Hospitality Trends: How Indian Hotels Are Leading the Change

In an exclusive interaction with Adlin Pertishya Jebaraj, correspondent of Homes India Magazine, Rayan Aranha, Vice President – Hospitality at Brigade Group, emphasizes that India's hospitality landscape is sustainably redefining luxury. He describes sustainability trends that include water restoration efforts, responsible local sourcing, artificial intelligence-based energy efficiency, and green-certified buildings.

Rayan Aranha exemplifies professionalism through his strategic leadership, operational excellence, and focus on innovation in hospitality. With over twenty years of experience, Rayan possesses a results-oriented mindset while applying a thorough understanding of brand standards and guest experience. 

How do you see the balance of luxury and eco-consciousness driving consumer demand in the current market?

In some of our properties, we have seen a change: travellers want indulgence that’s rooted in responsibility. Whether it’s curated local experiences or sustainable design, the expectation is that comfort must coexist with conscience. You can see this firsthand at some of our five-star hotels, where indulgence is paired with initiatives like plant-based dining, EV charging stations, and pesticide-free spice gardens.

In what ways are Indian hotels working with suppliers, travel operators, and local communities to support sustainability goals?

Indian hotels are increasingly partnering with local suppliers and community entrepreneurs. From sourcing organic produce to using biodegradable room amenities, the hospitality sector is becoming a platform for inclusive growth.

For example, the Lake Restoration Partnership near Sheraton Grand Bangalore at Brigade Gateway aims to rejuvenate water bodies, offset hotel water usage, and enhance biodiversity. This is an initiative expected to restore over 10,000 KL of water-holding capacity annually. This not only supports our water positivity goals but also uplifts surrounding communities.

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How do hotels address the unique challenge of retrofitting older properties to meet sustainability requirements?

The retrofitting of older hotels is a challenge, as well as an opportunity. Hotels can pursue it with modular innovation such as intelligent HVAC systems, solar retrofits, water efficient fixtures, and waste separation units that fit well into old buildings.

How are digital solutions, IoT, and AI enabling smarter energy and water management in hotels?

Technology is enabling us to be proactive, and it is the core of our sustainability strategy. For instance, in Brigade, we’ve adopted, or are in the process of adopting, cloud-based property management systems, mobile key entry, and digital menus to reduce paper and plastic waste. These digital solutions not only improve operational efficiency but also enhance guest experience.

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What is a "future-ready sustainable hotel" in India, in the next 5 years?

The future hotel in India will be climate-resilient, society incorporated, and digitally clever. It will be run on renewable power, provide zero-waste service, and will have environmentally-friendly materials used in its construction.

The roadmap to this vision has some milestones such as the in-house bottling of water to eradicate the use of single-use plastic, which is already in use in virtually all our hotels. As well sensor based fixtures, low flow toilets and HVAC optimization in terms of resource efficiency. We integrate the culture, such as the bird-themed interiors of our Ibis Styles Mysuru, which is an interpretation of the local heritage and biodiversity.

All of the new developments are being integrated with green building certifications and ESG-aligned operations. In all our future hotels, we will strive to incorporate sustainability in every stratum of design, operation, and experience of our guests.