Covid-19 second wave: Hotels in exotic locations dodge pandemic blow

Leisure destination travel is likely to be the future as large chains bear brunt of restrictions

In the hospitality industry battered by the Covid-19 pandemic, large hot­el chains bore the brunt of last year’s lockdown as inbound travel of over­seas guests was halted and curbs were imposed on banquets, con­fer­ences and festivities. One segment of the sector, however, braved the dark clouds with greater resilience. This was the segment operating in exotic locations, which saw business rebound strongly in the past six months — though the last few weeks have dampened the enthusiasm to some extent.
 
The Elgin Group of Hotels and Resorts, which operates five prem­ium old-world heritage properties in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kolkata and