Crisis strategy and post-pandemic transformation of Horison Hotels Group

Abstract

During the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has hit Indonesia, almost all business sectors have experienced a significant decline in sales and revenue. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges that have never happened before, causing all hotels in the world to experience a drastic decline in revenue due to the reduction in the number of tourists and travel restrictions. However, one of the leading hotel chains in Indonesia, Horison Hotels Group, has shown its resilience to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this research aims to learn on how Horison Hotels Group conducts crisis management in its operations in the period before, during, and after the crisis. In addition, the research also aims to learn how Horison Hotels Group adopted the principles of sustainability, digitalization and technology, and eco-tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic subsided. The method used in this research is a qualitative case study method with Horison Hotels Group across Indonesia as the research object. The interview technique used in this study is a semi-structured that allows researchers to be more flexible to explore more indepth information. The results of this research show that by reducing operational costs, adopting “saving energy” strategy, reduction in room prices, promotions on social media, and providing delivery services from hotel restaurants were crucial in sustaining operations and helping hotels survive successfully during and after the crisis. Moreover, the study reveals varied impacts where the group adopted digitalization to increase sales and develop ecotourism. However, in terms of adopting sustainability principles, no significant changes were seen. Despite effective crisis management, the study highlights opportunities for improvement in preventive measures and future planning strategies.