Interview: Akaal Singh Manchanda, Founder and Director of Zuper Hotels & Resorts

An interview with Akaal Singh Manchanda, Founder and Director of Zuper Hotels & Resorts

Welcome to an exclusive interview with Mr. Akaal Singh Manchanda, Founder and Director of Zuper Hotels & Resorts.

A young visionary, Mr. Akaal Manchanda, founded Zuper Hotels and Resorts at the age of 22. With a background in Hotel Management from Kohinoor International Management Institute. He has ideated unique and experiential hospitality products and crafted compelling narratives that deeply resonate with the target audience.

By emphasizing brand loyalty and product tangibility, he has successfully pushed the boundaries of traditional marketing strategies within the hospitality industry.

In our candid conversation with the founder of Zuper, we delve into the insights, experiences, and the remarkable journey that led him to establish Zuper and redefine the landscape of hospitality

Kindly brief us about Zuper Hotels, USP , its specialization, and the services it offers.

Akaal Singh Manchanda: Zuper Hotels and Resorts is a young and vibrant resort management company with over 10 years of experience in hospitality. It has been instrumental in promoting and enhancing some of the most unique hotels in prime locations while hyper-personalizing hospitality.

Our vision is to redefine the experiential hospitality landscape of domestic travel by creating memories for all our guests while maintaining the highest standards of service.

Can you please share about your journey in the business world and how you came to lead Zuper Hotel & Resorts?

Akaal Singh Manchanda: During my pursuit of a hotel management degree, I realized that independent hotels and resorts were being overshadowed by monotonous international and domestic brands, neglecting their passion to serve guests with individualistic hospitality.

Hence, when we recognized an opportunity to advocate for this cause, we decided to launch Zuper, aiming to provide independent hotels with the recognition they truly deserve.

Since our inception, we have paved the way for boutique hotels, with our properties generating 4x ARR’s (Average Room Rates) compared to the average market rate. With dynamic strategies and creative consistencies, we often surpass established peers in most of our markets. Our mission is to double the targets and brand value of resorts in the years to come.

How do you prioritize and enhance the overall customer experience at Zuper Hotels?

Akaal Singh Manchanda: We achieve this by offering experiences and touchpoints of service to our guests. We believe in establishing a connect with our guests, alongside providing quality services and great hospitality.

We ensure that our processes are well-tuned and uncomplicated, complemented by a very hands on-site operations team, which ensures that every aspiration, challenge, or grievance is handled with utmost care.

Our loyalty programs and additional benefits for our returning guests are resourcefully designed to ensure that our guests themselves become our brand ambassadors.

How do you see the Hospitality industry evolving in the coming years, and how is your company preparing for those changes?

Akaal Singh Manchanda: In the hospitality industry, it is necessary to remember that we are, and always will be, a people-focused industry, and we need to keep that fact at the forefront as we evolve over time.

With AI and advancements in technologies, it is important to ensure we adapt to these trends while keeping end guest experiences easy and flexible, all the while maintaining the essence of hospitality.

The pandemic has paved the way for guests to explore bleisure travel (business and leisure), which is likely to become more prominent in the future.

Hoteliers must be up to the challenge of capitalizing on this opportunity by offering convenient and comfortable settings for both leisure and business travelers. Therefore, technology adaptations need to be tactful and immediate in all aspects.

Can you share insights into upcoming projects or expansions that Zuper Hotels is undertaking to further establish its presence in the Indian hospitality market?

Akaal Singh Manchanda: We employ a strong corporate team that holds admirable credentials, having served at the Oberoi and the Taj. We are a young and rising organization and have hosted 500+ weddings and socials, 2000+ corporate events, and attended 10 Lakh+ guests over the years.

Making a 100 cr+ revenue in 2023-24, Zuper targets to add more than 800 rooms by the end of the current financial year and triple its revenue by 2026. With ambitious plans to expand to 25+ destinations by 2026, the company collaborates with top corporates in the country, leading travel and trade partners, and forges strategic alliances with top OTAs.

What is your success tips for young and aspiring entrepreneur…?

Akaal Singh Manchanda: In my knowledge, every person has his or her own recipe for success. However, whether small or big, an entrepreneurial journey needs to incorporate the 3 M’s: Mentor, Monitor, and Move.

An entrepreneur should always have a mentor in life to seek advice from, as the journey is full of risks and ambiguity. Monitoring decisions taken and those being planned is crucial, as it is the most important part of the process. Finally, moving on and deciding the next steps in work and ambitions, whether a past goal was achieved or lost, is essential for continued growth and progress.

In the dynamic world of hospitality, Mr. Akaal Singh Manchanda’s leadership continues to inspire and elevate standards. Through Zuper Hotels & Resorts, he has not only crafted unforgettable experiences but has also reshaped the landscape of luxury hospitality.

As we look ahead, Mr. Manchanda’s unwavering dedication to excellence promises a future where hospitality reaches new heights of sophistication and satisfaction.

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