There is no denying the fact that the Indian Event & Wedding Industry is currently suffering immensely because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
However, over at Rashi Entertainment, Director, Rajeev Jain believes that the Indian wedding industry will witness a significant rise in business once the pandemic subsides.
While it is first and foremost a human tragedy affecting millions, the Coronavirus pandemic has had a growing impact on the global economy. In conversation with Rajeev Jain, we decided to talk about what the wedding industry in particular would look like once we overcame this major calamity. Rajeev suggested, “rethinking, reinventing, restructuring, redefining, and rebooting,” to ensure “the world is ours in the future”
THE IMPACTS OF CORONAVIRUS ON THE INDIAN WEDDING SCENE
Rajeev candidly stated his belief that all international destinations will be shunned because of the travel restrictions and the fear that surrounds the rapid spread of Covid-19. He predicted that for 2020, domestic destinations will be the craze with a variety of opportunities opening in the sphere of domestic destinations.
WHAT WILL DESTINATIONS LOOK LIKE? ANTICIPATED DOMESTIC LOCATIONS FOR INDIAN WEDDINGS
While destination weddings as a whole might drastically reduce, they will not come to a complete standstill. Rajeev foresees Antalya, UAE and Thailand being top international destinations for Indian Weddings, but the primary focus being on domestic destinations such as Goa, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Kerala, and the like.
SUMMER WEDDINGS- JUNE
With the lockdown coming to an end in the next few weeks, there might still be hope for those hoping to tie the knot in June, although on a somewhat smaller scale. Rajeev predicts exactly the same. He states, “the gatherings will be smaller, décor minimal, entertainment will be on a much smaller scale, venues will limit the number of guests, and transportation will be limited as well, with guests choosing local, neighboring venues” However, he further forecasts that profit margins too will be comparatively lesser for the wedding professional.
LAST QUARTER AND EARLY 2021 WEDDINGS- NOVEMBER THROUGH FEBRUARY 2020-2021
Rajeev advices wedding professionals be prepared to cater to an enormous surge in the number of weddings that will take place during the period of November to February. With domestic destinations being in demand and creative ideas at their disposal, wedding professionals should expect huge business opportunities this coming wedding season. When asked about specifics, he exclaimed, “the clients will spend more on entertainment as new concepts come to the fore, and expenditure will go up too. The money spent on outfits and grooming will increase too since the total amount of ceremonies and functions will increase, owing to domestic mobility at the destinations!”
SUGGESTIONS FOR PLANNING POST-PANDEMIC WEDDINGS
A) STATE GOVERNMENTS
With an abundance of beautiful destinations in our country, Rajeev believes that India in itself is the perfect country for a wedding. He suggests that state governments offer wedding management incentives to use the variety of different properties like the hawelis in Rajasthan, beaches in Goa, temples like Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, as wedding venues.
B) HOTELS
Rajeev further recommends hotels start using poolside areas, vacant outdoor lawns, and indoor venues at hotels as venues as this will generate revenue for them as well. He believes some sort of leverage should be offered to agencies so they are able to use these venues for wedding organization at ease. Furthermore, he feels that personalized stationery and toiletries should be provided by the hotel during weddings.
C) AGENCIES
In accordance with the view of our Prime Minister, Rajeev too believes that all employees must continue to get paid, or at least be offered salaries for March 2020. With employees working tirelessly for years, business owners should recognize that times are difficult for everyone! He further stated that while he understands that salary reductions should take place in consideration, employers should readily stand by their employees during this universal catastrophe.
The conversation came to a natural end with him finally adding, “In view of the current situation and all the points I made, we can say that this is one of the biggest challenges that we have to face together as companies, as an Industry and as a country! Regardless of what may come, weddings are still happening and they will continue to go on…”
