STAYCATION AS A MARKETING TOOL FOR SURVIVAL POST COVID-19 IN FIVE STAR HOTELS IN PUNE CITY

Abstract Vacations are periods of enjoyment, relaxation, travelling, holidaying and provide us a break from our daily routine. Tourism is a need, which we fulfill either domestically or internationally. This phenomenon has taken a severe plunge and is crippled since the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the world since December 2019. The hospitality and tourism industry stares at severe recession in the near future. All industries affiliated to the hospitality industry especially the hotels have to reinvent themselves to survive and sustain this period created due to this unprecedented situation. Due to the nature of the pandemic the traveler movement has been totally stopped. Hotels grapple with empty, unsold rooms and business is barely at 15% occupancy. The main product is the hotel room and due to its highly perishable nature, hotels are losing business on irreversible basis. This calls for strategies to make up for lost time, thinking out of the box and promote a full proof recovery plan. Staycations concept is likely one that would take centre stage in today's scenario and few months to follow. The lockdown imposed lot of challenges especially to people who see travel as their need. Eventually the original concept of travel or recreation will take time to make a comeback and will need to change according to the conditions that prevail in the present day and near future. Staycations got recognized globally and got prominence in the financial crisis and economic meltdown that troubled the United States of America in the year 2008. As the economy nose-dived, people started to slow down their spending leading to vacations getting curbed. This gives rise to the idea of a person taking part in activities within his locality or city. The focus moved from taking expensive vacations to spend quality time with one's family, dining out, shopping or discovering your city more than ever before. Many hotels used this concept to promote and liven up their weekend business of rooms. The concept popularized the need to take a break from the mundane routine without moving too far away from home. Hotels packaged these deals thoughtfully which includes the stay at the hotel, facilities to be enjoyed within the hotel like the spa. The staycations is made lucrative by adding food trails, nature walks, heritage walks or visits to museums within one's own city. Staycations may be one of the viable ways for hotels to open their facilities under caution with safety and security of the guest on top of the list. This concept has got impetus during and posts COVID-19 times. Probability of people traveling from outside is quite bleak and hotels would want to sell their rooms and facilities to people who are available in the city itself. Though caution has to be exercised through new norms like social distancing, stringent protocols of health and hygiene, this type of business can be explored and promoted taking the guests into confidence. This concept also would put focus on