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Volume 2. Issue 9. October 2013. Rs 50

ALL ABOUT HOTELS & HOSPITALITY

Pride Hotel, Aerocity

Capturing the gourmet traveller: Goa Hotels Restoring an ancient palace into a luxurious hotel – Devi Garh by Lebua Economics of Bed and Breakfast scheme in Delhi Calling for more investment: Bhubaneswar hotel industry

AEROCITY A budding case of hoteliers’ optimism Falling Rupee

causing distress to hoteliers

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EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Reader,

Volume 2. Issue 9. October 2013. Rs 50

a cross section publication

ALL ABOUT HOTELS & HOSPITALITY

Pride Hotel, Aerocity

AEROCITY

A budding case of hoteliers’ optimism

Falling Rupee

causing distress to hoteliers

Editor: Navin S Berry

Managing Editor: Priyaanka Berry priyaanka@crosssectionmedia.com

Editorial: Anupriya Bishnoi, Nikita Chopra, Varalika Vij Advertising: Saurabh Shukla saurabh@crosssectionmedia.com

Design: Ashok Saxena, Neelam Aswani Hotelscapes is published and printed by Navin Berry, printed at Tara Art Printers Pvt. Ltd. A-46-47, Sector - V, Noida - 201301 (U.P.) and published from IIIrd Floor, Rajendra Bhawan, 210, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi - 110002. Editor: Navin S Berry, Tel: 91-11-43784444; Fax: 91-11-41001627. E-mail: info@crosssectionmedia.com This issue of Hotelscapes contains 64 pages plus 4 pages cover

This is election time for the country – between the states now going to the polls in November and the general elections scheduled for mid-next year. Business travel, at this time, may not see an impressive growth and the challenge may well be to whip up domestic movements – both to leisure destinations and to metro cities. Air fares being what they are, the pressure may well remain on hotel rates! At such a crucial time, the much awaited Aerocity business model is beginning to become a reality with the opening of JW Marriott hotel at Aerocity, later this month. After all the agony, and the long wait, we hope that the coming months will provide additional business opportunities in the city. Read the ‘Trends’ story that points out the new challenges that lie ahead for the existing and upcoming hoteliers at this impressive hospitality district. Not since the Asiad days in 1982 has the capital seen so many hotels coming up together. Another important story in the same section reveals that while the rupee slump may have made India an attractive destination for inbound travellers, the building and operational costs have increased for the hoteliers. As new business and industrial districts come about in Pune, they give rise to the need for branded hotels. We bring you a perspective on the city’s industrial districts receiving their share of top notch branded hotels. Our special attention this month has been on the Chef, Design and Spa pages. In these pages, read and see Devigarh by Lebua transformation from an ancient palace to a luxurious hotel; there are interviews with celebrated chefs and also a one-on-one with the boss at Serena Spa. We invite G.G. Saxena, Managing Director, Delhi Tourism to render his analysis on the economics of Bread and Breakfast scheme in Delhi. This scheme was meant to become a big supplement to the lack of rooms in the country. But business being what it is, there remains a big question mark on how much B&B accommodation can charge! Don’t forget to flip through the F&B section, where we feature some of the most acclaimed resorts in Goa and observe how they go a notch up with their food services, to not only keep their in house guests impressed, but also attract outsiders. This month, Bhubaneswar is the chosen city for our exclusive Destination Report. This report was filed before the cyclone hit the state and ravaged many a life. We wish a speedy recovery and the quickest possible return to normalcy. Orissa is yet to live to its promise as a tourist destination – this cyclone will make things even more challenging.

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 1

EDITORIAL

Volume 2 Issue 9 OCTOBER 2013

October

CONTENTS 6

New Developments 4 Marriott’s 20th hotel in India –

Spa Speak 26 Spas becoming a part of the Indian

Chef’s page 38 Unveiling dining trends with

6 • The Leela and Kempinski part

Analysis 28 Economics of Bed and Breakfast

JW Marriott Bengaluru

ways after a 25 year alliance

• Shangri La Mumbai rebranded as Palladium Hotel

• Novotel launches its first resort in India

healthy lifestyle

scheme in Delhi

F&B 34 Capturing the gourmet traveller: Goa Hotels

8 Claridges Surajkund rebranded as

Design 42 Restoring an ancient palace into a

luxurious hotel Devi Garh by Lebua

48 Products 54 Events and Happenings

Trends 10 Falling rupee causing distress

62 Movements in the Industry

to hoteliers

Gautam Mehrishi kitchen essentials

52 Awards and Recognition

Vivanta by Taj

Kayomarz Bharucha, Executive Chef, The Leela Goa

Last Page 64 Involvement of technology in a

A budding case of hoteliers’ optimism: Aerocity

traveller’s life: survey findings

Pune’s new industrial districts get their own branded hotels

Guest column

Destination Report 20 Calling for more investment:

46 Corporate accountability

Bhubaneswar hotel industry

GM Speak 24 Learning while leading

Jean-Philippe LAGARDE

2 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

towards the environment by Rajesh Gopalakrishnan, General Manager, The Raintree, St. Marys, Chennai

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 3

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

Marriott’s 20th hotel in India JW Marriott Bengaluru

(Handing over of the key) L-R: Rajeev Menon, Area Vice President, South Asia for Marriott International Inc; Parul Thakur, General Manager, JW Marriott Bengaluru; Deepak Raheja, Chairman, The Advantage Raheja; Aditya Raheja, Director, The Advantage Raheja and Shiv Raheja, Director, The Advantage Raheja.

Serving the luxury segment of Bengaluru, Marriott Hotels & Resorts come up with their first JW at the most premium location in the city. This is one of the three properties of the group in the city, with rest of the two being, Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield by Marriott.

MEET THE TEAM PARUL THAKUR

General Manager PRAKASH VISWANATHAN

Director Sales & Marketing GAURAV WATTAL

Director F&B

SURJAN SINGH JOLLY

Executive Chef

4 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

ith the coming of the first JW Marriott in Bengaluru, Marriott Hotels & Resorts launch their 20th property in the country. Located in the heart of the city with UB City on one side and the lush green Cubbon Park on the other, the hotel enjoys a premium location. Featuring 297 rooms including 13 suites and a presidential suite, the hotel very well manages to amalgamate style and sophistication to its property. Talking on how they are planning to position themselves in the hospitality industry of Bengaluru, Parul Thakur, General Manager, JW Marriott, Bengaluru says, “Bengaluru being a business destination rather than leisure, our main focus is on the corporate and MICE segment. We intend to focus on all segments of travellers but largely we would be looking for business travellers. We are expecting 70% of our guests to be from the corporate traveller segment, 25% from the MICE segment and only 5% from leisure and

social sectors.” Spread across an area of 10,500 square feet, the hotel offers city’s largest MICE facilities. Spanning in an area of 5,024 square feet, and a height of 32 feet, the well-appointed Grand Ballroom is perfect for grand conferences and events. The hotel also offers numerous gastronomic options that the people from the city can also relish. Its specialty restaurant, Alba, offers authentic Italian flavours served by Chef Bruno Ferrari from Italy. Spice Terrace, the contemporary Indian restaurant, Bengaluru Baking Company (BBC) for quick meals and bakery options, JW Kitchen and Bar Uno are some more options. Adding on to the luxurious element and for the rejuvenation of its guests, the hotel offers six treatment rooms, sauna, steam, etc at Spa by JW. With this, the hotel has five hotels in the country and soon plans to add another with JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity. ■ by NIKITA CHOPRA

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

The Leela and Kempinski part ways after a 25 year alliance

n a move that will allow The Leela to further consolidate its sales and marketing network, while facilitating Kempinski Hotels’ direct penetration of the Indian market, the respective companies have mutually agreed to bring their fruitful 25-year relationship to a close. While the phase-out had begun in 2012, the final

parting is effective from October 1, 2013. Appreciating the relationship between the two brands, Capt. CP Krishnan Nair, Chairman Emeritus and Founder Chairman, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts said: “The strong cooperation enjoyed by the two luxury brands over more than two decades has immensely benefited both The Leela and

Kempinski, and helped significantly increase brand awareness globally and in the Indian market.” Reto Wittwer, President and CEO, Kempinski Hotels, added: “We are proud of the rewarding relationship which Kempinski Hotels and The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts have enjoyed for more than twenty years.” ■

Shangri La Mumbai rebranded as Palladium Hotel

allazzio Hotels & Leisure Limited and Shangri-La International Hotel Management Pvt Ltd have mutually decided to end their relationship for Shangri La hotel, Mumbai – a 390 room premium hotel located in the popular commercial district of Lower Parel in the city. Inform ing about the hotel being rebranded as Palladium Hotel, Shishir

Shrivastava, Director – Pallazzio Hotels & Leisure Limited, said, “The property will continue to operate as an uber luxury hotel with several enhancements, new banquet facilities and further the recently launched Asian Fine Dining Restaurant, Mekong and Asian Bar, Li Bai.” “We will also shortly announce the luxury operator who will take over management of the hotel.” ■

Newly opened Li Bai restaurant at Palladium Hotel, Mumbai

Novotel launches its first resort in India

ovotel recently launched its first resort property in India named as Novotel Goa Shrem Resort. Choosing an apt location in North Goa, the resort lies amidst beaches, nightlife, flea markets and cafes. The 85 room property promises to deliver an exclusive experience of international hospitality with the right balance of luxury, family spirit and well-being. Feeling proud on the occasion, Manish Dayya, General Manager, Novotel Goa Shrem Resort, “Goa is one of the most sought after

6 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

tourist destinations by both Indians as well as International tourists and we are here to deliver a holistic experience to our guests comprising of excellent F&B options, spa experience, lots of fun activities for the kids. Designed keeping in mind the interests of the entire family, we look forward to providing our guests a relaxed and heartfelt family experience!” An addition to the already delectable food scene of Goa, the property offers three food and beverage outlets named The Square – an all-day dining

restaurant that serves global cuisines and regional specialties, Deli and the Bar which offers freshly baked goodies and the Swim up bar which is a sunken

bar that serves health drinks and sea food grills. Additional services include spa service, outdoor swimming pool and an In Balance Gym. ■

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NEW DEVELOPMENTS

Claridges Surajkund rebranded as Vivanta by Taj

xpanding its presence in the National Capital Region, Vivanta by Taj adds a property in Surajkund to its portfolio. Earlier being operated and managed as The Claridges Surajkund, Vivanta by Taj adds a fresh zeal to the property with higher standards of hospitality. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, it is nestled in the lap of a forested and tranquil neighbourhood amongst the ancient Aravallis. The hotel is just at a 45 minutes distance by road from the international airport and from Central Delhi. A perfect place for both business and leisure, the L-R: Rajeev Khanna, GM Vivanta by Taj Surajkund; Veer Vijay Singh, COO, Vivanta by Taj hotel boasts of the indulgent Jiva Grande spa, signature Hotels & Resorts; Raymond Bickson, MD and CEO IHCL; Arun Khanna and R Krishnan restaurants, luxurious accommodations and well from Claridges Hotels & Resorts. appointed conferencing and banqueting spaces. Speaking on the Vivanta twist at Surajkund and I am sure our guests will find this occasion, Veer Vijay Singh, Chief Operating Officer, Vivanta by Taj new experience exhilarating.” With such natural beauty all around, Hotels & Resorts says, “With this hotel, the Vivanta portfolio is now the hotel is set to host incentive groups and arrange for exciting 28 hotels. We look forward to welcoming our guests to a whole new activities, ranging from nature walks to rock climbing and more. ■

8 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

TRENDS

Falling rupee causing distress to hoteliers The rupee slump has had two significant effects on the Indian hospitality industry – while outbound travel has taken a hit and India now seems to have become an attractive destination for inbound travellers, the building and operational costs at the same time have increased for hoteliers. According to the recent findings by ASSOCHAM, five star hotels and fine dining restaurants have registered a significant decline in business to the extent of 20% in the last three months due to the falling rupee. How is this affecting the industry and what are the future expectations? Escalating project costs and foreign currency expenditures

Hotel developers are pressing ahead with their expansion plans, undeterred by the worst economic slowdown in a decade. The ‘pains’ currently supersede the ‘gains’ given that the overall p r oje c t c o s t ha s i nc r e a s e d multifold. From the glassware to kitchen equipment, chandeliers to carpets, air conditioning plants to bathroom fixtures, not to forget the fees of architects and consultants is also paid in stronger foreign currencies. While the reliance on imports is i nva r iable, Ajay Ba kaya, Executive Director, Sarovar Hotels Private Limited says that this is only a temporary lull. “The economic downturn has eroded the earnings and value of the shares of hotel developers. The rupee’s slide is pushing up project costs for hotel developers by at least 10% to 15% and this could lead to further delays, adding to their worries. The hotel industry is going through a little rough patch, but this is a temporary lull.” Giving his own example, while talking about the daily operational costs also being adversely affected, he says, “For a hotel, about 30% to 40% of the project cost – excluding the land cost – is constituted by the imports of wide range of things. Our heat, light, power costs which includes our costs of

10 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

transformers, generators, and cost of consumable is directly impacted by diesel cost which has increased cost of operation.” Bakaya informs that Sarovar Hotels has 21 hotels in India and a few overseas will see commissioning in another three years. M a n av Th a d a n i , M R IC S Chairman – South Asia, informs that Ind ia is emergi ng as a

AJAY BAKAYA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAROVAR HOTELS PRIVATE LIMITED

The rupee’s slide is pushing up project costs for hotel developers by at least 10% to 15%.

more affordable destination for international tourists supported by t h e d e p r e c i at i n g r up e e resulting in higher inbound travel and augmented foreign exchange earnings. “July alone has seen close to 8% increase in Foreign Tourist Arrivals over the previous year,” he points out. Although the opportunities are significant, the challenges are too critical to be left unnoticed. “The present scenario brings about too much anguish for hotel developers, with a marked escalation in project costs to the tune of 4-5% on the back of rising costs of importing FF&E. Gulshan Arora, Senior Vice President, Sun N Sand Hotel, says, “The dollar v/s rupee rate has fluctuated in both directions in the last few months. This has made it very difficult for hotels to plan their foreign currency ex p end it u re s. A l so, cost of va r iou s raw mat er ia l s a nd speciality items have increased by 20-30%. Many hotels have had to defer their capital expenditure (capex) plans because of the fluctuation in the rates.” Matthew Cooper, General Manager, Bengaluru Marriott Hotel, Wh itef ield, rema rks, “After witnessing encouraging results and marginal growth in the first quarter of 2013, the Indian hospitality industry has experienced a slight slowdown in the second quarter. However, we are seeing more international

travel coming into India owing to the dollar value as opposed to the Indian rupee. The business prop osit ion i s st i l l look i ng strong and good owing to the inbound tourism.” He claims that since Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield started its operations in February, 2013, there has been a positive response in terms of footfalls and revenues.

MANAV THADANI MRICS CHAIRMAN – SOUTH ASIA

While budget hotels may be relatively less affected, those in the luxury segment will face the strongest blow.

TRENDS Baking a humble pie

One another fact that the recent ASSOCHAM findings points out is that due to the rupee depreciation against major foreign currencies, prices of imported products have shot up by as much as 30-35 per cent. Some of these speciality restaurants in hotels import 85 per cent of their ingredients from Japan, France, Italy or Thailand for their signature dishes. Nearly 45-60 per cent of the food cost depends on the cost of imported ingredients which have no local substitutes. The rupee devaluation has majorly impacted the imports from meats and seafood to cheese and legumes. Nearly 60% of the food produces at speciality restaurants are imported and does not have local substitutes here in India and as a result they are bound to revise the

GULSHAN ARORA SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, SUN N SAND HOTEL

For a new hotel, roughly 25-30% of the items are imported and are dependent on the dollar rate.

prices of their menus, adds the ASSOCHAM paper. The paper also highlighted that imported spirit prices increased between 7% and 12% in the three months, the bars, nightclubs and familydining chains have also seen a similar bump. As Manav Thadani tells us – “Operating margins too are under pressure as imported food items, beverages, and other raw materials become more expensive. Consequently, while budget hotels may be relatively less affected, those in the luxury segment will inevitably face the strongest blow.” Says Ajay Bakaya, “Over the last quarter, the depreciating rupee has put immense pressure on the cost of imported foods. At Sarovar Hotels, we therefore minimize use of imported items. However, items such as LCDs, etc are impacted even in domestic market due to fluctuating rupee.” He further notifies – “Importers say that if the rupee’s downward march continues they may be forced to raise prices by nearly 20-30 per cent, if not more. Also, some items may even be phased out from store shelves.” “Many new hotels have had to defer their capex due to the rise of the dollar rate. Cost of various raw materials like speciality food items and spare parts has gone up by 20-30%. Also cost of commission paid to foreign travel agents has gone up. For a new hotel, roughly 25-30% of the items are imported and are dependent on the dollar rate,” Gulshan Arora. In such a scenario, Bengaluru Ma r riott Hotel Whitef ield presents a good example as they have made a conscious effort not to import but to locally source most of our products. “O u r s t rat e g y i s t o s ou r c e and provide fresh and locally available product to our guests with exception being specialty

products which are in line with our Marriott standards and policy,” says Cooper. What to expect?

For Bakaya, the hospitality and tourism sector is experiencing numerous challenges as a result of the global economic crisis. “The industry is feeling the impact of a shrinking capital market and decreased spending by both corporate and individual consumers. We believe that economic state of affairs has touched it’s lowest.” The hot el ier s have t hei r suggestions. As Arora points out, “A stable government is the prerequisite for a stable economy. The various populist measures and subsidies have taken a toll on the exchequer. Interest rates also need to be controlled such that a balance can be achieved

MATTHEW COOPER GENERAL MANAGER, BENGALURU MARRIOTT HOTEL, WHITEFIELD

The next one or two years maybe a phase of building before the growth trajectory emerges.

between industrial growth and inflation. India has a lot of scope for tourism growth and the government should look to better the infrastructure.” Mat thew Cooper gives a br ig ht er p ersp ect ive a s according to him, depreciation i n r u p e e c a n no t b e s o l e l y looked at as negative. “There are other opportunities that have emerged in the market such as international tourism; be it leisure or corporate. Also, w ith Indians not ma k ing i nt e r n at io n a l t r i p s , it h a s provided more opportunities and business for hospitality and tourism in India.” He adds, “In spite of the fluctuation, there has still been growth in consumption of luxury services owing to the rise in disposable income, brand awareness amongst the youth and refined tastes and preferences of business as well as leisure travellers. The city hotels have slowly gained a steady footing in business travel with a number of conferences and meetings taking place. In Bangalore, the international and domestic business traffic have been almost at the same level and the growth trend is likely to be driven across all segments, with international and domestic travel all growing at a healthy pace.” While according to Bakaya, the industry is expected to show a sustained recovery in 2014, Cooper expects to witness high grow th over a longer term. According to the latter, “The next one or two years may be a phase of building before the high growth trajectory emerges. Business travel and MICE too are expected to see growth in the sector.” While how soon and how fast is still to be determined by time, the volatility of the rupee doesn’t seem to dampen the spirits of an average Indian hotelier. ■ by VARALIKA VIJ

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 11

TRENDS

Lemon Tree Premier, poolside view, Aerocity

Holiday Inn at Aerocity

A budding case of hoteliers’ optimism

AEROCITY

RAHUL PANDIT PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE LEMON TREE HOTEL COMPANY

NCR has 13,000 plus branded hotel rooms and demand is expected to grow at 12%. The micro market of Delhi Aerocity will take 3 years to catch up.

12 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

The idea behind building a hospitality district near the IGI airport to make Delhi a transit destination for travellers would soon become a reality. As the Cabinet Committee on Investment has started giving a positive nod to the Delhi Aerocity hotels, and the licenses are being granted, we talk to a few of those hoteliers who got the development rights long back, and finally anticipate to open the doors of their properties to their esteemed guests. With one fiasco over, the challenges that lie ahead are new – maintaining the demand and supply balance, anticipated returns vs. actual returns and more. The answers, as we expected, were certain and confident… The demand chase – a mere apprehension

As one can project, in the next 6 to 8 months, the hospitality district of Delhi International Airport’s ‘Aerocity’ will have a lot more rooms, business meeting spaces and eateries. With each hotel offering a minimum of 200 keys, incase the initial

projection of over 5000 rooms comes true, the supply could very well be skyrocketing. The Indian hotelier, especially in the capital, is always positive about the demand catching up, since they believe that Delhi absorbs supply sooner or later. Rahul Pandit, President & Executive Director, The Lemon Tree Hotel Company,

gives a calculated information, “NCR has 13,000 plus branded hotel rooms a nd dema nd is expected to grow at 12%. The micro market of Delhi Aerocity will take 3 years to catch up to that supply-demand equilibrium. The inherent strengths of this zone are high security, well planned and extensive parking

TRENDS

Pride Hotel, lobby view, Aerocity

GOPAL RAO

REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT SALES AND MARKETING, HOLIDAY INN

With continued commercial development around Aerocity and in the Gurgaon area, the supply/demand equation will stabilize over time, as it always does.

fac i l it i e s , e a s y ac c e s s a nd great connectivity. Multiple factors – primarily the growth in passenger and freight air lift, combined with accelerated consumption of commercial space – will drive demand in this district.” Claiming that over the next 3 years, Aerocity will become Delhi’s ‘food capital’, he says, “…over four dozen restaurants and eateries would offer a wide cuisine choice across price points. Demand will also be buttressed by the 1.5 mn. sq. ft. premium retail, F&B and corporate space r e l e a s e i n t h e Wo r l d m a r k development.” Having the same mindset, G o p a l R a o, R e g i o n a l V i c e President Sales and Marketing, Holiday Inn, says “The increased supply scenario is not a new one, and it has been factored into all the project projections. With continued commercial development around Aerocity and in the Gurgaon area, the supply/demand equation will stabilize over time, as it always does. The opportunity will be to also create additional demand

with new F&B outlets, and to ensure we are positioned to take advantage of the banquet facilities to cater to weddings, and other social events.” SP Jain, Managing Director, Pride Hotels shuns the verity of an oversupply at Aero City and instead believes demand would keep f illing in as the supply comes since the process would be very steady. Rendering, what he calls “a realistic viewpoint”, he says, “The hotels that are supposed to come up at Aerocity do not stand at the same levels of competence. Some hotels are in the luxury segment, while many others are budget. In the prime luxury segment, I see only one hotel – JW Marriott. Plus the quantity of rooms immediately adding up is not large, since only Lemon Tree, Red Fox, Ibis and JW Marriott launches are scheduled for October. So I don’t think it’s much of a hassle since the full inventory will only come by the next winter season. By that time, we should be able to judge.” Jain also predicts things to get better post recession and national elections – “The demand

SP JAIN

MANAGING DIRECTOR, PRIDE HOTELS

The demand always grows at 10 -12%. The recession would not continue for long. We have already seen the downward spiral, and it cannot be any worse…

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 13

TRENDS always grows at 10 -12%. The recession would not continue for long. We have already seen the downward spiral, and it cannot be any worse…there’s only hope for an upward growth now. Business travel would obviously grow, especially when the rupee is weak.” According to Ankur Bhatia, Executive Director, Bird Group, the customer base for Aerocity will benefit dramatically once the metro is connected to Gurgaon. Show i n g a n a c c o m p l i s h e d Aerocity picture, he promises t hat “Ae r o c it y w i l l of fe r a variety of hotel options, thereby

becoming attractive to a wider audience- both business visitors as well as tourists. Secondly, a quick and comfortable metro link to central Delhi is already available from Aerocity which m e a n s t h at t r ave l l e r s c a n stay close to the airport and conveniently travel into the city.” The demand not catching up after these and many other good factors seems improbable. “Delhi is an important international gateway plus the national capital, and the gradual increase in new supply should be positively met with natural g r ow t h i n d e m a nd at t h i s

evergreen destination,” he adds Projected Returns vs. Actual Returns

Finishing the constructions early did not really help the four hotels, since the prolonged and unwarranted uncertainty on receiving the final regulatory clearances costed them almost 2% of their investments every month. While the issue of colossal f i na nc ia l da ma ge s a l r e ady incu r red has been replaced with the anticipation of a better future of Aerocity properties, the hoteliers weigh their expected R e t u r n o n I nve s t m e nt s i n

PROPERTY FACT FILE Name of the Project Category Number Opening Features apart from rooms of Rooms (as expected) Aloft by Starwood Hotels Mid-scale 1,335 square meters of meeting and Resorts Worldwide Inc. 200 NA space, 24/7 pantry, bar, lounge, spa dusitD2 Mid- 216 April 2014 Central atrium with an upperscale indoor garden, a hi-end retail arcade, private cinema theatre, rooftop infinity pool and spa, restaurants and lounges, a large ballroom and multiple meeting rooms. Holiday Inn Mid-scale 265 December Patisserie, spa, gym and 2013 banqueting facilities. Hyatt Andaz NA NA NA NA ibis Budget 315 December Fitness centre, outdoor heated 2013 pool, all day dining restaurant and a bar, well equipped meetings rooms. JW Marriott Upscale 493 October 8 meeting rooms, gym, 18, 2013 24,068 sq ft of total meeting space Largest meeting room is Grand Crystal Ballroom with maximum meeting space of 13,024 sq ft and maximum capacity of 1,550 maximum of 9 breakout meeting room(s) Lemon Tree Premier Upscale 280 November 2013 Café, lounge and restaurant, spa, fitness centre and recreational centre; ball room and board room. Novotel Mid-scale NA NA NA Pullman Upscale NA NA NA Red Fox Economy 207 November 2013 Café and in-room dining; fitness centre; conference rooms The Pride Hotel Mid-scale 385 1st Quarter Spa and health club, Pan Asian of 2014 restaurant, bar, all day dining, swimming pool, crew lounge.

14 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

ANKUR BHATIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BIRD GROUP

Supply increase will be gradual and spaced out over the next few years. The RevPAR may see stress in the short run, but certainly not a collapse. Long term reasons for hotel development in Delhi are still valid.

comparison to the returns in the current demand scenario. Stressing on the point that all hotels at Aerocity are not entering the market together, A n ku r Bhatia pred icts that “the RevPAR may see stress in the short run, but certainly not a collapse.” “After all, Delhi & NCR make up a huge business destination, is a growing market and will always have demand for hotel rooms. The long term reasons for hotel development in Delhi are still valid. Supply increase will be gradual and spaced out over the next few years. We can plan accordingly. A sudden bulk increase would have been dangerous.”

TRENDS “Branded hotels always have a distinct advantage over non branded hotels, and this should augur well for building and maintaining rate positioning in the market. Return on Investment is a longer term play, and the brands with global appeal and distribution will do better in terms of ROI. It will require strong and singular focus on exceedingly superior product and service levels…,” says Gopal Rao. He adds, “The ROI projections are arrived at with the supply/ demand balance, brand strength, management expertise, and other such factors in mind, and those fundamentals have not changed.” For Ra hul Pa nd it – “The assets will deliver target cycle returns, post stabilisation…

…we w i l l i n it ia l ly focus on delivering value to business in the proximate geography, transit and short stay leisure and structure our pricing based on the length of stay. As we stabilise operating levels, we will start focusing on broader segment and psychographic capture.” S P Ja i n s t a t e s t h a t t h e Average Room Rate should be from Rs. 5000 to Rs. 6000, which he is sure Aerocity will be able to achieve. “We would take time to achieve the ROI, since we have already incurred many losses due to the delay in opening of the hotels. But in the long run, we will cover up.” The idea of joint marketing

While for SP Jain, it’s too early to talk about Joint marketing of Aerocity, Ankur Bhatia trusts that

the idea is very much achievable. “Aerocity is coming up as a complete micromarket and I hope that good city connectivity will become its USP,” he says. Rahul Pandit adds, “Overtime, Aerocity will build its reputation as a dense business and MICE destination. It is foreseeable that various stakeholders then setup a jointly funded convention/ business development bureau.” Speaking on the same, Gopal Rao states – “That will be a business decision based on how the market realities evolve over time, but Aero City as a destination for commercial activity, meetings, social events, and proximity to Indira Gandhi I nt e r nat io na l A i r p o r t i s a definite destination marketing opportunity.” ■

Finishing the constructions early did not really help the four hotels, since the prolonged and unwarranted uncertainty on receiving the final regulatory clearances costed them almost 2% of their investments every month. While the issue of colossal financial damages already incurred has been replaced with the anticipation of a better future of Aerocity properties.

by VARALIKA VIJ

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 15

TRENDS

Pune’s new industrial districts get their own branded hotels From a laid-back city to a vibrant metropolis, Pune has steadily woken up to the possibilities of a huge market for luxury hotels. We access a few hotels that have acknowledged this potential in the city and bring to it the best hospitality possible.

ver the last ten years, Pune city has gone f r om b e i n g a la id back city (preferred by retired folks to settle down) to a vibrant metropolis. Today it is a major information technology and automobile hub. The dynamic industrial sector of Pune comprising small and medium scale industries along with larger projects has been the reason behind Pune’s substantial growth over the years. Along w it h t he s e i ndu s t r i e s , t he i n f rast r uct u re developed a nd ma ny ot her a sp e ct s of development manifested here. This in turn attracted many other industries, most notably the IT industry which led to a further growth in the city’s population. Chakan, Hinjewadi, Pimpri Chinchwad are some of the city’s prime industrial areas and lately Pune has observed a lot of new hotels coming up in these areas. Cha ka n a r e a i n P u ne i s a n e s t a b l i s h e d i ndu s t r i a l , automobile and manufacturing hub and has seen tremendous urbanization in the recent years. With an increasing number of industries coming up in the Chakan industrial belt, there was a need for a hotel that caters to the demands of the business traveller both domestic as well as international. Chakan now, has its

16 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

first international business hotel with the launch of Courtyard by Ma r r iot t P u ne Cha ka n. Designed to suit the needs of today’s business traveller, with 175 subtly stylish and spacious rooms including twelve residence suites, this hotel is strategically located in the Northwest corridor of Pune and covers a total area of 11,725 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting space. Large meeting rooms, catering to groups of various sizes, that come with state of the art audio-visual

support and banqueting services, high-speed internet access, with additions like In-Building Solutions (IBS) for enhanced mobile connectivity, MoMo Café, an all day dining restaurant, a state of the art fitness centre and a swimming pool makes this hotel an ideal retreat for a business traveller. “Pune as a city and a business destination has been growing at a rapid pace. Developments in the three citadel areas of Pimpri Chinchwad, Hinjewadi

Banquet Hall, Courtyard by Marriott Chakan

and Chakan have proven to be a boon for the financial and infrastructural growth of this city. As it would happen to a growing market with newer business opportunities, the hotel industry has def initely been riding the waves and ensuring every business district is now captured and is being serviced by domestic or international brands of hotels. Pune added 8 branded hotels to its room inventory in the past 3 years. One would have thought that this

TRENDS

Keys Pimpri

RITU CHAWLA

GENERAL MANAGER, COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT, CHAKAN

The growth story is just starting for the Chakan industrial belt. Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan definitely has the first movers advantage in this growing automobile belt.

would impact occupancy trends in the market but surprisingly Pune has been able to sustain overall city occupancy at 51.6%, however, maybe at the cost of a price rationalization. This clearly indicates that the inflow of guests has increased along with the hotels and I believe that the growth story for Pune is in the long term,” says Ritu Chawla. Feasibility studies show that most of the new opening projects were slated when there was need for hotels and with 16 branded hotels in the city already existing and 2 more opening this year; clearly every hotel chain had plans and was eyeing Pune, definitely backed with strong business plans. In the short term with additional supply, customers may enjoy a buyer’s market and capitalize on the wide range of options both in terms of rates and products, but as a company, the Marriott is playing the long range game. “The growth story is just starting for the Chakan industrial belt. Many phases of MIDC are yet to be occupied. Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan definitely

has the first movers advantage in this grow ing automobile belt, and has moved in timely to bridge the gap that exists for a world class offering to the modern business traveller in that business zone,” says Ritu Chawla, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott, Chakan. In March this year, Berggruen Hotels announced the opening of its hotel-Keys in Pimpri. This hotel is located on the highway which is a thriving centre for the IT, auto ancillaries, auto industries and numerous giant corporates. There has always been a great demand in Pimpri for mid market hotels – the reason Keys Pimpri is a boon for corporate and business travellers visiting this side of town. Keys Hotels, Pimpri features a 24/7 fitness centre, a world cuisine restaurant, a lively activity centre and sports bar for guests to indulge in various indoor sports activities while relaxing, and a fully equipped business center to address every need of the traveller. The rooms are not only designed for greater comfort but are also equipped with Wi-Fi

to aid non stop internet access. One of the unique features about Keys Hotels is the one point access to every guest with their key cards. To add to it, Keys is highly cautious of the safety of its single women travellers, and has reserved a complete f loor with specially designed ‘Women Secured Rooms’. Apart from the special amenities and designs with full length mirrors, these rooms have a video phone to identify the person at the door and also have extra CCTV surveillance for the corridors. For those who have packed at the last minute, Keys Hotels has a dispensing machine which aids you with all your personal requirement products. “The driving factors for new hotels in Pune are low land and operating costs as compared to

RAVI RAWAT GENERAL MANAGER, KEYS PIMPRI

There has always been a great demand in Pimpri for mid market hotels – the reason Keys Pimpri is a boon for corporate and business travelers visiting this side of town.

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 17

TRENDS other metros, surplus land, city expansion in all verticals, introduction of new companies, proximity to Mumbai, formation of various business pockets, upcoming destination for MICE and willingness of established developers to associate with leading hotel brands. In a short span the city has seen a lot of new hotels; this has upset the demand supply, the equation. As per one of the latest reviews city has still seen growth in occupancies by 13% (2012-13 Y/Y) which is far better than many cities in India. With increased demand the business prospects in Pune looks good; however the industry will take time to recover and regain its sheen. In the medium-to-long term, as growth in demand revives (especially from the manufacturing sector) and 3 Spices, Double Tree by Hilton Chinchwad

SAHDEV MEHTA GENERAL MANAGER, DOUBLETREE BY HILTON PUNE - CHINCHWAD

We are the only international branded hotel in the area, offering an upscale product and premium services. We are extremely positive about meeting our budgets for 2014.

18 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

there is a moderation in supply growth, it is expected that the market wide performance will steadily improve. So far PCMC belt was feeding business to the city hotels due to dearth of good hotels in this belt. Now with some good quality hotels in the area, this movement has been reduced drastically. In coming times it has been anticipated this belt will offer some great eateries to entertainment. The infrastructural setup at PCMC is one of the best and provides easy access to Mumbai and other destinations. The township is also connected to other industrial hubs such as Hinjewadi, Chakan, Talegaon etc which gives it an edge,” feels Ravi Rawat, General Manager, Keys Pimpri. Located in the heart of Pune’s information technology and industrial belt-Pimpri Chinchwad, the 115-room Double Tree by Hilton threw open its doors recently. With upscale accommodations and amenities, including four food and beverage venues, an executive lounge, 24-hour business centre, versatile meeting and events spaces, pool, fitness centre and spa, this hotel is convenient-

ly located close to this area’s key businesses and manufacturers, including Hyundai, Force Motors and DaimlerChrysler, and offers easy access to Pune Airport, Mumbai-Pune National and Express Highways, the Pune city centre and railway station. A business traveller can also visit some of the region’s most sought-after tourist destinations, including the hill stations of Lonavala and Khandala, and the ancient Buddhist caves of Karla and Bhaja. Hotel amenities include a 24-hour Precor fitness centre, outdoor pool and a spa, delivering signature treatments based on ancient Indian rejuvenation techniques. The hotel also offers a range of dining venues, including: 3 Spices, the all-day restaurant that serves contemporary fare; the soon-to-open Miyuki, which will offer authentic Japanese cuisine; the Linear lounge and bar featuring handpicked malts and innovative cocktails; Level 12, a roof-top poolside lounge and Tarta, the hotel’s onsite bakery. “Plans and agreements for the new hotels that have come up in Pune were formally concluded

in the time period between 2007 and 2009, when there was an aggressive supply-demand ratio. Most builders and equity investment funds saw the rosy picture and launched hotels without performing a detailed and real time feasibility study. Pune was not ready for these units. However, in a tough market, quality alone survives and thrives. Supply growth will slow down from the end of 2013 until the city absorbs added room supply. PCMC is fast turning into a social hub and was always the SME/Manufacturing/Auto epicenter of Pune. This transformation is evident from the phenomenal growth in real estate and population migration from other suburbs. The DoubleTree by Hilton Pune – Chinchwad has seen considerable growth in business since opening at the end of July. We are the only international branded hotel in the area, offering an upscale product and premium services. We are extremely positive about meeting our budgets for 2014”, reveals Sahdev Mehta, General Manager, DoubleTree by Hilton Pune – Chinchwad. ■ by JYOTI BALANI

DESTINATION REPORT

With a shortage of luxury rooms in the capital city of Odisha, the 3 star category hotels are steady and secure. It’s understandable that the hotel business in the city needs to come out of its comfort zone and bring in more brands and services. We access the situation clearly, as we talk to a few of the hoteliers in the temple city of India – Bhubaneswar.

Mayfair Lagoon

Calling for more investment Bhubaneswar hotel industry

onsidering the reports that Bhubaneswar has been on the list of the leading developers and operators of branded hotels in the country, the challenges we faced while initiating a story on the city’s emerging trends in hospitality were unanticipated. To begin with, very less number of such prominent players have actually taken a plunge in the Bhubaneswar market, leaving us with fewer opinions. This is even after the validations offered by the reputable government and private sector corporate companies, which are likely to grow (as the local hoteliers told us), since there are a dozen i n f ra s t r uc t u r e, r e a l e s t at e

20 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

and other such development programmes in the pipeline. To know more about the overall development scenario of the hot el bu si ne s s i n t he st at e capital, it is vital to understand how the supply and demand is shaping up, growth potential of the industry and the negatives and positives of running a hotel there. Favoured by the domestic corporate guests

First things first, Bhubaneswar is not perceived as a leisure destination, and the hospitable i ndu s t r y majorly c at e r s t o the corporate clients. What makes a leisure tourist stay in the city is its proximity to

other hol iday dest i nat ions. Moreover, the presence of huge industrial areas re-emphasizes t h i s i n for mat ion. P rad ipt a Mohapatra, General Manager - Sales & Marketing, Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar, believes that the city attracts all kind of clientele - “It’s a cosmopolitan cit y havi ng the presence of IT, mining, steel industries, ma k i ng it i nto a cor p orat e destination, which has also led to the guest f low throughout the year. Bhubaneswar is also called the city of a thousand temples having big heritage and culture and its proximity to Puri and Konark makes it a leisure destination. Its easy approach from all metro cities makes it a

MICE and wedding destination as well.” A. Talukdar, Vice President, The Crown, Bhubaneswar, has a similar view, “Bhubaneswar hotels cater to 99% commercial clientele. It is not a tourist destination per se. The best we do is get certain transit passengers on the way to Puri and other touristic destinations. Hence, objectively, week-ends are off season and during national holidays, Bhubaneswar hotels are lean.” “Over the years, Bhubaneswar has been evolving as a moderate MICE destination as well. We did have some medical conferences in city which caters to 1000/1500 delegates over a period. This is so, because

DESTINATION REPORT

The Crown

A. TALUKDAR VICE PRESIDENT, THE CROWN, BHUBANESWAR

PRADIPTA MOHAPATRA GENERAL MANAGER SALES & MARKETING, MAYFAIR LAGOON, BHUBANESWAR

Bhubaneswar being the upcoming city we are expecting that good brands will soon make their presence.

it works out cheaper than other metro cities in eastern India with similar or better faculties. Also, Bhubaneswar has a huge captive market for weddings-inhotels, which is during Nov to March, as per wedding dates.,” he adds. Vishal Pathak, General Manager, Trident, Bhubaneswar, says, “Bhubaneswar and Puri have always attracted the domestic tourists mainly from the eastern states. Over the last few years, it is encouraging to see growth in the domestic tourists from the rest of India as well. There has also been a substantial increase in the international leisure guests, who like any other city in India, are seen visiting during November to March. The corporate segment continues to be a large section of the pie. With the success of events like the Indian Science Congress, the demand for MICE is also on the increase. Another segment that has a high demand is the wedding segment.” JB Das, General Manager, Empires Hotel Bhubaneswar mentions Bhubaneswar to be

clearly a corporate destination. “It’s is the educational hub of the state, being a capital city. There are around 60 engineering colleges alone. The supply is almost the same 365 days.” The technology and F&B trend testimonies

Oriya’s are known to be food lovers. The local eating out habits and the expectations during business conferences are, therefore, naturally at the peak. Technologically, the city hotels are on the go and looking for further improvements. Talukdar shares an interesting fact - “Food and beverage days in Bhubaneswar are considered to be Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The local eating out habits are such that the rest of the week has thin occupancy in restaurants. Most star category hotels are getting into additional services, e.g. outdoor catering, big time spa and gym for additional revenues.”Talking technology wise, he says that “most hotels have installed CHS, comprehensive hotel operational software’s (usually most using

Supply has not gone up in any mentionable way (except around 150 rooms in mid segment market in the city ) but the demand has declined from year to year basis.

IDS). The online portal and social networking sites are in vogue like all other industries and hotels in Bhubaneswar, who are using them to the hilt.” “During weekends families come across in large numbers and dine in various specialty restaurants. With the existence of corporate hubs, the F & B outlets are fairly occupied during weekdays as well, says Mohapatra. And with Pevonia managing Mayfair Lagoon’s spa, it’s clear that the city hotels do not have a shortage of exclusive additional luxury services. Pathak agrees and informs that over the last few years, there is an increase in demand for services like spas and beauty salons. “A number of them have

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 21

DESTINATION REPORT opened up in the last 2 to 3 years. “ He also acknowledges that the Bhubaneswar crowd is fond of eating out. Informing about the advancement in technology there, he says, “Most corporate guests who travel to Bhubaneswar are regular users of high end hotels in the metro cities and are used to the advanced gadgets like I-Pads, music docks, remote controlled blinds etc available to them in those hotels, and their expectations are same when they travel to our hotels. Keeping that in mind the Bhubaneswar hotels will soon need to upgrade to include these in the rooms. Trident, Bhubaneswar features two meeting rooms which can handle meetings or conferences for a maximum of 100 guests. A memorable occasion is ensured at international standards, with efficient organisation of events.” While the usual cafes and baristas do very well in the city, Das tells us that the localites are attracted a lot towards the hotel restaurants for exquisite food. “Right from North Indian to local cuisine, Chinese, continental, Thai etc, the guests are eager to satisfy their taste buds with delicacies.” Stagnancy in supply

Though the supply of rooms seems to be almost stagnant,

there are promises of a steady increase, for many projects are slated to convene shortly. While the ongoing few projects are stuck for some reason or other, some are holding on or delaying their projects for the overall industry recession to get over. “Supply has not gone up in any mentionable way (except a r o u nd 150 r o o m s i n m i d segment market in the city ) but the demand has declined from year to year basis, reason being the overall industrial recession in corporate sector and certain large projects in Orissa (Posco, Mittal etc) got stalled or closed down,” states Talukdar. Pathak opines that “Bhubaneswar has developed very well over the last 5 to 6 years as far as infrastructure is concerned. The roads have improved, a local bus service has been introduced, specific vending zones developed to avoid street hawkers just to name a few.” He says further, “As far as growth in the supply of rooms is concerned, it has taken place only in the 3 star category. However, hotel chains have acquired land in and around Bhubaneswar as they see potential in the city.” He confirms that it is just a matter of time for these projects to get commissioned. For Das, the demand at The Empire Hotel has been satisfacto-

Trident

ry. Being one of the oldest hotels of the city, his rooms are 80% occupied round the year. “ However, whenever there are huge events held at close by stations like Cuttack, a lack of supply rooms is felt” “A s m e n t i o n e d e a r l i e r, Bhuba neswa r is w itnessi ng big national and international conventions (mainly medical conventions) since last two years. We have already seen about fou r hotels getti ng added up in the city with an

inventory of approximately 150 rooms. Bhubaneswar being the upcoming city we are expecting that good brands will soon make their presence,” adds Mohapatra. He considers the competition to be almost nil since “there are only two five star properties (Mayfair and Trident) in the city.” “We have our own share and are able to hold it strong.” The ease and difficulty of hotel management in the city

The difficulties of managing a

Bhubaneswar Room Average Daily Ratio of Breakdown Hotels occupancy Room Rate Guest Bookings of guests (ADR) (in %) (in Rs.) Aug-Sep Aug-Sep Aug-Sep Aug-Sep 2013 2012 2013 2012

Direct reservations vs. Routed through portals

Mayfair Lagoon

The Crown

57 63 3,429 3,562

Trident

NA NA NA

Empires Hotel

75 72 NA NA

22 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

6,400

6,250

Domestic vs. Foreigners travellers

The increase in Gross Operating profit Per Available Room (GOPPAR) from last year (in %)

Leisure vs business

90:10

80:20

81:19

75:25 20:80

NA 90:10

25:75

90:10 20:80

10 NA NA NA

DESTINATION REPORT

Empires Hotel

With only 500 quality rooms available, Pathak believes that if something significant is not done, the city will soon face a shortage of supply. Since Bhubaneswar is one of the fastest developing cities in India, the hotel industry should ideally have a better concentration on this location. He also says, “Infrastructure and facilities need to be developed in the tourist sites like Puri, Konark, Chilka Lake and the Buddhist circuit. The gover n ment i s a l ready working on these issues.” Promise of growth

VISHAL PATHAK GENERAL MANAGER, TRIDENT, BHUBANESWAR

We have a new airport which is soon expected to get an international tag. This will not only make it more convenient for tourists but also increase the footfall into Bhubaneswar.

hotel in Bhubaneswar seem to be primarily caused by the lack of development and infrastructure. The rewards currently seem to be numerous because of easy competition. Weighing the rewards and hurdles for a hotelier, Mohapatra remarks that while he sees no hurdles, except a need to have more inventory of rooms in the city to take care of large conventions, it is definitely beneficial for a hotelier to set up a star hotel in Bhubaneswar, as the city has got more of demand and less of supply. Das notifies, “10-15 years back, there were hardly any decent hotels in Bhubaneswar. As the city expanded in terms of its industry, the appreciation and need of a healthy hospitality market was felt. In the present day, the city keeps hosting conferences like doctors conferences. International matches in Cuttack attract players and other such dignified guests to stay at hotels in Bhubaneswar for a day or two at regular intervals, keeping the revenue generation for

hoteliers at a high. Even getting licenses for starting a hotel is comparatively much easier here.” Speaking about the challenges, Das informs that “acquiring land for a h�� otel developer is a challenge in the city.” A c c o r d i n g t o Ta lu k d a r, “Currently, the biggest hurdle is lack of right kind of manpower. Being a category-C city, most manpower tries to migrate to larger metros. Money is no more the ONLY incentive that can hold good staff. We have roped in IHM and few other private hotel management institutes to over come this problem. The GOI initiative ‘Hunar se Rozgar’ scheme is also helping to some extent.” Mentioning the rewards, he says, “The state government has various incentive schemes on tax rebate and land duty exemption etc. but availability of land in the city and abnormal high cost of land makes the hotel project unviable mostly. The city benefits in generating employ ment a nd creat i ng downstream industries when a new big hotel comes up.”

While it is undeniable that the growth potential is what we may call as “embryonic hotel market” of Bhubaneswar, the expectations can only be fulfilled with a pro active approach of the government and the private hotel brands. Says Pathak, “There is a huge growth potential for the hotel industry keeping in mind the rich natural resources available in the state. There are a number of large investments that are currently happening. With them will come the demand which the current room supply will not be able to handle. “We have a new state of art airport which is soon expected to get an international tag. This will not only make it more convenient for tourists but also increase the footfall into Bhubaneswar,” warns Pathak. Das concu rs that there should certainly be an influx of brands like ITC, Hyatt etc in the metropolis. According to Talukdar, it’s a “very confusing state at the moment.” He says, “Next year being an election year, its not so predictable, yet Orissa having one of the most stable governments over last 15 years, we anticipate and project a growth of around 12-15% over the year.” ■ by VARALIKA VIJ

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 23

GM SPEAK

Learning while leading Jean-Philippe LAGARDE Each time a reputed hotel hands over the prestigious responsibility of a General Manager’s position to a person, the property holds a new promise and a better vision. Jean-Philippe LAGARDE was recently appointed as the new GM at Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach and brought with him years of expertise in the hospitality sector. As he takes on his first assignment in India, he promises to capitalize on this opportunity to the maximum and make Novotel as big as the last letters of his name. What makes a good hotel manager? I have the ability to keep a cool head during high pressure situations, a great eye for detail and innovation, and consider myself as being good with numeracy and leadership skills. Above all, I possess a genuine desire to serve along the lines of a historical Sanskrit proverb ‘Atithi Devo Bhavah’. I believe all these skills and personality traits make me a manager with good business acumen, which is essential for a successful General Manager to possess.

An insight on your day…

Jean-Philippe LAGARDE

General Manager, Novotel Mumbai The most sought after experiences the hotelier aims to project and the customers want to achieve are providing a special ambience, pleasurable experience, spas, openness to the world and interactivity with guests, particularly in the culinary department.

I start my day at around 8 am. After having breakfast, I do a tour of the hotel to meet my team and guests. At about 9:30 am, I have a briefing with all the departments to go over the day business and review movements of the previous day as well as pending points. The rest of the day is split between meetings, planning and analysis, answering the mail, overseeing the operations and reading guests’ comments on various online and offline review portals. I try to hit the gym in the evenings and re-energize myself for afterhours. I either go out to networking events and business dinners or eat at one of our restaurants with my family or guests. I end my day with recapping the highlights and projecting for the next day.

What would you say is your 24 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

work style? I have a very ‘hands on’ approach towards my work. I like to personally take part in the running of my hotel and meeting our guests and dislike being stuck with administrative tasks.

Top trends in the hotel business today… The top trends in the hotel industry would be electronic distribution, information technology - installation of trendy gadgets in guest areas, design, fluid layouts. The most sought after experiences the hotelier aims to project and the customers want to achieve are providing a special ambience, pleasurable experience, spas, openness to the world and interactivity with guests, particularly in the culinary department.

Having had 18 years of expertise in the hospitality sector and Asian markets, and now being appointed as the General Manager at Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach, could you describe your professional growth and learning curve? I graduated with a Degree in Hospitality Management at the Ecole Hoteliere de Paris. I had my first HOD position at the age of 23 and my first General Manager’s position with Novotel in the UK at the age of 32. I have worked for the Accor Group since 1992, in France, the UK for 10 years, Spain for 6 years and now I am in Mumbai since last December.

GM SPEAK

Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach

Accor has given me the opportunity of working in different parts of the globe and getting acquainted with the local markets. Having learnt a great deal about European markets, it is good to learn the nuances and notions of the Indian market. There has been an immense learning since year 1992 (smiles).

How is it trickier to have a hotel in Mumbai than in other parts of the nation? And also what are the advantages? I have been in India for less than a year, therefore, I have limited knowledge about different parts of the country and how they distinguish themselves in terms of hospitality business from Mumbai. I wouldn’t refrain from talking about the advantages of having a hotel in Mumbai, the financial capital of India. Being the financial hub, accommodating the Mint street, Dalal street, headquarters of leading MNC’s and not to forget – Bollywood, Mumbai certainly demands for a multitude of meetings, conferences, exhibitions and leisure travels, which lead to great business opportunities. Besides business, Mumbai has a good pool of qualified staff and the overall level of service is pretty good. The difficulty in this city is transport. I really felt that traffic is a huge problem for guests and staff. The shape of the city with the sea around makes the development a challenge. Infrastructure developments will be the key to future growth. I am used to concentric cities with a historic centre and a development scene that looks like a

spider’s web. Here the historic centre is in the extreme south of the city that is developing northward and eastwards. In many areas, space is a problem. I am looking forward to the culmination of Metro project construction and development of more sea-links.

What is your vision of hospitality for Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach? An idyllic location is the biggest asset. Merely 8 km away from the domestic and international airports, our hotel is an oasis of tranquility, overlooking the Arabian Sea, letting you forget the hustle and bustle of a big city. The hotel has a great history, is well known in Mumbai and is frequented by the known faces of Bollywood fraternity. Our rooms have great views, are large and are complemented with a very good food and beverage offers. We boast of 5 restaurants including our chic sea lounge Gadda Da Vida that is famous for its F&B, ambience and mesmerizing views of the Arabian Sea. Our personalized service is very close to our guests and we are constantly improving our offers. We are currently building additional meeting rooms and a pastry/deli shop. Our vision is to match the great location with comprehensive, innovative offers and great Novotel quality of service.

How do you personalize services for different segments of guests? Our well trained staff listens to guests’ d e m a n d c a r e f u l l y, u n d e r s t a n d a n d empathize to their situation, go an extramile to serve to their needs, take prompt

action and ownership of hotel’s objective. Today’s discerning business traveller’s need efficiency, quickness, no nonsense service and value facilities that let them connect with the world. Whereas, frequent travellers like to be recognized and we keep a record of their preferences to better prepare their stay. Understanding their need of relaxing their senses after work-hours, we offer a host of health and wellness services as well as facilities, to which our beautiful location only adds the value. On the other hand, leisure travellers request a different kind of service. They have value for quality time and anything that facilitates them in their quest is cherished for a life-time. Hence, having a meticulous and well aware concierge team, equipping guest areas with gaming consoles, caring guest relation executives, having great interpersonal skill and indepth knowledge of Mumbai, especially of Bollywood, helps us cater to leisure travellers’ needs.

What have been your initiatives in capacity of Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach? I have presented a series of projects to enhance the level of comfort in our hotel and develop our service and facilities. We will soon be opening a pastry shop and 2 new meeting rooms. We have also landscaped the front entrance of the hotel and are now doing the sea side, with the objective of offering a perfect milieu for inspiring and comfortable stay. ■ by VARALIKA VIJ

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 25

SPA SPEAK

Serving from Mumbai to Maldives, Serena Spa has set high standards in the industry. By operating spas in some of the finest hotels in the country, they contribute to the enhancement of Indian hospitality industry. Jesper Hougaard, Chairman and Managing Director, Serena Spa tells us how the spa industry is evolving and more.

“Spas are becoming a part of the

Indian healthy lifestyle”

What is the quintessential Serena Spa experience? When you come out of the spa feeling energized without really remembering what happened in the past hour or so.

You have spas in various hotels in India, why hotels? In fact Serena Spa operates spas in 5 hotels and our sister brand Aristo Spa is located in 3 hotels and we are opening another 3 spas before the end of the year. Serena Spa originated in Maldives and over the past 13 years we have built a strong concept of operating in hotels and resorts. In India, we invite non-resident guests to make use of the spas; in fact some of our hotel spas have more than 70% outside guests, mainly local residents in the area. Our strength is that we blend into the hotel concept while still retaining

26 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

our Serena Spa identity – our standards are always maintained whether you experience a Serena Spa treatment in Mumbai or in Maldives.

How do you contribute to the hospitality industry in India I believe that by operating spas in high quality hotels, Serena Spa contributes to enhancement of the Indian hospitality industry. On a personal level I speak at industry events both in India and abroad and I have also been contributing indirectly as member of a technical committee set up by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals to establish standards for spa and wellness centres.

According to you, how has the spa industry in India evolved over the years? Apart from the f inancial investment, with no

requi rements for l icensi ng, training and operational standards, the entry barriers for opening a spa are virtually non-existent in India, so the spa i ndust r y att racts ma ny oppor t u n i sts w it h no clea r v i sion. However, t her e a r e also many new spas with high operating standards and real quality concepts – both in the day spa segment and in destination spas. Ayurveda still plays an important role in India, either in its pure form or as inspiration in many of the menu treatments. Innovation is lacking; most spas simply copy Thai and Balinese concepts instead of trying to develop a unique Indian spa concept – there are so many beautiful traditions both in terms of experiences and direct treatment protocols.

How is the experience different in running a spa

in India and rest of the world? First of all, in India there are no official requirements to open a spa – no licensing, no training requi rements etc. That ca n of cou rse be a n adva ntage, making it easier to set up, but it is actually counterproductive to maintaining high standards – one will be at a cost disadvantage compa red to competitors. Secondly, competition is fierce with new entrants popping up almost every day – some stay in business for a little while only, some a bit longer. Costw ise real estate is a major concern with very high rents. On the administrative side, having to cope with many different ta xation structu res, labou r related payments etc. – and with each state having its own rules it can be quite cumbersome to operate in multiple locations. It also makes administration quite

SPA SPEAK an expensive affair – the ratio of employees to keep track of various filings is much higher in India than elsewhere.

Hiring and training therapists and management is a critical challenge. How are you handling it? Serena Spa has been in the spa business since 2000 and we have the good fortune to be known as a good employer so we have a constant stream of applications. A f t e r e v a lu a t i n g p r e v i o u s experience and training, we tailor-make courses at our facility in Mangalore to compensate for any lack in skills as well as a deep understanding of Serena Spa signature treatments and background. However, we are concerned that there are very few qualified spa therapists in India. Our sister company Serena Vocational Training Institute is the only Government of India approved Industrial Training Institute for Spa Therapy. The reason why there are no other approved institutes in India is that there are few takers since most candidates are offered jobs in other spas with only a few weeks of training. Unless there is a requirement for a minimum training to perform spa therapies, it is very difficult to motivate candidates. S e c o n d l y, S p a T h e r a p y needs a PR boost as a career option – such as a career in spa management, training etc.

What are the current trends in the spa industry? What is popular? In India people are now getting used to spa as part of a healthy lifestyle and it is now rare to meet a first-time spa guest. Still, the standard Swedish massage inspired treatment is by far the most popular, whereas body scrubs and wraps are still not

widely popular. Facials and other ‘light’ beauty treatments are also popular. Seen from an international perspective, massage as pure pampering is on its way out – lifestyle and tangible benefits are what the future spa customers will demand.

With a decade of spa experience in various countries, what kind of expertise do you bring to India? I think that my main contribution is spa inspiration from all over the world mixed with a high regard for Indian t rad it ion s whe r e by S e r e na Spa has been able to ca r ve out a niche. Secondly, coming from an aviation background I believe in standard operating procedures and that has helped us maintaining consistency. My bu s i ne s s mo del i s ve r y transparent and by-the-book – we believe in maintaining high standards in all aspects of our business and although it has not made me rich, it has kept us in the business for many years and probably many more to come.

What are the challenges in running a spa in India? With no official or even industry s t a nd a r d s , t h e I nd i a n s p a industry is highly diversified and very uneven when it comes to quality. Ayurveda has been around for thousands of years and has seen a revival in particular in South India where it has become a staple ingredient of the tourism sector as well as a recognized alternative medicine. There are initiatives to regulate Ayurveda, both by the central government via AYUSH and by state governments, such as Kerala. The spa industry has no such regulatory framework and voluntary accreditation such as offered by NABH is only adapted

JESPER HOUGAARD

CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, SERENA SPA

In India, we invite non-resident guests to make use of the spas; in fact some of our hotel spas have more than 70% outside guests, mainly local residents in the area.

by very few. The main problem is that the consumer is unable to ascertain if a given spa lives up to certain minimum operational and ethical standards, such as training, hygiene and safety.

What is the scope and potential of spa industry in India? Ayurveda was probably the most important factor putting Kerala on the tourism world map and whereas traditional Ayurveda today may play a lesser role in luxury resorts and hotels, the new avatar in the form of western and far-east influenced spas have become an important part of the Indian hospitality experience.

In the future, I think it would be highly improbable to operate a 5-star business hotel or luxury resort without a spa facility. The new form is an evolution which needs a bit of direction to stay on track, but no doubt, spas which are able to live up to customer expectations in terms of quality and price vs. content will not only prosper, but flourish with greater acceptance as part of a healthy lifestyle and growing disposable income. Thailand and Bali are great examples of how the synergy of high quality spas and tourism development can deliver great benefits for all stakeholders. ■ as told to NIKITA CHOPRA

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 27

ANALYSIS F&B

Economics of Bed and Breakfast scheme in Delhi

G.G. Saxena, Managing Director and Chief Executive Director, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation Ltd. Delhi.

he concept of bed and breakfast scheme is not new in India. Initially this system was meant for renting out part of the house with provision of providing meals to the guests who stay for a relatively longer period. In western countries, the concept of B&B scheme is operational for the past so many years and has been functioning in order to attract more tourists. In the year 2006, Government of India initiated the scheme for prov id i ng alternate accommodation at cheaper rates for foreign as well as domestic tourists under the “Incredible India” Campaign. Delhi Government also followed suit and started B&B scheme i n D e c emb er 2007 t o cop e up with the demand, during Commonwealth Games, 2010. There was always a shortage of

28 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

budget accommodation in India. In commercial establishments, like hotels, inns, guest houses and other establishments the taxation tariff is quite high in India and it reaches to the extent of 25 percent. As per B&B scheme in Delhi, the owner provides maximum two third rooms of h i s hou s e t o ac c om mo dat e guests. Though the owner is undertaking commercial activity for this accommodation, he is not required to pay property t a x , w a t e r a nd e l e c t r i c i t y bills at com mercial rates, which a re relatively higher than domestic rates besides t h e ow ne r s , a r e e x e m p t e d f rom pay i ng ser v ice a nd luxury tax for providing guest accommodation. The concept of B&B scheme is not an alternative to the budget hotel. This B&B arrangement is

the dissemination of information and to intermingle the guests with family members of owners and local people to get a glimpse of “Atithi Devo Bhava”. Prior to the start of Commonwealth Games, 2010 in Delhi, it was estimated that approximately one lakh domestic and foreign tourist w i l l wat ch C om monwea lt h Games in Delhi. At that time, the availability of rooms in Delhi was around 30,000 rooms while the requirement as per the expected number of guest was almost double to it.[5] Bed and Breakfast Scheme of Delhi saw registration of 361 units as on 1.4.2010. D u r i n g C o m m o nw e a l t h Games the Bed and Breakfast scheme could not pick up to the expectations of the policy makers. The present study is focused to find out the reasons about the failure/ poor show of

such scheme and the measures need to be taken along with the marketing strategy developed to ensure that the B&B scheme serves the purpose as budget accommodation in addition to regular commercial ventures in future. Research Objectives

B&B scheme in Delhi has not been a true success since its inception. The purpose of this study is to analyse the factors such as location of the B&B unit, room tariff, staff employed, etc and to find the answers for the unpopularity of this scheme and to arrive at the conclusion as to what are the possible factors on the basis of which the scheme may be made successful. Research Methodology

In view of the above said reasons

ANALYSIS strategy adopted to promote business, nature of the problems faced by owners as well as by guests and suggestions made by B&B owners in response to Delhi Tourism questionnaire. A Master Sheet was prepared based on surveyed B&B units, as shown in Table No-II. The breakup of 48 units is that 11 units fall in gold category while 37 units fall in silver category with total number of 123 rooms in both categories. The Ma st er She et shows important figures of category of rooms, total number of rooms, t ot a l for eig n a nd dome s t ic t o u r i s t s s t aye d s i nc e ye a r 2008 till the date of survey, total number of employees in B&B Units, total remuneration pa id to employees, average remuneration paid to them and average duration of working of surveyed units.

G.G. SAXENA

MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DELHI TOURISM AND TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LTD. DELHI

The concept of B&B scheme is not an alternative to the budget hotel. This B&B arrangement is to intermingle the guests with family members of owners and local people to get a glimpse of “Atithi Devo Bhava”.

for the poor response to B&B scheme in Delhi and to f ind the way forward for its success a field surveys were conducted by t h e D e l h i To u r i s m a nd Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC). A sample of 48 B&B units i.e. more than 10% of total 462 registered B&B ow ners as on 1.1.2012 was undertaken by the DTTDC from January 2012 to June, 2012 after preparing a well planned questionnaire containing 17 colum ns [6] . The map given below shows location of B&B units in Delhi which is available at Delhi Tourism and Geospatial

website of Delhi Government. Columns were so designed that overall assessment of B&B scenario could be made. Queries mainly included location of u n it , nu mber of employe e s engaged in the unit, number of incoming foreign and domestic tou rists since sta rt of unit, name of the countries and states from where these tourists had come, the tariff range of B&B units. Other columns for field su r veys were whether B & B owner has taken into account infrastructure development as per the requirement of expected incoming guests, marketing

Room tariff slab and number of tourists

The Queries related to number of Foreign Tourists (FTs) and Domestic Tourists (DTs) who have stayed since inception of units in year 2008, tariff range in Rupees and number of B&B units in that range are studied together as shown in Table No-III. Tota l ni ne slabs of ta r i f f ranging from `1,000 with `500 difference as (`1,000 to `1,500), second slab f rom ` 1,501 to `2,001 and so on with maximum range of `5,001 to and above. Table No-III shows number of B & B units falling in each category of these tariff slabs with number of FTs and DTs stayed in each tariff slab. Five graphs are drawn as shown in graph with tariff slabs of `500 at X-axis with various other parameters like “number of B&B units falling in that slab on Y-axis etc. Five graphs drawn on the basis of data in Table No-III indicating:- Total number of B&B units falling in

each tariff slab; average no. of FTs per B&B unit stayed in each of 09 tariff slabs; average number of DTs per B&B units stayed in each of 09 tariff slabs; total number of FTs stayed in all such B&B units falling in that slab. It may be seen that most of the FTs as well as DTs stayed in the tariff range of `1,501 to `3,500 which is 71% of total 48 surveyed units. Ma ximum number of foreign tourists opted for those B &B units which have tariff range of `3,501 – `4,000 per day followed by the slab of `3,001 to `3,500. The same observation is true for domestic tourists where maximum number of domestic units stayed in B&B units falling in the range of `3,001–`3,500/and `35,001 – `4,000. However, 9 B&B units falling in the tariff range of `1501 to ` 2000 at t racted ma x i mu m domestic tourists numbering 4736. It is i nter preted that these tourists belong to lower middle class having less budget on accommodation. These B&B units mostly belong to South Delhi locations mainly of Vasant Kunj , Chitranjan Park and East of Kailash as shown in Table NoIV. An interesting analysis can be seen that the most attractive range of tariff out of the survey of 48 B&B units were in the range of `3,001 to `3,500 and `3,501 to `4,000. It covered 11 B&B units which is 23% of the B&B units surveyed. These 11 B&B units alone attracted 60% of total 6,815 foreign tourists stayed in all 48 units. Similarly the total number of domestic tourists who stayed in these two slabs of 11 B&B units was 5,593 out of total 16,389 domestic tourists, which is 34% of total domestic tourists who stayed in 48 units. On the basis of average it can be inferred that most popular or affordable tariff range of B&B units may be `3,001 to `4,000 per

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 29

ANALYSIS day. Locations of most B&B units in these two slabs covering tariff of `3,001 to `4,000 are Vasant Kunj, Green Park Extn, and Safdarjung Enclave etc. all falling in South Delhi as shown in Table No-IV. This could be a good assessment from the point of view of new B&B owners who may keep the tariff in this range if their units are located in these areas. It is only a suggestive idea because tariff also depends upon size of rooms, other facilities in B&B units like parking space, vicinity to markets, railway stations, airport, important monuments etc. Employment Generation and Remuneration

The questionnaire regarding employment generation found that 48 B&B units surveyed by DTTDC have generated direct employment to 137 employees du r i ng last fou r yea rs. The average number of employees therefore comes out to be around 03 employees per unit as shown in Master Sheet at Table No-II. Average remuneration paid on the basis of data collected from 48 B&B units comes out to be `5,240 per month per employee as total salary per month computed for all 48 units comes out to be `7,17,900. So, 462 registered B&B units in Delhi may have generated direct employment to minimum 1319 persons. Other statistics are also interesting as seen for the comparison of field survey of 48 B&B units vis-Ă -vis India Tourism statistics 2011 on approved hotels. Average employees per room on an all India basis for all categories of hotels taken together is 1.6 while in respect of 48 field surveyed B&B units, the average employees per room comes out to be 1.1. This figure is based on total number of 123 rooms employing total 137 persons. Average number of employees in B&B units is less than the c om me r c ia l hot el but B & B

30 HOTELSCAPES â&#x20AC;˘ October 2013

scheme too generates significant e mploy me nt i n ho s pit a l it y sector in Delhi. Incidentally in Delhi, total number of classified hotels with 1 star deluxe and apartment hotel comes out to be 288 hotels with 13,715 number of rooms According to this, the percentage of B&B rooms i.e. 1568 as on 1.1.2012 as compared to rooms of all hotels taken together comes out to be 11.4% of total available rooms for guests and this percentage of rooms in B&B units registered as on 1.1.2012 cannot be ignored because these units play an important role in Delhi in providing budget accommodation. Earnings through B&B units

The questionnaire based on earnings through B &B units analyzed the maximum potential in earnings by each B&B unit. For this purpose, average tariff of each slab i.e. `1,250 for 05 units. `1,750 for 09 units. `2,250 for 10 units, ` 2,750 for 08 units, `3,250 for 07 units, `3,750 for 04 units, `4,250 for 01 unit, `4,750 for 02 units and `5,250 for 02 units as shown in Table No - III was calculated and summed up for all surveyed units. This amount was divided by 48 units which comes out to be ` 2,680 and same is the average tariff per room of the surveyed units. To arrive at monthly income, the average tariff per room is multiplied by number of month days (30) and by average number of rooms i.e. 123/48 (=2.56) per B&B units surveyed. This income for a B&B unit is arrived at when all rooms are occupied throughout the month. Now keeping in view various factors like 50% occupancy or 60% occupancy or 80% occupancy throughout the year the total income of each B&B unit per month is calculated. Expenditure from this total income is to be deducted to arrive at net income

Table1 : Details of Registered Bed And Breakfast Units in Delhi Premises Number of Rooms Registered as on GOLD SILVER TOTAL GOLD SILVER TOTAL 1.4.2010 1.4.2011 1.1.2012 1.1.2012 1.1.2013 1.4.2013 30.4.2013

45 70 62 65 46 48 49

316 429 400 411 314 282 277

361 499 462 476 360 330 326

208 259 233 245 171 178 188

955 1357 1335 1382 1018 967 958

1163 1616 1568 1627 1185 1145 1146

Updated list available on website www.delhitourism.gov.in (Source DELHI TOURISM DEPTT. GOVT.OF NCT OF DELHI)

Table 2 - Master Sheet of 48 B&B Units (2008-11) Category of 48 B&B units Gold Silver Total

11 37 48

Total of Rooms in 48 B&B Estab Total No.of FT stayed in 48 B&B No.of DT stayed in 48 B&B Total No.of Employees engaged by 48 B&B Average number of employees engaged by B&B owner Total remuneration paid by 48 B&B owners (P.M.) Average remuneration paid by 48 B&B owners (P.M.) for 3 empl. Average duration of working of 48 B&B units

123 6815 16389 137 3 717900 5240 32.5 months

(Field survey of 48 B&B Units conducted by DTTDC between Jan 2012 to June 2012).

Table 3 : Range of Tariff and Number of Foreign Tourists and Domestic Tourists stayed in B&B Units in period (2008 to 2011) Range of Tariff per room

No. of B&B Units

No. of FTs stayed in period 2008 to 2011

No. of DTs stayed in period 2008 to 2011

1000-1500 1501-2000 2001-2500 2501-3000 3001-3500 3501-4000 4001-4500 4501-5000 5001-above Total

5 9 10 8 7 4 1 2 2 48

120 622 326 260 1328 2741 415 737 266 6815

878 4736 1990 270 2525 3068 1074 1753 95 16389

Average in the range per B&B FTs 24 69 32.6 32.5 289.7 685.3 415 368.5 133

DTs 176 526 199 33.8 360.7 767 1074 876.5 47.5

Source : Primary Data [6]

Table 4 - Popular locations surveyed of B&B units in Delhi with various room tariff Room Tariff range (Rs) Location of B&B Unit

Vasant Kunj C.R. Park Hauz Khas encl Green park extn Sarv priya vihar Safdarjung encl East of kailsah GK-II saket Jasola Defence colony Pamposh encl Model town Karol Bagh South Ext-II South Extn Mehrauli Connuaght Place Neb Sarai TOTAL

10001500

15012000 3

20012500 2

2 1 1

25013000

40014500

45015000

5001above

3 1 1

1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Total

9 7 5 4 3

1 1 1 1

35014000

1 1 2

30013500

1 1 2

3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 48

ANALYSIS for a B&B Unit. The expenditure is mainly for providing breakfast to each guest, salary paid to employees and payment made towards the electricity, water and other expenses in the unit. However, the fixed assets cost is not taken into account as the accommodation made available to guests exists otherwise also. It is considered that the room, being in double occupancy, is occupied by two persons and if the average amount spent on each person’s breakfast is taken as ` 200, the a mount spent on brea k fast for 123 rooms multiplied by 30 days in a month and then multiplied by 0.6 being occupancy rate and divided by 48 i.e. number of B&B units, the total expenditure per B&B unit comes out to be `18,450. Similarly total expenditure incurred on average 3 employees per unit on an average monthly remuneration at `5,240 comes out to be `15,720. Adding electricity, water and other charges at a rate of 10% of the total income i.e. `12,3615 @ 60% occupancy, then expenditure comes out to be `12,360. All such expenditures per month come out to be `46,530 which is deducted from total income. So, net monthly income of a B&B unit at average 2.56 rooms per unit at occupancy rate at 60% is estimated at `77,085 per month. This is a very significant income for a family. An analysis was done as to what is the actual income as on date in these B&B units. Now average income earned by B &B units based on total guests stayed in all B&B units since start of functioning of these units in 2008 till 1st January 2012 can be calculated on the basis of available data in Table No-II and Table No-III. Factors involved in such calculations are average tariff per room, i.e. `2680 number of days of stay of guests, actual number of FTs and DTs, number of rooms in

B&B units (123), factor of double occupancy for each room and number of months of working of units. Number of months has been taken as 32.5 by calculating period of working of each unit since inception till January 2012 as shown in Master Sheet, Table No-II. Now, average stay period of 3.4 days for FTs and 2.8 days for DTs respectively has been taken on the basis of all India average stay of FTs and DTs in hotels and B&B units etc. Monthly income earned by a B & B owner can be calculated as average tariff × (total number of FTs x 3.4 + total number of DTs × 2.8)× average months of the working of 48 B&B units×2×123. Therefore, monthly income would come out to be ` (2680×69060)÷(32.5×123×2) i.e. `23150 per month per B&B unit. It can be inferred from the actual income of `23150 per m o nt h m a d e by e ac h B & B unit per month as against the potential of each B&B unit of earning `77,085 that there is a huge gap in actual and maximum possible income. Owner can realize that these units need to promote their business. However, individual cannot alone spend on such promotions. Owners have to form an association so that there is a common platform

t o cha l k out a s t rat e g y t o achieve common goal of getting more clients. Department of Tourism, Government of Delhi may also help in promoting B & B units through internet and various other platforms like advertisements on Railway stations, Airport, Inter State Bus Terminals, Embassies in Delhi, Indian Missions abroad or other fora available for such promotions. Guests from states and countries of origin opting for B&B units

In one of the queries about the na me of the State f rom

where domestic tourists come in the B &B units, it is found that a few number of tourists from neighboring state Bihar prefer to stay in Delhi’s B &B Units. Ma ximum number of domestic tourists who prefer B & B faci l it y i n D el h i come from Maharashtra. As per the response received during survey of B&B units about incoming Domestic Tourists from States it may be seen from Table No-V that out of 48 units surveyed, 21 B&B units attracted tourists from Maha rashtra, 16 from Tamil Nadu, 13 from Karnataka, 11 units attracted guests from

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 31

ANALYSIS Punjab & Haryana while 10 units attracted guests from West Bengal. So it is a very important a na lysis that aspi r i ng B & B owners may prepare themselves for attracting domestic guests according to the tastes of the guests. Table : Number of B&B units where maximum domestic tourists from States stayed Name of Countries Maharashtra Tamil Nadu Karnataka Punjab & Haryana West Bengal North East Gujarat UP Kashmir Andhra Pradesh Rajasthan Other States (MP & Bihar) Did Not respond

No.of B&B 21 16 13 11 10 7 6 5 4 4 3 3 5

Similarly a perusal of Table shows that in these 48 units, maximum number of foreign guests came from U.S.A who stayed in 21 number of B &B units followed by guests coming from U.K who preferred 13 B&B units followed by foreign tourists from Germany, France, Australia preferring to stay in 8, 12 and 9 B&B units respectively. Table: Number of B&B units where maximum foreign tourists from a country stayed Name of Countries USA UK Germany France Australia Afgansitan Japan Bangladesh Canada Rest of Europe Did not respond

No. of B&B 21 13 12 9 9 3 2 2 1 7 11

Besides analyzing the

32 HOTELSCAPES â&#x20AC;˘ October 2013

nu m b e r o f B & B u n it s who attracted more tourists from a particular country or particular State the analysis has also been done i n nu m b e r of for ei g n tourists and domestic tourists coming to these B&B units. It is observed from Table No-VII that most of the foreign tourists from U.S.A numbering 1630 (i.e. 24%) preferred to stay in B & B units followed by 1594 from UK (i.e. 23%), 872 from Australia, 730 from Germany / France to stay in these surveyed B&B units. Similarly, share of total foreign tourists arrival in India is highest from U.S.A at 15.97% followed by share of 12.57% from U.K. with other European countries like France and Germany having share of 12.5% and 7.78% respectively. As per distribution of Hotel guests by country of origin in year 2011, the percentage from USA, U.K. and France / Germany are 11.7% , 11.2% and 12.3% respectively. In representative f igure of 48 f ield surveys of B&B units it may be seen that approx i mat e p erc ent age of foreign travelers from USA, UK and France / Germany are 24%, 23% and 14% respectively. The analysis shows that foreign guests from USA, UK and France / Germany equally prefer B&B units of Delhi, if available, at par with commercial hotels. Table : Name of Country from where maximum number of foreign tourists stayed in B&B units Name of State USA UK Australia Canada Germany, France Japan Rest of Europe South Africa and Asia Total

No.of FT 1630 1594 872 775 730 570 435 209 6815

In view to promote the

business and attract more clients, B & B ow ne r s m ay fo c u s on foreign tourists from particular countries like USA, UK, France/ Germany, Australia etc. Websites could be so developed that there are special packages for tourists coming from a particular country. Similar analysis may be done for number of DTs coming from a pa rticula r state and staying in B&B units. As per Table No -V III the surveyed B&B units attracted m a x i m u m D T s f r o m We s t Bengal numbering 3205 (19.5%) followed by 2844, 2838, 2312 and 1978 from Maharashtra (17. 35 % ) , U . P. (17. 31% ) , Karnataka (14.1%), Gujarat (12%) respectively.

furniture, providing gym and internet facility replacing old mattress and crockery etc. In some units parking space was also arranged in view of more arrival of guests. Depending upon the requirement of the guests, power back up and other facilities were also provided. However, in cases of 09 B &B units, no renovation was done while 11 B&B owners did not respond. On reviewing the overall picture of development of infrastructure or renovation, it is gathered that ha rd ly a ny signif ica nt development was made by B&B owners after getting the unit registered with the Department of Tourism.

Table - Name of State from where maximum domestic tourists stayed in surveyed B&B units

Table : Infrastructure developed by B&B owners

Name of State West Bengal Maharashtra UP Karnataka Gujarat Andhra Pradesh Assam Punjab Tamil Nadu Madhya Pradesh Kashmir Total

No.of DT 3205 2844 2838 2312 1978 1116 1073 578 306 105 34 16389

Development of Infrastructure Undertaken By B&B

Owners In one query, the B&B owners were asked whether they carried out further development of infrastructure like renovation, increase in accommodation, parking facility etc. after getting registration as a B&B unit. The response was analyzed in Table No-IX and it was found that 28 B&B owners out of 48 surveyed have done renovation li ke furnishing the whole premise with paint, adding new

Details of Infrastructure Renovated entire premises of B&B Did not specify the renovation carried out Changed furnitures & fixtures Provided Internet facilities Added Parking facility B&B units have added rooms Provided Gym facility No renovation done Did not respond

No. of B&B units 8 5 5 3 3 2 2 9 11

* 23 B&B owners out of 28 responded to have also carried out miscellaneous renovation like painting, power backup system, new crockery etc. bath rooms etc.

Problems faced by B&B owners

In response of the query as to what type of problems owners themselves are facing during s t ay of g ue s t s, mo s t of t he owners (71%) replied that they did not face any problem during the stay of guests. Four owners felt that B&B scheme has poor market strategy resulting in

ANALYSIS less response of clients. Two responses each were received from owners that (i) it is difficult to get employees to work in B&B units, (ii) guests want cooked food other than breakfast too. One response each from owners was that (i) sometimes guests are troublesome, (ii) owner’s pr ivac y i s c omprom i s e d a s guests stay in the same house, (i i i) I n B & B busi ness l i fe is disturbed as guests check-in at odd hours, (iv) there is too much paper work including reporting to FRRO in case of foreign guests. However, out of 48 B&B units surveyed, there w a s no r e s p on s e f r om t wo owners. Owner's problems seem to be genuine but they have to be prepared for most of the above-mentioned difficulties in undertaking such a venture. Some of the problems faced by owners need to be seriously considered. Delhi, being capital of India faces terrorist threats from time to time and therefore, it is necessary to have credentials of incoming foreign clients to be verified by Police. Information of all guests is to be reported to FRRO daily by B & B owners and, therefore, Police has an important role to play to ensure safety of the owners. One query in the field survey format was related to the nature of grievances lodged by tourists with the owners. As per data in Table No-I most of the guests (83%) have not made any complaint about their stay as per the record received from the owners. In other responses, one owner reported that guests complaint about loss of privacy when they choose B&B for stay. One B&B owner mentioned that some guests complained about noise and disturbance by street vendors during day time. On the basis of analysis of query on suggestions made by B & B owners, it is seen from

Table No-X that as many as 21 owners have suggested that there should be proper publicity by the forum of B&B units and large scale publicity should be taken up by Department of Tourism, Government of Delhi on behalf of B&B units only then there will be success in the B&B profession.

has mentioned that there should be better coordination between B&B owners, Delhi Government, Local Authority and Police. One owner has mentioned that validity of registration should be increased from 3 years to 5 years to avoid hassle during renewal of registration. Conclusions

Table : Response of B&B owners on suggestions for further improvement Suggestions Marketing and promotion to be done Permission for more rooms Paper work of FRRO etc to be reduced Local authority to cooperate Internet/website for each B&B unit Registration period to be valid for 5 years B&B is an excellent scheme B&B guests to be given incentive by DTTDC No specification suggestion Total

No. of B&B owners responded 21 05 04 01 01 01 01 01

13 48

13 owners have refrained from giving suggestions. Five owners have requested that they a re entertaining more and more foreign and domestic guests and hence the limit on 2/3rd of maximum rooms or cap on maximum 06 rooms may be taken away so that they can entertain more and more guests in thei r units. Fou r ow ners have pointed out that there should be a standard procedure for registration and also easy rules for FRRO reporting. This needs to be attended by Tourism Department, Delhi Government and FRRO under Delhi Police. In other cases, one owner each

Various parameters are studied and be inferred that there will be enhancement of number of foreign and domestic tourists belonging to middle class to avail the facility in B&B units . The reason for choosing a B&B accommodation in Delhi will be low tariff and for those who are keen to learn about the city, its monuments, eating places, ma rkets, a nd other aspects related to culture and heritage. However, publicity of each B&B unit is to be ensured and the u n its a re to be ma i nta i ne d in a professional manner keeping in mind the guest’s taste and choice and ensuring proper hygienic conditions, dissemination of information about city through owner. Another aspect, which is important from the point of view of guest, is that there should be a sense of protection of tourists when they stay in B&B units. This aspect perhaps lacks in the present scenario. For this purpose, local government and local police have to play an important role to ensure that the guests have reassurance about their security, as they would feel in regular hotels. A s rega r d s t o ma i nt a i n i ng clea nl i ness a nd hygiene conditions, B&B owners have to resort to professionalism in their approach. The surveys also revealed that majority of the tourist prefer to stay in South Delhi based B &B units. This observation further indicates that location

of a B &B unit in terms of its prox i m it y w it h t he ma rket places, malls, historical places etc. is an added advantage for tourist before choosing a B&B accommodation. Tourists are now technologically savvy and the B&B scheme does not have a designated website or a system of online booking by individual ow ner s, wh ich h i nder s t he success of this scheme. Shortage of budget accommodation in Delhi is not going to be taken care of in near future because it requires a long drawn process by the Government. O n t he o t he r h a nd , u n occupied rooms in B&B units can fill the gap and this will br i ng good resu lts i n the earnings of B & B owner and also to the economy of Local Government. A s p e r I nd ia Tou r i s m data 2011, foreign exchange earnings due to foreign tourists are 16,564 million US dollars while number of days of stay of foreig n tou r i sts i n I nd ia i s a b o ut 22 d ay s . Nu m b e r of foreign tourists arrival in 2011 was 6.29 million so one foreign tourists brings a foreign excha n ge of ab out 120 US dollars per day. If 2.36 million foreign tourists come to Delhi, wh ich i s 1/3rd of t he tota l foreign tourists’ arrival, one can imagine that annual foreign exchange earnings due to these foreign tourists staying in Delhi for an average of 3.4 days will be 963 million US dollars. B & B ow ners a nd regula r hotels must create an at mo s phe r e t h at a fo r e i g n tourist stays for one more day in Delhi and that will earn 276 million US dollars additional foreign exchange earnings for Del h i a nd as a good sou rce of earning additional foreign exchange along with additional handsome monthly income to the owners. ■

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 33

F&B

Capturing the gourmet traveller Goa Hotels In Delhi and many other cities of the country, dining at a 5 star hotel or resort, apart from being a luxurious experience is a chance to have a taste of exclusive and authentic cuisine from around the world. However, once at an exotic place like Goa, a curious traveller, whether there for business or leisure, would try and experience food at its best, even if it demands taking a spree out of the hotel in search for a popular restaurant. In such a case, even the best of the hotels have to go a notch up with their F&B services, especially during the comparatively ‘low’ weekdays, to not only keep the in house guests impressed, but also attract outsiders. Eat in, Eat out Apart from the obvious visits to the beaches, savoring the best of food remains an absolute must-do in Goa. With a plethora of options all around the state, the food scene at luxury resorts is multi fold. The good thing here i s t hat t hey k now t he enthusiastic guests mostly want to be outdoors, and therefore, make sure that their eateries are open and as relaxed as they could possibly be. S a y s R a h u l K o r g a o k a r, Director of Food & Beverage, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa, “We understand the need for the hotel guest to explore eating Wan Hao

options outside the hotel. In fact, the location of our resort (compared to other resorts in Goa) encourages our guests to explore outside the hotel and we use this fact as a location USP. It is but natural for a traveller to want to venture out and explore looking for that ‘authentic Goan feel’ in an eatery. Coming back to the resort’s location, it is best situated for non-hotel guests to visit regularly; those who are based here and hence are not necessarily looking for an authentic Goan experience, but a five star experience. So we are able to achieve a healthy balance with these two types of guests.”

Siddharth Savkur, General M a n a g e r, A l i l a D i w a G o a recognises that a guest, when i n G o a , m i g ht h ave l e s s e r meals within the hotel, and it is important, therefore, to keep a realistic ‘capture rate’. “Firstly, it would be futile to expect a guest to have all his meals in the hotel itself, with Goa’s r eput at ion for b each shacks and famous standalone restaurants. It is important to set a realistic capture rate, and I would be happy with our guests havi ng 70 % of thei r meals in-house. Eventually, it is the quality of the food that will speak for itself.” Explaining

RAHUL KORGAOKAR

DIRECTOR OF FOOD & BEVERAGE, GOA MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA

We understand the need for the hotel guest to explore eating options outside the hotel. In fact, the location of our resort encourages our guests to explore outside the hotel and we use this fact as a location USP.

34 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

F&B how they manage to interest a foodie guest, he says, “We pride ourselves on our culinary expertise and level of service being far superior to the shacks and standalone restaurants. We have also endeavored to ensure our pricing is competitive. We draw our guests’ attention to our restaurants through personal interactions, in-room promotions (like TV displays) and special offers.” Stefan Radstrom, General Ma nager, Gra nd Hyat t Goa informs that most of the guests who come to their property,

The Verandah outdoors, Grand Hyatt Goa

STEFAN RADSTROM

GENERAL MANAGER, GRAND HYATT GOA

During season, most of our guests are long staying and we have a number of promotions during the week for guests and visitors alike. Our different F&B outlets are often visited by locals not only for our events, but also for entertainment.

want to cool off their heels and relax without having to venture too far. So you would find the beach fun happening at your hotel premises itself. As Stefan announces excitedly, “There’s something for everyone at Grand Hyatt Goa, with no chance to venture outside!” Anderson Noronha, General Manager, Lemon Tree Amarante Beach Resort, Goa, states Goa as a ‘foodie’s paradise’ with a range of food outlets that offer great quality food. He claims that “Lemon Tree’s celebrated restaurant Republic of Noodles has built a loyal base of customers, and has become so popular that people identify the resort by it.” Neeta Sen, General Manager, Cidade de Goa, tells us about their set of promotions - “The various packages, uniquely designed, cater to all client mixes. We have an array of restaurants and ba rs, both indoors and outdoors. The length of stay is, on an average, about 3-4 nights and hence the guest gets ample opportunities to choose from restaurants to menus to suit their requirements.”

Promoting F&B midweek As resorts, their occupancies are the highest during the weekend. To keep the kitchen operations active, animated marketing strategies need to be executed. “During season, most of our guests are long staying and we have a number of promotions during the week for guests and visitors alike. However, with that said our different F&B outlets are not only popular with our in house guests but are often visited by locals throughout the week not only for our events, but also for entertainment,” says Stefan. He gives examples – “At Grand Hyatt Goa, guests can showcase their singing prowess every Tuesdays at the Capiz Bar and the best singer wins a ticket to the bar for free drinks. Tuesdays are ladies nights. The Dining Room transforms i nt o a ‘G r a nd G o a n N i g h t Market’ every Thursday with live entertainment and stalls with the day’s fresh catch of exotic seafood as well as artefacts, jeweller y a nd ha nd icra ft e x h i b i t s . O n F r i d ay s , o u r highlight is Barbeque Night with scrumptious grilled delights and

DJ music. Round off the weekend with Champagne Sunday Brunch at The Dining Room over freeflowing champagne, live music and a tantalizing menu consisting of South-East Asian, Indian, Ita l ia n a nd M idd le Easter n cuisines.” Cidade de Goa is very popular with the locals, owed to the fact that they have been in the reckoning for two decades and over and are well located within 6 kms from the city of Panjim. “We use all medium of promotions; newspaper ads, advertorials on food festivals, write ups, radio, TV channels, newsletters and the social media. Moreover, in house guests are met personally every day so that they are informed about the ongoing promotions. At check-in, they are familiarized with all our eating outlets. The in house guest also has an option of browsing through the in house TV channel and scroll through for additional information,” says Neeta Sen. Accord i ng to Sidd ha r th, “During the winter months, there is not much va ria nce between weekday and weekend occupancies since the

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 35

F&B

Alila Diva

SIDDHARTH SAVKUR

GENERAL MANAGER, ALILA DIWA GOA

It would be futile to expect a guest to have all his meals in the hotel itself. It is important to set a realistic capture rate, and I would be happy with our guests having 70% of their meals in-house.

36 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

international guests stay for longer durations.” Alila Diwa tailors their F&B promotions keeping the domestic traveller and local community in mind. He adds, “We design restaurant promotions keeping in mind the market mix at the hotel over that period. For instance, an international food promotion would appeal to domestic tourists while a canvas of regional Indian cuisine would make sense if the hotel had international guests in a majority. We also offer special discounts to non-resident (outside) guests to help overcome the price sensitivity.” At Goa Marriott, the restaurants attract a fair volume of guests throughout the week; however, the occupancy definitely peaks at weekends. “The hotel runs a hugely successful dining loyalty programme that keeps the non-residents returning for more. On Tuesdays of every week, we celebrate the ‘members’ day’ thus ensuring that an otherwise middle of the week dull day like Tuesday sees high restaurant occupancies. Other than that monthly food promotions and festivals keep the buzz alive in our eateries for non-residents to keep coming back,” says Rahul. Talking about what they

do to encourage F&B activities throughout the year, he says, “We believe that an F&B platform ne e d s to have somet h i ng innovative happening at all times, since just a la carte fare can get very mundane. We arrive at an F&B Calendar early in the year, which is a schedule of festivals and promotions based on all kinds of guest feedback and preferences. These range from Crab Festival which celebrates the goodness of local produce, to an Italian Festival which showcases premium imported ingredients. We also have visiting guest chefs during some of these festivals, which adds to the novelty and keeps diners coming back for more.”

ANDERSON NORONHA

GENERAL MANAGER, LEMON TREE AMARANTE BEACH RESORT, GOA

The right kind of setting and environment actually heightens the experience of the meal. At Republic of Noodles we have successfully delivered this through our relaxed, elegant style of décor and the alfresco seating.

F&B

Cafe Azul Cidade de Goa

Ambience playing an important role in restaurant business The appearance of a hotel and its restaurants is many times, a deciding factor for a guest to spend his money. And when good design couples with the air of Goa, the dining experience can be pure bliss. Says Stefan, “The appearance of your hotel is what first communicates to your potential guest the quality of the experience they will have and eventually will be a major factor in their decision to stay with you or not.” Describing the ambience of Grand Hyatt Goa, he says, “…a contemporary resort and spa built in the architectural style of a 17th century Indo-Portuguese Citrus cafe, Lemon Tree Goa

palace. Being located just 50 meters from the calm waters of Bambolim bay, the Margarita Sundowners, hosted everyday at Pool Bar and Grill, create a perfect setting to unwind. The resort provides authentic hospitality blended with warmth of a traditional Goan residence.” Siddharth agrees that the “ambience and design concept of a restaurant are very crucial elements and must complement the cuisine.” While the dominant segment of guests at Alila Diwa Goa varies depending on the time of the year, from wedding groups to corporate events to international charter tourists, the ambience has been designed to make them keep coming back. “…In Spice Studio, our speciality Indian restaurant, an old banyan tree is the focal point in the centre of the restaurant. The water bodies, antique candle stands and subdued lighting all add to the mood at dinner. At Bistro, the international casual look and feel of this poolside restaurant complements the menu which features western classics as well as some Asian favourites. Neeta Sen believes that the ambience and personalization is a key to the success of their hotel. Cidade de Goa mostly caters to

NEETA SEN

GENERAL MANAGER, CIDADE DE GOA

We use all medium of promotions; newspaper ads, advertorials on food festivals, write ups, radio, TV channels, newsletters and social media. Moreover, in house guests are met personally every day so that they are informed about the ongoing promotions.

free individual travellers, holiday makers and charters, and is popular for their banqueting facilities. “Our lobby bar, Taverna offer live entertainment every evening. The Cafe Azul is casual and compliments the pool side a mbience. The A l fa ma i s a very formal chef’s signature restaurant offering world cuisine. The Barbeque restaurant is lively and by the sea side,” informs Sen. A nder son Noron ha fe el s that “the right kind of setting a nd e nv i r o n m e nt ac t ua l ly heightens the experience of the meal. At Republic of Noodles we have successfully delivered this through our relaxed, elegant style of décor and the alfresco seating. If you further look at the design style of Lemon Tree Amarante Beach Resort – it has been designed to evoke the poetry, history and romance of 15th century Portugal.” Rahul is of the perspective that ambience is in fact “…over and above good food, which most restaurants worth their salt manage to do a good job of. Case in point – our Simply Grills restaurant is the most popular of our outlets with its riverside location. While the food is simply fabulous (say our guests), the feel of intimate outdoor dining with the added experience of waves softly lapping the shore a few steps away from where the guest is seated – imagine that!” It is established that a d iscer n i ng loca l as wel l as international clientele look for quality, variety, taste and hygiene at a comfortably affordable price range in the five star segment. This and much more has been achieved in Goa. A few of the hotels we mentioned would only add to the already fantabulous experience of the beach state, as they make sure that the food perfectly blends with the sense of what Gos is all about. ■ by VARALIKA VIJ

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 37

CHEF’S PAGE

Unveiling dining trends with Executive Chef

Kayomarz Bharucha The Leela Goa

We interviewed Chef Kayomarz Bharucha, Executive Chef, The Leela Goa, asking him some lesser known facts about cooking and how he moulds different cuisines for different palates. Also he admits that discovering some of the strange food and flavor combinations is one of the best aspects of his job. Read on to discover some of the interesting aspects of being a chef. What is your routine like? I come to work at 9 am and start planning for the day. I attend morning briefings, authorize requisitions, keep an eye on what’s happening in the kitchen, take a round of the buffet meals, look at next day’s ordering, work on menus for specific functions, and so on. So my routine is quite fixed.

What cuisine you love cooking the most and why? I like the ‘garde manger’. The food is healthier, lighter and fresher. Moreover, one can play with tastes and textures. Western food also works as it has got with clean tastes and flavours. South East Asian food with its quick stir fries and curries with lemon grass and kaffir lime leaf is also refreshing.

What is the most interesting part of your job? It is the discovery of some strange food and flavor combinations that one comes across, which surprisingly go so well with each other, that it makes us wonder as to why we didn’t know about it earlier like mango with buffalo mozzarella, or chilli in chocolate. Also, instances when our guests tell us that the food served at The Leela Goa is fantastic and that they have had a good satisfying meal or when I meet staff who have left and gone elsewhere and they connect later to tell me that they still think The Leela Goa has one of the best kitchens, are very interesting and memorable.

What is your signature style of cooking? My style of cooking reflects the warmth and care that we have for our guests and this is indicative from our focus on

38 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

CHEF’S PAGE fresh ingredients and usage of healthier ways of cooking, like baking, roasting, braising etc. I work quite a bit on retaining the flavours of the ingredients being used in the dish and prefer not to mask them with an overload of spice and other marination. I a m a ve r y k e e n l e a r n e r on international salads and encourage my team to innovate freely to provide our guests with a multitude of healthy salad options from all over the globe.

Ingredients you think give a kick to your dishes? Herbs like thyme, rosemary, oregano and dill are great with western food. Lemon grass, galangal, chillies, garlic, cumin, carom seeds, aniseeds and black salt work well with Indian and Asian food. A good stock makes a difference for any food.

How do you manage your team? I give my team as much freedom as possible so that they use their creative flair to come up with great dishes themselves. Also I like being honest and fair to them and entertain no favour. I also keep pushing them of never giving up and instead find a solution and get on with the delivery.

How do you ensure maintaining food

quality consistency? Buying the right products, noting down and implementing guests feedbacks wherever possible, tasting the dishes on a regular basis, making sure that the staff at all levels understand why certain instructions in a recipe have to be fol lowed a nd no irrelevant information in recipes, are some of the ways I maintain my food quality consistency with.

What kind of importance do you place on food presentation and how do you implement it in your restaurant? It is said that one eats with the eyes first. This is very true and hence, food presentation becomes a very important responsibility. I let my team of Sous Chefs use their creativity. The plating has to be clean with areas of unused plate. Once a presentation is approved by us, the photograph is displayed and the dish has to be finished in that way only.

How do your modify your dishes to suit every kind of traveller? Modifying the dish is necessary. We have to sometimes Indianize western and Chinese food and we have to tone down the chilli levels in Indian food. When we have many Indian guests, we have to change and adapt according to which part

Mango with buffalo mozzarella, or chilli in chocolate makes a strange combination but tastes fantastic. l I work quite a bit on retaining the flavours of the ingredients being used in the dish and prefer not to mask them with an overload of spice and other marination. l Herbs like thyme, rosemary, oregano and dill are great with western food. l The Russians most of the times, cannot tolerate even slightest of spices, so the food is really kept to the basics l

KAYOMARZ BHARUCHA EXECUTIVE CHEF, THE LEELA GOA

I give my team as much freedom as possible so that they use their creative flair to come up with great dishes themselves. Also I like being honest and fair to them and entertain no favour.

of India the majority of them are from. Many Indians can be notoriously unadventurous when it comes to food. We avoid changing some basic and well known dishes like Goan fish curry, chicken makhani, rogan josh, xacutti and vindaloo too much, as it would detract from the authenticity. The Russians most of the times, cannot tolerate even slightest of spices, so the food is really kept to the basics. Even crushed pepper would be high on their spice intolerance levels.

What are the current dining trends? Some of the current trends are

eat healthy, use less oil, less spice and less salt. There are those who would have read, researched or been told that something is good or bad for their health and would ve r y ent hu s ia s t ica l ly s t ick to thei r newly m isinformed ‘healthy’ diet. But most of them do not reali ze that it m ight not be good for them, or the i n for mat ion i s not ent i rely true and that even quantity consumed matters. Most people even today tend to overeat and then blame this or that i ng red ient for thei r malaise. ■ by ANUPRIYA BISHNOI

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 39

CHEF’S PAGE

Brands suggested by the chef: Dutch Oven- Lodge (comes with a tightfitting lid, for a properly cooked food) l Immersion BlenderCuisinart or Kenwood (U.K.) (to blend ingredients well) l Salt and Pepper MillsLa Tavola (to grind pepper finely) l Thermometer- Bonjour Laser thermometer (to measure the right temperature of food) l Tongs- La Tavola (to grip and lift hot utensils) l

Gautam Mehrishi kitchen essentials Gautam Mehrishi, celebrity chef and host of Zee Khana Khazana, tells HotelScapes some of the pre-requisites of the urban kitchen and how possession of these can make the cooking session easy and hassle-free. Dutch Oven

A cast-iron Dutch oven efficiently retains heat and can be used either on the stovetop or in the oven to brown and/or braise meats, make stews, even roast whole chickens. Unless coated in enamel, a cast-iron pot must be seasoned before use – rub the inside of the pot with shortening and bake it in a moderately hot oven for about one hour. The seasoning process creates a naturally non-stick surface and prevents the cast iron from reacting with foods or absorbing their flavours.

CELEBRITY CHEF AND HOST OF ZEE KHANA KHAZANA

Seeing isn’t always believing: All stovetops and ovens perform differently.

40 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

Thermometer

Immersion blenders do double or even triple duty, blending soups and smoothies, chopping fruits and vegetables, even whipping egg whites or heavy cream. They allow you to work right in the prep bowl or cooking pot, without dirtying additional bowls or equipment. Ideal is the one with a pushbutton control for continuous or pulsed action.

Seeing isn’t always believing: All stovetops and ovens perform differently, so trying to gauge the doneness of a dish just by sight or touch or smell or even a timer isn’t easy. That’s where a food thermometer comes into play. Whether you like your steaks done medium-rare or need your turkey to be thoroughly roasted, a food thermometer that measures the internal temperature of your meat and poultry will take the guess work out of cooking. Look for thermometers that are ‘instantread’ and have a higher-end range of at least 200°F. And while a basic food thermometer does the job well, fancier models like a programmable digital model with remote monitor – may appeal to the gadget-lover.

Salt and Pepper Mills

Tongs

Earlier you didn’t give much thought to salt and pepper, and the only place where you really saw freshly ground pepper and salt was in a restaurant. But now, salt and pepper have risen above their oncelowly stations, as evidenced by the proliferation of salt and pepper mills. Consider the size of the mills and the ease of operation, whether you want to use them with just one hand, two hands, or even get one that’s electrically operated. Other aspects to consider is the

When we need to fish something out of a pot of boiling water or flip a steak over on the grill we need a pair of tongs. Ideally we should look for tongs that are long enough for all purposes (I recommend 12 inches) and have a locking mechanism so they stay closed while stored. Although you can find tongs made of plastic and wood, tongs crafted from metal are the strongest and most versatile. ■

Immersion Blender

GAUTAM MEHRISHI

coarseness of the grind adjustable and how easy or difficult is it to clean are two very important factors. I like my sea salt freshly grounded, so this mill is a key appliance for me.

by ANUPRIYA BISHNOI

DESIGN

Restoring an ancient palace into a luxurious hotel

Devi Garh by Lebua

Devi Garh by lebua is a heritage hotel, in the village of Delwara. It was the royal residence of the rulers of Delwara principality, from the middle of the 18th century until the mid-20th century.

evi Garh is a stunning fort palace that has been restored into a luxurious and romantic retreat. Nestled in the Aravali hills, 28 kilometers away from the bustle of Udaipur, this all-suite luxury resort assumes the look of novel India with an emphasis on design and detail, leaving a long lasting impact on the residents. The interior of this fort palace has been transformed in a minimalist contemporary manner while conser ving the ancient ex terior. How the contemporary elements have been

42 HOTELSCAPES â&#x20AC;˘ October 2013

juxtaposed with the ancient one, is a site worth seeing. The restoration took over 7 years and the team was led by architect Gautam Bhatia and architect Navin Gupta. The interior spaces were redesigned in minimalistic style by interior designer Rajiv Saini. Using traditional materials and motifs, contemporary designs have been created beautifully. The raw materials that are used in the construction are primarily local and incorporating white marble extensively throughout the palace, leaves a pristine charm to the entire hotel space.

DESIGN

Garden Suite

he 490 sq. ft. Garden Suites have their own private lobby, garden and tented terrace. The floors are all done in marble. Aesthetically designed bay windows, overlook the gardens, making it a perfect place for relaxing and soothing your senses. A spacious bathroom fitted with a soak in bath done in marble, and bay windows complete the suite.

Palace Suite

he 650 sq. ft. Palace Suites have either balconies or bay windows, which overlook the village and the mountains. This suite is designed completely with marble combined with semi-precious stones, such as malachite, mother of pearl, jasper and lapis lazuli that give an aura of luxury and elegance to the suite.

Aravali Suite

he 720 sq. ft. Aravali Suites consist of a sitting area and a spacious bedroom that has been designed extensively using Indian mosaic form. The headboard in the bedroom consists of an entire wall that has been done in laser cut Indian motifs. There is an elevated balcony that extends from the sitting area, which is designed as an extended sitting area. The bathrooms are spacious and fitted with sunken baths and crafted completely in marble. These suites offer complete privacy and have a spectacular view of the Aravali hills, and you can enjoy the marvelous view from its balcony or large bay windows.

October 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ HOTELSCAPES 43

DESIGN

Devi Garh Suite

he Presidential Suites also called as Devi Garh Suites span over 1,200 sq. ft. that are extravagantly contrived consisting its own black marble pool, private sun deck and Jacuzzi. The suite consists of a master bedroom and the work of Indian mosaic beautifies the floor. There is a little corner in the suite that has been converted into a reading area and here the original architecture of the fort has been kept intact. The sitting area, the flooring of the sitting area too is done in Indian mosaic. The bathrooms are of these suites are comparatively large and done entirely in marble, with a luxurious soak -in bath.

Restaurant

he design has been completely done using marble. The tables, which are also fashioned in marble, are interspersed with pillars without tampering the original architecture of the fort. The balcony that runs around the entire restaurant, offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, and is used as an outdoor dining area. The restaurant ranges from intimate spaces under the stars, with a wide array of flowers or candles wavering in mirrored walls, to the gentle sound of flowing water or a view of the mountain peaks lit by the moon.

Bar

he original architecture has been retained both in the indoor and outdoor spaces of the bar, leaving an ancient charm to an overall ambience. Flooring is done entirely in granite in a chevron pattern. The Bar at Lebua is a fun, relaxed space integrating the colors and energy of Rajasthan with spectacular sunset views. â&#x2013;

by ANUPRIYA BISHNOI

44 HOTELSCAPES â&#x20AC;˘ October 2013

GUEST COLUMN

Corporate accountability towards the enviornment RAJESH GOPALAKRISHNAN GENERAL MANAGER, THE RAINTREE, ST. MARYS, CHENNAI

Rajesh Gopalakrishnan manages a hotel that proudly proclaims itself to be an eco-sensitive business hotel offering five-start luxury accommodation in Chennai. Having a firm belief on this innovative, social conscious concept, he writes for HotelScapes, describing the ways of creating hotels committed to enhance the guests experience while setting a new standard of environmental responsibility.

Low budget green initiatives A sense of corporate accountability towards Mother Nature only arises w ith a cer ta i n ‘consciousness’. Consciousness is about being socially mindful – recognizing and taking responsibility for the needs of the larger community. Green initiatives with a business conscious model is easier at the inception stage as there are a lot of capital costs especially with plant and machinery later on. That does not mean that one cannot plant a sapling a day and slowly build a beautiful garden. The key efforts in this picture are needed while trying to make an agreement amongst all the stakeholders that these sustainability measures are much needed and that a plan needs to be made with measurable targets. When a hotel is challenged with a capital crunch, they may look at simple things like replacing ordinary bulbs with energy saving ones, as and when they fuse or need to be replaced. Use water saving measures by fitting flow regulators in the taps. Conserve energy by turning of f electricity in non essential areas, building ef f iciency during staf f working hours like at laundry time to conserve usage of power and steam. A hotel can also look at an opportunity to shut down laundry on low peak days like a Sunday. Further, take up water saving measures by asking guests if they would mind the bed linen being replaced on alternate days and bath towels to be

46 HOTELSCAPES • October 2013

reused. Take up simple conservation measures like buying locally, which will not only reduce dependence on imported or transported produce, but will also help reduce the input cost and keep the cost of keeping things fresh and green as well. Start tracking the consumption of fuel, whether it is diesel for boilers or LPG for kitchen – set up targets to reduce consumption for the staf f using benchmarking methods. Also, check with other hotels in the vicinity what their consumption is against a s et nu mb er of ro om s or F & B covers. Set ambient temperatures in air conditioned areas; reduce loss by closing doors and checking consumption. Do simple things like asking the housekeeping staff to draw heavy curtains on windows in rooms during the day to reduce AC loss, which happens due to external heat on the glass windows that gets radiated inside. Most importantly, whatever small initiative one takes, please brief the staff and guests in a way possible so that they are encouraged to participate. Need to rise up to deliver on this new social contract Talking about such practices adding to the value of a brand, I can say that they form the core principle of our hotel The Raintree St Mary’s Chennai, and add lot to our brand, our commitment and our guests who stay with us, see a value in this and appreciate our practices.

GUEST COLUMN

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BE WILLING TO INVEST YOUR TIME, ENERGY AND, MONEY TO MAKE YOUR PROCESSES, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES GREENER WHILE KEEPING YOUR PRICES AS LOW AS YOU CAN.

Basically, being eco sensitive means that we are doing the business in the right way without harming our community. Guests and society in general expect more from the hotels they patronize. This sense has increased in the light of recent corporate scandals, which reduced public trust on big corporations, and reduced public confidence in the ability of regulatory bodies and organizations to control corporate excess. In this day and age of transparency and empowerment, big brands are not meeting people’s requirements. People expect their favourite hotels to be involved in social problems and their quality of life and hotels need to rise up to deliver on this new social contract. Advices on an industrial level and what we actually do T he hotel chains should adopt a conscious business model. But what is conscious business? In simple worlds it’s embracing both money and meaning in today’s economy. Efforts like Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Positive Organizational Scholarship, Sustainability initiatives, Green eco-friendly measu res a nd Socia l E nt repreneu rsh ip a re exa mples of movements to suppor t c on s ciou sne s s. C on s ciou s Bu si ne s s - do customers’ care about social impact, AMUL, for example is the most successful brand in India based on social entrepreneurship. There are a plenty of initiatives that one may take including getting certified by International agencies like Leeds and Earthcheck, even though these initiatives will be successful only when they have a commitment and a top down approach in implementing this. Today companies can make a big impact on scaling sustainable behaviour by working with “style and social status-seeking aspirants” who are seeking to reconcile their desire for shopping and style with responsibility to the environment and society through their purchases. The underlying fact is that times are tough – call it a recession, call it getting out of a recession, call it whatever you wish. Finances are tight for most hoteliers and some initiatives that are green are bit expensive than similar,

lesser green alternatives. Very simply, The Raintree Hotels has a set row of guidelines to achieve a good eco sustainable programme. The guiding principles are as follows: l R educe - Reuse - Recycle - Right way of segregating waste at source point. l Sewage treatment plant clarifies water and the same is used in water bodies and AC chiller plant. l Use of CFL and LED bulbs, as compared to halogen or conventional bulbs reduces energy consumption l Use of cloth (gada) bags, jute bags and paper bags instead of polythene bags. l Two dustbin in the room clearly mentioning ( Re-cyclable & Non Re-cyclable). This initiative binds our guests towards our commitment to sustaining environment. l Herbal bathroom amenities instead of chemical based; hand made soap to support the small scale industries. l Green button at the in-room control console - Initiative to conserve energy by setting the room A/C temperature at 24 degrees. Ideally room is set at 22 degrees on check in. l Encourage guests to have menus as per seasonal availability. Allow guests to order half portions to reduce wastage. l Use of incense sticks, herbal oils as air fresheners, restricting the use of chemical sprays. l Centralised laundry for our hotels - this reduces a lot of resources from being used twice for same purpose. l Wind mill owned by the hotel located offproperty helps reduce carbon footprint and generate renewable clean energy. l Active participation in eco friendly events of the city and being partners in promoting such events for general awareness. Be willing… Be willing to invest your time, energy and, of cource, money to make your processes, products and services greener while keeping your prices as low as you can. It may be tough, but it will be worth it and your guests will see that you care for their environment, which in turn means you care for them, too. ■

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 47

PRODUCTS

Le Mill launches its decorative cement tiles

e Mill launches its new range of decorative cement tiles that offer multiple designs and colours. Floors created from these cement tiles are customisable to a great extent. Unlike ceramic tiles which are (kiln-fired) finished products and come in pre-selected designs and colours, cement tiles are handcrafted from a base of cement, with stencilled patterns brought to life from colourful pigments. Since each tile is handmade, it will take anywhere between 30 to 45 days to deliver the order. The price is on request. For more information visit: www.bharatfloorings.com

Electrolux launches Domino Hobs

he new sleek Domino hobs from Electrolux integrate into any kitchen style and can be combined easily with other appliances. The collection offers a choice of induction, ceramic or gas, and all perfectly match to provide the preferred cooking methods of the most

McCain Foods India introduces Indian-style ‘Masala Fries’

cCain Foods has introduced a new variant in its range of French Fries – McCain Masala Fries. These are super crispy fries coated with special Indian-style seasoning comprising of red chilli, garlic powder, onion powder, fenugreek, black and white pepper. McCain Masala Fries are great to serve with cocktails or as anytime snack. They deliver consistent quality, extra crispiness and natural potato flavour in every bite. The 400 gm pack is priced at `85 and 175 gm trial pack for `37. For more information visit: www.mccainindia.com

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exacting chefs. Some of the features of this hob are- energy saving automatically each time you cook with EcoTimer, intuitive controls: press and slide etc. It is priced at `1,93,000. For more information visit: www.electrolux.in/builtin

Obsessions Xclusif reveals its stylish collection of carpets

bsessions Xclusif launches its stylish range of carpets- Sanzelize. The carpets are made of wool that offers a sophisticated look. These are available in shades of black and brown, colours that are ideal to suit home or hotel decor. Intricately crafted by an exclusive team of artisans, these carpets hold pride of place in homes, office and hotels across the country. This range of carpet is priced at `17,000 to `55,000. For more information visit: www.obsessions.co.in

PRODUCTS

LG launches ultra HD television

G Electronics has expanded its Ultra HD TV portfolio by unveiling two new models- 55-inch and 65-inch to provide an irresistible entertainment experience to its customers. LG’s new ULTRA HD TVs offer incredible sense of immersion with stunningly sharp picture quality and exceptional colour contrast to produce mesmerizing ULTRA HD images. The 55 and 65 inch LA9700 Ultra HD TVs are priced at Rs. 3,30,000 and Rs. 4,50,000 respectively. For more information visit: www.lg.com/in

Cornitos launches its new flavour

ornitos has launched it’s yet another flavour, Tikka masala to its exciting range of nacho crisps. The 100% corn snack is made up of tandoori tikka, with the tinge of freshly ground spices and herbs. Its taste rejuvenates the mood and keeps a momentum throughout the day. Tikka masala is spicy and sizzles the taste buds with its exotic flavour. Tikka masala is a blend of scrumptious flavour and healthy ingredients. Tikka masala is different from the regular flavour and adds a different experience. The 60gm pouch pack is priced at Rs. 35 and 50gm can and Rs.50. For more information visit: www.cornitos.in

Premium linen collection by N.Kumar & Co.

ith the aim of excelling, N.Kumar & Co. is targeting at becoming a premium supplier of linen commodities for the hospitality industry. They specialize in a variety of essential supplies for hotels, spas, hospitals and more. Going beyond the basic amenities of towels, bed sheets, bathmats and pillow covers, the brand offers an extensive range of high end products for the hotel industry. This includes duvet and duvet covers, bathrobes, swimming pool towels, shower curtains and mattress protectors. They aim to provide fast service, good quality and competitive rates to their customers. Price: On Request For more information email: info@nkumarlinen.com

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The art of window dressing by Zynna

ynna has launched Destiny & Design blinds that will help creating a new look of the rooms of hotels or offices, leaving a subtle charm. This range has all kinds of fabrics, panel blinds, curtains rods and accessories. Beautifully made, high quality blinds and curtains fabrics are redefined by their gentle colours and subtle designs which enhances the look of the room. These are available in a wide range of colours, patterns, textures and fabrics, ensuring that one can find the blinds and shades to complement virtually any room or style, they will always look good from inside and outside, adding value to your home. The price is on request. For more information visit: www.zynna.in

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Asian Hotel Industry Awards 2013 renders the Most Admired HR Professional of the Year Award to Nilesh Mitra, Senior Director, Human Resources, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group

wa rde d for p er for m i ng excellently in his profession by applying the best of HR business modules to manage and keep the company’s missions afloat, Nilesh Mitra shares a belief that knowledge development and deployment are truly the catalyst on being the front runner in any competitive scenario. The award ceremony was hosted by Asian Confederation of Business supported by Star Of The Industry Group, endorsed by World CSR Day & Thought Leaders International and presented by CMO Asia & CMO Council.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts receives “Best Business Hotel Brand in Asia-Pacific”

InterContinental Hotels named Asia and Australasia’s Leading Hotel Brand with 22 World Travel Awards

F W

ith 11 first-time wins and 11 repeat awards, IHG took home 22 accolades at the 2013 World Travel Awards (WTA) for InterContinental properties in Asia, Australasia and the Pacific. InterContinental Hotels and Resorts was also named the Leading Hotel Brand in Australasia and Leading Business Hotel Brand in Asia. In addition, si x

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InterContinental properties were named number one in their respective countries. “With more than 90% of InterContinental’s global pipeline in Asia alone, we look forward to bringing even more award winning properties to this part of the world”, commented Bruce Ryde, Director Brand Management, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.

or the 12th year in a row, ShangriLa Hotels and Resorts was awarded the “Best Business Hotel Brand in Asia-Pacific” at the 2013 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Travel Awards. Regarded as one of the travel industry’s most anticipated events, the annual Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Readers’ Poll surveys readers mainly in Asia Pacific, both frequent business travellers and leisure travellers. “We are honoured Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has been named ‘Best Business Hotel Brand’ in Asia-Pacific since 2002. We will continue to offer our distinct brand of hospitality from the heart to our guests from around the world,” said Greg Dogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Shangri-La International Hotel Management.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Capt. CP Krishnan Nair of The Leela conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Literature

admabhushan Capt. CP Krishnan Nair, Founder Chairman and Chairman Emeritus of The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts was conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Literature for his exemplary contribution to the hospitality industry and business management by Jodhpur National University, at the University’s 2nd Convocation Ceremony, which was attended by Shri Amitabh Bachchan, Dr. C. Rangarajan, Chairman, the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, dignitaries from Jodhpur and around the world. Commenting on the recognition, Capt. Nair said, “It is a privilege for me to be the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from Jodhpur National University. It is a reminder of my dream for a fully literate India, where every child, whether a girl or a boy, is given compulsory free education. Only a strong educational foundation will prepare our youth for our country’s future – a future of progress and prosperity.” Capt. Nair, in his address to the hundreds of graduating students of the University, passed on the message of positivity. He said, “The success code lies within you. Whatever dream you choose to pursue, take pride in it. Aim at being the best-of-thebest. Innovative thinking and persistent action are a necessity in this highly competitive globalized economy”. Capt. Nair, who is the recipient of several accolades, including the Global 500 Laureate Roll of Honour by the United Nations for his untiring efforts in environmental conservation, received the prestigious honour along with Shri Amitabh Bachchan, who was also awarded a Doctorate in Literature for his exemplary contribution to Hindi cinema.

October 2013 • HOTELSCAPES 53

EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS

“OF MASTERS AND HEROES” at Art Spice Gallery

Ambassador of Iceland. H.E. Gudmundur Eiriksson; Babita Gupta,Director Art Spice and Kaveen Gupta, Director, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa

Runjuan Tongrut, Director,Tourism Authority of Thailand and Korakot Chatasingha,GM, India, Thai Airways

r t Spice Ga l ler y at The Metropolitan Hotel and Spa recently presented an exhibition of paintings by s ele ct e d mo der n ma st er s and distinguished artists of South India (most of whom are winners of the Indian National Award). The modern masters that pa rticipated were C. Dakshinamoorthy, Po n R a g u n a t h a n a n d P. Pe r u m a l. A. Vi s w a m , N. Manoharan, and P. Gnana form an exceptional trio of ‘heroes’ from the extensive, d e b at a bl e ch r o no lo g y o f Po s t -I nde p e nde nc e a nd Post-Moder n ism ; who considered leading artists in contemporary art. The evening witnessed six masters creating their magnificent works live. The prominent guests admired their truly inspi ring works over f ine wines and hors d’oeuvres. ■

Neeraj Gupta of Delhi Art Society

Art Curator Lovely Singh

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Artist Kanchan Chander

Artist Sangita Gupta

Artist Komala Varatan

Artist P. Gnana doing live painting during the opening ceremony

NEWS SNIPPETS DOMESTIC

ITC Hotels joins hands with RP Group Hotels & Resorts to manage 5 hotels in India and Dubai

TC Hotels has tied up with RP Group Hotels & Resorts to manage 5 hotels in India and Dubai, under ITC Hotels’ 5-star ‘WelcomHotel’ brand and the group’s mid-market to upscale ‘Fortune’ brand. The tie-up has been f irmed up through a Memorandum of Understanding between the two companies. While the two WelcomHotels are already under a management contract and will be flagged off immediately, the three Fortune hotels that are a part of the signed MOU and will be launched subsequently. As part of its expansion drive, ITC Hotels proposes to add several managed hotels to its brand portfolio. On the anvil are an ITC super-premium luxury hotel in Mahabalipuram, a WelcomHotel in Jodhpur, Patna and Chandigarh, and more than 30 hotels under the Fortune brand.

Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, introduces a virtual tour with Google Street View Technology

Carlson introduces the K.B. Kachru Scholarship

y op e n i n g it s do o r s t o the company’s specially designed cameras, Google Maps users can now explore 360° imagery images of all Oberoi Hotels & Resorts in India. On the occasion, Kapil Chopra, President, The Oberoi Group, India said, “We are delighted to be working with Google to showcase our hotels to people all over the world. The Street View based images allow people to experience the ambiance of ou r hotels beyond what you can garner from regular photographs alone”. This initiative will of fer an innovative and dynamic way for guests a round the world to experience the true grandeur and comfort of Oberoi properties.

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Trudy Rautio, President and Chief Executive Officer, Carlson (extreme right), Simon Barlow, President, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Asia Pacific (extreme left). They can be seen with K.B. Kachru (Chairman, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, South Asia) and his wife, Neelam Kachru at the event.

n recognition of K.B. Kachru’s contributions to the company, Ms. Trudy Rautio, P re sident & C EO, Ca rl son C ompa n ie s i n st it ut e d t he “K.B. Kachru Scholarship by Carlson” during the leadership meeting at Stock holm, on t he o c c a s ion of t he 75t h anniversary celebrations of Carlson Companies. K.B. Kachru, an industry veteran, is the Chairman South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and is responsible f o r t h e ove r a l l s t r a t e g y, deve lop me nt a nd g r ow t h

within South Asia. This scholarship aims at providing opportunities for education for the girl child in the field of hospitality. The objective of this merit based scholarship would be to provide vocational a ssi sta nce to mer itor ious g i rl s t ud e nt s by of fe r i n g opportunities of education in Hospitality at IHM, Pusa New Delhi and at the Institute for International Management & Technology (IIMT), Gurgaon. The scholarship entitles the awardees complete course fee for the entire duration of the course.

Before joining Carlson, K.B. Kachru was the Head of the Ashok Group of Hotels. He is a member of various Tourism Advisory Committees and is on the Board of Directors for the Tourism Corporation of various states in India, and the Institute of Hotel Management, New Delhi. K.B. Kachru has been an Executive Member of several associations, including PATA India Chapter, American Society of Travel Agents of India, and Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India.

NEWS SNIPPETS DOMESTIC

Treehouse Group signs up new property in Ranthambore

he Treehouse Group announces its foray into a leisure destination with Anuraga- A Treehouse Resort at Ranthambore, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan. A full service five star hotel, the resort design ref lects authentic Rajasthani architecture and construction styles. The property features 40 rooms, 4 suites, a banquet hall, swimming pool, gardens, conference facility, spa and gym as well as restaurant and bar.

Richa Singh, EVP, Treehouse Group further elaborates, “ Anuraga-A Treehouse Resort at Ranthambore is another landmark for us, as it takes the group to one of the most popular destinations in the country for travellers on business or leisure. Ranthambore is not only famous for its wildlife, but is also one of the most well visited wild life destinations in the country. We are confident that this new addition will set new benchmarks in hospitality and service for our guests.”

Hilton Worldwide Awards Travel with PurposeTM Action Grant to Hilton Garden Inn New Delhi/Saket

O Royal Orchid Hotels launches its 24th property in Bharuch

oyal Orchid Hotels continues its focus of entering into prominent tier III cities with launch of Regenta Central Harimangla Bharuch in the commercial area of the city. On the occasion of the launch, Chender Baljee, Chairman and MD, Royal Orchid Hotels stated, “Bharuch is an economically and culturally rich region of Gujarat poised to rapidly expand as a famous business and tourist destination. Now, there is the promise of Royal Orchid Hospitality to welcome them!” The hotel has 104 elegantly decorated

rooms to suit the needs of the modern traveller, which include 9 Presidential suites, 6 Suites, 51 Executive rooms and 38 Deluxe rooms. The property features a business centre, spa, swimming pool, foreign exchange service and fitness facilities. To meet the varied culinary requirements of the guests, Regenta Central Harimangla offers two dining options - Pinxx, a 24 hrs coffee shop serving a selection of world cuisine and Sky Light, a fine dining restaurant serving Indian and international preparations.

Pride Hotels unveils Pride Sun Village Resort & Spa in Goa

n the occasion of the launch of their 12th property, S.P. Jain, Managing Director, Pride Hotels commented, “We are proud to announce the launch of our all-suite hotel Pride Sun Village Resort & Spa in Goa. Being India’s favourite tourist destination, Goa witnesses an annual footfall of more than a million tourists especially during the upcoming festive season. This modern and uniquely designed hotel will provide deluxe

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facilities and genuine hospitality to all our guests for a truly remarkable experience.” The resort features 136 suites with modern facilities, half acre lush village lawns and is ideally located within close proximity to Baga Beach (only 1.5 kms). To relax, the property boasts of a spa and gymnasium. There are two swimming pools complemented with a sunbedded pool area.

n behalf of Hilton Garden Inn New Delhi/Saket, Hilton Wo r l d w i d e h a s a w a r d e d a US$5,000 Travel with Purpose Action Grant to Pragya. The funds are being used to provide rehabilitation to 34 families i n t he Gawa n i Gaon v i l lage in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. According to Satya Prakash, General Manager, Hilton Garden Inn New Delh/Saket, “We are so very proud to be part of this global initiative and so excited to have won these funds on behalf of our community partner. Our team members continually look for creative ways to extend our impact in our community. This grant will enable us to do just that.” The Travel with Purpose Action Grants programme, launched this year, is part of Hilton Worldwide’s global effort to recognise and encourage collaboration within the communities where we live, work and travel to address local and global challenges.

INTERNATIONAL SNIPPETS NEWS SNIPPETS INTERNATIONAL

Marriott International continues global growth of Autograph Collection with the signing of The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo

arriott International and Prince Hotels, Inc, of Japan t o day a n nou nc e d t hat The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo will become Japan’s first Autograph Collection hotel - a portfolio of independent hotels, with the reopening of the newly renovated hotel on September 14th, 2013. The Autograph Collection is an upscale portfolio of hand-selected

independent hotels each offering its own unique travel experience. Speaking at the signing ceremony i n Tok yo, Si mon Cooper, Marriott International’s President and Managing Director in Asia said, “The vision and inspiration behind Autograph Collection was to create an evolving ensemble of strikingly independent hotels

and this hotel certainly meets those criteria with its wonderful new design and inspiring gardens”. The hotel has at its heart the concept of ‘Japanese style hospitality at the center of the

city’ and is centrally located just a 3-minute walk from Tokyo’s Shinagawa station. The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo also boasts a spacious Japanese ga rden of approximately 2 hectares.

IHG and TAJ RP sign deal for Crowne Plaza Dubai Marin

HG ties up with TAJ RP International, part of RP Group of Companies, to open Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina in 2016. Pascal Gauvin, Chief Operating Officer, India, Middle East and Africa for IHG, said: “We are delighted to partner with TAJ RP International Limited on this exciting new development and to continue to grow the Crowne Plaza brand in Dubai, and the wider United Arab Emirates.” The new development marks the entry of the fourth Crowne Plaza hotel into Dubai and the ninth Crowne Plaza hotel into the UAE, without taking into account the UAE’s first Crowne Plaza Resort scheduled to open in Ras Al Khaimah in 2015.

GHM announces launch of 3rd property in Bali

he Chedi Sakala, GHM’s third property on Bali is also most expansive, 247 suites and 14 two-bedroom pool villas. Bookings are open 1st November 2013 onwards. Located just half-hour’s drive from Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport on naturally lush landscape and unspoilt sands of Tanjung Benoa, the property features exciting dining options and VIP services and facilities.

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Radisson introduces use of iConcierge App

n a bid to simplify the stay experience for tech-savvy customers Radisson Hotels has introduced a virtual tool called iConcierge in properties in South Asia. The application will allow guests to create personalized itineraries, access the local scene, create customer service requests, stream live music, check flight information, and more. In lieu of flipping through the in-room customer service directory, guests now have the ability to make a request within twelve groups of customer service options. The new Radisson app uses mobile, location-based technology to deliver hotel services and amenities and provides guests with the ideal travel companion. A major component of the program is the check-in choice kiosk, which allows guests to bypass the front desk by obtaining their keys from a kiosk located in the lobby. Radisson believes this app will be particularly useful to meeting and event planners since it allows them to virtually host personalized agendas, create menus, request transportation, send instant messages to onsite groups and portably communicate with hotel staff for immediate requests and requirements.

In celebration of Indian culinary excellence

presents

Programme 10th International Chefs Day and Chef Awards Events Trade Test from 16th to 21st October 2013 Venue: Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology Chef Summit At The Ashok at 11:00 a.m. on 23rd November 2013 Grand Finale Award Ceremony Venue: The Ashok Hotel, Chanakyapuri, on 23rd November 2013

Jury Awards Categories

• Golden Hat Chef • Silver Hat Chef • Lady Chef of the Year These awards are for senior Chefs which are decided by a Jury. No trade test is conducted.

Date: 23rd November 2013 Venue: The Ashok Hotel, New Delhi For registration and participation, please contact INDIAN CULINARY FORUM B-66, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase - I, New Delhi -110020 Ph: +91-8800339629, E-mail: chefawards@gmail.com

Master Craftsmen Awards Categories Cash Reward Rs 20,000/- each Master Chef Category • Chef of the Year Award • Master Chef International Cuisine Award • Master Chef Oriental Cuisine Award • Master Chef North India Cuisine Award • Master Chef South India Cuisine Award • Master Chef Kebabs Award • Master Chef Indian Sweets Award • Master Chef International Confectionery Award • Master Baker Award • Kitchen Artist Award • Student Chef of the Year

Deadline for submission of entry forms: 25th September 2013 Registration Fees: INR 2,000/Per Entry

In Association with

Exclusive Trade Media Partner

ALL ABOUT HOTELS & HOSPITALITY

PEOPLE ASHISH GAWARI General Manager, The Lalit Chandigarh He will be responsible for the management of this business property which is also a recent venture of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group. Gawari joined The Group in 2010 and brought with him strong operational background in food and beverage. In his new role, he will uphold the The Lalit’s brand position in Punjab region and will carry forward the innovations in services and F&B section of the hotel.

PANKAJ MATHUR General Manager, The Suryaa, New Delhi Mathur comes with a rich experience of over two decades and has worked significantly with International Hotel Chains like Starwood, Hyatt, Marriott, Oberois, Taj and ITC Welcomgroup. He is looking forward to leverage his experience to contribute in accelerating the growth of the hotel to newer heights. He is eager to lead his talented team towards setting new standards of life style hospitality and delivering the new brand promise ‘Service so memorable’.

SAMRAT DATTA General Manager, Vivanta by Taj-Connemara, Chennai Prior to this, Samrat has had an opportunity to lead the teams at the historic Jai Mahal Palace in Jaipur and at Taj Pamodzi Hotel, a business hotel in Lusaka, Zambia. Samrat has been associated with Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces for about 13 years now. Starting his career at the Taj Bengal, he spent six fruitful years in learning the nuances of the hospitality industry at Bengal’s finest luxury hotel.

TARUN GUPTA Director – Sales and Marketing, The Suryaa, New Delhi He has Business Management specialization in Marketing & Sales from IILM, is a result-oriented individual who is taking on a pivotal role as Director – Sales & Marketing. He has in the past been responsible for establishing and directing the marketing and sales activities for various organizations along with handling their advertising and public relations. Tarun will be responsible for strategy formation and will assure proper work.

RANJIT SHANKAR General Manager, The Gateway Hotel IT Expressway Chennai Prior to joining The Gateway Hotel IT Expressway Chennai, Ranjit has had an opportunity to lead teams as the General Manager of The Gateway Hotels in Surat, Mangalore, and Madurai. He has worked across the country in metros as well as other cities, and brings with him the experience of working in both, business and resort hotels.

RAJEEV KHANNA General Manager, Vivanta By Taj, Surajkund An Institute of Hotel Management, Bangalore pass out, he has been with the Taj for 25 years now. Been to some of our great hotels over these years like the Taj Mahal Delhi, The West End Bangalore, The Taj Coromandel Chennai, The Vivanta By Taj Fort Aguada, which was the most recent stint before this one. He has wealth of experience considering 9 assignments at different positions in different geographies.

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PEOPLE PARUL THAKUR General Manager, JW Marriott, Bengaluru She is responsible for driving the overall business and growth of the hotel in Bangalore. Apart from this, Parul will also be involved in driving associate engagement, brand standard audits, guest satisfaction and setting new standards in service quality. She started her hospitality career with Hilton, New Delhi. After a short stint at Hilton, Parul joined the Marriott family in 1998, as the first employee of Marriott in India at Goa Marriott Resort.

ANJORI KUMAR Director of Communications, Shangri-La – Eros Hotel, New Delhi With a masters in Public Relations and Communication, Anjori comes with over 6 years of resonance in strategic public relations, brand building, integrated marketing communications and press relations. She brings with her this rich experience accompanied with innovative ideas. Extremely social by nature, communications has been her forte since as long as she can remember. She is an avid traveller and loves exploring new destinations across the globe.

FIRUZA SHARMA Director of Sales & Marketing, Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Paschim Vihar With an experience of over 18 years in the hospitality industry, Firuza brings with her strong understanding of the Indian market along with an immense knowledge of sales, marketing, revenue management and even hotel operations and also brings more than 18 years of rich and versatile hospitality experience. Firuza has been associated with hotels companies like Ascott Limited, Lalit Hotels, IHHR Hospitality etc.

GANESH KUMAR MURTHY Chef In-charge, Vivanta by Taj-Fisherman’s Cove, Chennai Ganesh started his culinary career training with Taj Palace and Taj Mahal, New Delhi where he spent two productive years learning the varied nuances of the hospitality industry. Soon after, he moved to Vivanta by Taj-Connemara where he went on to become the Executive Sous Chef. While Italian is one of his favourite cuisines, he also likes to experiment with Japanese flavours and enjoys cooking Indian and south Indian food.

MEGHA AJGAONKAR Director of Sales & Marketing, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel She began her career with Taj Group of Hotels, and handled a diversified portfolio from hotel front office and food & beverage operations to Mumbai commercial sales. She has also been associated with the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Pvt. Ltd. by opening the first Four Points by Sheraton in Navi Mumbai and then proceeding on as the Director of Sales for the Westin Pune Koregaon Park.

AJAY CHAUDHARY Executive Sous Chef , Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal Chef Ajay has built his experience by working with some of the best hospitality brands across India such as Taj, Oberoi, Marriott and Starwood, in cities like Delhi, Goa, Gurgaon and Mumbai. He has to his credit numerous successful and skilfully driven food festivals based on various Indian cuisine. Chef Ajay has always managed to add unique dynamism to a property’s dining options.

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LAST PAGE

Involvement of technology in a traveller’s life: survey findings

ccor’s upscale hotel brand, Pullman, and an independent market research company IPSOS, got together to reveal the results of over 2,200 seasoned international travellers. The survey was conducted from UK to China, including the United States, Germany and France. The surveys most important finding discloses that “blurring” is a growing trend amongst international travellers. Blurring, as we understand, is a gradual intermingling of professional and personal activities; in short, a need to remain connected to both business and leisure lifestyles leading to excessive dependence on technology. Blurring has different effects on different countries. Since technology has made high income frequent travellers highly accessible any time of the day, they are blurring the frontiers between work and personal life. British travellers had a lot to tell about the negatives of such a culture. According to the survey, 86% of Brits take a work mobile on holiday and 40% Brits go so far as to take their work laptop away, whilst 80% of Brazilians travel on leisure with their work laptop. 43% of international travellers always take their mobile professional devices with them on holiday or on weekend trips. 9 out of 10 Brits admit to working, checking or sending business emails in the evening, 73% extend work into their holidays and 40% of Brits check their emails in bed before going to sleep.

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When asked why business blurs into leisure, 62% of Brits simply say their role requires a high level of involvement, whilst 28% want to show commitment a n d 14 % j u s t i f y i t b y s ay everyone at work does it. 82% of Brits feel obligated to work out of hours; with only 60% feeling this will facilitate professional development. As a result 72% of Brits feel work devices impact on their personal life. 51% feel guilty for not spending as much time as they would like with loved ones because work comes home with them, and 27% are rebuked by loved ones for not switching off. As a result, 13% of those questioned find themselves hiding their out of office hours from loved ones. 83% of the Brazilian and 92% of the Chinese travellers surveyed believe these devices help their career development, making them the most connected travellers. The involvement of

professional devices in people’s private lives vary according to nationality. American travellers are the most undecided about technology’s participation and effect in their overall lives. While more than half of them consider that having a mobile professional device makes working easier, the same portion believes that it has a negative impact on their private life. French and German travellers are the ones that blur their professional and private lives the least. They also have the most negative opinion regarding mobile professional devices. Also, they are the least expected to handle private activities during their working hours. 45% of the French and 44% of the Chinese consider it legitimate to use professional devices for private activities because their work also has an impact on their private life! On average, one-third of the survey sample

spends at least 30 minutes a day handling private issues during working hours! 50% of them consider that this time represents a pause in their working day. Lastly, the Australians and British, like the French and Germans, are reluctant, but less assertively so, to allow their private and professional lives to overlap. Xavier Louyot, SVP Global Marketing Pullman explained, “ Universes that were, in theory, disconnected, are increasingly intermingled. In this case, the boundaries between professional and private worlds are increasingly blurred. However, we have a myriad other examples in daily life: the blurring of news and entertainment, of fiction and reality, or even of luxury goods and mass-market products. This survey highlights the extent to which, all over the world, connected objects accompany and accelerate this move towards the dissolution of all boundaries.” ■

Date of Publication: 16/10/2013

RNI No. DELENG/2012/47318 No.U(C)-105/2013-2014, Posting Dt. 16-21/10/2013 Reg. No. DL(C) 01/1353/12-14