December 2012
magazine
Goals 2013 Demands & Expectations
Innovation
Key to sustainable development
creative Design
A MONTHLY ON HOSPITALITY TRADE
Vol 12 Issue 12 Pages 72 `50 By DDP Publications
December 2012 Cover Story
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Mixed Fortunes The year 2012 has its share of luck and misfortune for the hospitality sector. Key hospitality players outline their hopes and aspirations for the New Year round the corner. Picture on the cover: Crowne Plaza, New Delhi, Rohini
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contents
THIS MONTH
President’s Message FHRAI Desk News Updates Movements Products & Services Events
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FEATURES Environment: Innovation: key to sustainable development There are many options through which 50 hotels can convert their waste and bring about a sustainable approach to their work ethics 22 News You Can Use
Design: Creating creative differences TID (India) designs hotels having a 52 prototype model approach in such a way that each of the hotels reflects a different identity retaining their common brand essence Chef Talk: Communicating food trends Chef Martin Kobald, Honorary 56 President of the South African Chefs Association (SACA) Concept: A matter of convenience Adande Refrigeration launched 58 refrigerated drawers in India
52 Design: Creating creative differences
Dine Out: A ‘Drooling’ Effect The multi-cuisine restaurant - Drool 60 Kitchen - presents an understate charm
Chairman Publications Sub-committee Vijai Pande - vijaipandit@yahoo.co.in Editor Deepa Sethi - deepa@ddppl.com Assistant Editor Sanjeev Bhar - sanjeev@ddppl.com Desk Editor Neelam Singh - neelam@ddppl.com Sub-Editor Ramya J.S. D’Rozario Advertising Gunjan Sabikhi - gunjan@ddppl.com
60 Dine Out: Drool Kitchen, Dwarka, New Delhi
creative Design Alpana Khare Neeraj Aggarwal
Industry viewpoints
FHRAI - Marketing S.P. Joshi
Focus on 3 Ps: People, Planet & Profit Rahul Pandit, Lemon Tree Hotels
Production Manager Anil Kharbanda
Indian hospitality spreads its wings Manju Sharma, Jaypee Hotels
FHRAI B-82, 8th Floor, Himalaya House Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi 110001 Tel: 91-11-40780780, Fax: +91-11-40780777 Email: fhrai@vsnl.com
Domestic tourists are keeping the industry alive SM Shervani, Shervani Hospitalities
FHRAI Magazine is published, edited and printed monthly by DDP Publication Pvt. Ltd. On behalf of Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India and published from DDP Publications Pvt. Ltd. 72 Todarmal Road New Delhi 110001 Email: fhraimag@ddppl.com Tel : 91-11-23731971 Fax: 91-11-23351503
Hospitality sector is poised to flourish in the long-run Rajiv Kaul,The Leela A leaner, more efficient and profitable business Manas Krishnamoorthy,The Imperial
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Printed at Cirrus Graphics Pvt. Ltd. B 62/14, Phase-II, Naraina Industrial Area New Delhi 110028 This issue of FHRAI Magazine contains 68+4 pages cover All information in the FHRAI Magazine is derived from sources, which we consider reliable and a sincere effort is made to report accurate information. It is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. The publisher regrets that he cannot accept liability for errors and omissions contained in this publication, however caused. Similarly, opinions/views expressed by third parties in abstract and/or in interviews are not necessarily shared by FHRAI Magazine or DDP. However, we wish to advice our readers that one or more recognised authorities may hold different views than those reported. Material used in this publication is intended for information purpose only. Readers are advised to seek specific advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use, and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. Contents of this publication are copyright. No part of FHRAI Magazine or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publication in writing. The same rule applies when there is a copyright or the article is taken from another publication. An exemption is hereby granted for the extracts used for the purpose of fair review, provided two copies of the same publication are sent to us for our records. Publications reproducing material either in part or in whole, without permission could face legal action. The publisher assumes no responsibility for returning any material solicited or unsolicited nor is he responsible for material lost or damaged. This publication is not meant to be an endorsement of any specific product or services offered. The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw, amend or otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must comply with the Indian and International Advertisements Code. The publisher will not be liable for any damage or loss caused by delayed publication, error or failure of an advertisement to appear.
Brand delivery model will change drastically in 2013 AP Nanaiah, Coffee Day Hotels & Resorts Hospitality should keep revamping & reinventing itself Shail Barot,Vie Hospitality Rate wars to continue Ajay K Bakaya, Sarovar Hotels The sector remains hugely undersupplied SN Srivastava, Clarks Inn Group Industry will bounce back Keshav Baljee, Spree Hotels Tough 2013, but manageable Rishi Puri, Lords Hotels
Delhi Prateek Sahay - prateek@ddppl.com (+919650911388) Shradha Kapoor - shradha@ddppl.com (+919650196525) Udit Pandey - udit@ddppl.com Shailendra Shukla - shailendra@ddppl.com Mumbai Harshal Ashar - harshal@ddppl.com (+919619499167)
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We reiterated our position that RBI’s Master List of Infrastructure should be expanded to include all 3 star and higher category classified hotels throughout the country, irrespective of the present restriction of geographical location and the population of the city.
Dear fellow members, One of FHRAI’s key long-standing demands has been that hotels should be included in the RBI’s Infrastructure Lending List. I am pleased to share that on November 20, 2012, the Reserve Bank of India has issued a notification whereby it has harmonised the definition of ‘infrastructure lending for the purpose of financing of infrastructure by the Banks and Financial Institutions, with that of the Master List of Infrastructure subsectors notified by the Government of India on March 27, 2012. Accordingly, ‘Three-star or higher category classified hotels located outside cities with population of more than 1 million’ are now covered under RBI’s definition of Infrastructure Lending. Though we welcome this important decision, we have reiterated our position that the Master List of Infrastructure must be expanded to include all 3-star and higher category classified hotels throughout the country, irrespective of the present restriction of geographical location and population of the city. The restrictive stipulation negates the intended beneficial
impact accruing from this otherwise progressive initiative, as it effectively excludes nearly 95 per cent of hotel projects from within its purview. It must be recognised that the Hotel Industry is inherently highly capitalintensive with large sunk costs and a long gestation period. Moreover, in view of the hospitality (and tourism) sector’s formidable role as one of the largest employment generators and foreign exchange earners for the Indian economy, the industry should be offered support through concessions and incentives which are available to other core infrastructure sub-sectors such as airports, ports, etc., to help withstand fluctuations due to market cycles. In recent years, exorbitant land prices, particularly in metro cities, and a steady escalation in average development costs have significantly stretched capital outlays of hotel projects, while on the other hand, the long drawn process of securing multiple regulatory clearances and approvals has often
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led to inordinate delays in project execution and commissioning. With interest rates on term loans ranging from 11-15 per cent, the interest burden during the construction period has reached mammoth proportions. On the macroeconomic front, the Eurozone financial crisis, slower than anticipated economic recovery in the US, geo-political uncertainties and sluggish domestic consumer and business sentiments have adversely impacted growth in tourism. The large hotel inventory created in the last two years has led to a demand-supply mismatch in certain cities of our country. These multifarious factors have resulted in severe strain on the cash flow of our companies and threaten to undermine the financial viability of many new and under-construction projects across the country. Timely policy intervention by the Government, such as uniformly granting ‘infrastructure’ status to the industry as a whole, can offer substantial relief. For instance, it would allow hotel companies to secure project loans of longer repayment tenures of up to 15 years at relatively lower rates of interest, be eligible for a higher limit of $500 million for raising ECBs under the automatic approval route of the RBI to refinance high-cost rupee debt and avail assistance (including take-out finance) from specialised institutions like IIFCL, IDFC, etc. Thus, individual companies will have the requisite financial flexibility to dynamically realign their debt service obligations and the entire sector would be more resilient to the cyclical volatility which is intrinsic to the international hotel industry. The Union Ministry of Tourism has recently appointed a Committee for Development of Beach and Backwater Tourism. In this regard, a detailed presentation was made to the Secretary Tourism, Government of India, Shri Parvez Dewan, on November 30, 2012. I firmly believe that in order to accomplish the Government’s target of increasing India’s global market share in tourism to at least 1 per cent by 2016, and viably augmenting our current capacity of 1,20,000 hotel rooms by an additional 1,80,000 guest rooms, it is imperative that we diligently focus on diversifying our tourism product portfolio and target newer geographies as source markets. It is pertinent to note that even in
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a relatively subdued growth environment for the industry, beach tourism as a segment has consistently recorded robust growth. The political events in Egypt have presented us a strategic opportunity to cater to the tourists from Russia, Kazakhstan, Poland and other CIS and Eastern European countries, who generally prefer beach destinations for holiday and leisure travel. However, due to the rigid CRZ norms and a complex approval process, there has been negligible incremental capacity addition in terms of new beach-front hotels and backwater resorts in our country.
the local population. We trust that the State Governments and MoEF would also agree to streamlining the cumbersome approval process for beach hotels and resorts and ensure that the overall time for granting the mandatory clearances/sanctions is fast-tracked from the current 1.5-2 years to not more than five months. At a time, when all stakeholders of our industry are collectively gearing up to achieve the ambitious targets set for the sector by the 12th Five-Year Plan, the Government’s willingness to be flexible and proactive on this issue can facilitate the vibrant growth of beach and backwater tourism in the country.
In its recommendations to the Ministry of Tourism, the Committee has highlighted the vital contribution which leveraging the full potential of beach tourism can make to the economies of our coastal states.A phased action plan which can enable us to attract one million additional foreign visitors in this segment alone was presented. The Committee has requested for rationalisation of the existing CRZ norms and acceptance of recommendations of the Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Committee, which had been constituted by the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India. Instead of a blanket of 200 meters from the High Tide Line (HTL) stipulated in the new Notification dated January 6, 2011, the setback line in CRZ II and CRZ III can be determined based on Vulnerability Mapping carried out scientifically, considering the seven parameters of Elevation, Geology, Geomorphology, Sea level trends, Horizontal shoreline displacement, Tidal Ranges and Wave Heights. This will be consistent with contemporary international practice, widely followed in countries such as the USA, Malaysia, Indonesia and Dubai. Our Federation has been offering to work closely with the MoEF and coastal states such as Kerala, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Daman & Diu, Gujarat and Orissa to identify suitable coastal stretches of a total of 100 Kms for development of tourism-related facilities. This would constitute only 1.43 per cent of India’s entire coastline of 7,000 kms and such a cautiously planned development would in no way disturb the ecological balance of these areas. At the same time, Tourism’s multiplier effect will give a much needed impetus to employment generation and sustainable and inclusive socio-economic growth for
On behalf of the Industry, I welcome the Government’s revised guidelines on Tourist Visa, issued on December 4, 2012, whereby, the restriction of a two month gap on reentry of foreign nationals coming to India has been removed. We thank the Ministry of Tourism for their vigorous efforts in pursuing the matter with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs, and prevailing upon them to withdraw this provision. We have also urged the Government to favourably consider the pending proposal for expanding the list of countries whose nationals are eligible to avail visa-on-arrival facility at Indian airports. At present, this facility is extended to citizens of 16 countries, including Luxembourg, Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Spain, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Vietnam. The Ministry of External Affairs in May 2012 had announced that it plans to include France, Germany and Russia in the ‘Visa-on-arrival’ scheme. As part of my regular interaction with the media, I recently gave interviews to the three premier business channels, CNBC TV18, NDTV Profit and ET NOW.The wide-ranging discussions covered the near-term and longterm growth outlook for the industry as well as our view on key policy issues, including initiatives under the consideration of the high-level Inter-Ministerial Committee on Tourism, chaired by the Principal Secretary of the Hon’ble Prime Minister. The video/ transcripts are available on FHRAI’s website for your reference. With Best Wishes Vivek Nair President FHRAI vc-md@theleela.com
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Let’s stand together for
our rights Dear Members,
Vijai Pande Honorary Secretary FHRAI vijaipandit@yahoo.co.in
On December 14, 2012, I met our hotels/ restaurants members in Nainital. After the formation of Uttarakhand, this was my first meeting with them.When the state was formed, there was radiance on the faces of hoteliers by the fact that they are getting their own separate state. They considered it a big step as now they would not have to run to UP for every minor thing. Also, they thought that now they can make their own tourism policies which would pave new roads for their development.
But today, I am not satisfied with the smiles on the faces of fellow hoteliers as they looked depressed. Transportation development is still a key issue and same number of trains are still plying to Kathgodam, Dehradun and Haridwar stations.The speed of improvement is very slow and there is hardly any marked development in the quality of roads. The construction of overhead bridges on roads connecting UP and Uttarakhand is stalled in majority of cases. The approach roads to Pantnagar, Rudrapur, and Nainital are not properly lit, apart from erratic electricity supply in these townships. Due to these reasons, Uttarakhand – once popular with international tourists – is now only attracting domestic tourists. The naked truth is that the affluent Indian travellers prefer to visit abroad. The second league of domestic tourists is usually visiting the states of south India, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan and remaining domestic tourists visit UP and Uttarakhand. Those visiting abroad find the expenses viable as they have to shell out the same amount of money for a domestic travel package. Their main reason is the unfriendly approach of the Central and State level Governments.The truth is simple; we and the State Governments come together for conferences, conventions and meetings, but there still exist barriers between tourism departments and tourists. Therefore, it is pertinent to break these barriers. The biggest barrier in the tourism industry has been the diktat on entertainment programmes in TV, Radio FM, etc. Though these entertainment means are seen in light of
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promoting music, art, artists, etc., when it comes to providing these services, it becomes a matter of money collection from hoteliers which has gone over the roof. Apart from collection of money in crore, it has digressed from its agenda of promoting and saving music & culture. The societies are only thinking inwards to address their own benefits. The extent of collection has now gone to the level of extortion through hired agents who threaten hoteliers by claiming to be government officials, and birthday parties, dance parties, New Year celebrations, etc., have become reasons to extort money from them. This is a serious issue and hoteliers have to fight it out by standing united. We might have to struggle a bit for this cause. In one of the cases when goons hired by foreign banks created ruckus, the High Court had to intervene to stop the menace. These goons believe they are no less than Municipal Corporation inspectors. Ours is a service industry and we try to do our job with utmost honesty and in a well mannered way. But this industry is always misinterpreted. We should voice against such destructive activities that disturb our peace of mind. They should not think that we will let them blackmail us in this fashion as they will also have to go through due audit of their deeds and proceedings, after all. Friends, it is time to be patient. The misery of unfair practice always ends. This will end too. Our effort is to offer new issues to ponder on in the FHRAI Magazine and for that FHRAI Secretariat and DDPPL are constantly striving for the best. But realisation of the good work done and happiness from the same could only be celebrated when you, as reader of this magazine, will take proactive efforts to participate in the process. You might not be realising your true potential. If you are a reason for making the country’s tourism industry blossom, then you can certainly make the path hurdlefree to carry out your business operations effortlessly. So come, let’s devote just one hour a week to FHRAI giving new energy for scaling newer heights. A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2013 to all.
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Letting go unwanted rules Focussing on tourist inflow S M Shervani Honorary Treasurer, FHRAI
To start with, I would like to congratulate the Ministry of New Tourism. It is because of their Approach efforts that the restriction on reentry of foreign travellers has been removed after two years. This was a stupid rule resulting from a knee jerk reaction of the Headley episode. It only succeeded in reducing the foreign travellers. This year, the increase in tourist travellers has not been of any significant numbers and in the coming years, the predictions do not look good. The Ministry of Tourism on its part can only interact with other ministries to enable them to see the potential and remove the impediments that are there. I would like to wish our new Union Tourism Minister Mr. Chiranjeevi success in his new assignment and I hope that while interacting with our new Finance Minister Mr. Chidambaram, he will get our service tax issue sorted out. With the initiatives taken by the new Finance Minister and the Government, the SENSEX has gone up and things have started to look good. However, for the hotel and travel industry to boom, it is necessary that work is done to reduce the multiplicity of our taxes, also efforts should be made to bring them down to reasonable figures to come at par with our neighbouring countries. We need to make our visa regime liberal and our Missions’ abroad more efficient and quick in handling visa applications. In fact, Visa on Arrivals must be increased to cover many more countries. Our Transport Ministry, on priority, must look at the conditions of our roads specially those that link our important tourist cities. I would like to
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congratulate the Ministry of Tourism for starting Shatabdi between Agra and Jaipur. I would also like to thank the Ministry of Railways for having acceded to this long pending request. I am sure that this new Shatabdi would increase the tourist traffic in both the cities in the long-run. Low interest loans for established hotels and restaurants that are approved by the Ministry of Tourism and subsidies and tax benefits must be offered to them for renovation and upgradation at least once in 8-10 years so that they can compete with new hotels, upgrade and offer a better product to the world traveller. Liberal licensing policy must be encouraged and complex licensing procedures done away with. The industry is prepared to give its full cooperation, especially in making our establishments green, environment-friendly, safe and better for the travellers. But the Government, while implementing these changes, should keep the ground realities in mind and not give their inspectors a free hand to interpret each notification as per their whims and fancies and make the business difficult. While interpreting a law reasonably and the due purpose behind any regulation, the reasoning must be clearly understood by those who are responsible for implementation for such laws. Only then there will be transparency during the implementation. It will also restrict any regulation being misused for blackmailing and other unsavory practices, undesirable. In the end, I do feel that all the industry associations have to gear up, work united to put forward our cases with various ministries effectively. It is only then, that we will be able to meet with some success and improve our businesses.
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FHRAI EC Meeting held at The Leela, Mumbai on Dec 15, 2012
A meeting of the FHRAI Executive Committee was held on December 15, 2012, at The Leela, Mumbai. A key thrust of the meeting was to review and finalise major strategic and policy initiatives of FHRAI. The EC deliberated at length on representations made by FHRAI to the
Union Ministry of Tourism on vital issues of concern for the industry such as: (i) Infrastructure status for the sector (ii) Rationalisation of the CRZ norms (iii) Expediting the approval process for new hotels and resorts (iv) Issuance of temporary bar licences by the State Governments to hotels pending their classification (v) Recommendations to various states to increase FAR / FSI for hotel projects in metropolitan cities so as to bring down the capital cost of the project and consequently the guestroom tariff. Further, the policy initiatives include our Pre-Budget Memorandum submitted to the Ministry of Finance for the Union Budget 2013-14 and recommendations to the DGFT on the new foreign trade policy.
Recalling the old charm of Nainital As I reached the residence of Ranjit Lal Nanda in Gurgaon, his place of enjoying the winter, he was basking in the sun. He prefers to go back to Nainital during summers. Due to his illness, he avoids the chill of the hill station and comes to Delhi. Ranjit Lal Nanda
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One of the founding members of the Nainital Hotel Association way back in 1960, Nanda is in his late 80s but the sparkle in his eye defies his age. He recalls, “The association was started by KD Pandey and Harish Shah along with me.” In 1957, he bought Manor House owned by a Swiss family and later promoted it as Swiss Hotel - Manor House. The present day structure was originally built as a bank building in 1910 and later converted into the present form in the late 1920s. He fondly remembers, “At that time, there were only five hotels in Nainital. The place was pleasant and beautiful then. Today, there are hotels everywhere and it is so crowded that one can hardly enjoy the silence of nature.”
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“Nainital used to be a destination of long weekends. People would come to relax and unwind for longer days. They would indulge in activities like writing, reading, yachting, boating, bird watching, golfing, etc. In fact, Nainital Yacht Club was the oldest yacht club in India established in the year 1900. Now, people hardly have time to relish the destination,” he observes. He is also of the opinion that hospitality has changed drastically. “Today, in Nainital, people are converting their houses into hotels in order to tap the potential of the place as a tourist destination. But at the same time, it is important to keep track of the nature and get into the development of hotels in a judicious manner so that it serves society at large in sync with nature,” he articulates. He also wishes that the State Government can take more concerted approach towards harnessing the true potential of Nainital to restore its erstwhile charm. by (Sanjeev Bhar)
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FHRAI reaches out to Nainital hoteliers FHRAI has initiated a new approach to get up close with its members in various states and reach to the deep rooted problems they are facing. This will be taken up as state basis and in this regard, Uttarakhand became the starting block for the initiative. A discussion was held in Nainital at Hotel Shervani Hilltop on December 14, 2012 where the Honorary Secretary of FHRAI, Mr. Vijai Pande and Mr. Praveen Sharma, Joint Secretary, HRANI met various representatives from the state. Mr. Dinesh Shah, President, Nainital Hotel & Restaurant Association met with both of them and had an extensive discussion where they highlighted their plight in relation with the hospitality industry. Mr. Sharma highlighted that the local issues can be taken up by the Nainital Hotel & Restaurant Association and members should keep them abreast with anything concerning their industry. For anything related to the state of Uttarakhand, HRANI can be approach for any further deliberations. “I think now FHRAI will put more impetus on the development work of budget hotels and restaurants,” Mr. Shah said. Highlighting important issues, Mr. Sharma said, “Multiple taxes should make way for single tax concept which will curtail wastage of time and effort. Different sorts of taxes that are collected from a tourist and hospitality operator leads to a lot of enmity between these two parties. These could be reduced drastically.” During the meeting, other issues related to local developments were shared. Mr. Shah said, “Nainital is getting more domestic tourists now. The various services to this hill station should be improved by the
government authorities so that we are counted among the top tourist places in India. The need for better road infrastructure and additional trains to Kathgodam was the need of the hour.” Further, he informed the present members about the diktat of broadcasting agencies.“If they keep on forcing such issues on us, then we will go back to our stance taken earlier where we stopped TV and radio transmission services,” Mr Shah remarked. Listening to the issues of the members, Mr. Pande extended the support of FHRAI and expressed that the apex association will take their concerns to concerned authorities. “In order to promote the state, tourism & entertainment centres should be created. At the same time the State Government should develop convention centres in Nainital, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun. This will increment the scope of business and earning of the state will also increase,” he suggested.
“We have to ensure that our industry is in sync with the present time where staff remain up-to-date and ensure that tourists are give best of services with modern facilities,” he summed. The meeting was attended by: Shri Digvijay Singh Bisht, Hotel Prim Rose, Shri D. D. Bist, Hotel Naini Vision, Shri Atul Shah, Hotel Prashant, Shri C.P. Bhatt, Krishna Hotel, Shri Mahendra Singh Bisw, Hotel Meghdoot Talli Tal, Shri Gopal Datt, GM Shervani Hilltop, Shri Vishal Khanna, Lakeside Inn, Shri Subodh Sinha, GM Rosewood, Hospitality, Shri Aloke Shah, Hotel New Pavilion, Shri Mohan Chandra, Manager, Shri Manoj Dev, Vikram Vintage Inn, Shri Dinesh Shah, President, India Hotel, Shri Ved Shah, Alka Hotel, Shri Sanjay Wadhwa, The Menu Moharni, Shri Om Prakash Maidh, Shalimar Hotel.
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Bilateral relations can bring more visitors Parvez Dewan, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India at the inauguration of the exhibition titled - ‘Italia comes to you’ - highlighted the need to increase bilateral efforts for a two-way flow of tourists between Italy and India.
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NIT, the National Tourism Board instituted to promote ITALY, conducted the exhibition titled – ‘Italia comes to you’ – in BRIC countries. In India it was held in Delhi and Bengaluru. In Delhi, the exhibition was held during December 6-9, 2012. While inaugurating the exhibition, Parvez Dewan, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, said, “Like Italy, India has cities that are world famous with great tourist attractions. However, over 2,00,000 Indians visit Italy per annum, while only 1,00,000 visitors come to India from Italy. Both countries need to enhance their bilateral flow of visitors and explore the true potential of tourism.” According to him, just like the market of discerning Indian travellers for high-end Italian food, India needs to create awareness about Indian cuisine and Indian cinema in Italy to increase the flow of Italian visitors to India. “The withdrawal of the mandatory requirements of a two month gap for foreigners visiting India on a tourist visa will definitely work as an incentive for tourists,” he said. “We are reinstating our national tourism board’s office in New
Delhi from January 2013. We shall undertake several initiatives with our Indian counterparts to enhance bilateral flow of visitors between the two countries,” said Marco Bruschini, Director General, Italian State Tourist Board, reacting to the gesture
The Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, also added that the withdrawal of the mandatory requirements of a two month gap for foreigners visiting India on a tourist visa will definitely work as an incentive for tourists.
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Pics By: Simran Kaur
extended by the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, India. “India is an important market for us, which witnessed a significant increase in tourist arrivals from 1,97,000 travellers in 2010 for overnights to 4,61,000 travellers in 2012. Over the last five years, Italy has witnessed a tremendous growth of over 94 per cent from India. We aim to further strengthen this number by strengthening our relations with our Indian travel and trade partners,” he added. by Vivek Sethi
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India Tourism
2 new campaigns
‘Find what you seek’ and ‘Go beyond’
Minister of State for Tourism - (Independent Charge), K Chiranjeevi, launched India’s new international and domestic campaigns at the World Travel Mart held during November 5-8, 2012. Unveiling the second phase of the Incredible India campaign, ‘Find what you seek’, he explained that this new campaign will focus on tourists looking for an experience customized to their needs across the country, and will help promote India as a 365-day destination in international markets. The second campaign; ‘Go beyond’ focusses on encouraging lesser-known destinations and will help promote both international and domestic tourism in India.
K Chiranjeevi
The Ministry of Tourism is also working on increasing connectivity to these lesser known destinations. The Minister discussed a paradigm shift in the campaign and stated, “Tourists from across the world can find a destination they desire to visit in India, thereby meeting the target set by the Ministry for the next financial year.
Quick read Incredible India bags three awards at the World Travel Awards
India bagged three prestigious awards at the World Travel Awards (WTA) that was held in Gurgaon, Haryana on 12.12.2012 The respective awards were World’s Leading Destination - India, World’s Leading Tourist Board - Incredible India and World’s Leading Tourist Attraction - Taj Mahal. K Chiranjeevi, Minister for State, Tourism (Independent Charge) received the awards. While addressing a gathering at the award ceremony, the Tourism Minister said that the Ministry has prepared a multi-pronged strategy to increase India’s share in World Tourist Arrivals.
New leadership at WTTCII for 2013
Priya Paul, Chairperson,The Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels has been appointed as the Chairperson of WTTC, India Initiative (WTTCII) and Dipak Deva, CEO, Destination Management, India & South Asia, Kuoni Destination Management has been appointed as the Vice Chairman of WTTCII for the year 2013 at the recently held Annual General Meeting in New Delhi. Paul, who was the Vice Chairperson of WTTCII for the year 2012, takes over from Vikram Madhok, Managing Director, Abercrombie & Kent India, who completed his term at the recently held AGM in Delhi. The WTTCII was launched in year 2000 with a purpose to unite key players from the industry to work closely with the Government and other stakeholders to address issues concerning the development of the Travel & Tourism sector.
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FTAs grow As per statistics released by the Ministry of Tourism, the Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) during the period January-November 2012 were 58.99 lakhs with a growth of 5.9 per cent, over the same period in 2011, as compared to the FTAs of 55.72 lakhs with a growth of 9.4 per cent during January-November 2011 over the corresponding period of 2010. FTAs during the November 2012 were 6.90 lakhs as compared to FTAs of 6.70 lakhs during the same month in 2011 and 6.08 lakhs in November 2010. There has been a growth of three per cent in November 2012 over November 2011 as compared to a growth of 10.1 per cent that was registered in November 2011 over November 2010.
ITDC shows strong gains on BSE The stock of state-owned India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), the public sector undertaking under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism, has showed a growth of more than 800 per cent in the past five months. The stock was at Rs. 206.40 in August 2012, which has recently hit the upper circuit of five per cent. It has reached to a level of over Rs. 1130 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). After two consecutive years of losses, ITDC bounced back to a profit for financial year 2011-12. The turnover of the company increased to Rs. 423.06 crore from Rs. 392.36 crore, which is about 7.82 per cent as compared to the previous year. This is following company’s efficient ways to cut cost through imperative measures and also rise in occupancy. The company has 1,200 rooms in its 15 hotels across India currently. A pioneer of duty-free shopping in India, ITDC is now betting on duty-free business at seaports in the Talking country. In fact, the company has changed its business Stock focus from operating duty-free shops at international airports to the country’s ports. Recently, ITDC launched a new duty-free shop at the Mangalore seaport.
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‘Hunar Se Rozgar Tak’ Scheme trains more students The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Tourism, and Martyr Flight Lieutenant Maheesh Trikha Foundation (M-Trix) with their joint endeavour have successfully carried out the programme ‘Hospitality Training Security Guards Course’ - for training students under the Ministry of Tourism’s ‘Hunar Se Rozgar Tak’ scheme. The Passing Out Parade of the Pilot Batch of students trained under the programme was conducted in early November at Delhi Home Guards Central Training Institute, Raja
Garden, New Delhi in the august presence of the Chief Guest - Parvez Dewan, Secretary (Tourism), Government of India. Present at the occasion were Dr. Lalit K. Panwar, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, ITDC, Col. J.R. Trikha, Secretary, M-Trix, Swadesh Trikha, President, M-Trix, Senior Officials of ITDC and M-Trix along with D.S. Rawat, Commandant (CTI) and B.B. Choudhary, Commandant (Home Guard) from Delhi Home Guard Central Training Institute. Successful candidates were awarded their Certificates and Placement Letters.
PHD Chamber submits pre-Budget recommendations to FinMin PHD Chamber has submitted its pre-Budget recommendations on Direct and Indirect taxes to Sumit Bose, Revenue Secretary, Ministry of Finance. Sandip Somany, President, PHD Chamber along with other senior industry representatives briefed the Revenue Secretary on the Chamber’s recommendations, a press release issued by PHD Chamber on December 7, 2012 stated.
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The Chamber suggested a number of issues for streamlining the Direct and Indirect Tax Laws. Somany felt that the Government must consider reintroducing Investment Allowance to spur industrial development and aid employment generation. The Chamber mooted reduction in the Corporate Tax Rate to 25 per cent progressively over a period of two years; reduction in the rate of Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) to 10 per cent; enhancement in the depreciation rate for Plant & Machinery to 20 per cent; and removal of surcharge and education cess. The organisation also called for enhancement of various threshold limits operating under the Income Tax Act as the limits existing under it have become redundant in the context of rising inflation. It felt that the expenses incurred by companies towards their social responsibility should be treated as tax deductible expenditure. Furthermore, any such expenditure incurred by these corporate towards the areas defined by the Government should be provided a weighted deduction of 150 per cent. The Chamber further proposed that vocational training should be treated as a part of the education sector. It was also felt that a suitable clarification may be inserted under Section 35AD of the Income Tax Act to clarify that the enhanced deductions under the section shall be
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available to all assessees operating a cold chain facility, which will tap whether such facility is utilised for captive consumption or not. Somany highlighted that the Government must consider raising the limits in the context of inflation over the years.
On the Indirect Tax front, the Chamber maintained that there should be no tinkering with the Central Excise, Customs Duty and Service Tax Rates. The organisation called for an immediate introduction of Goods & Service Tax to give boost to the GDP of the country. A number of other issues , including the demand for amendment in Section 4 of the Central Excise Act; removal of provisions relating to repetitive service tax and excise audit; streamlining the provisions regarding the stay validity and simplification of procedures for claiming refund of SAD were taken up in the meeting. The organisation also presented a number of recommendations for reducing litigations in the Indirect taxes. It felt that the rate of interest for delayed payment of tax / refund should be linked with the RBI Repo & Reverse Repo Rates. It was further proposed that similar provisions, which exist under Income Tax and VAT Laws should be provided for the small service provider (having a turnover up to Rs. 1 crore) to pay tax at a concessional rate of two per cent. It was also advised that a list of services under reverse charge mechanism be restricted and partial reverse charge provision may be rolled back. The Chamber opined that the due date for payment of Central Excise Duty & Service Tax may be extended to the 15th of each month or quarter as the case may be. A number of other recommendations with regard to Streamlining the Service Tax Registration Procedure and Cenvat Credit Rules were also made.
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Clarks Inn enters Haldwani
S.N. Srivastava
As Blue Saphire Clarks Inn opens its doors to public in Haldwani, Uttrakhand on December 1, 2012, this will add a new hospitality perspective to the township which aims to capture corporate and leisure traffic surrounding SIDCUL, Nainital and Jim Corbett National Park.
With an aim where many itineraries could be established, the newest hotel by Clarks Inn Group has been built in a 14000 sq. ft. plot having 42 keys in four different categories with facilities like swimming pool, all-day dining restaurant and with plans of karaoke lounge. “The hotel project cost has been Rs 10-12 crore barring the land price. It is my first project and I am quite upbeat about the proposition,” informed Rahul Varshney, MD, Blue Saphire Clarks Inn. The hotel is approaching the meetings and events segment aggressively. Rahul Deb Banerjee, GM – Operations, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels said, “The hotel soft opened a month back and based on the data so far, we expect to get 70-80 per cent occupancy as we are already received an average of 55 per cent occupancy for the opening month.” The area of Haldwani is primarily known for trading units comprising areas like SIDCUL, Rudrapur and Pantnagar, which give the location a healthy base of corporate segment. “We expect to get a lot of business from corporate and will also gain from local interests in our F&B offerings. We will definitely get the first mover advantage in giving an organised brand to this location.” The hotel is going to latch on to travellers who are heading for Nainital and Jim Corbett National Park for its proximity to these places. TC Sharma, GM, Blue Saphire Clarks Inn added, “We want to tap interests of travellers heading to Nainital and Jim Corbett and become the epicenter as an accommodation facility. Many travellers are now opting for this option, which will play a critical role in our marketing strategy.”
Pitch for travel operators The hotel is keenly looking at tapping travel agents in Delhi and northern belt to lure them to cross sell leisure destinations like Nainital and Jim Corbett National Park. Price range: For standard rooms – Rs 4000-4500 For Suites – Rs 5500-6500
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MBD Group to open Radisson Blu MBD, Ludhiana Being a part of a mixed-used development with retail, the Radisson Blu MBD, Ludhiana becomes the first five-star luxury hotel of the city.The hotel will be eyeing on the leisure market which will also offer a potential of 30-40 per cent corporate segment opportunities. Sonica Malhotra, Director, MBD Group, feels that the MBD’s latest hotel project, which will have 81 keys, would primarily address the growing aspirations of the premium segment of travellers coming into the city.
The target group will comprise NRIs within India who are looking for a premium product apart from traders in the city.While keeping the growing stature of the city in lieu, the hotel is coming up with mixed-used development, including high-end retail complex along the site. . The property will also have 15,000 sq. ft. of space dedicated to spa & salon plus treatment rooms. Also, 60 per cent of the accommodation in the hotel will have our signature Prive collection of rooms. Malhotra further added, “Our room sizes will be of 50 sq m each in comparison to 30-33 sq m that are conventionally offered. It will offer all-day dining, an Indian restaurant, a bar and a night club.” According to her, the hotel expects an average of 55 per cent occupancy during the first year of operation and will take it to 70 per cent in the following year. She said, “We are confident that by the third year of operation, we will be able to stabilise the occupancy level at 75-80 per cent.” The company will keenly approach the online travel agents to access the local and northern market that would be a large customer base for the hotel. MICE is also very much in the hotel’s radar. “We will have a 24,000 sq ft of ballroom space that will address the banquet requirement. We are also planning to launch ‘Prive Club’ where HNIs, bureaucrats and others potential members will be asked to join strictly through invitation,” she remarked. The Group also plans to come up with MBD Zephyr in Bengaluru, a mixed-used lifestyle unit, which will open in two years having 250 keys hotel and 50 keys serviced apartments.
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AH&LA partners with STR to launch F&B Star Benchmark Report Joe McInerney
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) and STR have joined forces to create the first Food & Beverage STAR Benchmark Report. Created by Report the AH&LA Food & Beverage Council to develop a standard language or metric that quantifies hotel F&B revenues, the report eventually will enable hoteliers to benchmark against properties within their brand and their competitive set, and will also allow for universal training. Although it will be a separate report, as with the STAR Reporting, the 44,000 hotels worldwide that participate will receive the data and define their own comp set. Data feeds must be provided to STR no later than January 2013. If sufficient data is reported, the goal is to create the first report by 2014. Otherwise, the data could be limited by region or city.
This report will be useful for general managers to gauge local market potential; F&B directors will hone in on the historical trends; revenue manager will build more meaningful reports; catering directors will be able to make better booking decisions and developers will be able to make more accurate site and property valuation and designers will have more information for commercial space utilisation and planning. “We’re excited to launch this important tool to help hoteliers make more informed decisions regarding their F&B venues,” said AH&LA President/CEO, Joe McInerney, CHA. He added, “I commend the Food & Beverage Council members for their forward thinking that F&B could and should be reported just as occupancy and related stats have been reported for decades.”
One-stop shop for hotel safety Travel World Experiences (TWX) has launched a new venture to aqua checks, pool checks, fire checks, eco-checks, room with a UK-based company Check Safety First. This is a 20-yearchecks, crises checks, general safety checks and tour checks.” Tech old company already operating in around 33 countries. They Talk cover 1,800 hotels worldwide and are now foraying into The food checks are applicable for independent restaurants and the India market. “We are risk management consultants and all aspects of hospitality where food is involved. “Once a hotel help hotels to manage risks involved in the various aspects of its comes on board, if we can see a case of food poisoning or falling functioning. These include fire, food, safety, water and other aspects,” said ill and a legal action being taken against it, then we take over the case Vivek Angra, President-India, Check Safety First. and prove due diligence at every stage. We fight every legal battle for the hotel,” he informed. “Basically, we go to hotels and tell them that we are a one stop shop where they can get consultancy for all safety aspects of a hotel. Our Concluding on a strong note, robust software, E-crystal helps us grade each aspect,” added Angra. Angra added, “Our main purpose is just not the certification but The company provides consultants, who will conduct a surprise visit training the staff also. We bring once a month and then go through around 250 safety checkpoints at all our international knowledge the hotel. Food safety is a core risk area and they have 250 checkpoints from across the globe and help from the place of receiving the raw materials till the food reaches the hotels grow safely.” plate finally. “We check hygiene, temperature, environment, to name a few and while we do that the software at the end of the audit provides marks to the hotel. If they get over 65, then the hotel qualifies to be on the website which is the check safety first website. The portal promotes these hotels among the consumers as well as tour operators worldwide,” he explained. Through their websites, check safety first provides a B2B and B2C marketing plan and platform for the hotels they audit and provide consultancy for. Training programmes and sample audits have already taken place at major hotel chains in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. “Hotel Clarks Shiraz, Agra, is one of our first clients,” Angra said. While, discussing the revenue model, he adds, “We charge the hotels a fee depending on the number of modules they choose from. These can range from food checks
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Alok Aggarwal, Director of Ozone said, “The opening of the Ozone Hub in Jaipur showcases our commitment to offer our customers with an unparalleled shopping experience for all their hardware requirements under one roof that truly reflects our core brand values of innovation, progressiveness and customer-oriented as a complete architectural hardware solution provider.” The Centre comprises live display and working models of glass fittings, shower enclosures, stainless steel railings and automatic doors, along with hardware for wooden doors and furniture, and even
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electronic safes. It boasts of a live demo of more than 20 types of glass and wooden doors using different hardware derivatives which work on sliding or swing mechanism and can be operated manually, automatically or with a remote control. Ozone Hub also offers solutions for various types of shower cubicles and accessories for achieving the dry bathroom concept. A wide range of modern design stainless steel accessories are also on display. The displays are created in such a simplified manner that even an end-user can understand how a door or shower cubicle work and decide which fitting fits his/her requirements. The Ozone Hubs being created by the Company on a pan-India basis, are not just product Display Centres but also imparts technical know-how, functionality and usage of each product to its customers – be an architect, interior designer, contractor, builder, fabricator or end consumer. The customer walks in with a concept in mind, and walks out with an efficient, lasting and safe solution from these centres.
IDS NEXT launches real-time hotel distribution platform, RezNext
IDS NEXT, a global leader in ERP and total technology solutions for the hospitality and leisure industries, announced the launch of RezNext – a real time B2B distribution company that bridges the gap between a hotel’s reservation system and online booking channels – in November 2012. RezNext is a response to a long felt requirement for a comprehensive solution that allows them to leverage online channels - OTAs, GDS, central reservation system, hotel’s web booking engine, mobile platform and other non-traditional channels - in a cost effective manner. A thought- through solution, RezNext works through a user-friendly control panel which allows users to dynamically manage distribution of hotel rooms. The solution also envisages distribution of MICE offerings,
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Ozone Hub inaugurated in Jaipur
Last month, Ozone - known to bring technologically superior and innovative products - inaugurated the Display-CumTraining Centre - Ozone Hub in Jaipur’s New Aatish Market. Conveniently located in the heart of upcoming construction and building materials and activities hub of the city, this Centre becomes an important stop for all architects, builders and anyone involved in construction or renovation activities.
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December 2012 I www.fhrai.com I
restaurant table space and other services in future phases. Speaking on the new initiative, Suresh John, MD of RezNext said, “India has a dearth of hotel rooms, and yet, occupancy hovers at just 60 – 65 per cent. RezNext is set to change this. We seek to empower hotel properties across segment and efficiently and effortlessly tap into markets way beyond their immediate reach. With RezNext, every hospitality property now has a technology solution to harness the power of the Internet, once thought possible only for large hotel chains.” Some of the solutions that RezNext will provide to its clients include Rate & Channel Manager, Revenue Management, Reputation Management, Competitor Rate Management,
Website Designing and Web Booking Engine, Mobile platform, Central Reservation System, Property Management System (PMS) twoway connect, GDS Interface, Facebook Web Booking Engine, and Loyalty & Feedback Management. “Interestingly, these solutions will be made available through a single control panel. This means a hotel can better manage their room inventory, keep their investment in technology low and reduce their dependence on manpower. Another advantage of RezNext is that it avoids the need for hotels to manage multiple extranets and tie-ups in a growing market of distribution channels,” informed P. Subramanian, CEO, RezNext. A first of its kind solution, hoteliers can only expect RezNext’s bouquet of offerings to increase as we sign-up a host of strategically beneficial partnerships, he concluded.
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Mixed fortunes
While the year 2012 might not have brought the best for the hospitality sector, the possibilities are still wide open for this level playing field where hospitality players are keeping the faith that the sector will bounce back to strong business opportunities. Megha Paul & Sanjeev Bhar highlight the perception of hospitality professionals from different segments for the year gone and the year ahead.
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ost reports pointed to the fact that the market became more competitive owing to the fluctuations in the international market, the thorny issue of depreciating Rupee value and increase in the supply of hotels. But there is a hope on the horizon. With the potential for increase in opportunities and transactions, industry experts forecast 2013 as being the year when business will bounce back to good health.
The year that was According to Rahul Pandit, President & ED, Lemon Tree Hotels, 2012 represented the bottom of the current cycle for the hospitality industry. A weak macro-economic environment - with problems in the Eurozone, decline in exports, a depreciating Rupee, feeble agricultural and manufacturing growth, rising inflation and energy prices plus the inertia in policy and governance - contributed to muted domestic and foreign investment confidence. “This, combined with a double-digit supply increase in many markets, resulted in depressed bottomlines this year. The silver lining has been over eight per cent growth in domestic tourism, contributing over 80 per cent of the national travel and tourism to GDP,” he says. Ajay K Bakaya, Executive Director, Sarovar Hotels says, “Occupancies were affected marginally (negatively) due to new hotel room supply. ARRs were affected 10-20 per cent in most cities with an increase in competition. There is a lot of pressure on bottomlines as payroll, energy and food costs also continue to climb.”
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Steer clear Not all of a sudden can things fall back on track, and thus, the hospitality industry needs to continue to move forward cautiously in 2013, focussing on pockets of growth and making measured investments to enhance differentiation and reinforce guest loyalty. Outlining the roadblocks ahead, Keshav Baljee, Managing Director, Spree Hotels, warns, “The hotel industry is likely to continue to be in stress in many markets. We expect most of the hotel developers to re-assess their development plans and seek out professional management. There will also be some consolidation in the industry as most hotel developers are stressed with a high debt burden.” Giving examples, he cites, “There is high debt burden on existing hotel developers, with loan rates having increased over 50 per cent since 2008. Unfortunately, continuous increase in hotel supply is making it difficult for hotels to repay loans. Slack in demand due to recession in source markets such as Europe has also been witnessed.”
Helping hand The industry should focus on products, pricing and distribution to increase top-
line contribution from the domestic market. “If the government maintains momentum on the recently announced policy realignment initiatives and is able to control inflation, we could expect an upturn post FY Q2. The government can help the revival by extending infrastructure status to 3-star hotels and below, and extending power at industrial rates to such establishments,” Baljee adds. Lamenting on the minimal outbound growth this year, S N Srivastava, Vice President, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels, feels that the government should stepup its efforts to boost the inbound numbers. “Unfortunately and despite the government’s effort, inbound segment has not registered any significant growth. Since the economic crisis began in Europe and the rest of the world, the domestic market has kept us in the business. However, the Indian hotel industry requires that added boost of the inbound segment, and that is possible only if inbound starts registering doubledigit growth.” As 2013 now looms ahead, the FHRAI Magazine brings forth the thoughts of some key hospitality professionals from across the segment on their perception about hospitality to map 2012 and ring-in the New Year.
The hospitality industry needs to continue to move forward cautiously in 2013, focussing on pockets of growth and making measured investments to enhance differentiation and reinforce guest loyalty.
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Focus on 3 Ps: People, Planet & Profit Rahul Pandit President & Executive Director Lemon Tree Hotels
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hen the going gets tough, the tough get going. Echoing the sentiments, the industry should focus on products, pricing and distribution to increase topline contribution from the domestic market. If the government maintains momentum on the recently announced policy realignment initiatives and is able to rein in inflation, we could expect an upturn post FY Q2. The government can help the revival by extending infrastructure status and extending power at industrial rates to such establishments.
reforms, reins in inflation and curtails the populist subsidy burden to deliver a lower budget deficit. Long term, India’s workforce dividend (over a 100 million Indians will join the workforce over the next 10 years) and robust domestic demand augur well for the sector. Our group was the recipient of one of the largest FDI in the country this year through the Dutch pension fund, APG. Lemon Tree went into a JV with Rattan Keswani to promote Carnation Hotels for management. This will accord accelerated development to the Group through inorganic growth and pass on the benefit of our proven management and distribution ability to asset owners. We are ready to launch our twin properties at Delhi Aerocity – 280 rooms Lemon Tree Premier and 207 rooms Red Fox Hotel. Besides this, we currently have seven projects under construction - for release over the next two years - and are actively perusing additional development in six cities.
Promoting true inclusiveness The Group is focused on recruiting hearing and speech impaired employees. Lemon Tree currently has over 100 hearing and speech impaired employees working across India. They represent five per cent of our total employee strength. We are targetting to increase this The government representation to 10 per cent over the next can help the three years. They were earlier employed revival by only in heart-of-the-house functions but are extending now getting deployed in front of the house infrastructure status and too. Other players too could invest in a extending power similar effort, promoting true inclusiveness at industrial and creating sustainable opportunities rates to such in society. Besides this, we have now establishments seeded a team to lay the roadmap for our sustainability practices – focused on the triple bottomline: people, planet and profit.
Investing cautiously Investment in the hotel business should have a full-cycle perspective. It is critical to understand the stage for starting development and releasing supply. Short-term investors can face a grim outlook if they don’t plan the leverage and repayment commensurate to the cycle. Conversely, a bearish sentiment could allow growth opportunities, in a market with strong fundamentals, to investors who commit themselves to cycle returns. Recovery in the medium term will be aided if the government maintains momentum on economic
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Indian hospitality spreads its wings Manju Sharma Director Jaypee Hotels
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ndian hospitality sector has been on a growing spree. There has been increasing interest on MICE and destination weddings. Moreover, sports tourism has put India on the global hospitality map whilst increasing demand for hotels and rooms. The hotel industry is inextricably linked to the tourism industry and the growth in the Indian tourism industry has fuelled the growth of the domestic hotel industry. The year 2012 has been good for all our properties in Agra, Mussoorie, Delhi and Greater Noida as well. The business saw recovery from the previous year. Expectations have been met as the industry had forecast, due to mega events in NCR regions, such as F1 and other MICE events.
Leisure & MICE boost The Indian hospitality industry is the fastest growing sector of the Indian economy. The year 2013 seems positive. We are expecting an increase of 10-15 per cent business this year from domestic business and leisure travel, with increase in MICE as well. Moreover, the Indian government is proposing several measures that will increase investment in the hospitality sector and accelerate the process of growth. With global hospitality firms showing interest
in the Indian hospitality sector, we see an immensely bright future for this industry in the year 2013 with improved confidence in India, both as a tourist and a business destination.
Destination India: The silver lining With a tremendous pull of opportunity, India has become a favourite destination for international hotel chains looking for growth. Though it was an average growth year for the Indian economy, India is being seen as a destination for investment and expansion for many sectors and contributing positively to the hotel industry. The rapid growth in domestic, leisure and business travel has also helped the occupancy growth in hotels. Therefore, the outlook for the Indian hospitality industry is good in short-term and long-term. With the opening of economy and trade, there is an overall improvement in quality standards of products offered by the hospitality industry. In addition, with the fast growth of international chains entering the market, competition is making all hospitality players raise the bar to the best. The industry is also addressing the challenges of the discerning, wellinformed travellers, both domestic and international with multiple choices in terms of levels of comfort, cuisine, safety and recognition.
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Domestic tourists are keeping the industry alive SM Shervani Managing Director Shervani Hospitalities
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e are in the winter season of 2012. The increase in business has been slight. To judge the whole season by just the two months of October and November will also not be correct, but it can be said that increase is not as it could have been. The industry has taken green initiatives that are being implemented in the Indian hotels. These initiatives range from reduced carbon monoxide emissions to green building certifications as apart from providing employment opportunities to the underprivileged. Since the competition in the industry has increased, specially in the mid-priced and budget segments, we are seeing more and more hotels providing additional amenities to travellers, such as complimentary Wi-Fi and other facilities.
Food for thought In India, the budget and mid-segment hotels have grown in the last few years. In Delhi National Capital Region, the licensing of guest houses has increased in the budget and mid-segment inventories. In the coming years, we can see more inventories being added largely in potential growth areas around airports, commercial and industrial corridors and special economic zones. Also, with the growth of branded accommodation in the budget and mid-priced segments and the coming in of international and national chains, there are more choices and improved products for the customers. Further to this, more choices will be available to the employees as their salaries will increase , need of retaining talent will also improve and it will lead to faster career growth. Thus, the industry will have to gear up its staff training accordingly and upgrade its facilities to serve its customers in a better way.
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Setting international standards Shervani Hospitalities sends its managers and HoDs for international travel to experience hotel stay as guests. They stay in 3- and 4- Star properties, take guided tours and review hotel facilities. I believe that nothing teaches you more than your personal experience. This exercise makes them realise what an international traveller expects from them. To address our customer demands, we are constantly upgrading our hotel services. Shervani Hilltop, Nainital, will soon have a spa. We believe this initiative will give us a competitive edge over others and will enable us to offer our guests an additional service. We feel that the Indian customer is now travelling abroad in large numbers, and therefore, his expectations and knowledge, both have increased and the Hotels must upgrade regularly to match their expectations. That is why even though Shervani Hilltop, Nainital, received the Travellers’ Choice Award for the Top 10 Family Resorts in Asia in 2011 we are still upgrading the hotel and improving its facilities.
Overcoming difficult times International ratings project a grim outlook of the Indian hospitality. With an increase in the competition and inbound traffic not growing much will force us towards facing difficult times ahead. We require better infrastructure, better process for the Government approvals for projects and lower taxation. These collectively hold back the private players or the industry as a whole. The Government has to take a proactive look into this aspect. Also, we are competing with our neighbours, where taxation is between 7-17 per cent, while in India, it is between 20-34 per cent which makes our products costlier. In my personal opinion, it is the domestic tourists who are keeping the industry alive and in good health.
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Hospitality sector is poised to flourish in the long-run Rajiv Kaul President The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts
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s the Indian hospitality industry continues to gear up towards realising its vast potential, the short-term business outlook is stable and largely positive. Increased awareness of destination travel and improved access and infrastructure will continue to fuel domestic travel. With this upsurge, the demand for different categories of hotels will also be accentuated. Tier II cities are expected to capitalise the most on this growing trend and will attract investments resulting in an increased supply of rooms in the mid-market and budget segment. Of course, affordability and experience will be the key factors in defining this shift.
will see online agents and hotel booking engines to continue as a strong channel.
Recognition for international standards In majority of areas - be it design, construction, technology or operations - the benchmarking has clearly shifted from local to global. All major domestic brands, such as The Oberoi, Taj and Leela are now consistently rated amongst the best in the world and this trend shall only strengthen in future as Indian hospitality moves ahead.
Road ahead Sluggish demand and large supply trend shall impair the hospitality sector’s profitability in next two-three years. However, we must remember that hotels are not built for next five but for next 30 years.
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Revolutionising through digital tools
As the pressure eases on high interest rates and inflation, this sector’s profitability shall significantly improve. While quarterly trends show revenues improving, operating profits continue to be paired for now by higher customer servicing costs and heavy interest burden. However, the long-term prospects of the industry remain robust, given that it can absorb significant room inventory in a scenario of strong economic growth.
While a single digit growth shall remain for foreign arrivals, domestic travel shall be the primary demand of the sector’s growth during next two-three years. The proliferation of online tools will continue to dominate the pace of change in the ever-evolving hotel industry. While digital tools are revolutionising the way customers search and book their hotels, they’re also changing the way hoteliers operate. We
India’s vibrant economy, improving infrastructure, FDI investments, demographic dividends, relaxation of visa regulations and the Government’s commitment to improve connectivity shall make India a more affordable, accessible and desirable destination for business, leisure and MICE segments. The country’s hospitality sector is poised to flourish in the long-run.
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A leaner, more efficient and profitable business Manas Krishnamoorthy Executive Asst. Manager (EAM) The Imperial New Delhi
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he year 2012 has been a mixed-bag. In areas like the Delhi NCR, room inventory has gone up, and is likely to go up substantially in the coming 24 months. The economic slowdown in Europe and the US is still debilitating a free flow of leisure travellers not just from these countries but from other traditional source markets as well. Most hotels have reported either a drop or stagnation in ADRs, which could be due to a rise in occupancy. On the other hand, F&B in most cases has shown a healthy growth, somewhat as a result of higher footfall, but mostly due to growth and stability in average spend. The average per-cover led growth points towards an increased buying propensity, and that this comes significantly from the domestic market is a sign of good times for hotels. Clearly, the domestic traveller has become the focus of attention – a noteworthy trend. Also, discretionary income coupled with increase in weekend travel has made domestic travellers the strongest contenders for hedging the industry’s bet. Further, I found it interesting to know that the year 2012 perhaps marked the highest number of airline tickets and hotel rooms booked online in India. The online market has emerged as a transparent and level platform. Never before did Indian hotels give so much importance to online presence, social media management and online marketing strategies.
Aiming for 2013 It is clear that some companies are investing in luxury, some in upscale business hotels, others in midmarket and economy. The pie itself is growing, with focus on the domestic market taking precedence, even with luxury hotel operators. The emergence of the upscale and mid-market hotels that deliver what is promised is singly the biggest need of the hour. With the opening of FDI in hospitality, the environment is upbeat about attracting foreign investment onto Indian shores. This in turn has the investment atmosphere buoyant for Indian investors and promoters of hotels as well. The New Year is likely to give more shape to and increase investment in the hospitality sector, across a wide price band. ‘Homestays’ is gaining momentum in unique locations. Also, it is likely that 2013 will mark the largest number of management contracts for upmarket hotels being signed up within a year in India. The forecast is that the current occupancy gloom will be over by mid next year and that this coming high season would generate higher revenues for hotels than 2012.
Harnessing other dimensions India is known for leisure tourism and leisure travel accounts for over 60 per cent of domestic travel. However, other dimensions should be harnessed for e.g. Medical Tourism. It is heartening to see the collaboration between players in the hospitality and medical fields in developing infrastructure, as well as products and services made to measure up to this segment of travel. While still nascent, private investors across hotels, hospitals and airlines will gain symbiotic benefits from this segment. Similarly, focus on destinations for holistic healing, ayurveda,
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yoga and alternative medicine are potential areas for investors, operators, and local milieu. For MICE, India requires cluster room inventories to handle the scale of large international conventions. Backed with policy support, the development of Hyderabad via investment form private promoters as a pure convention destination is the tip of the iceberg. Delhi’s upcoming Aero City is a welcome alliance of international brands coming together to create a space of thus far epic proportions in India, and specifically Delhi NCR, as a serious forerunner for MICE movement into South Asia. This will open doors to a wider audience across industry and expose, to begin with Delhi and the Golden Triangle, and thereafter the rest of the country.
Protecting bottomlines India still remains in the top three growing markets amongst developed nations in the world in regard to hospitality. Investments – in uber-luxury, budget hotels, etc. – are definitely indicative of the optimism both promoters and operators have in the mid- and long-term
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outlook for hospitality in this country. We are perhaps pitching the pre-2008 years’ ADRs and GOPs as the indicators of success, but that is somewhat like driving looking in the rear view mirror. It is safe to assume that with a larger number of players in the market, quality and value to a guest will grow exponentially, and the skewed price indices that existed some years ago in some cities will get corrected. The last two years have not been anything to write home about but they certainly made hotels efficient. Cost leakage control has taken center stage to combat rising fixed costs and to protect bottomlines. Also, non-traditional sources like South America, the Far East and Russia, to quote some examples are being tapped for not just filling rooms, but opening India as a hospitality destination in these countries as well. Companies that share this optimism in the future are adding more hotels, or increasing inventories, or even upgrading and readying their hotel product to meet market demands that are in the offing. These years of ‘adversity’ is in its own way shaping the future of Indian hospitality towards a leaner, more efficient and profitable business to be in.
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Brand delivery model will change drastically in 2013 A P Nanaiah President - Operations Coffee Day Hotels & Resorts
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he year 2012 looked a whole lot better than previous years. The industry has been recovering as overall business numbers showed a significant increase compared to last year. Our inbound traffic was hit due to a number of reasons, including grim economic issues in the European markets (viz. Greece, Spain, France etc.) that are considered a feeder market to the Indian sub-continent. In fact, we took a toll as the wildlife enthusiasts visiting our properties in Kabini and Bandipur Tiger Reserves decreased by large numbers. Nonetheless, this year showed good occupancy, which could have been better. As far as trends are concerned, this year again, the consumer demanded a lot ‘more’ for the same price; be it through discounts paid on activities and higher discounts on other things. Having said that, the challenge was to meet and deliver the same product at the same price to a market that was a lot more demanding.
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Focus on unique initiatives In hospitality, our group aims at delivering experiences; that is the business we are in. To be the best in doing so, we need to fine-tune our systems to the best performance levels. These systems could be the quality of the food in the restaurant, F&B service or a better housekeeping approach. I strongly believe that the sum total is to deliver an experience that is unparalleled. We also encourage our guests to step out of their rooms, see the world around them, learn things and participate in the interesting facets of life. For instance, we have initiated a new rural tourism and an agricultural tourism drive that will encourage our guests to do more, while learning simultaneously.
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What’s in store for us? A healthy business trend will continue in the first quarter of 2013. I also expect to see a change in overall occupancy levels in the hospitality industry. Huge demand in the luxury segment and domestic FITs, who will be willing to come out and spend more on brands like ours. The delivery model of a brand (like ours) will also change drastically. A traveller’s experience counts the most and this is exactly what we are working on. I strongly believe that we are not a holiday company, but we are in the business of creating memories through experiences, in a premium way.
Being optimistic I am an optimist to the core and believe that if one puts in the best efforts, the results will not only be good but great! Travelling and taking time out once in a while with family is something that has become a lifestyle need. Hence, travelling will continue to
remain constant in our lives. The hospitality industry in India is on the road to recovery, which although will not happen overnight. But, I see a better 2013 for the industry. We operate in the luxury leisure segment which is quite niche. It is also extremely demanding but the capacity to spend also remains pretty high in difficult times.
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Hospitality should keep revamping & reinventing itself Shail Barot Director Vie Hospitality
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he year 2012 saw the hotel industry in India recovering from the two jolts it suffered in 2008, the financial meltdown in the US with the Euro zone crisis and the terrorist attacks on the two 5-Star hotels in Mumbai. The hospitality industry had also been decelerated this year by a slowdown in the Indian economy as well as the 8.8 per cent inflation and the growth rate has dropped into a single digit level. Despite this, the year 2012 also saw a number of international hotel developments in India. The highlight of this year has been the increase in India’s Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) by 60 per cent in the past five years. The domestic tourist visits, on the other hand, witnessed an increase of 13.8 per cent over the previous year.
Areas of concern To start with the common denominator for both hotels as well as restaurants, i.e., the F&B segment, differentiation is going to be the key to success. Standalone restaurants are raising the bar for the F&B offerings. Restaurants in hotels are also getting better, spending money and coming up with interesting concepts as they now realise that they can
no longer stick to a normal multi-cuisine approach or just portray as Indian and Italian restaurants. State-wise efforts are also showing where the Gujarat and Maharashtra Governments are focussing towards by increasing their deadlines for F&B outlets from 11 pm to 3 am, which is a welcome step. FSSAI has been created for laying down hygienebased standards for food items and to regulate the way food establishments function, which will certainly upgrade the food standards throughout the industry. Hotel & Restaurant Approval and Classification Committee (HRACC), in respect of classification/Reclassification of Star Category norms laid out by the Government has ensured that handicapped facilities, safe practices and environment-friendly initiatives become the norm for star hotels.
Positive outlook International reports have shown some negative sentiments towards Indian hospitality. But they take into account certain over capacity metros, such as Pune and Bengaluru, where the supply is more than the demand. Superfluous and multiple taxes, entertainment duties, double service tax on rooms (Luxury Tax) and F&B (VAT) forced upon hotels are clearly having a negative impact on tourism. On the whole, the outlook for the hospitality market in India still remains optimistic and will continue to remain so. In the next five years, we will see hotels growing with a double-digit growth annually. Indians are becoming more exposed to the world, and therefore, are now demanding the finest luxuries even within their homeland. Thus, it is of paramount importance that the hospitality industry keeps revamping and reinventing itself to ensure that neither the international nor the domestic traveller gets disappointed.
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Rate wars to continue Ajay K. Bakaya Executive Director Sarovar Hotels
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he year 2012 was not a brilliant year. Occupancies were affected marginally – negatively due to new hotel room supply. ARRs were affected 10-20 per cent in most cities with an increase in competition. There is a lot of pressure on bottom lines as payroll, energy and food costs also continue to climb. The year 2013 will be another challenging year. A lot of new supply will come in this year as well. Rates will remain under pressure. One defining trend will be high payroll costs despite delivering sliding top line sales.
Domestic parameters
Unlike the doom, gloom and low growth predicted by international agencies, the industry here does not seem so grim. Domestic factors play a large part in every business. Domestic customers tend to be strong, robust and provide a sustainable pool of clientele. There obviously would be challenges ahead, but the industry will still see the sun shine.
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The sector remains hugely undersupplied S N Srivastava
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Vice President, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels
n the domestic travel market, both business and leisure segments augur well for the hotel industry and there will be new strategies adopted to tap this market. Besides, hotels will also look at tapping the MICE market, which is emerging as a potential revenue stream. Hotel development is also gradually expanding in tier II and III cities and we will see more such development in smaller cities and pilgrimage locations. The hotel industry is a highly employment-intensive sector. The industry will continue to have expectations in terms of an investment friendly policy like single-window clearance, rationalised taxation, cheaper land and easy loans.
Rise of consumers
As the hospitality industry continues to move forward cautiously in 2012, focussing on pockets of growth and making measured investments, reinforcing guest loyalty and enhancing differentiation will be of utmost importance. ‘Guest service’ is one significant area where the private sector has taken major initiatives in upgrading industry standards to international quality and has even excelled further. Whatever the demand, today, a guest is not said no to.
ARR climbs ladder
The sector remains hugely undersupplied and that means lesser competition for those currently operating.
Industry will bounce back Keshav Baljee Managing Director, Spree Hotels
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he year 2012 was not a great year for the hospitality industry in India. The economy showed signs of weakness, with GDP growth dropping to the 5.4 per cent mark, and worryingly, looking like it will stay in that range for a while. With Europe still deep in recession, the local and foreign demand was not as strong as expected. However, demand is bound to pick up. Supply, on the other hand, is beginning to show up in large clumps in various micro-markets across the country, causing massive upheavals in rates and occupancy. Several markets are currently in rate-wars, and this is likely to be a tough period for hotel owners. Professional hotel operators like Spree thrive in such an environment because hotel owners value professional management and its ability to drive extra revenues and optimise costs, thereby driving better GOPs.
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Domestic takes the lead Indian hotels have taken the lead over their foreign counterparts in several areas. In general, the hotels in India are more service oriented. Even 3-Star hotels provide things, such as turn-down service - something that only luxury hotels provide worldwide. In banqueting, Indian hotels are also quite advanced - most hotels provide conferencing and banqueting facilities.
Some stress, some consolidation
Due to the economic environment and the huge supply in most markets, the hotel industry is likely to continue to be under stress in many markets. We expect most of the hotel developers to re-assess their development plans, and seek out professional management for the hotels that they intend to develop. We expect some consolidation in the industry, as most hotel developers are stressed with a high debt burden.
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Tough 2013, but manageable Rishi Puri
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Associate Vice President (Operations), Lords Hotels & Resorts
n 2012, hotels which were geared with latest information and made use of technology survived, and the rest who could not meet the expectations headed for the inimitable plunge in the business. Overall, in tier B cities the business was good and metros witnessed some dip in sales, owing primarily to low performance of IT companies. The industry also saw the emergence of guest review sites like Trip Advisor, etc., where all hoteliers tried to maintain the position with positive feedbacks. The guest awareness of booking through online travel agents (OTAs) also saw a new high and the trend looks set for a while.
Trends ahead
The trend in rooms division seems to be shifting to guests review sites and also maximising bookings from various OTAs. It is all about yield management and managing the inventory. ARR now seems to be passĂŠ as almost all hotels have now started with RevPAR and have understood the importance of the same. F&B tops the charts with lavish spreads, better
displays, props and presentations. Chefs, all over, are now focusing more on ‘Eye Catching’ visual appeals. Standardising recipes and offering international cuisines seem to be the call of the day. Indian hospitality players are well aware of the changing global scenario and are well prepared to face the tough situations ahead. The year 2013 will see more players coming in the fold, some equipped with better technology, some with better management skills and maybe some with both. Private players have taken the lead for modernising and upgrading their systems and also the overall standards of the units would lead to more global approach. The Indian industry will sustain itself with the domestic traveller and the overall business scenario apart from hotels would also support the hospitality industry. Places which were predominantly dependent on leisure and foreigners may show a little sign of dip but the industry and the year ahead look tough, yet manageable.
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Innovation The key to sustainable development Niranjan Khatri
Save planet
“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as self-evident.” — arthur schopenhauer
‘S
tatus quo’, probably one of the most familiar terms from Latin source that has carried over into presentday English, is the arch rival of innovation. But the status quo seems to be fading away, not necessarily from our vocabulary, but from how we perceive the future when it comes to sustainable development.
Innovation is a nebulous subject
Innovation is certainly absent from the education system and examples which do exist are on account of accidental discovery by individuals, or due to pressures applied by stakeholders whether it is by legislative bodies, NGOs or civil society. Developing indigenous ideas or products requires a different mind-set—one which is intuitive, has the ability to cut through a maze of information and grasp key issues. Innovation is thus fraught with danger. Today, we are grappling with innumerable eco challenges on a global scale. In order to overcome these challenges, the hotel industry can play a pivotal role by implementing best practices in hotels which are seen and felt by the diverse stakeholders who use hotel facilities. Sustainable development needs a huge dose of innovation to come out with products that help people satisfy their need for clean, reliable energy, water and affordable quality education.
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Demystifying Innovation Innovation is often the result of connecting seemingly disconnected ideas to find a solution. What is innovation? Innovation is the ability to take a risk, and the risk can be in different forms: financial, reputational and timedependent. Organisations need to make a conscious decision and accept that failures will occur if they want to see meaningful new products and ideas. What is important to understand is that from failures, new insights and learning is derived which helps in developing new directions as Henry Ford said “Failure is simply an opportunity to begin again, this time intelligently.”
When Graham Bell was making the telephone, a senior banker who used to visit him discouraged him by saying, “When I come to your office, I do not want to see that piece of contraption on your table.” When the telephone was finally ready, the President of the United States came to see it and commented, “While it is a beautiful invention, who will use it?” Thomas Edison who invented the incandescent bulb failed 2,000 times before he got it right. A senior engineer in the 18th century said that a metallic body with wings cannot fly. Four years later, the Wright Brothers flew.
Breaking Norms Innovation means breaking the industry norms. 3M Company came out with numerous products like ‘post it’, Kodak produced the Polaroid camera for taking instant pictures, and ITC Hotels broke the ‘conventional norm of luxury’ to leap frog into ‘responsible luxury’ by embracing the challenges of sustainable development, holistically.
Recognising Latent Value Innovation is about demonstrating latent value which has not been discovered. A good example of this is a social enterprise, Goonj. They collect discarded materials from any source for redeploying them for underprivileged people in rural India. For example, discarded water bottles from urban homes are given to children in the hills which leads to an increase in attendance in the school. Earlier, when children were going to school, drinking water was not available for them. Thus, they dropped out of school. Goonj’s work illustrates how used products can add value which have not been discovered as yet. Innovation is about offering latent service design not thought of by customers. An example of this is the Internet. There was a time when nobody asked for it, but today it is an indispensable tool. Similarly, ITC Hotels started the initiative of employing people with disabilities. It resulted in the chain developing two books on how to employ people with disabilities and how to
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make infrastructure barrier-free. Both the books are referred to in countries across the world for starting similar initiatives. We also discovered a simple approach to employing people with multiple disabilities (pwmd) from their home. The discarded flowers of our two Delhi hotels are given to pwmd, where they break the petals from the stem. For this work they are paid Rs 2,000 per month. From the petals, organic colours are extracted and sold during Holi. A fine example of the triple bottom line philosophy of ITC.
their own waste. It is time that citizens and industries of this country take on some responsibility in giving a helping hand to the local municipalities to address this challenge in meaningful and significant ways.
On the energy front, it is impossible to take care of everybody’s energy needs unless we come up with disruptive technology at a low cost, especially for the 4 billion people in the so-called bottom of the pyramid.
At an individual level, people with gardens can compost their own wet garbage. People with a balcony in the house can also compost wet garbage through compact home composter, or communities can compost on a commune scale.
If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it
Mandis could adopt an approach of selling vegetables without leaves or thorny crowns of fruits like pineapple. This approach lends itself to new business opportunities, provided that law makers engage meaningfully to actualise such good practices by using market-based instruments. Perhaps the time is ripe to have a formal waste bank across the country so that the waste of one industry can become the resource of another.
My personal wish list is to witness the development of green bricks. The use of the same will not need heating or cooling. Secondly, the invention of a certain kind of paint to light up the whole room even if a small candle is lit. This may one day be possible through bio-technology and by bio mimicry. If the jugnu fly can radiate so much light, why not paint inspired by this life form?
albert einstein
Managing waste Someone rightly said that land fill sites are sticks of dynamite that we are leaving for our children. There are many options to treat waste provided we open our eyes to waste and consider it as wealth in the wrong place. Today, cities like Bengaluru, Cochin and Mumbai are crippled by the weight of
Construction debris is beginning to be recycled for making bricks and tiles, but what is needed is to increase the scale of these projects.
In conclusion, I would like to end this article with this quote:
To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge. benjamin disraeli (The author is the GM - WelcomEnviron Iniaitives, ITC Hotels. The views expressed by the author are personal.)
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Creating creative differences
Designing a particular type of hotel, which is replicated all across and goes by a prototype approach, challenges a designer even more, barring the fact that everything has to be same yet different. It is the sheer creativity of the designer, which can bring about a difference within a prototype hotel design. A case study on newly launched Ibis Hotels’ interior designed by Total Integrated Design (India) braved the challenges it faced during its conceptualisation and implementation.
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onsider this - the Ibis hotel brand is perceived to be a cookie cutter design. But, there is a lot of misconception in 3-star or budget hotels to be a cookie cutter, with boring interiors due to low-cost budgets, feels Ritu Bhatia Kler, Managing Director, Total Integrated Design (India). She says, “While it is true that there would be some similarities or some brands have a cookie cutter approach, it is not true that the interiors of 3-star hotels have ‘no design’ or not much chance for interior design. Yes, there are cost budgets to adhere to but it is true even for a 5-star. The difference is, where you spend the money and how best you make use of it!
Case in point Ibis hotel In Ibis, Kler follows strict brand standards so that the guest is aware and appreciative of these which flow from interiors to service as well. The guest would know what to expect. She lists out some interesting elements that are always taken into consideration while designing for Ibis brand. •F or example, the red walls at Ibis which welcomes one and all, bring cheer to the traveller on entering the hotel and creates a junction between the outer world and the Ibis world. This wall comprises the history of Ibis in the form of certificates. There is also a blue wall on which the brand name ‘Ibis’ (a subtle design) is mentioned along with the particular name/place (city location) of the hotel. • T he reception would always have three pods with a handicap-height - friendly pod for check-in depending on the total number of keys for that particular project. In India, we have developed the design of the red pod in the form of a ‘saree pallu’ across it and can be seen across our different projects in India. • T he coffee shop, ‘Spice It’, has interesting artwork which is funky and related to food in a fresh way, with cheerful colours, but yet different in the size and type of the actual artwork. In Gurgaon, we have a graphic design across the wall. Pune has 3D art and the three recently opened hotels showcase the artwork in varying sizes.
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• T he bar called ‘The Hub’ has the logo design as the backdrop which is in the same eye-catching colourful logo, so that, guests can identify with the brand. • T he Ibis brand adapts according to the various cities and there we see a difference in the design approach. We also take each architectural space and make the best of it with the interior flow of Ritu Bhatia Kler the space. The entrance of the lobby sees a flooring pattern which leads to the coffee shop or bar.
While it is true that there would be some similarities or some brands have a cookie cutter approach, it is not true that the interiors of 3-star hotels have ‘no design’ or not much chance for interior design. •W hile the rooms may be almost identical, we define each city with a panoramic artwork in digital printing on canvas depicting the city or the state where it is situated. The guest room photographs are taken in such manner that they present the old city in a new perspective. • T here are a lot of challenges in maintaining brand standards and yet bringing something refreshing to each property and that has been achieved in all the three properties launched this year.
Designers for the Ibis Hotel projects
Tirthankar Laskar, Jaisleen Kaur, Anuradha Arora and Ritu Bhatia Kler www.tidinternational.com
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Ibis Nasik Design Strategy for the property •S ince the floor plate was very tight it was a challenge to do the zoning for the public area. It was also a challenge to fit in the minimum number of covers required as per the brand standards. •C reating an interest with the high and low ceiling available as per the structure. •M aking the best use of maximum ceiling heights available. • T hough the property is in a II-tier city, the designing has been done as a metropolitan city.
Client’s brief given to TID •C ontemporary interiors have to be designed in a very tight budget since this property is located in a II-tier city. • I BIS standards to be followed and implemented as per the brand standards.
Project FACT FILE
Project Completion Project Duration Rooms & Restaurants Design Influence/Style
March, 2012 24 months (from concept to completion) 125 keys, 1 Bar - The Hub, 1 Restaurant - Spice It Contemporary Design
New Positioning/opportunity that the design offered to the hotel • T he design of the hotel has become an inspiration for upcoming properties.
Your perspective on overall result achieved… •G ood hotel for a II-tier city. •A chieving a great design for a budget hotel.
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Ibis Hosur Design Strategy for the property •C reating a young, refreshing, colourful and different design/ ambience to make an impact. •S imple yet effective design with ‘wow’ factor. •D esigning within the budget for a budget hotel. • I nteresting FRET design in combination with glass. •U nique customised artefacts. •U se of mirror to give an illusion of double the available space
Client’s brief given to TID •C ontemporary interiors to be designed within a tight budget. • I BIS standards to be followed and implemented as per the brand standards.
New Positioning/opportunity that the design offered to the hotel •U se of modern materials in an innovative manner. •A ccent colours to accentuate the overall space. •C lean and simple, yet contemporary design speaks for itself.
Your perspective on overall result achieved… • T he final product creates a dramatic look and feel with the use of colours, which was intended by the designer.
Project FACT FILE
Project Completion Project Duration Rooms & Restaurants Design Influence/Style
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March, 2012 36 months (from concept to completion) 184 keys, 1 Bar - The Hub, 1 Restaurant - Spice It Contemporary Design
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Client’s brief given to TID • T o design a business hotel as per the brand standards.
New Positioning/opportunity that the design offered to the hotel •M uch appreciated among the design fraternity and developers.
Your perspective on overall result achieved…
Ibis Navi Mumbai Design Strategy for the property • T his hotel is designed as a simple yet in a dynamic way, which is very much in line with the brand’s philosophy. • T o be designed in such a way that it binds all the public areas together without creating too many partitions, and yet creating a virtual connection between spaces with the help of flooring and ceiling designs. Project FACT FILE
Project Completion Project Duration Rooms & Restaurants Design Influence/Style
June, 2012 24 months (from concept to completion) 196 keys, 1 Bar - The Hub, 1 Restaurant - Spice It Contemporary Design
•O verall, the hotel is planned as a functional and practical space for the business category guests with a completely fresh perspective - by breaking away from the monotony of a uniform code with the help of a vibrant colour scheme, comfortable furniture and creative design elements.
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Communicating food trends Chef Martin Kobald, Honorary President of the South African Chefs Association (SACA), shares his thoughts about food, experimentations, cultural facets and other characteristics that help a chef to craft his own identity. Q. Tell us about the way SACA works and propagates the vocation of cooking? I have a 30-year-old association with SACA and have been the President from 1992-99. This association has around 6,000 members and is run by the Board of Directors. Its primary objective is to promote art and culture for South African Cuisine and the profession of its chefs.
Q. You are also serving as the Global Chairman of the Marketing and Communications Committee of World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS). How do you take this role as different from being a chef? I was earlier serving as the Chairman of WACS, and on my part, I promoted the association which has 92 countries as its members. To the best of my capabilities, I ensured effective communication of food trends from across the world, which helps in understanding different cuisines in a more appropriate manner.
Q. What would be your suggestion on the factors chefs should get influenced by as part of their learning curve? The biggest and the most important factor for every chef is to learn about every kind of cuisine since learning is a never ending process. However, it is not only about learning but it is also important for chefs to communicate the same with all other chefs. The Indian Federation of Culinary Association (IFCA) is a member of WACS, which could be utilised as an enormous platform for both upcoming and senior chefs.
I firmly believe that one needs to respect his own heritage. It is important for a chef to know his/her own cuisine first before experimenting with any other, and especially when it comes to Indian cuisine, as it is highly complex yet precise, a rare combination for experimentation. At the same time, basics are required to be understood in order to relish the results of experimentation. December 2012 I www.fhrai.com I
I own Food and Beverage Consulting Company and have endorsed products for Weber and Russell Hobbs, and that is my specialty. As a matter of fact, understanding before acting upon something is always better, and that has built up in the masses thanks to great food programmes that have been introduced lately and of course, celebrity chefs. Also, the public in general is now recognising chefs and has started respecting them greatly, which adds to our responsibility towards them. Therefore, my advice to all chefs is to pull up their socks as we have so much to do.
Q. What else keeps you occupied?
Learning and giving back through contributing in the industry by means of good food is also an important aspect
Q. Do you like sticking to the conventional recipes or experimentation within the boundary of technical approach in cuisines?
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Q. What is your specialty offering? In the present scenario, how would you assess the understanding of the public regarding this cuisine?
I have been travelling since 12 years and this year, it’s the 14th time that I am going to judge a competition. I have been to Sweden, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Cairo, Taipei, Istanbul and more. But I had the best experience in Istanbul with its amazing food and people.
Q. What do you think of the Indian cuisine? How popular is it commercially in South Africa?
Indian cuisine is very popular, though the food you find in South Africa is not authentic. The food prepared there is made to suit the tastes of South Africans and not how it should actually taste like in India. There is a difference, especially in the curry that is prepared by chefs in South Africa and I feel this is not appropriate, as people do not get to taste the real Indian cuisine.
Q. How do you compare Indian cuisine with its other counterparts? There is absolutely no comparison. To me, Indian cuisine comes
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across as an intriguing one which is highly complex yet exciting. It is quite amazing to see the diversity of this cuisine, which includes North Indian and South Indian as the most inviting ones for me specifically.
Q. How can budding chefs streamline the craft of food preparation in a unique manner? I suggest they should be passionate about their work, which is important for them so they can enjoy and add to their experience even more. A chef gets the degree on paper in a few years, but he is an apprentice all his life. They must also overcome their obstacles and take their occupation not as a job, but should enjoy while working. This is how they would excel and be at a better position, because hard work always pays. Learning and giving back through contributing in the industry by means of good food is also an important aspect.
To me, Indian cuisine comes across as an intriguing one which is highly complex yet exciting. It is quite amazing to see the diversity of this cuisine Q. Which newer roles can chefs look forward to as the vocation is going through massive explorations? We, as in the senior chefs who have been in this industry for quite sometime, have a huge responsibility towards the young chefs. We could be role models for many of them, so it is important for us to be a good mentor to guide them and live up to the expectations of the industry and people whom they serve.
Q. Which are the present trends in food that amuse you? What is your perspective on food in general, and how should it be treated as far as experimentation is concerned? Monocular Cuisine (working with dry ice and foam) seems very amusing to me. I was amazed and found it quite strange. It was almost like playing with your mind, you think that what you would eat is an apple but when you eat it tastes like fish. As far as experimentation with food is concerned, I feel it should be left to an experienced chef. But for a world where there is so much of poverty, wastage of food and specially those ingredients which are found rarely.
Q. How would you sum up your experiences in this profession? Which are the most critical aspects that you give importance to when learning about a new cuisine? For me, it’s always been a great party where I always have great fun. Everyday, I look forward to work and everyday is different. Giving attention to details while I cook is my concern.
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A matter of convenience smart cooking
The newly launched refrigerated drawers in India by Adande Refrigeration has brought in a fresh perspective to not only approach preservation of food in style but also take an industrial kitchen ahead by allowing to define its design, approach and convenience. SANJEEV BHAR
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efrigeration products have been far stretched by making them a vital need for hospitality kitchens. The UK-based Adande Innovation has brought about a unique concept that fits the latent demands of the kitchen professionals, i.e. Adande Refrigerated Drawer System. For that matter, Nigel Bell, Chairman, Adande Refrigeration says that this product is not only fit for hospitality but can be of relevance in other areas, like QSR, health, pharmacy and many more . We are giving relevance in the Indian context.
The company has launched its Indian arm under which the product will be manufactured and have joined hands with Celfrost Innovations for sales and services to market the products in India. Bell says, “For long, we have been looking at various markets to open our manufacturing units. India has been an apt choice for us, as we now have our second manufacturing unit outside the UK. We chose this country for various reasons ranging from language convenience, culture, understanding of the legal and Intellectual Property Rights to the ability of professionals to convert a sale.�
Unique product The Refrigerated Drawer System addresses the concern of modern hospitality, i.e. the equipment is energy efficient, sustainable, matching food standard norms and safety.
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Refrigerated Drawers
The drawer units are modular, providing the flexibility to be included in many different kitchen designs and offering flexibility and capacity – critical in tight kitchens. Use of the Adande units is growing immensely, in many countries and across a wide spectrum of the catering market from fast food to fine dining restaurants. The technology has received many awards globally for design, innovation and sustainability. Neeraj Seth, Managing Director, Celfrost Innovations says, “The product by Adande Refrigeration is definitely what the Indian hospitality market has been looking for. It has launched a unique, award winning Adande technology from UK in the Indian market. This is based on local production with full availability of spares and after sales service.” The Adande Refrigerated Drawer System products are unique and capable of keeping the temperature intact even when the drawer is opened several times a day, says Bell. He explains, “The very fact that it opens like a drawer of a working table parallel to the ground surface, the chilled air does not escape, as chilled air is heavier and does not allow the temperature within the container to change drastically. This allows food ingredients to
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be stored at a desired temperature for a long duration without temperature aberration. Hence, the quality of food remains good providing a longer shelf life under refrigerated conditions.” The products have been manufactured giving relevance to the Indian context and cuisine, for which several trials were undertaken. It is unlike any refrigeration product seen before, creating a similar revolution in refrigeration as was done by the Combi Steamer when it first arrived in the market, says Seth. He adds, “All the Adande insulated drawer units combine fridge, freezer and blast chiller capabilities unlike traditional refrigeration products, the design ensures cold air is maintained, extending food life by retaining quality and reducing energy consumption by 40-60 per cent. These characteristics are extremely important for a hot and busy kitchen environment where the units are frequently opened.”
Nigel Bell
Market awareness Adande Refrigeration came to India two years back to test waters for refrigerated products for hospitality and other related sectors. “We partnered with Accurate Industrial Controls for our manufacturing needs, which has a dedicated factory in Pune and has been producing units for export to Adande in the UK since 2010. The same quality of units will be sold to the Indian consumers as well. Our target market will be of chefs and consultants to begin with,” Bell summed.
Neeraj Seth
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A ‘drooling’ effect Drool Kitchen, situated in Dwarka, a sub-city of the Capital, has an understated charm that differentiates it as a restaurant. A multi-cuisine restaurant, it has strategised its operations based on location and preferences of its customers’ approach towards food. SANJEEV BHAR
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restaurant can be either sophisticated or subtle, which is judged by its character, décor and ambience. Drool Kitchen is one such example of elegance, where people find themselves at ease and get the comfort of relishing food in an understated dining environment.
The restaurant presents a mix of casual as well as fine dining experience. Speaking about the approach, Rajan Sethi, MD, 4RS Hospitality, says, “Yes, the place is all about having a good time. This is a perfect place for families where the prices have been kept quite competitive. We aimed for a place where the service and quality of food gives a feel of a premium restaurant. So far, we are achieving this successfully.” The restaurant offers a party space capable of catering to at least 50-60 people. “There are two party areas, including a personal dining room for 20-22 people with a standard table set up which is a perfect place for small events, kitty parties and corporate get-togethers and rear lawn for birthday parties and dinners,” informs Sethi.
Rajan Sethi
Approaching food
The restaurant was launched in August this year and since then there has been no looking back. Sethi says, “We wanted this place to be taken as a good space for family dining.” According to Dheeraj Mangothra, Chef-incharge, the restaurant has lived up to the expectations of the people. “We offer authentic multi-cuisine food. People are now relating to the restaurant, and have built a relationship. In fact, we have started asking for the customers about their favourite dishes, which they loved the last time they visited,” says Sethi.
The ‘drool’ Factor
‘Drool Kitchen’ is symbolic of a ‘foodies hang-out’ zone or a gastronomical adda that keeps you salivating every time you visit. In fact, the most interesting element of the menu card is its approach towards making people connect with it. The first page reads… Drool: Verb 1. To water at the mouth, as in anticipation of food; salivate. 2. To show excessive pleasure or anticipation of pleasure. Drool Kitchen: Noun A place where we assure you will do both of the above.
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But what makes ‘Drool Kitchen’ special is its ‘Wood Fired Oven Pizzas’, a unique experience loved by all. The grills are sumptuous and the offerings from the wood fired oven are eclectic. The menu ranges from the Mediterranean to the classic Margherita, Romano and Tandoori Chicken pizzas. The restaurant has been neatly crafted and has been promoted as a hub to meet and relax. Moreover, it is being promoted as a celebration place for family as well. “Our party lawn can accommodate up to40 people and is gaining popularity as a hot spot in Dwarka,” he adds. As its first venture in restaurant business, 4RS Hospitality wishes to take this concept further. Sethi informs, “Drool Kitchen is designed as a scalable model which can easily be replicated. Our plan is to open 20 restaurants in the next five years and some ideas are in the pipeline for restaurant, café and bakery shops.”
Embellishing Nicely
The restaurant’s unique design includes an aquarium, bird cage set up, and a machaan sort of approach which looks exclusive yet within the scheme of seating arrangements. The seating does not appear cluttered. Sethi continues, “The machaans are the semi-private dining rooms where one can feel close to nature.” No matter what the perception of the product is, the restaurant business still continues to remain a risky zone for investors. In that light, the outlook of the Group is quite upbeat. Sethi elucidates that for anyone evaluating the feasibility of opening a new restaurant, whether it’s a first or hundredth one, one has to understand that there is one key financial factor
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Look & Feel
Drool Kitchen’s ambience is about giving a comfort zone to diners. It has been divided into indoor and al-fresco seating. Customers can choose to either blend in the traditional paradigm of a family restaurant or enjoy the nature and function of the al-fresco area. Be it the multi-coloured furniture and crockery, the jungle safari motif on the wall or the large aquarium at the entrance, the interiors have been designed to lure adults and children both and also keep them in a jovial mood while dining. that points to success or failure in this business probably more than any other. “It is referred to as the sales to investment ratio, i.e., how many Rupees of annual sales can you expect from a potential restaurant to generate for every single Rupee invested.
Food authenticity
Any new restaurant must always offer something unique that attracts people towards its cuisine. “Our strategy is simple; we intend to succeed by giving people a combination of interesting and excellent food in an environment that appeals to a wide and varied group of people,” Sethi informs. In order to win customers, Chef Mangothra says, “We will focus on maintaining quality and establishing a strong identity in our community. Customers have different choices and we are ready to serve them accordingly, but without compromising on the authenticity of flavours.” He recalls an incident in which he had served a spicy ‘Chilli Honey Potato’ dish to one of his guests. “After tasting it, the guest requested me
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to make it spicier, which I did, but it was just too spicy. However, the guest liked it. In this case, we just increased the hotness of the dish that suited the guest’s taste. ” On the other hand, he narrates an incident where he served ‘Pumpkin Soup’ to another guest. The customer added soy sauce and vinegar to it and changed the soup entirely. “In such a case, the essence of the dish gets killed. I had nothing to say but it felt really bad as it was a creative input from my end that the
Dheeraj Mangothra
Numbers Speak The restaurant is spread over an area of
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There are two party areas; it can accommodate up to
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In a standard table set up, the personal dining room can accommodate
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soup should have been relished in its original way only,” he regrets. So, how does he keep a balance between authenticity and demand of customers in the restaurant? He quips, “Technique is important. But we go by the inputs of the customers as well. Certain inputs are vital to engage customers and keep them coming back for more. But one should not sacrifice a recipe for sure.”
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Our strategy is simple; we intend to succeed by giving people a combination of interesting and excellent food in an environment that appeals to a wide and varied group of people
The restaurant offers ‘Global’ delicacies which have exquisite flavours and textures. “We aim to fuse classic and modern techniques of cooking that would satiate the local and global palettes,” Sethi adds.
Inviting strategy
Since it started, the restaurant has been able to convert customers into regular visitors. According to Mangothra, during weekends the restaurant is doing 350-400 covers which is quite high from the regular 120 covers during weekdays. The fact that the restaurant is right below the Metro station (Sector 10, Dwarka) has also ensured the ease of access for customers. At the same time, the restaurant gives a sense of fine dining, limited to high-end malls
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and exclusive locations. There is a dichotomy in the approach. Sethi elaborates, “The idea behind creating dining space right below the Metro station was to present a standalone food place to the patrons. Our restaurant is another feather on the cap in the Dwarka dining scene, where our customers can have a peaceful time to enjoy the food.”
However, the restaurant plans to attract the corporate segment also. “We have a personal dining room where we do corporate lunches and dinners. We provide Wi-Fi also, enabling corporates to use this facility and enjoy their meal,” adds Sethi. The menu has been tailored to cater multiple palettes and aims to satisfy those having a gastronomical craving. “It always pleases me to deliver the food as per the guest’s choice,” adds Chef Mangothra. He explains, “Our main focus is to increase customer awareness in the surrounding communities and direct our tactics and programmes towards the goal of explaining who we are and what we do. We will keep our standards high and execute the concept so that word-of-mouth will be our main marketing force.” “We are living up to the reputation of our name as the food and essence of this restaurant has made people drool all over,” sums up Sethi.
Food & Food Drool Kitchen’s carefully planned menu offers a global selection of dishes. The thought has been to cater to all rather than a specific segment where a balanced approach offers tastes and flavours with a touch of authenticity. The comprehensive range covers the Indian, Chinese, Continental and Italian cuisines. With all these offerings, the restaurant aims to tap families, friends and group dining. Some of the Chef’s preferred dishes in the menu include Dim sums served with his special sauce, Tiger prawn lemon coriander, Charmula crusted fish and sage scented Indian lamb chops, the Spaghetti Aglio Olio Pepperoni, Drool Apple Chicken Curry, Bhuna Gosht and Sliced Fish in Oyster Chilli Sauce. It has a range of soups and desserts as well.
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new faces
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within the hospitality trade Cyrus P
General Manager Marriott Hotel Whitefield, Bengaluru
Chairman Designate The Indian Hotels Company Limited
Cyrus P Mistry is the new appointed Chairman Designate of The Indian Hotels Company Limited and will take over as the Chairman of the company in December 2012. Mistry has been a Director of Tata Sons Limited since 2006 and he was appointed as the Deputy Chairman of Tata Sons Limited in November 2011. He joined the board of Shapoorji Pallonji & Co as director in 1991 and was appointed Managing Director of the Shapoorji Pallonji Group in 1994. He is a graduate of Civil Engineering from Imperial College London (1990) and has an MSc in management from London Business School (1997).
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Executive Chef Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi
Matthew Cooper
Mistry
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Rohit Tokhi
Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield announced the appointment of Matthew Cooper as the General Manager of the property set to be open in January 2013.
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Cooper will lead the management team towards the opening of Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield as the very first Marriott branded hotel in Bengaluru. Prior to this assignment, Cooper was the General Manager of Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon. He was awarded the prestigious General Manager of the year in 2010 and in the same year the hotel was declared ‘The Best Opening Hotel’. Cooper has been a part of Marriott for the last 14 years. Having been in India for over 7 years now, he absolutely loves India, the culture and most importantly the food.
Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group, Kempinski Hotels, announced the appointment of Rohit Tokhi as the Executive Chef for its first Kempinski managed hotel in India, Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi. He brings with him over 16 years of rich culinary experience and is the recipient of the coveted Hotelier India’s Chef of the Year 2011 award.
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Tokhi is acclaimed for creating innovative culinary experiences at several award-winning establishments and is a recipient of various awards. His professional accolades include the Times Food Guide Awards for 2010, 2011, 2012 for Spectra (multi-cuisine), Diya (Indian) and Zanotta (Italian) restaurants as well as Rubicon Bar at the Leela Kempinski Hotel. Earlier in 2007 and 2008, restaurant 360 at The Oberoi New Delhi won the Times Food Guide Award under his culinary supervision. Tokhi holds a Diploma in Hotel Management from Mumbaibased Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (IHMCT&AN).
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Sandeep Saxena VP - Sales & Marketing Best Western India
Best Western India, part of the world’s largest hotel chain has announced the appointment of Sandeep Saxena as Vice PresidentSales & Marketing. He will be heading the Sales & Marketing initiatives of Best Western India from the BW corporate office in Bengaluru.
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A graduate from Mumbai University, Saxena has been associated with the hospitality industry for over 15 years. He has spent close to 10 years in the Dubai and Middle East market and has worked with the likes of Amadeus and Micros-Fidelio over the years. .
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Rohit Dar
Piyush Tyagi
General Manager Jaipur Marriott
Executive Assistant Manager Raintree Hotels
Jaipur Marriott has appointed Rohit Dar as the General Manager of the hotel. A seasoned hotelier, Dar has worked with several hotels including The Oberoi, New Delhi; Trident, Cochin; The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur and Imperial Hotel, New Delhi. He has also held the position of General Manager at the Oakwood Premier Prestige, Bangalore.
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He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Hotel Management from Oberoi School of Hotel Management and completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Studies from Delhi University.
Raintree, a fast growing brand owning two 5-Star eco-sensitive hotels in Chennai has appointed Piyush Tyagi as its Executive Assistant Manager. Graduated in Hotel Management from IHM, Mumbai, Piyush has worked in various capacities in Taj for close to 9 years in Mumbai, Delhi, Goa and Jaipur. He headed the F&B Department at Taj Exotica, Goa and Taj in Jaipur. Having13 years industry experience, he has played an important role at Senior Leadership in a few of Hi-end Pre-Openings.
Kallol Saha
Pallavi Gore
Training Manager The Westin Mumbai Garden City
Heavenly Spa and Recreation Manager The Westin Mumbai Garden City
Kallol Saha has been appointed as Training Manager in The Westin Mumbai Garden City. Saha has over six years of experience in the industry and his previous assignment include Training Manager, The Westin Sohna and Gurgaon and Assistant Manager Training & HR at The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon. He is a graduate from PES Institute of Hotel Management..
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Pallavi Gore has been appointed as
i Heavenly Spa and Recreation Manager
for The Westin Mumbai Garden City. Pallavi completed her diploma in cosmetology from Carsten Aveda Institute, New York and Diploma in Esthetics from Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics, New York. She has over five years of experience and her previous appointment includes Spa Manager at The Leela Kempinski and Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur.
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METRO Cash & Carry’s Own Brand products METRO Cash and Carry India has introduced an exciting new line of food and non-food products under its exclusive Own Brands category. Now, customers can find a vast assortment of close to 2,000 products under METRO’s Own Brand labels, ranging from groceries and commodities, dairy, bakery and frozen products to detergents, toiletries, stationery, household products, apparel, footwear, linens, furnishings, tableware, luggage and appliances.They are available at METRO Cash & Carry’s wholesale centres in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Zirakpur, Amritsar,Vijayawada and Jaipur.
Flexi Crème for culinary & dessert use Tropilite Foods has launched, an Ultra Heat Treated (UHT) unsweetened product, Flexi Crème that is unique and can be used in multiple applications. As a more economical alternative to dairy cream, a shelf life of nine months when unopened and four days (under refrigeration) after opening the pack. This can be used in various culinary preparations, such as gravies, soups and other preparations including Dal-makhani, Mughalai-paneer, Malai-kofta, etc. The product can be directly added to soups and curries to give the dish a creamy texture and a rich flavour. Apart from culinary application, it can also be used for sweetening cakes, desserts, cake icings and truffles. Flexi Crème is cholesterol-free and full of Omega 3 fatty acids, which makes the product healthy for the brain and the heart by reducing LDL levels. It has a balanced combination of MUFA & PUFA for best health benefits. Flexi Crème can be stored and transported at ambient temperatures.
Hush Ultra Soft Duvet Hush has introduced a new alternative, Hush premium quality duvets, to the conventional blankets. Made from a soft and buttery slowrelease fiber filling, with specially treated fabric encasing, they are light weight, washable and easy to maintain. The new range of duvet is available in two styles Hush Ultra Thermo Bond Duvets and Hush Ultra Super Bond Duvets.
New range of Springfresh mattresses The Springfresh range of mattresses from Sleepwell is equipped with an innerspring system that supports the spine and state-of-the-art comfort technology that adjusts itself to the contours of the body. It incorporates the internationally recognised ‘Zero TurnTM’* technology for ultimate comfort and durability. To add to the visual appeal, these mattresses sport plush fabrics and international stitching styles that are easy on your back and eyes too. The Springfresh mattresses come in two variants. a) Pocket Spring System that prevents partner disturbance and roll together. These mattresses are available in Bliss, Harmony Royale and Tranquil Royale models. b) Bonnell Spring System that ensures optimal spinal alignment. These mattresses are available in Serenity, Harmony, Tranquil and D’light models.
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SpringFit introduces ‘Roll-away Bed’ SpringFit ‘Roll-away Bed’ is unique from any other add-on bed operation. Its robust design features a sturdy folding frame, heavy duty metal legs, cross support and smooth rolling wheels, making it stable, secure and durable.This foldable bed with wheels can be easily rolled away along with mattress. The leg extends automatically when the bed is lowered.These guest beds save space and please the most discerning guests. Space and comfort is the ultimate reason why your guests choose your hotel, time after time.When the guest arrives, all they have to do is pull the bed down, extend it on wheels and set it up on the floor. It is completely ready for the weary traveller for a great night’s rest.
New range of ‘OVERNITE’ travel bags Comfii, a brand in baggage and luggage, Product of Harjase, has launched another unique innovative product, ‘OVERNITE’ travel bags. It’s a smart collection of cabin baggage with a unique combination of shape, strength and immense lightness, making it a smart choice for the new-age traveller. The bags are available in trendy colour combinations along with supreme features like soft touch organization pockets, separate cushioned laptop compartment and separate storage compartments for essentials that best satisfy the requirements of a business traveller.
Pergo’s ‘Natural Variation’ Pergo, a Sweden-based laminate flooring brand, has introduced its latest Patent design ‘Natural Variation’. It gives a long-lasting raw effect to the floor and adds a whole new dimension to laminate floor designs.This special technique randomly gives each plank a chalked and naturally rustic look, creating endless variations. The Natural Variation is offered in Classic Plank format with four bevelled edges and featuring Pergo’s new Embossed-In-Register (EIR) surface texture. All Natural Variation products feature the company’s TitanX surface, which makes them suitable for high-wear domestic environment as well as moderate-wear public areas. Other patented technologies found with these floors include PerfectFold for easy installation and Compact SoundBloc for built-in sound reduction.The planks are available in 1288x195mm and are priced at Rs 220/sq ft.
Red Mango’s low-fat Pistachioflavoured yogurt Red Mango, a US-based frozen yogurt and smoothie brand, introduces Pistachio as a ‘health’ food constituent.The brand is known for its finest quality of 100% natural, low-fat, kosher and gluten-free frozen yogurt, fortified with the world’s best and natural probiotic ‘Ganeden BC30’ from the US. Pistachios are known for reducing the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol), while increasing antioxidant levels in the human body. To be available across five stores in Delhi–NCR, the mouth-watering flavour will be available in Red Mango’s premium range of frozenYogurts or ‘Froyos’. Red Mango also brings in an entire gamut of top-of-the-line health foods to the consumers including, ‘Power Smoothies’,‘Probiotic Parfaits’,‘Gourmet Waffle’,‘Iced Beverages’,‘Snack Healthy’,‘Warm and Chillax’ and more.
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Lemon Tree Hotels conferred NCPEDPShell Helen Keller Award, 2012 Lemon Tree Hotels has been conferred the NCPEDP-Shell Helen Keller Award, 2012, for the work towards promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities in two categories: Category C: Role Model Organizations and Category B: Role Model NonDisabled Individuals. Instituted in 1999, the award is presented every year to those individuals or organisations who have been doing exemplary work in helping disabled people find positions of equality and dignity in the workplace. This is the second occasion when the group has been honoured with this award. The group also won the NCPEDP-mPhasis Award for Universal Design in 2011. LTH currently has over 100 differentlyabled employees across its 19 properties in India.
Moments of glory for The Met Internationally recognised for all-round excellence and service, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa (aka The Met) has a history of winning honours and acclaims for providing impeccable services to its customers.
R Hari General Manager Human Resources- Lemon Tree Hotels (Centre) receiving award from Mr. Salman Khurshid External Affairs Minister
Talking about year 2012, it has been a year full of achievements for The Met. The hotel has added many feathers to its cap. Be it the International Hotel Awards (Best Hotel in India) in April 2012, Malaysia or the recent award presented by World Luxury Awards (Luxury City Hotel) along with TripAdvisor (Certificate of Excellence to The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa), all these achievements demonstrate the Met team’s hard work and dedication.
Jaypee Hotels bags the ‘Emerson Cup 2012’ for implementation of ‘Project Optimizer’ Ujjal Mazumdar, Chief Engineer of Jaypee Vasant Continental has recently been awarded the ‘Emerson Cup 2012’ for the implementation of the ‘Project Optimizer’. The Emerson Cup, an annual awards competition, recognises innovation and outstanding energy efficient designs in the HVACR industry. As a leading competition within the industry in India and Southeast Asia, the Emerson Cup helps foster innovation in technology and system design. Over the past four years, it has promoted the development and application of energy efficient solutions in air conditioning and refrigeration.
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Hyatt Regency Chennai hailed for its marketing Hyatt Regency Chennai has won the coveted ‘Best International Hotel Marketing’ in the World Award at the grand ceremony held in London on November 4, 2012. This has been preceded by awards at the National and Asia Pacific levels. Following its successful launch in August 2011, Hyatt Regency Chennai has consistently worked towards an integrated marketing approach and the results have been rewarding. Hyatt Regency Chennai was the official representative for the Asia Pacific region, competing with Europe, Africa, Arabia, UK and the Americas for the Best Hotel Marketing at the world ceremony.
Honour for Crowne Plaza New Delhi Rohini at WTA 2012 World Travel Awards 2012 took place in Singapore this year,with the Crowne Plaza New Delhi Rohini walking off with top honours at the ceremony on September 18, 2012. The hotel received not one but two awards for its exceptional conferencing facilities and business outlook across the county. Recognised as India’s Leading Conference Hotel and India’s Leading New Business Hotel, Crowne Plaza New Delhi Rohini was acknowledged for its innovative business-wide approach to responding to market needs and delivering client-focussed solutions.
TGI Friday’s hosts an entertaining evening with NRAI Rohan Jetley, the promoter of TGI Friday’s in India and managing committee member of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), hosted a party at his flagship restaurant at DLF Promenade outlet on behalf of NRAI. The evening saw the owners of leading restaurants in the capital along with the who’s who of society coming together. To name a few, Samir Kukreja (President NRAI), Amit Mehta and Priyanka Mehta (Orient Tavern restaurant), Harmeet Bajaj, Ankur Biseh (Technopak) and Elena Norman (CEO Indian Hockey League & Indian Hockey Federation). “These interactions over food and drinks in an informal atmosphere give an opportunity for fellow restaurateurs to bond together and discuss strategies to confront problems that continue to plague the industry,” Jetley said.
General Manager of the hotel, Ranjan Banerjee quotes, “This is a tremendous achievement for Crowne Plaza New Delhi Rohini and I would like to thank all those involved in the initiatives that contributed to winning of these awards.”
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Cake mixing in hotels The traditional ceremony of the Christmas cake mixing takes place a few months ahead of Christmas that significantly initiates the beginning of the festive season.
X’Mas Log Cake at The Suryaa, New Delhi The Suryaa, New Delhi hosted an X’Mas cake mixing ceremony on November 30, 2012, at the hotel lobby. The guests enjoyed a live demonstration of the making of X’Mas Log Cake followed by cake mixing ceremony. Lots of cherries, fruits, nuts, etc., were mixed with different wines and spirits to prepare the traditional Christmas Rum cake. Seen in the picture Greesh Bindra (VP, GM of The Suryaa, New Delhi) along with Sita Raina, Anuradha Bindra, Anjali and Vidushi.
At Radisson blu Hotel Greater Noida For a day, the senior staff and others at Radisson Blu Hotel Greater Noida, turned into chefs, wearing the Chef caps and gloves emptying the huge trays filled with raisins, cashews and almonds, cinnamon powder, ginger powder, etc., into the steel vessels and wine, rum, whiskey, etc., was poured to soak them. The mixture is kept in an air tight container in a chiller. The cake will be baked a week prior to the D-Day.
The Imperial greets the festive season The Imperial celebrated the traditional ceremony of cake mixing at San Gimignano’s alfresco dining area, carefully selecting specialties of candied fruits and fruit peels, assorted nuts blended beautifully with the concoction of rum and brandy.
Zuri saying hello to Christmas In a warm and cheerful ceremony, the Zuri Whitefield, Bangalore’s staff came together for a delicious cake-mixing ceremony. In attendance was Zuri’s GM, heads of all departments and the entire staff joining hands in fluffing up the traditional cake to usher in the season of love, joy and peace!
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RNI No. DELENG/2000/1230 Posting Date 15-21/08-2011 Postal Reg. No. DL-(C)-01/1294/2012-2014 at MBC-1 Date of Publication 12-12-2012