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A recent TripAdvisor survey -- Summer Holiday Travel
Survey -- shows the Indian woman is ready to go solo
with 64 per cent female respondents willing to travel
alone on leisure. Also, statistics reflect that an ever
increasing number of women are now travelling for
business. The rise in single women jet-setting business
and leisure travellers has spawned the hotel industry
to sensitise their services as per women’s needs,
reorienting them to be in-tune with the industry’s
international trends. Today, hotels are pampering this
niche segment and offering special services to make
women feel not only more secure but also more at
home.
Evolving
Trends
Pointing out to the evolving trends in the industry,
Kamlesh Barot, President, FHRAI, explains, “Hotels in
India today are starting to roll out specialised services
for female guests, of course, at a premium. Around
41 per cent of business travellers are women now,
while just 30 years ago female executives comprised
only one per cent. Imagine when the size of the
tourism industry shall be $21,011 billion by 2022,
Boosting
lipstick wanderers
As the quantum of the single lady traveller leaps, the travel industry is going forward to woo
the women traveller.Today, hotels are pampering this niche segment and offering special
services to make women feel not only more secure but also more at home. Read more…
MEGHA PAUL
Today,
hotels are pamper-
ing this niche seg-
ment and offering
special services
to make women
feel not only more
secure but also more
at home
‘‘
Dedicated
floors/
services in
Hotels
But the recent and more dynamic
trend has been of entire floors or
rooms being dedicated for the
individual woman traveller. Says
Sanjay Sharma, Complex General
Manager, The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi and
The Westin Sohna Resort and Spa, “We have
seven dedicated rooms, one on each floor for
single woman travellers, named after the Greek
Goddess of Breeze - Aura. Exclusively designed
for the chic, modern women on-the-go, these
rooms are generous in size and conveniently
located close to the elevators on each floor for
easy access.” The Aura rooms are serviced by
how important this segment shall be for all of us.” A glance around any airport or train
station confirms that things have changed. The airline industry has already recognised
this change and is working closely with their flight attendants to become more responsive
to woman travellers on their flights, he adds.
Apart from security being the primary concern, most hotels have incorporated free pick-up
and drop services from the airport for their women travellers. Rooms are offered near the
elevators where it is usually well lit and a guard is present. Use of Video phones to check
the identity of any person seeking entry into the guest room, and screening of telephone
calls, have likely to become an industry norm.
AnshulMendiratta
Neelam Singh
Sanjay Sharma

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female associates only for elevated security of the single
female travellers, he adds. The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi,
features 313 keys, including seven Aura rooms. Regarding
the business generated by these exclusive women rooms,
Sharma states, “There is definitely an increasing trend of
women, especially single women travellers on leisure and
business trips using these rooms. They account for 16 per
cent of our hotel’s total business. Not just this, but their per
capita spend during the stay is 35-40 per cent more than
the average spend of their male counterparts.”
Reiterates Pranay Verdia, Director-Operations, Jaipur
Marriott Hotel, “Women do not just seek comfort and
security in their hotel rooms but also expect the finer things
in life. Single women guests are now being considered as
an important client category for our hotel.” Jaipur Marriott
Hotel ensures that the guest is tracked right from the
moment the reservation is made with a special VIP code to
their arrival and then through their stay until they depart.
“We ensure the complete patrolling of the floor throughout
the day and night. Especially, when a single lady checks
in, the list is shared with the Loss Prevention department
(Security Department) to have the complete patrolling
of the floor, especially at night,” he reveals. Some of the
added amenities for the women travellers consist of rooms
being serviced by lady associates from housekeeping. The
reception also does not permit any outsider into their rooms
without getting appropriate clearance from their end, he
informs.
ITC—
Preferred choice for
Women travellers
ITC business hotels were one of the first hotels in the country
to dedicate entire floors – Eva floors - with standardised
facilities for women travellers. Confirms D Kavarana, GM, ITC
Maratha & Area Manager, West, “At the ITC Maratha, a set of
Evaroomsarededicatedexclusivelytothesingleladytraveller.
Conceived as a haven of relaxation and contemporary style,
the Eva rooms cater to the requirements and preferences
of our special lady guests. Whether it is providing airport
assistance on arrival, to lady butlers, unpacking clothes,
guidance in terms of travelling within the city, aid with hiring
of reliable transportation, draping a sari, announcing of calls
cover story technologynews updates newsupdate fhrai desk chef talk guest column explore products & services movements beverage travel events
Move away
from the hotels
and their comforts,
women are
now venturing out
in the wilderness
to explore nature
and give a
kick to their
adrenaline rush.
‘‘
A woman traveller, whether
travelling alone or in a group, expects
the concerned staff to be polite
and responsive

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cover story technologynews updates newsupdate fhrai desk chef talk guest column explore products & services movements beverage travel events
after 10 pm, a video phone in room; all these are a
part of the service design. However, the option of
staying in an Eva room is at the sole discretion of the
single lady traveller.” ITC hotels have been accredited
with the ‘Women Aware’ certification, making it the
preferred choice of single lady travellers from across
the globe, he adds. At the ITC Maurya, there is one
Eva floor with 14 rooms, which is dedicated to women-
only travellers. What is interesting is that without the
room key card, one cannot even stop at the Eva floor.
The card needs to be swiped in the elevator to direct
it to the Eva floor, allowing limited entry and optimal
security. The defining moment of the Eva floor is the
interactive door bell, where the guest is able to see,
without moving from where she is seated, who is at
the door.
Challengesto
Overcome
Move away from the hotels and their comforts,
women are now venturing out in the wilderness to
explore nature and give a kick to their adrenaline
rush. However, even in this scenario, safety concerns
are the first prerogative of the fairer sex. Hence, a
number of companies that organise adventure-based
activities are now targeting women travellers with
increased attention on women-specific amenities.
Confirms Anshul Mendiratta, Owner, Virgin Travel
Spots, “While booking packages, women generally
ask for experienced and trustworthy guides or escorts
from the group. Cleanliness and hygiene are other
important points which we take into consideration.
Another crucial issue which they often raise is whether
they can travel with their kids.”
A lot needs to be done in this segment as there are
challenges galore, feels Mendiratta. “The major
roadblock would be the lack of skilled women guides
and escorts. The industry has not been able to retain
good professionals. Though, there is a boom in the
hospitalitysector,butmostofthemjoinotherindustries
such as aviation or retail. The picture of India with its
poverty, political uncertainties and safety issues also
harm the travel industry. I think if we empower rural
women and make them a part of the tourism industry,
it will bring an overall change in the industry.”
And travelling in India can be a herculean task. Due to
the prevalence of social conservatism, it is important
that women educate themselves of how to handle
themselves in public. Says Neelam Singh, Desk Editor,
DDP Publications, “In my opinion, safety and hygiene
are the two most important issues women look for
Move away from the hotels and their comforts, women are now
venturing out in the wilderness to explore nature and give a kick to
their adrenaline rush. However, even in this scenario, safety concerns
are the first prerogative of the fairer sex
Women do not just
seek comfort and
security in their hotel
rooms but also expect
the finer things in life.
Single women guests
are now being
considered as an
important client
category for our hotel
‘‘
during travelling or staying in a hotel. Apart from this,
a woman traveller, whether travelling alone or in a
group, expects the concerned staff to be polite and
responsive.”
Reminiscing about her last trip and the potential in the
untapped segment, Singh feels, “I have found metro
cities more women-friendly than small cities. Absence
of security outside airports, especially late at night when
women are waiting for shuttle buses or cabs in badly lit,
unguarded parking lots need improvement. Also, I have
noticed that generally people find it hard to digest that a
woman or a group of women is travelling by themselves.
For example, on our recent adventure trip, the driver
of our vehicle expressed his astonishment on seeing a
group of women travellers sans men.”
The increase in women travellers is a fascinating trend.
In India, the tourism industry has understood the
importance of this niche segment. As a result, Hotels
have been offering special services for its female guests. It has been seen that women prefers
to be more loy al to companies that address their special needs. Hence, hotels are focussing
more to go out of their way to make a woman traveller feel comfortable and secure.
When the industry responds to women’s needs, everyone benefits. It just makes a good
business sense!
Pranay Verdia