Ashutosh Goyal, a 27-year-old third-generation leader, wields multiple hats as Director, Partner, and Brand Head across diverse ventures.
Educated at the prestigious Doon School in Dehradun and Indiana University, specializing in Management and human Organization, he was the first graduate of the university to pursue this major. Complementing his major, Ashutosh pursued minors in Psychology, Economics, and Entrepreneurship.
Within the Ananta group, Ashutosh oversees finance, procurement, and offline marketing strategy formulation, demonstrating a knack for innovation. His creative prowess shone through in conceiving the distinctive “The Soul Fest,” a unique festival that reshaped the hospitality landscape.
His vision extends globally, aiming to elevate Indian hospitality to international acclaim while cherishing its intrinsic cultural richness and values.
At Ananta Hotels and Resorts, renowned for their luxury and serene settings, Ashutosh contributes to their success. The chain spans acres of lush landscapes, offering unparalleled experiences across Udaipur, Pushkar, Ranthambore, Jawai, Ranakpur in Rajasthan, GIR in Gujarat, and Goa.
Getting started
Ashutosh was inspired to join the family business in 2019 due to its expansion and the need for additional management support. He revealed,
“When I joined the business, I realized that we were using old-world solutions in the modern era.
Therefore, I decided to head the finance & procurement teams and use my college experience to digitalize these verticals.”
Ashutosh also added that his interest stemmed from a lifelong love for travel and experiencing diverse hotels.
USP of Ananta Hotels & Resorts
Ananta Hotels & Resorts sets itself apart in Rajasthan’s hospitality landscape by embracing a unique approach. Ashutosh explains,
“Most of the hotel chains in Rajasthan are looking to give a domestic experience to an international crowd. We are looking to give an international experience to the domestic audience. Ananta Hotels & Resorts distinguishes itself from competitors by addressing a significant market gap – the lack of luxury resorts that genuinely connect guests with local culture and the natural world.”
Their resorts are not merely accommodations; they serve as gateways to genuine experiences. Guests have the opportunity to immerse themselves deeply in the rich heritage and vibrant essence of each destination, creating memorable and culturally enriching stays. This emphasis on authentic experiences distinguishes Ananta from other hospitality establishments in the region.
Challenges and milestones
Navigating differing opinions within a family business has been a significant challenge for Ashutosh. He shares,
“Earlier, I used to take this as criticism, but now I take this as a challenge in order to enhance business productivity.”
Handling procurement and finance across the organization, he faced an issue in aligning diverse viewpoints to drive growth and innovation.
Moreover, Ashutosh encountered some problems implementing changes in a traditional business setting. Introducing modern trends and digitalization while ensuring the properties remained updated presented its own set of hurdles. Despite these challenges, he successfully managed to reduce costs by 12%, increase investments by 8%, and keep the properties aligned with current trends. In terms of his other achievements so far, Ashutosh is also quite pleased with the performance of their initiatives like ‘The Soul Festival’.
Concurrently, he ensured that all properties stayed abreast of current trends, highlighting his ability to drive financial efficiency and keep the business in tune with evolving consumer preferences.
Future plans and lessons learned
Speaking of what lies ahead in the future, Ashutosh says,
“We plan to own and operate at least 50 hotels in the next 5 years and to take Indian hospitality to the world. We have started onboarding properties using various models like lease, franchise, revenue share, management, and joint development.”
Ashutosh has learned the invaluable lesson of patience in the pursuit of success. Lastly, he notes before signing off,
“In our generation, we want quick success. However, if you have a solid vision with some amount of patience, some dreams can become more than reality. Sometimes all you need to do is take a leap of faith.”
