Hotel Occupancy Begins to Rise, OYO, RedDoorz & Booking.com

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) noted that the occupancy rate of star-classified hotel rooms in Indonesia rose 8.37 points to 28.07% in July. Hotel chain startups such as OYO, RedDoorz, Booking.com are also preparing special features to ensure health protocols are implemented during the corona pandemic.

OYO launched a touch-free check-in feature on Monday (7/9). Users or guests can check-in without having to interact directly with hotel staff. Country Head of OYO Hotels & Homes Indonesia, Eko Bramantyo, said this feature aims to provide a sense of security to guests staying in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The hope is that the demand for reservations and occupancy of OYO hotels will continue to increase. “In the recovery process in this industry, maintaining the trust and safety of guests is the key,” Eko was quoted as saying in a press release, Monday (7/9).

Guests will receive a link via SMS, WhatsApp, or a contactless check-in banner in the OYO app when booking a hotel room. For the verification process, guests only need to fill in their booking ID, check-in date, personal data of each guest who comes, and a photo ID.

After that, guests can look for an ‘Online Check-in’ sign on the reservation. When arriving at the hotel, guests can show their physical ID to be digitally verified through the application by the reception staff.

This is a Continuation of the Company’s Initiative Titled Sanitized Stay

This feature is a follow-up to the company’s initiative, Sanitized Stay. “Along with the increasing demand, OYO continues to strive to ensure that we and our hotel partners implement strict health and safety protocols in each property,” he said.

Based on internal data from OYO, the occupancy rate has begun to show a positive trend and has increased by 70% from its lowest point last May. The occupancy rate is gradually increasing, by an average of 20% every month. As many as 92% of orders during the pandemic were made through sales channels managed by OYO, such as applications, web and micro-market selling.

The rest comes from online travel agent (OTA) companies or other channels. In addition to OYO, Booking.com featured “health and safety measures” last July. This allows hotel partners to choose various health and safety measures as needed.

The health measures referred to are related to hygiene, sanitation, social distancing and food safety. Their choice will be displayed on the Booking.com website on the property page.

“As the situation develops, we continue to renew our support, including increasing transparency to consumers about health and safety information,” said Booking.com’s South Asia Regional Director Vikas Bhola, quoted in a press release, last July (6/7).

RedDoorz Collaborates with IAKMI to Provide Hotel Cleanliness Certification

Meanwhile, another hotel startup, RedDoorz, in collaboration with the Association of Indonesian Public Health Experts (IAKMI) launched a ‘HygienePass’ certification program for partners. This is to provide standardization of hotel hygiene and cleanliness.

RedDoorz Founder and CEO Amit Saberwal said that 1,400 partners in Indonesia underwent a comprehensive audit to obtain the certification program. “The certification will also be open for adoption by any hotel business wishing to meet the new hygiene and sanitation standards,” he said, as quoted from a press release.

The requirement to get a certificate is that every hotel routinely implements several hygienes measurements every day. This includes checking the body temperatures of employees and guests, applying special cleaning methodologies, and providing anti-bacterial products.

In addition, it provides equipment for disinfection of public rooms and areas and improves general hygiene practices. “The comprehensive audit process will be carried out and assessed independently by IAKMI,” he said.

RedDoorz also launched the ‘Hope Hotline’ program. Through this program, the company provides outreach services to partners online, by hooking up counselors and psychologists. “We hope that the counseling session can give positive feelings and optimism,” said Amit. Especially in Indonesia, RedDoorz partners with startup KALM.