This is golden age of Indian hospitality industry: Dr Suborno Bose, Founder, IIHM

In an exclusive interview, Dr Suborno Bose, Founder and Chief Mentor of the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), speaks to us about the rapid recovery of the sector, new trends in hospitality education, the growing role of AI, and global collaborations.

The hospitality and tourism sector has emerged as one of the most resilient industries in the post-COVID era, with strong domestic demand, rising hotel occupancy, and evolving career opportunities. In an exclusive interview, Dr Suborno Bose, Founder and Chief Mentor of the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), speaks to us about the rapid recovery of the sector, new trends in hospitality education, the growing role of AI, and global collaborations. Edited excerpts:

Q. How do you see the emergence of the hospitality sector, particularly in the post-COVID era?

Dr Bose: I think COVID was devastating for our industry. Everything was shut down. Among all sectors, hospitality, tourism, and airlines were the worst affected. But what’s remarkable is how powerfully the industry has bounced back—not just to normal but to what I would call a ‘super-normal’ phase of growth.

Despite a dip in international travel, domestic travel has surged manifold. People realised life is uncertain, so they began travelling more—exploring the country and the world. This led to a boom in hotel openings. Look at the Taj Group (IHCL)—under the dynamic leadership of Mr Puneet Chhatwal, they’re launching new properties almost every week.

This resurgence has led to a massive demand for skilled professionals. Graduates from institutions like IIHM are receiving multiple job offers—four or five each, in some cases. Earlier, most students aspired to go abroad, but now many are choosing to stay in India due to better salaries and abundant opportunities. I truly believe this is the golden age of the Indian hospitality industry.

 Q. How do you see the changes coming in for professionals looking to make a career in the hospitality and travel sector?

Dr Bose: One of the biggest misconceptions is that hospitality graduates are limited to working in hotels or restaurants. That’s far from true. They can work in aviation, cruise liners, hospitals, retail, fashion, banking, facility management, and more. For instance, many of my students are employed by companies like Reliance Jio, Adidas, and Nike.

Hospitality is about service excellence and experience management—skills that are transferable to over a hundred industries. It’s no longer confined to food and accommodation. That diversity of options is what makes it an exciting career choice today.

Q. How do you see the role of artificial intelligence in bringing change to the sector?

Dr Bose: AI—and what we now refer to as advanced intelligence—is a game-changer across all industries, including hospitality, healthcare, airlines, and manufacturing. Historically, the hospitality sector has been slow to adopt technology. But the younger generation of professionals is very tech-savvy, and they are driving change.

Tomorrow’s hospitality industry will be deeply intertwined with AI. If students don’t learn these technologies now, they’ll be left behind. At IIHM, we are integrating cutting-edge global AI tools into our curriculum. And it’s not just about software—there are AI-powered wearables too.

For example, I use smart glasses that work like a mobile phone—I can talk, play music, record videos, and get real-time information. These can be game-changers in hotel security. Imagine a front-office associate or security personnel spotting suspicious activity without using a phone—just by using these glasses. In today’s world, especially with safety being a concern, such technologies are crucial.

Q. What kind of courses are you offering right now at your institution, and are there any new courses that you are planning to launch?

Dr Bose: We offer a traditional three-year degree in hospitality management, in collaboration with the University of West London. Our students can complete part of their studies in London, and most of them also pursue internships across France, the US, Malaysia, Mauritius, and of course, India.

We launched a one-year diploma in Luxury Hospitality about a year and a half ago. With the rise of brands like Armani Hotels and designer-themed accommodations, this segment is growing rapidly.

We also run the International Bakery and Pastry Centre (IRPC) under IIHM, with campuses in Bengaluru, Pune, and Kolkata. This is a high-demand area—not just among aspiring chefs, but also professionals from other sectors like IT and medicine who are passionate about baking and pastry arts. We’re planning to expand IRPC to more cities soon.

Q. What kind of scholarships do you offer through your institute?

Dr Bose: We offer a wide range of scholarships. These include:

Scholarships for children from defense backgrounds

Scholarships for underprivileged students

Merit-based scholarships for students scoring above 85% in Class 12

Special scholarships for siblings or family members of our alumni

We actively encourage students from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue hospitality education with us, and we want to ensure that financial constraints don’t stop anyone from entering this promising field.

Q. Can you tell us about the collaborations that IIHM currently has with Indian or international institutions?

Dr Bose: Nationally, we work closely with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and the Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC). We also have collaborations with various Indian colleges across states.

Internationally, we’ve partnered with:

University of West London (UK)

Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (Australia)

Benedict University (Germany)

BHMS (Business and Hotel Management School, Switzerland)

Through these partnerships, our students can pursue one-year accelerated programs abroad at reduced fees. Often, these include paid internships, which cover the program cost—making the international experience virtually free.

We’re also collaborating with a college in Karnataka called Presidency Learning Centre (PLC). While we are global, we’re equally committed to working with quality Indian institutions, which today match global standards.

Q. Do you also plan to open more international campuses of IIHM in the coming years?

Dr Bose: We currently have campuses in Singapore, Bangkok (operational for 18 years), and Samarkand, Uzbekistan. We are in the final stages of signing an agreement for a campus in Sri Lanka, expected to open by July this year.

We aren’t rushing expansion, but we plan to open at least two new international campuses each year. Our focus is on building meaningful, high-quality international footprints.

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