“Pakistan is going through a very precarious time, there is financial pressure and business uncertainty everywhere at every level. Economy has a great chance to come out of this time with flying colors, as long as the government stays focused on providing right incentives and stimulus to the business community”, said Asim Ibrahim, founder and Chief Executive Officer at Lakeshore Hospitality Group in an question answer session with Daily NewsPK at exclusive series on COVID-19, Shifting of the Paradigm.
- How do you see the overall landscape of economy in Pakistan post COVID-19?
This may be a time of major disruption and fear, but we have the tools we need to make it through. The best way to adjust and mitigate current economic challenges and the spread of infection is through making better use of advancements in technology that are already in place. We can and should use the shift to transform our current infrastructure into a more functional and efficient one toward serving our needs in the future. Health professionals are relying on MedTec (medical technology) more than ever. Factories that would be shut down during this time are investigating ways to rethink their production capabilities so they can make the lifesaving medical necessities we all desperately need.
In addition to the major adjustments required to handle the outbreak on a public-health level, havoc has been wrought on most businesses large and small, all over. With supply chains disrupted and factories having been closed for weeks, major retailers have closed stores worldwide. Planes are flying empty, major events are canceled, and restaurants, shopping malls, health clubs and movie theatres are closed indefinitely. Our farmers are hit very hard, and crops are destroyed.
- In context of business continuity, what challenges and opportunities do you see for hospitality and tourism industries in the current crisis scenario?
Hospitality and Tourism was on a revolutionary boom in Pakistan prior to COVID-19. Hospitality sector has come to a halt since March due to the travel restrictions and ban on social gatherings, globally including Pakistan. Biggest challenge I see for the recovery of tourism is bringing back the consumer trust in travel and our facilities such as – hotels, restaurants, car rental companies, and other service providers. Health concerns and cleanliness standards will be paramount. Businesses who operate dirty or below standard hotels or restaurants will struggle to be profitable. I feel Government needs to mandate all hospitality and travel sector service providers to update their SOPs on cleanliness, sanitation and hygiene with a certification requirement. The biggest opportunity, as the travel restrictions ease off, I feel is that domestic tourism will be the first to see any kind of life. This puts Pakistan’s tourism sector to rebound much quicker than some of the more mature markets (Europe and Central America) which depend heavily on inbound traffic. This is also a fantastic opportunity for Federal and Provincial tourism departments to improve their infrastructure and accessibility, provide roadside rest areas with clean washrooms and restaurants. Government should come out and share with the public what measures they are taking to protect the safety of travelers.
- Under the current outbreak, how important do you find connecting with and educating your customer is?
For any business in uncertain times it’s a must to communicate with its customers, letting them know what they are doing for their safety. Hotel and restaurant owners must take a professional approach by letting their customers know what kind of precautions and improvements they have made in their daily operating procedures. I might suggest to all travel and tourism sector businesses to start reaching out to their customers by asking them what will make them conformable to travel again, and then start working on those recommendations. This maybe only way to salvage most of the marginal operations who were running their businesses without any professional setup or standards.
- What recent initiatives have you taken to support business continuity of hospitality and tourism industries?
Over the years, I have gone through a few economic crisis and market meltdowns. In my business we have been busy for last 2 month on helping hospitality and tourism businesses prepare and plan their mitigation strategies. Some of the things we are working on is improving and establishing hotel and tour operator operating standards. Helping companies define communication strategies with their customers and most importantly encouraging a paradigm shift from “how we did business” to “how we need to do business”. Some of our clients are going through process re-engineering to incorporate technology in their daily operations, and defining ways to stay effective while working from home. God willing, we will come out of this time as better people both in our personal and professional lives.
