Page 22 - Masala Lite Issue 156 December 2023

22 IN FOCUS

Arijit Ghosh, General Manager of
PARKROYAL Suites Bangkok, brings his

eclectic experience to a growing brand.

BY MAHMOOD HOSSAIN

s we walked down the hallway of the 17th floor of the PARKROYAL Suites
Bangkok, making our way to a quieter room to hold our conversation, the
hotel’s General Manager (GM) Arijit Ghosh remarked, “Oh, Bengali Babu!”
which is a term of endearment in the North-Western region of the Indian subcontinent.
He had just found out we shared a common background rooted in Bangladesh. Arijit’s
family migrated from Mymensingh, a city located 120km outside the nation’s capital;
to the serene Himalayan foothills of Darjeeling, West Bengal.

Born and raised in a picturesque town, Arijit ventured off to pursue his hotel
management degree at Delhi University; the first in his family to become a hotelier.
Interestingly enough, he started his career as a chef, until he came across a few
general managers that he’d worked under, who displayed dynamic and entrepreneurial
characteristics that eventually spurred him to master sales, marketing, and business
development.

“They insisted that even the chefs take on the role of business managers,” explained
Arijit on his experience working under these influential general managers. “Under Effective hospitality comes from
their tutelage, chefs were also empowered to take a leadership position, even though
traditionally working in the kitchen wasn’t a front-of-house seat. In reality, chefs also genuine warmth and the ability to go
have to deal with guests face-to-face and understand their wants and needs. So, they the extra mile for others.
would insist that chefs accompany the hotel’s sales manager when meeting with
clients for various events. That’s when my passion started growing; it’s what sales
and marketing were all about. I went from food and beverage to sales, and eventually,
learning the entire system and how a hotel functions with every moving piece.” When all is said and done, what would you like your impact to be before you
leave PARKROYAL?
Only six months into his current position, he tells me what brought him to PARKROYAL
Suites Bangkok, located in Sukhumvit Soi 6, just a four-minute walk from the Nana Well, I want to simply be remembered as a people person. I like to state that we
BTS station. “I saw it as a new challenge. PARKROYAL, which is under the Pan Pacific are in a ‘people industry’. Effective hospitality comes from genuine warmth and the
Hotels Group, has seen a recent acceleration in its growth, which coincides with the ability to go the extra mile for others. This is one of the many major impacts on the
group’s significant expansion plan. This has enabled them to invest more in PARKROYAL, guests who arrive in our establishments. I want to continue to champion this and set
leading to the planned opening of a second property in Thong Lo by 2025. Because a higher standard in this regard. We have to always put ourselves in the guests’ shoes,
there was more investment in properties throughout Thailand, it actually drove me in order to truly understand what it means to deliver flawless service. Additionally,
to make the move to PARKROYAL Suites Bangkok.” We carried on our chat, diving we need to understand what it means to add greater value to hospitality.

even deeper into Arjit’s story. As you said, putting yourself in the guests’ shoes, what would you consider to be

You’ve been in Thailand for 15 years now, working with several brands and hotels. the top priority when it comes to hosting guests?
What have been the major differences between how the industry was back then, First and foremost, be an excellent listener. Second, you need to project warmth and
to how things operate now?
genuineness toward the guests. You are there for them; it’s not the other way around.
Throughout my career, I have worked in the United States, Mexico, and of course, India. The guests have multiple choices, but working in a hotel means your only choice is
The first thing I found was clearly how different the work culture is. What works in the the guests. They can go to any other hotel in the city, so why should they come here?
US does not work in Mexico. And what works in India doesn’t work in Thailand. What That is why it is essential we create the comfort and security that will connect with
was obvious to me, and I think every GM or business leader should undertake this the people who walk through our doors.

process, is that you first need to familiarise yourself with the host country’s culture. Given your know-how across the world, how has the experience been with South
You need to learn the cultural sensitivities; it’s absolutely essential. You have to be a Asian guests compared to other walks of life?
part of it, rather than differentiating or alienating yourself from the locals completely.
When you look towards South Asia, our people have more similarities than differences.
You cannot survive in this industry with that type of attitude.
It’s obviously easier for me to deal with because there are common traits we share as
If you look at India, which we all know is a very large country, domestic tourism is a desi people. I have the upper hand in this aspect. Additionally, I speak Tamil, Bangla,
huge hit. It takes a little over four hours to fly from the north to the extreme south. Hindi, Nepalese, and other regional languages, which allows me to connect with our
You can imagine the size and population the industry deals with. In Thailand, it’s guests and make them feel more at home.
more about people finding a value-addition in other provinces than their own. It’s
I had a knack for learning languages. In fact, I learned how to speak Spanish by working
not often you will find people visiting the city when they would rather be closer to
in the US as well as Mexico. This has helped me to have healthy relationships with
nature, such as the beauty of the hilltops or the allure of the beaches on the coastlines.
the Latin community throughout Thailand. I’ve also gotten into several Latin dances
They will be more inclined to visit those areas rather than wanting to search for an
and music. This is what I mean by getting involved with the culture to not only better
inner-city getaway.
understand people, but to also serve them with greater respect.
Most of the clientele we host are corporates who hold their meetings and attend to What drives your passion in your field, and what
other professional responsibilities within the city of Bangkok. They also use the city fuels you every day?
as an in-between stop before they head over to the next destination. Bangkok has
easily become a preferred transit location because of its vibrant and exciting nightlife. I take immense pleasure in meeting people from diverse
cultures. Working in the service industry, where you are
What does PARKROYAL offer guests that differentiates it from competitors? dealing with humans and not necessarily machines, is a

As Pan Pacific continues to accelerate its expansion plans and invests in many other priceless experience. I’ve been doing this for so long, that
facets of welcoming guests into its properties, it’s the people who make the greatest I can only see myself as a hotelier and nothing else. And
contribution to a different experience. The hotel group invests in people, developing to be working in a city like Bangkok, you meet all sorts
their personal and professional skills, and it is critical we make sure these very people, of people. You get to know more about their cultures
who contribute to our success, are as happy as our guests. Our people are our precious in a very enriching way. Not to mention the food! I am
gems; they are truly valued. a huge foodie, so that’s always a plus! [Laughs]
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