Academic Excellence Through Applied Learning

The pandemic and related socio-economic stress has made significant impact on hospitality sector. The industry has fought back with innovative responses to this extraordinary situation, found solutions to manage/ reduce costs on one hand and also made efforts to bring back demand. From offering patrons enticing options to bring them back into food and beverage outlets to assuring holiday goers that it is indeed safe to enjoy a hotel stay, the last two years have been about survival instincts.

The socio-cultural shift too has brought unique opportunities as well as changes. The popularity of staycations, focus on hygiene protocols, and contactless technologies – all now firmly embedded in the daily activities of hospitality businesses. Trends like consumer awareness of all things sustainable and healthy; focus on well-being has got hospitality businesses reconfigure their offerings. This track will welcome research on the high impact trends that are likely to define the hospitality sector in years to come.

1. Bleisure travelers & hotel workspaces / traveling less (& Staycations)
2. Social Media Marketing and distribution strategy
3. Millennials and Solo travelers- new segment for hotels
4. Customer Engagement through Social Media
5. Holistic hospitality, health & well-being driven by back end integration initiatives
6. Digitalized guest experiences / personalized experience, virtual & augmented reality
7. Role Data Analytics in Food and Beverage RM
8. Changing roles of senior leadership in the post-Covid decade
9. Asset management strategy to protect returns
10. Changing dynamics of the Hospitality Industry

In the broader spectrum of the hospitality industry, the culinary segment has been able to carve a niche in terms of popularity and growth. The market share of food and beverage in the hospitality industry has increased significantly.

The growth is witnessed not only in the F&B outlets within hotels but, the standalone restaurants, food kiosks; bakery & pastry houses etc. have also contributed significantly. The other verticals that have shown growth are culinary research and development in the FMCG segment, increasing use of technology in food production and packaging, exploring artificial intelligence for its incorporation and acceptance, satellite kitchens etc.

On one hand, technology is playing an integral part in increasing productivity, on the hand, people are trying to slow down the pace of life, especially post covid 19, with trends like vegan food, vegetarian diets, spa cuisines, seasonal and regional produce, going native, Saatvik food etc. are gaining popularity.

This track would be looking at the latest and future trends that will impact the future of the culinary industry, it is expected to focus on the technology, food trends, future of food, future of employment, etc. but is not limited to above only, other relevant aspects around the broader theme can be explored by researchers.

1. Empowering chefs for the upliftment of regional communities and betterment of the local economy
2. Food entrepreneurs and their contribution to countries’ economic growth
3. Role of technology in optimising food and beverage revenue, profit and operational cost
4. Can artificial intelligence be an integral part of culinary operation
5. Increasing numbers of women’s employability in the culinary domain of the hospitality industry
6. Finding work like balance in the culinary domain of the hospitality sector
7. The impact of Innovation and competitive pressure on regional and global cuisines
8. The commercial viability of seasonal and regional food in high-end hotels and restaurants
9. Backward integration and culinary education
10. Online culinary education; issues, challenges and the way forward

A global health crisis has emerged following the Covid 19 pandemic, and no industry is excluded from being affected. Apart from affecting the daily lives, Covid 19 has severely affected the global economy as well. Industries have responded in an innovative way to this unusual situation and companies from all sectors and regions have undergone substantial changes in the past few months as a result of the Covid 19 crisis. In the new McKinsey Global Survey, companies were found to be speeding up digitization across their supply chains

and customer interactions in recognition that new approaches are necessary for businesses to remain competitive in these challenging times.

As part of this track, we will examine the latest and future trends that will impact the future of the business across sectors; some of the themes covered in this track include technology, workforce management, data analytics, quality management, digital innovations, sustainable practices, corporate responsibility etc. Researchers can explore other relevant aspects of the broader theme in addition to those mentioned below.

1. Managing Multicultural workforce
2. Re-skilling workforce and evolving technology
3. Innovative methods in Business data analytics
4. Data Driven Quality Management
5. Digital Innovations in Business and Economy
6. Sustainable Finance and Practices
7. Corporate Responsibility Ethics and Accountability
8. Industrial Revolution 5.0
9. Social Entrepreneurship
10. Resource Mobilization and Sustainable Development