Table 2 Reflections of Interviewed International Hotel Chains’ Managers

Preparing to handle emergency and emergency controlling

“Corporate offices established guidelines” helped the greatest number of hoteliers who were previously employed by international chains to replicate a methodical path to managing the emergency. This went for elements related to the organizational functions and the hotel operative system. What helped was the previous involvement with emergencies accompanied with increased emergency promptness. Nevertheless, even existing plans were not always enough to deal with the size and scope of the emergency, that was, the enormity of the virus attach. The businesses responded to this earnestness by implementing novel procedures and standard operating procedures. In order to successfully implement contingency planning, guidance and support from corporate offices was extremely valuable. Additional processes and procedures were also updated on a routine basis by the heads of departments to manage emergency situations

Participants: MGR28; MGR34; MGT74; MGT85; MGR4; MGR25; MGR91; MGR3; MGR38; MGR71; MGR17; MGR63; MGR81; MGR52

Pliable enablers

More than half of the managers exhibited strong levels of pliability and willingness to handle the consequences of a global pandemic. Managing people to return to business procedures, improving and maintaining administrative pliability, were the keys of strong managers. Managers functioned as change agents, as they had prior experience, knowledge, skills, and competencies to respond to an emergency. New operative tactics were regarded as opportunity to better market and innovate the customer service experience, and thus continue viable in a very challenging and unpredictable market. Managers with high level of pliability needed to be capable of going back to their preceding stage of overall performance, after going thru the responsive and rational mode of change; while additionally figuring out that administrative overall performance, engagement, and operations are all interrelated. Other than pre-planning, capacity-building was critical to help organizations adapt and change. Capacity-building helped organizations anticipate and handle changes as well as predicting their capability to recover from emergencies. In accordance with these ideologies, pliability was integrated into the managers' day-to-day routine to foster situational consciousness, boost adaptive capability, and detect conceivable susceptibilities. Participants: MGR1; MGR3; MGR53; MGR14 and MGR46; MGR6; MGR66; MGR17; MGR72

Steering day-to- day activities

“Alpha”; “Beta”; “Gamma”; “Delta”; and “Omicron”—Corona Variants had widespread effects on managers' activities, and on their daily practices, with certain abilities needed for pliability and approaching new structures and operative systems. The hotelier’s capacity to inspire and encourage groups in hard times, in addition to assure guests loyalty, relies heavily upon successful patterns of private interaction, and strong communicative norms. Organization had better demonstrate attentiveness and promptness by making changes across all levels, especially with regard to technology, human resources, marketing, and operations. Managers were aware of the current conditions and could notice danger signs, thus leading their business to be emergency-ready. Nevertheless, anxiety, tension, and difficulty planning ahead as a result of the unknown circumstance became a norm. Managers adopted a forward-looking stance, identifying the finest probable explanations for the industry and the staff by relying on their knowledge. Furthermore, a very important estimation to consider was that more hotels became more anticipated to implement Al technology and employ androids to deliver totally contactless services, including android assistants, face scan check-ins, android personal assistance, and other contactless offerings that will start to supplant human interaction facilities in the coming years

Participants: MGR100; MGR89; MGR55; MGR98; MGR61; MGR93; MGR57; MGR28; MGR75; MGR82; MGR14; MGR101; MGR41; MGR65; MGR90; MGR34; MGR80; MGR70; MGR58; MGR16; MGR34; MGR50; MGR26; MGR10; MGR60; MGR77; and MGR84; MGR3; MGR45

Influencing central operating spheres

To ensure the financial stability of the company, managers should monitor four important functional areas: operations, marketing, and financial management. These areas were affected by the emergency. In light of the pandemic, a new business model is emerging. The business has to become more adaptable in the near future to cope with reduced demand. The issue in adhering to technology is to continue providing good service and social exchange with guests in spite of confronted complications. A core concept to hoteliers is to satisfy guests' needs and expectations. With the aim of eliminating the necessity for face-to-face contact whenever possible, it is expected that guests will not receive as much cross-communication with staff; guests will instead enjoy the personalized service of a concierge for the duration of their stay. While high ranked hotel chains dedicated departments that handle marketing activities; digital marketing algorism can help cater to different audiences. A price war between lodges is said to be inevitable irrespective of the path utilized to market hotel services. People management and staff levels were mentioned frequently as challenges alongside with efforts to keep labor costs under control. Yet; reducing layers of management will help reengineer reporting lines. Because of the present financial and economic stresses, the number of people who are unemployed in the luxurious lodging sector is probable to significantly increase, which means there will be a larger supply of available talent, candidates should also have the ability, willingness, and skill to handle complex work environments. Participants: MGR86; MGR87; MGR1; MGR59; MGR97; MGR26; MGR1; MGR24; MGR99; MGR31; MGR34; MGR89; MGR3; MGR34; MGR68; MGR41; MGR78; MGR31; MGR69; MGR24; MGR79; MGR32; MGR39; MGR3; MGR50; MGR28; MGR32; MGR14; MGR13; MGR70

Digital marketing and artificial intelligence (AI)

Hotel chains, marketing groups, and third-party reservation services are just a few of the methods hotels utilize to get their rooms into guests' hands. Hotels prefer working via travel agencies, tour operators, or incentive houses rather than directly. For their part, hotels are making use of the increasing number of electronic and digital distribution channels. In general, the channels are utilized for three things: segment the potential guest; informing potential guests about the hotel and speeding up the reservation process. In times of heavy competition or economic contraction, hotels may obtain a competitive edge by using digital and artificial intelligence marketing, as these channels serve as a realistic focal point for accommodations. When it comes to business, the travel and tourism industry was one of the first to take advantage of AI technology adoption as this information-rich industry relies on constant innovation in order to keep up with the ever-changing consumer demands while also providing a high level of customer satisfaction. Accessibility; public relations; relevance; transparency; partnership; convenience; intention to use web information; system quality; additional benefits; reservation times; are just some of the factors that must be considered in order for digital marketing to be successful and beneficial to hotels. Participants: MGR2; MGR51; MGR101; MGR36; MGR62; MGR92; MGR39; MGR64; MGR96; MGR73; MGR88; MGR100; MGR54

Estimate return for the sector

As service diversification in luxury hotel was addressed to match the shifting client needs, luxury lodging was expected to return before other ranks of lodging, and will probably experience stabilized return within the medium term. Besides, hoteliers projected that a unique operational model is expected to emerge in Egypt's lodging industry. With an expectation that Egypt's Lodging Sector recovery is likely to be recovering between 2023 and 2024, many hoteliers predicted that once the emergency is over, everything will return to normal. Others indicated that the lodging industry will be in survival mode depending on several factors. These factors include: the widespread of the rapid diagnostic test, the handling of the vaccination and the immunization of the virus, as well as national health policies. Participants: MGR44; MGR6; MGR28; MGR14; MGR12; MGR19; MGR101; MGR50; MGR31; MGR32