The role of Corporate Communications in any organization is crucial to the brand’s growth and success.
On our April ’23 cover, Hotelier India features leaders in this segment who’ve taken on the onus of making their hospitality brands shine with much pride and passion.
Ruchika Mehta, Corporate Director – Communications and Public Relations, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited (ASPHL – THE Park Hotels, Zone By The Park, Zone connect, Flurys, AIH), shares her memorable and rewarding journey in the industry us…
The Trigger
“My father used to work in the hotels, so there was a certain liking towards hospitality but I was not looking to get into it. I wanted to be a CA. But when I started my first job with the ITC Maurya Sheraton, I just loved the industry, I knew this where I enjoyed being.“Over the years, I began to feel a sense of pride working in the hospitality industry. And I enjoy the marketing and communications space – there’s so much of opportunity to build brands here. The industry also gives you a lot of opportunities to grow. “22 years of being here feels like home now!”
My challenging and rewarding moments
“I was literally 23 when I was Director of Communications of Shangri-La. Launching Shangri-La in India was very challenging; and a great high. It was my first pre-opening, and I strongly believe that every hotelier should do a pre-opening.“I did the rebranding of the entire Park hotel, which took us almost a year, and I absolutely cherish working on that. We created a new brand called ‘Zone By The Park’. Developing from scratch excites me. “Hotels have been very traditional in their marketing systems. I cherish the digital evolution of the hotel I’ve been involved with.”
Evolving trends in communications
“Things have changed very drastically and marketing and communications have become very critical in the hospitality industry today. “Everything is becoming digital first; consumers have become much younger, Gen Z has become active spenders, and people believe more in experientials now. They experience you digitally first, and then come to you. So, you’ve got to be there on all digital fronts – social media, metaverse, gaming, influencers, the works, you’ve got to be there everywhere. Building your own database to reach out to your loyal customers is very important too.”
The best thing about working for an organization like ASPHL
“Their portfolio of products is enormous. Plus, the amount of empowerment you get to do things your way is amazing. The beauty of the organization is that they are okay if you fail, they aren’t okay if you don’t try. “So the creativity-building culture is seen in the system throughout the ranks. The organization is high on innovation too – they allow you to grow beyond and come back.”
ASPHL, to me, is
“A brand that is very young at heart. Even though we’ve been there for more than 50 years, we believe in constant change and renovation. We place a lot of premium on creativity, design, art. “We are a hotel that changes with time, and essentially built for urban India.”
