Q & A
Q & A
Natural innovator
Girish Jhunjhnuwala , CEO of Ovolo , won the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year for the Hong Kong and Macau region late last year . CIM spoke with him about his path to success .
Q : What was the motivation to enter the hotel business ?
A : I was inspired to enter the business from my days travelling the world for my family ’ s watchmaking company . I used to stay in a range of hotels and noticed that a number of non-customer friendly features . Things like wi-fi and the in-room minibar for example – why did you have to pay extra for these things when you ’ ve already paid for the room ? This kind of question is sparked my vision to disrupt the industry , and it ’ s ultimately what convinced me to start Ovolo .
Q : The hotel sector didn ’ t have a reputation for innovation when you launched Ovolo – do you think that has changed ?
A : To us , innovation is truly achieved when you offer something to a customer that they didn ’ t know they wanted , and they welcome it with enthusiasm . Originally , we didn ’ t see what we were doing by offering allinclusive accommodation as innovative , but as demand and interest increased year after year , and our competitors started taking greater notice , we knew we were doing something innovative . I believe a brand like Ovolo , coupled with the changing needs of today ’ s traveller , is changing how a lot of hotel brands operate . What classifies as 5-star accommodation to the traveller of 20 years ago , certainly isn ’ t the same to today ’ s hotel guest .
Q : You have maintained an owner / management structure as you expanded – what are the benefits of that ?
A : It allows us to maintain full control both to our brand identity , and the pace in which we expand . Being both the landlord and hotel manager means decisions are made quicker . And when it comes to projects that utilise our boutique properties , there ’ s less channels to have to go through for approval . I believe as owner and manager , we have greater longevity in the business , and it gives our customers and partners alike greater reassurance in perhaps realising their most ambitious initiatives at our hotels .
Q : There has been a huge amount of consolidation in the hotel sector of late – what does that mean for Ovolo ?
A : Consolidation doesn ’ t afford the flexibility that a small hotel brand like Ovolo has . With consolidation comes more formalities which we believe can affect how hotels operate and the guest experience . As more hotel brands consolidate , we will continue to remain nimble and constantly thinking not just about the customer of today , but what tomorrow ’ s hotel guest will look like and want from their travel experience .
Q : Australia was your first move overseas – what attracted you ?
A : We saw great opportunity in the Australian market due to the surging demand for accommodation as well as events business and a limited supply of hotels in the market . Our all-inclusive accommodation approach had never been tried before in the Australian market . Coupling this with the rise in both domestic travel and regional travel into Australia , and strong support for foreign direct investment from the Australian government , opening our first overseas branch in Australia was a solid decision .
Q : Do you have further Australian cities in the crosshairs ?
A : Cities like Melbourne , Sydney , Brisbane and Cairns are all on our radar . Our expansion into the country has only just begin , and we aim to double our number of Australian properties within the next three to five years .
Q : How do you differentiate your brand in an increasingly crowded market ?
A : Design is integral – every Ovolo property is created with a goal of offering one of a kind design that both enhances and maintains the integrity of the building . This is incredibly important when you consider all our properties were pre-existing structures that were either redone as hotels or redesigned to fit the Ovolo DNA . But it ’ s the service that differentiates us from others .
Q : These are boom times in the hotel industry , especially in Australia where there is an acknowledged room shortage – how long do you see this trend continuing ?
A : I believe the boom will continue for some time , but to me , only those that understand and can anticipate the changing needs and taste of customers will be able to reap the benefits . Diversification is also very important . It ’ s not enough to just be an accommodation provider – offering event services is greatly important as well . Ovolo is betting big on the rise of events in the country , particularly in Sydney where we ’ ve launched our events space at Ovolo Woolloomooloo .
40 Convention & Incentive Marketing , Issue 2 , 2017 www . cimmagazine . com