challenges roiling the Asia Pacific destinations it operates in.
Hong Kong’s once-thriving tourism sector was reeling from the double blow of social unrest and pandemic, which saw February arrivals to the city plunging to 199,000 – the daily average in the first half of last year.
Australia, meanwhile, was ravaged by worst wildfires seen in decades, with large tracts of the country devastated since the fire season begun last July.
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The onset of the coronavirus crisis only compounded the grim prospects that Ovolo Hotels CEO and founder Girish Jhunjhunwala was already facing, as the independent, family-owned hospitality chain operates four hotels and four restaurants in Hong Kong
