About 18 years ago, I was visiting a very close friend in Perth, Australia-Joyce P. Westrip. She is a widely acclaimed author, 2000 Australian Medal of Merit (OAM) winner, a veritable Indophile and an unofficial ambassador for diverse arts and culture, including being a patron and benefactor of several important cultural institutions.
Her husband, Charles Frank Westrip (Charles Frank Westrip) is a very well-known Western Australian real estate developer, OAM winner, and avid supporter of art and music. Charles was the chairman of the Perth Western Australia Art Orchestra. From 1962 to 1990, he was the vice chairman of the Perth Western Australia Opera House. From 1964 to 1995, he was the chairman of the Perth Richard Wagner Society and the founder since 1986.
Loyal travelers, the habits of luxury destinations, and high-class people live in beautiful large waterfront residences. I was fortunate to enjoy their luxurious accommodation during a short holiday.
After Charles died, Joyce was very old, and she decided to reduce her life. She got rid of the bits and pieces of her luxurious decadence-including Napoleon Bonaparte writing desk, green antique Chesterfield, lights of Nizam Palace in Hyderabad, custom handmade open-air fireplace, art treasure house, cooking books, etc. Expensive, they are the weight of gold-living in a smaller and simpler apartment in an elderly living community.
Although age and health are decisive factors in Joyce Westrip's move; the COVID 19 pandemic has forced many of us to look at life, life, and luxury from a new perspective.
Although in the past rich, ostentatious, excessive, and excessive lifestyles were considered luxury goods, the impact of the coronavirus has allowed us to redefine luxury goods, making us lean towards experiential life, the value of time in our hands, our hope or The habitable space and benefit from the disconnection from the previous 24X7 wired presence.
In light of this shift in thinking, the tourism and hospitality industries — easily one of the worst-hit industries — have been sensitive to this new normal and have taken wise and innovative steps.
Recognizing that the perfect opportunity to keep up with the times in the face of such severe adversity has always been top maverick hoteliers such as Himmat Anand.
Himmat is a visionary with a keen entrepreneurial propensity. After working for a long time at Taj Hotel Group and SITA / Kuoni Travel, he left the corporate world in 2007, including positions in Frankfurt, London and Paris. At the time of his departure, Himmat was the chief operating officer of Kuoni Destination Management-India and South Asia. He continued to pursue his decades-long dream, launching the Tree of Life Resort and Hotel in 2010, which currently operates in 10 locations. Himmat also established a uniquely positioned Petotel-A Dog's Story in three locations.
In the fall of 2021, Himmat Anand broke the convention and created a new product-one of the world's groundbreaking concepts and definitely the first in India-to launch his Ecotainer.
This super environmentally friendly and groundbreaking concept requires the creation of a hotel in a shipping container.
A few years ago, the irrepressible New Zealand actor, musician, film producer and environmentalist Bryce Langston introduced me to the concept of developing magnificent living spaces in shipping containers. As the creator and host of the popular online web series "Big Life in a Little House", Bryce has spent more than eight years traveling the world and exploring the small house movement.
I was shocked by the sheer beauty and originality of the houses built in sturdy and bulky containers; and the possibilities contained in them. But even for me, building a hotel with tights, plain, heavy industrial products is an absolutely novel idea. In addition, Anand's achievements are very aesthetic, friendly to the environment, and a good template.
Therefore, I invited Himmat Anand, the creator of India’s first Ecotainer hotel, for a fascinating, eye-opening and educational dialogue——
L. Aruna Dhir-How did you brand it? What is the name of Ecotainer? When will it be launched?
Himmat Anand – first of all thank you for asking very interesting questions – away from the routine!
As a "new" product category, I hope the name speaks for itself. The spirit behind this product is ecological sensitivity, no matter how far we can achieve it. Therefore, the word Eco must be part of the name. The container is where the product really stands.
Therefore, these two words are combined with the brand-Tree of Life Ecotainers, Agra.
I am considering opening Ecotainer on December 15, 2021, starting with four units.
L. Aruna Dhir-What made you develop a container into a high-quality accommodation space?
Himmat Anand – A lot has been said about Covid and its impact on travel and tourism. It has undoubtedly changed the way people travel in the future. Travel is now more about the experience provided by one person.
Covid also puts tremendous pressure on people's mental health-they want to get rid of all this, they want to be more immersed in the surrounding environment, they want to share and care with others.
Covid has brought a huge change in the way people travel. Ecotainer is very suitable for new thought processes. Environmental protection is gaining more recognition from future travelers. What better way than to start with recycling?
I saw vacationers stay away from traditional downtown hotels and away from the crowds. I saw more awareness of the environment. I see space and privacy as a premium.
This leads to an obvious question-what can I do to provide them with all of this?
L. Aruna Dhir-Why did you choose Agra as the first destination to start this project?
Himmat Anand – When I ventured into this project, many of my blessers called it "crazy"! The use of containers to create eco-friendly resorts in Agra seems to run counter to the meaning of hotel operations and the destination itself.
My motivation comes from wanting to use it out of the box (literally!) and do something different, challenge established hotel management norms and create another niche market for the Tree of Life Resort.
The connection between Agra and the Taj Mahal is too deep, and everything in the "Mughal" is overdone. For me, it has become a little dull and boring, I need to cheer up!
Building another traditional "hotel" in Agra will only increase the difficulty for me to sell my room after completion. Therefore, I am very keen to introduce an unusual, innovative and unprecedented element.
Besides, what life is there without risking? ! In addition, making new molds and shaping new ways of thinking—Ecotainer helped me achieve this—was very gratifying.
L. Aruna Dhir-Which target customer groups are you looking for for Ecotainer?
Himmat Anand-In order to be successful in business, you cannot wait for the market to develop or come to you. You must create your own market.
Fortunately for us, the Tree of Life Resort has opened up its own space and some of the guests who enjoy the different services we provide in each destination.
Therefore, I see our current customer base as the ideal starting point for this unique project. Obviously, Ecotainer is more suitable for those who want an "outdoor" experience.
L. Aruna Dhir-Or, who do you think would be interested in staying in Ecotainer? Affected by the epidemic, environmental awareness has advanced by leaps and bounds. So I think there will be many novices who will choose this experience. your opinion?
Himmat Anand – As you said, the new crown virus has given people a strong desire to stay away from crowds and built-up areas. So yes, we have a huge target market waiting for us-curious, serious, and far-away travelers.
Given the nature of the product, the Tree of Life brand will also have many exciting and fascinating first encounters.
But I also think that traditional travelers also tend to be immersed in newly discovered avant-garde experiences!
L. Aruna Dhir-Can you get all the features of Ecotainer?
Himmat Anand – The goal is not to overshadow the "container" experience, but to provide all comfort. The bed is fixed and made of bricks, but with a comfortable 10-inch mattress. The sides of the container have been cut and replaced with large glass windows and slides to allow plenty of light and fresh air inside.
The electrical accessories are made of natural wood and rope to match the feel of the structure. We also used jute carpets and jute bins.
A large flat-screen TV and air conditioning for cooling and heating will be provided.
L. Aruna Dhir-Can you describe the internal space, size and external area of Ecotainer?
Himmat Anand – Since I founded the Tree of Life Resort more than ten years ago, I have always looked at each of our properties from a clear perspective-what do my guests want? This is no different.
It will have all the facilities that guests expect on vacation. However, this time I want to bring the outdoors indoors, focusing on the former.
I considered a total of about 15 units on three acres of land, which is consistent with the thinking process of keeping the tree of life “small”.
This will provide our guests with a lot of private space-this is also the positioning represented by the tree of life. The idea here is that although the indoor area is 300 square feet, it is comfortable enough. With the addition of space, the focus will be on everything that is provided outdoors.
The area of each air-conditioned unit is approximately 1,500 square feet. Private garden space, outdoor covered and open seating, barbecue and bonfire. There will be a bicycle lane, as well as sports facilities such as croquet and badminton.
We will also offer some very interesting excursions in the neighbourhood, including boat trips on the Chambal River.
Himmat Anand — Photo: L. Aruna Dhir
L. Aruna Dhir-Do you want to point out any different aspects?
Himmat Anand – I believe we are the first brand hotel chain in the country to launch such a product, and we will launch such a product.
It has its challenges, but I do think we are the front runners in this field. I have received inquiries from people who want to contact us and want more information.
As for the element of quirks I introduced in my hotel brand-okay! The fact that one can stay in a container on Taj Mahal land is a huge trait in itself! !
L. Aruna Dhir-Can you list all the ways Ecotainer is an absolutely environmentally friendly company?
Himmat Anand-I think it is very difficult to be "absolutely environmentally friendly" in the hotel sector. This is a challenging and costly market segment, and with more verbal promises, only a few people have met their requirements in terms of environmental awareness. And I admit that although I am very conscious, I am not a staunch eco-friendly fighter because I can't meet everything it really needs!
So this project is a balance, trying to do as much as possible. Therefore, starting from the recycling of containers is an important first step in itself. We will use bamboo furniture. Hundreds of trees were planted on three acres of land, making it a green paradise in about four years. With the help of local villagers, we will maximize the use of solar energy and encourage us to grow vegetables on our own. Most importantly, we will make our guests aware of the ecological space in terms of close to zero plastic usage.
How comfortable is L. Aruna Dhir-Ecotainers?
Himmat Anand-as I said before, I always start a project with-"What do my guests want?" Like all our hotels, we will provide guests with all the comforts they expect during their holidays.
L. Aruna Dhir-What price did you set for Ecotainer?
Himmat Anand – Once again, I believe that although unique products have their own price points, they cannot be too far away from market reality. In addition, with the advent of OTA, all rates are naked and without disguise.
The challenge will be to stay away from the crowds of hotels owned by Agra, whose prices are currently low. Although it is too early to decide on the price point, I think it is within an affordable range, 7,000 rupees per night (including breakfast).
L. Aruna Dhir-As a hotelier who mainly develops properties in luxury spaces, how does Ecotainer fit into this market segment? Is there, or are you using it to enter the budget part?
Himmat Anand-Ten years ago, luxury goods have got rid of the glitz and charm it represents. Today, there are various forms of luxury goods. For example, for a stressed company owner, it may be a luxury to spend a few days in the wild without an Internet connection.
Similarly, when we started about 12 years ago, Tree of Life Resort also developed its own definition of luxury—space and privacy are two important cornerstones.
I also think that pricing is no longer an indicator of luxury or budget in a broader sense. The uniqueness of the product determines the price. In view of this, I believe that the tree of life ecological container will find its own unique space and price point.
L. Aruna Dhir – Ecotainers seems very suitable for accommodation and business activities. you agree?
Himmat Anand – Staycations and Bizcations have always existed in a limited way. Covid has just caused a temporary over-hype, and as we get used to co-existing with Covid, this hype will gradually disappear.
I have not seen these market segments at the same level every year. I doubt whether Agra as a city will become the choice of these market segments.
L. Aruna Dhir – How does the Ecotainer experience compare? Is there an old model that can familiarize guests with Ecotainer accommodation?
Himmat Anand – I doubt there is any comparison. The guest’s desire to enjoy a different experience and our ability to meet his or her expectations will determine the success of this new model.
L. Aruna Dhir – Like your other brands, is Ecotainer suitable for pets?
Himmat Anand – The Tree of Life will never be more than pet friendly – we love pets!
The fact that my Labrador pet child Jugnu is the official mascot of my brand illustrates this point.
Yes, our four-legged guests will enjoy the huge open space we provide them as well as their own in-room dining Wags menu, comfortable mattresses, disinfection bowls, toys-works!
L. Aruna Dhir – Is Ecotainers planned as a single unit or as a cluster?
Himmat Anand – They are individual units of 300 square feet. Together with the en suite bathroom area, the area is more than 1,500 square feet. The garden area separates one from the other.
Like I said, privacy and space are the luxury goods that the tree of life believes in.
L. Aruna Dhir – Ask you an inevitable question, how does Ecotainer Covid prepare for other unforeseen things and prevent crises?
Himmat Anand – We will now follow all the guidelines that the resort should have, but we will not go overboard. Other unforeseen things will be dealt with when they happen.
The safety of guests and employees is of the utmost importance to us and will not cause paranoia.
L. Aruna Dhir – From the point of view of the hotelier; I think a plan like this will be pocket-friendly, and the management and development costs will be much less. Can you talk about your views on this?
Himmat Anand – The cost of land is the main factor in any hotel project, and the cost of land remains the same regardless of the type of hotel. We in the Tree of Life are always located on very large land, but far from the city center. Therefore, our land cost is only a small part of what most hotels pay.
On the other hand, we always do a limited number of keys-for example, between 10 and 20 odd numbers. The key to the land area ratio is to promote the overall project ratio.
Although using Ecotainers, we are making containers, but we will not affect the quality of the products we provide indoors and outdoors, because our customers now have certain expectations for the Tree of Life brand.
So in general, I would say that such a project is about 20% cheaper than a traditionally built hotel.
L. Aruna Dhir – How do you want to expand this series of electronic hotels? What is the next destination you might think of, and why?
Himmat Anand – The Tree of Life is a pure leisure brand, we will not actively pursue ecological space, because this is not our strength, nor our intention. This will be a one-off project in the group, the culmination of my desire to break out of my inherent thinking mode and do something different in the past few years.
Therefore, although the brand will continue its stable and well-thought-out expansion in the leisure sector, there will not necessarily be another e-hotel. At the same time, as they said, never give up!
L. Aruna Dhir – Finally, as a fast-moving future possibility, would entrepreneurs like you think of ecological containers or electronic hotels on wheels? Where can guests drive their serviced caravan to a set of pre-leased parking spaces for choice? Is this concept possible?
Himmat Anand-The time for this market segment to develop in India is ripe. What we need now is to build and secure campsites on popular tracks where campers can park overnight.
Unlike Europe or the United States, these are almost non-existent. However, we will stay away from it because it is not our core competitiveness.
The accidental streak of human beings, coupled with our hunger and insatisfaction for novel and alternative experiences, let us bring the hotel industry to tree houses, luxury cruise ships, cruise ships, ice caves, and so on.
A few years ago, the famous designer Jean Marie Massaud (Jean Marie Massaud) envisioned a future trip with Manned Cloud, envisioning it as a hotel flying in the sky like a cloud.
In fact, it is planned to open the first hotel in space in 2027 with Orbital Assembly's Voyager Station. Obviously, Voyager Station has already begun accepting reservations. Three and a half days of accommodation will cost you US$5 million.
Then there is Virgin Galactic, founded by Richard Branson, which has now completed its maiden flight and is preparing to operate scheduled paid passenger service flights as early as next year.
Together with the tree of life ecological container, Agra; I am very happy and pleased to see Himmat Anand choose to be closer to the ground and take care of the environment!
L. Aruna Dhir is a hotel and feature writer and columnist for some of the world's highest-ranked hotel publications. Her industry writings are syndicated to the best global hotel organizations and used as reference for case studies and hotel schools. Aruna is a recognized communications expert, public relations strategist and writer who has won awards in national opinion polls.