Hotel Business Review (Mar-Apr 2017)

Dec-Jan ’17

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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Editorial

Hotel Business Review

HOTEL B u s i n e s s

R e v i e w

An Exclusive Business Magazine for the Hotel Industry

Publisher cum Editor

Rajneesh Sharma

rajneeshhammer@gmail.com

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Associate Editor

ith the rise in health and wellness consciousness through sizeable pockets of urban Indian society during the recent years, the spa industry in the country is gaining momentum.

The effects of the growing demand for spa among the upper and upper middle sections of the urban Indian society are being reflected in the important relevance of spas across quality hospitality properties in the country, during the recent years. These days, almost every five-star hotel in India has spa facility.

In the Cover Story of this issue, we have explored the primary clientele of spas across a number of renowned hospitality properties, and also the diverse benefits of spa in the Indian hospitality industry, through feedback from a number of experts in the industry. These information and perspectives can help benefit many hoteliers thinking of opening a hotel or a resort or a retreat with spa facilities.

The Business Story attempts to show how the enormous revenue earning potential of religious and cultural tourism in our country can be more creatively and effectively harnessed. Some of the interesting state initiatives planned or executed to give a fillip to religious tourism in India are also pointed out in the feature.

The F&B section of the issue explores the possibilities of advance booking of customised menu in the restaurants through the help of newage technologies. Weddings have emerged as an important lucrative revenue earning source for hospitality properties in India. In this issue, through extensive industry feedback, we have probed in to some pragmatic steps to derive sizeable revenues for hotels from weddings.

These are only some of the industry relevant topics explored between the covers of this issue. The News and Event sections, with their rich information base, amply complements the opinions, perspectives and analysis of our features, thereby making the issue an interesting read, as always.

Swarnendu Biswas Resident Editor

Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Layout & Design

Hari Kumar V Abhishek Singh Rathore Production Assistant

Mamta Sharma

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E-mail: info@hammer.co.in Š 2017 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. No article can be reproduced in part or as whole without prior permission of the Publisher.

Hammer Hotel Business Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed and published by Rajneesh Sharma on behalf of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 206, Samrat Bhawan, Ranjeet Nagar Commercial Complex, New Delhi. Printed at Swan Press, B-71, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110 028. Annual Subscription rate within India is Rs. 450 and overseas US $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs. 90 in India and US $25 overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. Editorial Policy : Editorial emphasis in Hammer Hotel Business Review magazine is on educational & informational material specifically designed to assist those responsible for managing instututional Hotel business.

Articles are welcome and will be published on the sole discretion of the editor.

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HOTEL B u s i n e s s

inside

R e v i e w

An Exclusive Business Magazine for the Hotel Industry

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COVER STORY

In the twentieth and t h e o n g o i n g twe nty - f i rs t century, technology has had revolutionised almost every industry and the hospitality industry is no exception to this rule. In fact, hospitality industry has become much more guest-friendly during the recent years, as a result of application of new-age technologies.

Spa industry in India is going through a buoyant phase and this trend is reflected by the fact that nowadays, almost every five-star hotel in the country offers spa services. Spas can not only boost the hotel’s revenues but can also facilitate in attracting the guests to the property.

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BUSINESS

The enormous revenue earning potential of religious and cultural tourism in India needs to be more effectively harnessed by the Indian tourism and hospitality industry, and in this regard, our states and the Union Government should play a more proactive role than they are doing at present.

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OPERATIONS

As weddin gs have become more lavish than ever before, what are the key strategies that can help hotels in India in generating impressive revenues and maximum mileage through weddings is a question that deserves introspection and often, multiple perspectives.

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TREND

TECHNOLOGY

P u tt i n g i n p l a ce a ro b u s t security system in hospitality properties requires enormous amount of planning, investment in the latest equipments and technologies, quite a bit of staff training and a very high level of alertness on the part of the staff and the management of the hospitality properties.

F&B

In the near future, the applications of new-age information te c h n o l o g i e s of t h e d i g i ta l age are expected to be more pronounced in the Indian food services industry.

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departments SPA

An oasis of peace and tranquility, Neeleshwar Hermitage, located in Kasaragod in northern Kerala, stands testimony to the traditional architectural principles of Kerala Vastu.

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News Scan

20 Appointment 22 Focus 50 Product Preview 52 Interview

Cover Pix: Spa at Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort

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Event

Hotel Business Review

Here Comes an All-embracing Hospitality Trade Show A combined show across three integral sectors of the hospitality and food service industry promises to bring 300-350 of the finest brands across categories; all under one roof

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he Restaurant & Catering (RECA) trade exhibition is widening its scope by adding more verticals into its fold.

A new exhibition platform, The Hospitality First Show, will be launched this year, covering the entire gamut of the hospitality industry.

Two new trade fairs, the India Hotel & Leisure Show, and the India Beer, Wine & Spirits Show, will be rolled out under The Hospitality First Show umbrella brand.

The existing RECA, the No.1 exhibition in its niche, will also continue to be held with its identity intact under the umbrella banner — The Hospitality First Show.

The maiden show will be held in Mumbai Exhibition Centre, Goregaon during 21st23rd August, 2017.

With this, Hospitality First India Pvt Ltd, the organiser of the events, aim to cover the full range of segments within the broad HORECA (hotels, restaurant and catering) and the alcoholic beverage (alcobev) industry.

Hospitality First India Pvt. Ltd. is already organising Bakery Business, the leading trade fair for the bakery and patisserie industry, which is into its 12th year.

“We are determined to catapult the hospitality show as the most comprehensive hospitality and food service trade fair,” said Pradeep Gopalan, Director of Hospitality First India Pvt. Ltd.

For a Professional Sourcing Platform Indian tourism is one of the most diverse and sought-after products in the world.

The Indian hospitality and lodging industry has responded brilliantly to match this

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What to Expect from the Hospitality First Show

diversity by creating products that satisfy travellers.

“We are responding to a market need.

The hotel & leisure and alcobev shows are necessitated by the absence of a professional sourcing platform,” said Gopalan.

Most top-notch global hotel chains have presence in India. To support business operations of such a diverse hospitality portfolio, a robust supplier ecosystem that can offer tourists a truly global and valuefor-money proposition, is being needed.

The supplier fraternity — domestic and international — across categories relies heavily on business trade fairs to market, promote and launch their products.

Unfortunately, the entire hospitality supplier ecosystem in India continues to rely and be served insufficiently by one national fair for the last 31 years. Lesserknown regional fair organisers over the last decade have remained stagnant in size or dismal in performance.

Hospitality First India Pvt. Ltd., an experienced and industry-recognised Indian trade show organiser with over five decades of combined domain expertise in conceptualising and executing, besides consulting national and international show organisers in staging first class shows in the Indian hospitality and food service arena, is striving to bring that change.

Hospitality First seeded the first dedicated show for the restaurant and catering sector in 2010. RECA, now in its 8th edition, is building on its existing base of 150 confirmed, exclusive food service sector companies to launch India Hotel & Leisure Show, and India Beer, Wine & Spirits Show.

The combined show across three integral sectors of the hospitality and food service industry promises to bring 300-350 of the finest brands across categories, all under one roof.

The RECA show already attracts over 5,500 plus food service operators and over 2,000 hotel owners as trade visitors across categories in India. All in all, over 13,000 trade visitors are expected over three days of the forthcoming show.

Supporting events, such as the ‘Hotel and F&B Consultants Forum’, ‘Hotel Safety & Security Heads Forum’, and ‘Hospitality Procurement Heads — Supplier Engagement Forum’ will have a direct influence and impact on purchase on the show floors.

Exclusive speeches and informative conference sessions will be tailored to keep you abreast of the current hospitality industry environment.

Professional Chefs, bartenders and sommeliers — all and more will be found outdoing each other at a host of professional culinary and mixology championships during three days of the show.

“This launch will be a watershed moment redefining business fairs in the Indian hospitality and food service sectors, fuelling industry growth,” Gopalan elaborated.

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Event

Hotel Business Review

TRAFS 2017: One-stop Shop for Hotel, Food Service Solutions Thailand’s biggest international hospitality and food service show is set to bring in to one platform 150 exhibitors and more than 20,000 target buyers from 50+ countries

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ontinuing its tradition of offering hotels and food service providers a onestop shop for sourcing new food and drink equipment/ ingredients and other hotel supplies, the Thailand Retail, Food & Hospitality Services (TRAFS) 2017 is now set to roll out its 11th edition over a period of four days starting on 13th July.

Over 150 exhibitors representing a full range of products from more than 500 brands are expected to participate at the 13th-16th July show to be held at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) in Thailand.

As many as 20,000 buyers/decision makers from almost 50 countries are expected to visit the four day event, said Kavin Kittiboonya, Managing Director of Kavin Intertrade Co., Ltd. which organises TRAFS 2017.

TRAFS 2017 will house four country pavilions from Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China to help exhibitors find potential distributors to serve the booming tourist and food service businesses in Thailand

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and the neighbouring regions, Kavin said.

At this international hospitality and food service show, visitors and buyers can expect to see a comprehensive product range of latest technologies from hotel/food equipment and supplies, chilling and freezing equipment, cleaning equipment and supplies, food packaging, tableware /kitchen utensils, mattress and linens, vehicles/golf carts, coffee, bakery and ice-cream equipment, ingredients and supplies, meat and poultry/seafood, food ingredients, dairy products/cheese, wine/beer/liquor,information system, and signage/LED display, etc.

“TRAFS 2017 will be a one-stop shop hotel and food service solutions platform for owners/executives/professionals in hospitality and food service industry as a whole, including fine dining, restaurants, coffee, bakery and ice-cream shops to source new food and drink equipment/ ingredients and hotel supplies,” Kavin noted.

Besides products, visitors can also expect to see at the event comprehensive activities from hospitality professionals, i.e. food and bakery competitions, master classes on food and bakery by renowned Chefs, seminars from front office managers, and human resource personnel.

What is more, alongside TRAFS 2017, two big events are also being organised by Kavin Intertrade.

Th es e two eve nts a re — Th a i l a n d Franchise & Business Opportunities (13th edition), the biggest franchise show in ASEAN; and ASEAN Retail 2017 (2nd edition), an international show on retail equipment and supplies.

“This is a unique opportunity for buyers/ decision makers to visit three big events in one place at one time,” Kavin pointed out.

(Contact: Mr. Pipat at pipat.kavin@gmail. com for more information.

Website: www.thailandhoreca.com)

EVENTS’ CALENDER Tuttofood 2017 8-11 May 2017, Fieramilano, Italy www.tuttofood.it HOFEX 2017 8 - 11 May 2017 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Hongkong, China www.hofex.com

Bakery China 10-13 May 2017 Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre Shanghai,China www.bakerychina.com SIAL China 2017 17-19 May 2017 Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre Shanghai,China www.sialchina.com NRA Show 2017 20-23 May 2017 McCormick Place, Chicago, USA www.show.restaurant.org/ Thaifex- World of Food Asia 2017 31 May- 4 June 2017 Impact Challenger & Exhibition Centre Bangkok, Thailand www.worldoffoodasia.com The Bakery World Expo 15-17 June 2017 Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India www.thebakeryworldexpo.com Heimtextil India 20-22 June 2017 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India www.heimtextil-india.in.messefrankfurt.com Ambiente India 2017 20-22 June 2017 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India www.ambiente-india.in/ Bakers Technology Fair 7-9 July 2017 CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India www.bakerstechnologyfair.com

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Event

Hotel Business Review

40th Edition of HostMilano: One Show, Many Business Opportunities With more than 1,400 companies – 41 percent from outside Italy – already signing up for the show, it promises to be a successful edition with wide-ranging international representation and great numbers both in terms of exhibiting companies as well as in terms of visitors Representing Coffee Coffee has been one common denominator in the world of hospitality since long, and this is more true today than ever was.

HostMilano has welcomed this industry as part of Sic, the International Coffee Exhibition, which has brought together the entire industry (from producers and distributors of green coffee to roasters to all the way to companies that make coffee machines) for 24 editions, offering highlevel innovation and training.

The associations involved – Altoga; Fipe, International Hub for Coffee Research and Innovation; Scae and Wce – support this event as do exhibitors, which range from HostMilano, a leading international show focused on HoReCa, is all set to roll out its 40th edition at Fiera Milano Rho in Italy during 20th-24th October 2017.

With more than 1,400 companies — 41 percent from outside Italy – signed up less than a year from the opening of the show, it promises to be a successful edition with wide-ranging international representation and great numbers both in terms of exhibiting companies as well as in terms of visitors.

HostMilano offers the perfect vantage point for discovering the new trends in food, hospitality and retail.

It is a world that becomes ‘real’ in the pavilions of FieraMilano every two years, but it never ceases to exist, and it stays up-to-date, thanks to special events, the web and social networks.

During the 2015 edition of the show, the threshold of 150,000 visitors was surpassed for the very first time, with growth of 17 percent over the 2013 edition

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of the show. These visitors included 90,585 Italians and 60,383 foreigners, from 172 countries.

Organised every two years, the show focuses on three macro areas — food service equipment; coffee/tea; and furnishings and tableware.

The five-day international hospitality exhibition also creates synergy among these areas, thanks to the fact that they are all featured at the same show, allowing for constant exchange and interaction.

Thus the show offers an ideal platform for the hospitality professionals who are faced with a clientele that wants to find everything in one place.

These professionals include baristas, Pastry Chefs, gelato makers, bakers, retailers, and restaurant and hotel owners.

large companies to small specialty roasters.

The three major target markets for this edition of the event are the US, Canada and the Middle-East.

There will be more than 1,500 hosted b u ye rs at t h e eve n t . Th a n ks t o a n increased investment in getting in-depth profile information on buyers and closer collaboration with ITA — the Italian Trade Agency — many new buyers are expected at the show.

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Hotel Business Review

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Sarovar Hotels to Open all- Nirwana Hometel Opens suite hotel in Zambia Jaipur Adda Expanding its overseas portfolio, Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. is now set to open an 82 key all-suite hotel in Zambia’s capital and its largest city, Lusaka.

With the signing of its latest project, Sarovar Premiere Lusaka in Zambia, Sarovar Hotels will mark its presence in five countries in Africa — Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Zambia.

“It is the only all-suite hotel in town which will offer the space and comfort of a personal apartment; an extension of a home,” Sarovar Hotels said in a statement in March.

The hotel is being developed by Zambia-based Neelkanth Group, whose Ajay Bakaya,MD, Sarovar Hotels (L) with core business lies in steel, Vishnu Wadhawan, Director, Neelkanth lime, copper cables and real Group, Zambia estate.

“Sarovar Premiere Lusaka is expected to open in 2018,” the statement added.

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In a unique tribute to the adda culture, Nirwana Hometel Jaipur opened a new dining hang out named Jaipur Adda.

With a distinctive characteristic of split personality, Jaipur Adda invites guests to adda and chitchat over cutting chai and hand-beaten desi coffee as a charming bistro in the day time while it transforms into a swanky bar post sunset; a destination to unwind over drinks, beers and cocktails coupled with delightful bites amidst great music.

The menu features Indian cuisine with a twist and innovative presentation, and a wide selection of tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages.

“We are delighted to be bringing in a new concept for the people of this city. Jaipur Adda is a place where you can not only indulge in the choicest of food offerings but can also get the perfect setting for parties and events. We are presenting new preparations that incorporate unique ingredients and innovative cooking techniques.

A selection of creatively crafted beverages compliments the menu,” said Nipun Vig, Regional Director — North, Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. Nirwana Hometel Jaipur is Sarovar’s vibrant value brand.

India’s First ‘Pod Hotel’ Opens in Mumbai India got its first Japanese-style capsule hotel when Urbanpod opened its door in Andheri (East) in Mumbai on 1st March, offering a new option for those seeking luxury-accommodation on a tight budget.

Urbanpod is the brainchild of Shalabh Mittal and Hiren Gandhi who chanced upon this idea during their stay at an elegant pod hotel in Singapore. They felt that the concept of pod hotels can offer quality service while keeping the prices affordable. Hence they decided to bring the concept to India along with their Singapore partner, Berlin Lee, who has experience in running pod hotels.

The modern architectural design and interiors of the hotel were done up by the renowned architectural firm from Singapore, Formwerkz.

Urbanpod offers 140 pods, divided in different categories — suite pods, private pods, classic pods for men — and exclusive pods for women who travel solo.

“New-age travellers look forward to places that are affordable, hygienic and provide safe accommodation at a centrally-located place. Urbanpod provides just the right-mix!” said Gandhi, Co-founder & Director, Urbanpod.

Each pod in the hotel comes with a cosy bed/ bed cover, personal locker with secure keycard access, plasma TV (with headphone facility), personal reading light, power socket, hangers, a dresser (wall mirror), free Wi-Fi, adjustable air-conditioning facility, air-purifier and a sliding door with locking-facility for added privacy.

The promoters of Urbanpod aim to fill the gap in the Indian hospitality industry by offering a unique product that provides an alternate, practical and smart-accommodation (with good value-for-money) without compromising on quality, safety, comfort and style, thereby assisting the travellers in optimising their spends, rather judiciously.

The promoters said that they wanted to take the concept and brand pan-India and they were open to business-partnerships, including franchising, to expand their presence.

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Crystal Sarovar Premiere Agra Gets 5-Star Rating

S a r o v a r H o t e l s Ta ke s Hometel Brand to Nairobi

In recognition of its superior services and facilities, Crystal Sarovar Premiere Agra has been certified as a 5-Star hotel by the Ministry of Tourism. The certification represents the hotel’s status as one of the leading premium hotels in Agra. The 136 keys hotel has received the certification for a period of five years, till the year 2022.

“This certification reinforces our strengthening position in the leisure markets. Agra holds a high significance in the tourism map and we are glad to be able to offer the best of our signature Sarovar hospitality in this city,” said Ajay K. Bakaya, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. Commenting on this acknowledgment, Vivek Mahajan, General Manager, Crystal Sarovar Premiere Agra, said, “We are delighted to be certified with 5-Star ratings for Crystal Sarovar Premiere.

We have been delivering a premier full-service and upscale hotel experience to guests when they visit one of the most popular tourist destinations in India.”

The elegant 136 well-appointed rooms of the hotel offer luxurious amenities and personalised service. More than half of the hotel’s room inventory offers a magnificent view of the Taj Mahal.

Sarovar Hotels P v t . Ltd . re ce nt l y announced the overseas debut of its value brand Hometel with the signing of a hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. The yet to be opened hotel, Tetezi Hometel Nairobi, will mark Sarovar Hotel’s fourth offering in Kenya’s capital after The Heron Portico, The Zehneria Portico, and The Lazizi Premiere. With this, Sarovar will exceed a total of 400 keys in Nairobi and 800 keys in Africa.

The 80 keys Tetezi Hometel will be located along Riverside Drive, Nairobi, and is owned by Tetezi House Ltd. “The hotel, upon completion, will offer all modern facilities required for a first class hotel of international standards.

Construction of the project has commenced and the hotel is expected to open in 2019,” Sarovar Hotels said in a statement.

“Hometel, our mid-segment brand, delivers profitable hotels to owners. There is a growing demand for good value for money hotels across the country and abroad. This is the largest demand segment. We aim to cater to these markets with our hotels by offering best value to business and leisure travellers,” said Ajay K. Bakaya, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. Tetezi Hometel Nairobi will be Sarovar Hotels’ eighth property in Africa.

Radisson Blu Kaushambi Delhi NCR Hosts Mr and Miss India 2017 Radisson Blu Kaushambi Delhi NCR hosted a gala event of Mr and Miss India 2017. The event was organised in association with Dreamz House Production.

Kamil Khan and Simran Tiwari wowed the audience by winning the title for Mr and Miss India 2017 respectively.

“We are delighted to have hosted such a prestigious event and look forward to many more.

We, at the hotel, congratulate the winners and wish them the best for their future,” said Hemant Mehta, General Manager, Radisson Blu Kaushambi Delhi NCR. Prior to this, sub contests were held in various cities across India to select the semi-finalists. Approximately 60 finalists were then shortlisted for the final round, who vied for the title.

The event was judged by prominent faces of the entertainment industry including film director Madhur Bhandarkar, and Bollywood actors Urvashi Rautela and Ranvijay Singh, among others.

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Double Wins for AccorHotels N i r a a m a y a R e t r e a t s Cardamom Club, Thekkady at 2017 HICSA AWARDS AccorHotels has won two awards at the 2017 Hotel Investment Revamped Conference South Asia (HICSA), held in April in Mumbai. Mercure Hyderabad KCP, AccorHotels’ first midscale hotel in the City of Nizams launched last year, was named ‘Best Mid-Market Hotel’ and ibis Styles Goa Calangute, India’s very first ibis Styles, was awarded ‘Best Budget/ Economy Hotel’ award at the event.

H I CSA i s o n e of t h e m o s t coveted forums for all hospitality players and the awards conferred at the two day event are amongst the highest accolades for members of the industry.

Criteria for the awards were based on MakeMyTrip ratings, guest rooms (interiors, design and in-room amenities), F&B (meeting and banqueting), and corporate social responsibility, to name just a few.

“Once again, AccorHotels shone brightly at HICSA and we are delighted to win these two awards. Mercure Hyderabad KCP and ibis Styles Goa Calangute are amongst our most recent hotels to open in India. The awards are a reflection of the hard work and dedication of these hotels’ team in driving service excellence to make their guests feel welcome,” said Jean-Michel Cassé, Chief Operating Officer, India & South Asia, AccorHotels.

Th e n ew l y reva m p e d N i ra a m aya Ret re ats Cardamom Club in Thekkady, Kerala is now open for guests.

The renovation was done under the direction of an Indo-Italian architecture firm, Kumar La Noce.

Complementing the existing plantation-style cottages, the newly added rooms are built on stilts to afford great majestic mountain views. The rooms have cleverly positioned floor-to-ceiling windows, so guests can wake up to stunning views of nature. The interiors, a play of muted tones with pops of colour, feature minimal decoration and vibrant art.

“All rooms will have air-conditioning, a feature exclusive to only a few properties in the region; and be spruced with amenities such as minibar, Wi-Fi, and luxurious bath amenities,” Niraamaya Retreats said in a statement.

The new Niraamaya Spa, spread across 1200 sq. ft., features a lobby and fully-equipped Ayurveda and international therapy rooms with private outdoor sit-outs.

The Elevation Wins Best New Spa (Resort) Award The Elevation, the signature spa of The Tamara Coorg in Karnataka, was declared ‘Best New Spa (Resort)’ at the recently held ‘GeoSpa asiaSpa India Awards’ ceremony.

“We are pleased to receive the award for ‘Best New Spa (Resort)’ at the GeoSpa asiaSpa India Awards. This award is recognition of the thoughtful and holistic spa experiences curated by us to ensure that our guests truly enjoy the serenity of the peaceful surroundings at The Tamara Coorg,” said Shruti Shibulal, Promoter & Director of The Tamara Coorg.

“At The Elevation, we endeavour to restore balance and harmonise energy, making it the perfect getaway to unwind from the daily grind. This win only motivates us further in our journey to achieve excellence,” Shruti said.

The Elevation Spa at The Tamara Coorg is located within a hundred-year-old plantation bungalow. It is surrounded by the lush greenery and serenity of the surrounding organic coffee plantation.

The six tastefully designed treatment rooms of The Elevation include a couple room with private Jacuzzi and steam and shower area, three Ayurveda rooms with attached steam and shower area, a facial studio, and a manicure and pedicure station.

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Hotel Business Review

Louvre Hotels Group Launches The Imp erial New D elhi 5th Property in Delhi NCR Region Wins Award from National Louvre Hotels Group, the largest hotel chain in India, has launched Productivity Council

its fifth property, Golden Tulip Suites, Gurgaon, in Delhi-NCR region.

Conveniently located on the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road, Golden Tulip Suites Gurgaon is in Gwalpahari – the upcoming business hub in Gurgaon with easy connectivity to Delhi, Gurgaon and Faridabad.

Louvre Hotels Group is a subsidiary of Jin Jiang International H o l d i n g s C o . , Lt d . , o n e o f China’s largest tourist and travel conglomerates.

The other four properties in Delhi-NCR by Louvre Hotels Group are Golden Tulip Chattarpur, Golden Tulip Vasundhara, Golden Tulip Hari Nagar, and Golden Tulip Gurgaon Galgotia.

“The launch of our second property in Gurgaon is a strategic decision of the group to expand our brand presence in the DelhiNCR region. In Gwalpahari, Gurgaon, there is a requirement of quality accommodation and our property promises to deliver the international standard of services in an area that is fast developing and is soon going to be the next business hub of Gurgaon,” said Vimal Singh, Managing Director, Golden Tulip Hotels and Resorts, South Asia.

The Imperial New Delhi has been awarded ‘Certificate of Appreciation in 3R’s (Reduce, Recycle and Reuse)’ by National Productivity Council, under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. The award was presented to Anil Kumar — Director of Engineering at The Imperial New Delhi, at a seminar organised

by National Productivity Council on 13th February 2017.

The award to The Imperial New Delhi serves as a recognition of the successful efforts put together in saving a large amount of electricity and water, apart from the 3R practices for waste management.

“It is a befitting tribute to the green operations at The Imperial New Delhi. It is not just a moment of immense pride for us, it is also hugely motivating for our associates who have contributed towards maintaining 3Rs across the hotel for a 360 degree environment-friendly operations with sustainability,” said Vijay Wanchoo, Sr. Executive Vice-President and General Manager, The Imperial New Delhi.

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Holiday Inn Chennai OMR IT Expressway Launched In the recent past, Holiday Inn Chennai OMR IT Expressway was launched on the arterial Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), located in Chennai’s southern business district, which is home to India’s premier IT companies.

The contemporarily designed property comprising 202 rooms and suites is jointly promoted by Chennai-based SRP Tools and Bangalorebased Brigade Group and is managed by InterContinental Hotels Group. The hospitality property was inaugurated in the presence of captains of industry, consular officers, bureaucrats, notables from the world of travel, tourism and hospitality trade.

Lo cat e d i n t h e heart of the corporate, lifestyle and social hub of C h e n n a i , H o l i d ay I n n C h e n n a i O MR I T Expressway, according to a press release, offers exciting dining options, vibrant meeting spaces and rejuvenating recreational facilities. Business Centre with high-speed Internet access, banquet hall for about 280 people, a well-equipped fitness centre, and three dining options - Café G, The Lounge, and Score – are important features of the hospitality property.

Commenting on the launch, M.R. Jaishankar, CMD, Brigade

Group, said, “We are excited to reveal a new luxury landmark in a strategic location, in the IT corridor of Chennai. This is our first ever project in Chennai and we have spared no effort in ensuring that our hotel, with its contemporary design and services, to soon become a landmark in the city. We are happy to partner with IHG, which will manage our Holiday Inn Chennai. We are confident that our guests can look forward to exemplary service of international standards as may be expected from a hotel of this class”.

Speaking on the occasion, Badri Palaniappan, Director, SRP Tools, said, “We at SRP are very excited about our foray into the hospitality space. Along with our partners, Brigade Group, we strongly believe that we have created an exceptional product in a great location. We are most excited about signing up with IHG to manage the hotel under the Holiday Inn brand.”

Novotel Goa Shrem Hotel Opens New Luxury Wing Novotel Goa Shrem Hotel from the AccorHotels group recently announced the opening of its new luxury wing. Located in North Goa, it serves as an idyllic getaway, blending style and comfort. The all new club wing houses 64 tastefully designed opulent rooms with private balconies overlooking the serene pool and the hillocks of the green belt of Candolim.

The new rooms are designed to ensure an amalgamation of sophistication and élan. Each of the 430 sq. ft. room comes with a balcony, cedar wood-themed minimalist design, with a sink in bed and a sofa cum bed for couples with kids, 42 inch LED TV, open closet, 300-thread-count cotton linen, organic tea options, well-lit bathrooms with vanity, shower and Novotel toiletries.

The wing features an all-day dining restaurant, a pool bar, lobby lounge & deli, cycles on rent, an Apple iMac corner, and an interactive kids’ activity room.

“We are delighted to launch the new luxury rooms for our guests. This brings the Novotel experience to a new level of sophistication, combining the best of our hospitality experiences and local offerings at Candolim, thereby creating a unique experience with style and panache,” said Rohan Sable, General Manager, Novotel Goa Resorts & Spa and Novotel Goa Shrem Hotel.

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Mar-Apr ’17

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Appo intments

Hotel Business Review

Gopal Jha Chef Gopal Jha is the Executive C h ef at G ra n d M e rc u re Bangalore. Prior to joining Accor Hotels at Grand Mercure Bangalore in March 2017, Chef Gopal had worked with The Lalit - Golf & Spa Resort, Goa. In the past 11 years of his career, Chef Gopal has also worked with noted hotel chains including Starwood, Taj and Hyatt International.

As an Executive Chef at G ra n d M e rc u re B a n g a l o re, Chef Gopal is responsible for all kitchen operations related to food and beverage in the property.

A diploma holder in Hotel Management from the Subhas Bose Institute in Kolkata and an Executive MBA in Finance from Karnataka Open University, G o p a l ’ s a re as of ex p e rt i s e i n c l u d e E u ro p e a n c u i s i n e, oriental cuisine, bakery and patisserie.

Chef Sudhir Nair Sudhir Nair has been appointed as the Executive Chef of both Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru Outer Ring Road and Fairfield

by Marriott Bengaluru Outer

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Mar-Apr ’17

Ring Road. Chef Sudhir brings to his new role over 17 years of expertise in the culinary field.

Chef Sudhir begun his dream career with the ITC Maratha pre-opening kitchen team in Mumbai. He went on to be part of the core planning and execution team for opening of ‘Dakshin’ – a south Indian restaurant in ITC Maratha — along with South Indian state-wise Master Chefs. He has since been associated with pre-opening of many restaurants both in India and abroad. He was also part of the opening team for the grand 340 cover ala carte Italian and Asian restaurant ‘Social House’ in Dubai.

Rohit Srivastava Hyatt Regency Delhi recently announced the appointment of Ro h i t S r i vas tava as i ts Director of Food & Beverage.

With 14 years of experience in hospitality industry, Srivastava has worked with The Oberoi Rajvilas at various positions and is with Hyatt Regency Delhi for the past nine years.

Having done his diploma in hotel management and catering technology from College of Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Lucknow, Srivastava has a keen interest in guest relationship management and food and beverage marketing.

“I am extremely delighted on taking up this role and look forward to taking food and beverage at Hyatt Regency Delhi to a greater height,” Srivastava said on his appointment.

Tristan Beau de Lomenie Tr i s ta n B e a u d e Lo m e n i e, General Manager Delegate of Pullman New Delhi Aerocity and Novotel New Delhi Aerocity – both of which are under AccorHotels – will function as the Director of Operation, LUXE Hotels India.

In his extended role, Tristan will be responsible for the operations of all the luxury and upscale hotels of AccorHotels in India.

Tristan has been associated with AccorHotels for almost 30 years now, having been responsible for managing many AccorHotels’ properties across many brands and locations.

Tristan has been associated with AccorHotels India since 2 01 3 a n d h as s u ccessf u l l y opened and launched the 670-room combo property — Pullman and Novotel New Delhi Aerocity.

S. Karthikeyan Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. has appointed S. Karthikeyan as VicePresident – Sales. Karthikeyan brings to his new role experience of over nine years in hospitality

sales and marketing.

A t S a ro v a r, h e w i l l b e responsible for conceptualising and implementing sales strategies — both at corporate a n d re g i o n a l l e v e l — a n d will contribute in further s t re n g t h e n i n g t h e g ro u p ’ s efforts in driving more business from existing as well as new markets.

Karthikeyan’s previous stint includes experience with ITC Hotels as Director of Sales and Marketing. He has handled roles ranging from growing legacy hotels to opening new ones.

Prior to joining ITC Hotels, Karthikeyan, an alumnus of IIM Lucknow, was a management consultant with Technopak Advisors and has worked on numerous consulting projects.

Venkat Rao G ra n d M e rc u re B a n g a l o re recently appointed Venkat Rao as the new Food & Beverage Manager. Rao brings with him 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

In his new role, Rao will b e res p o n s i b l e fo r ove ra l l f u n ct i o n i n g of fo o d a n d beverage service department and establishing new F&B trends at Grand Mercure Bangalore.

Prior to joining AccorHotels at Grand Mercure Bangalore, Rao had worked with various p re s t i g i o u s p ro p e r t i e s i n Mumbai — such as The Orchid, I n t e rc o n t i n e n t a l — M a r i n e Drive, The Leela Hotels — and Best Western Hotels in United Kingdom.

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Focus

Hotel Business Review

A Big Jolt to Indian Hospitality

By Swarnendu Biswas

T

Dilip Datwani

Riyaz Amlani

Kamlesh Barot

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he recent decision of the Supreme Court to upheld the ban on serving and sales of liquor by establishments within 500 metres of national and state highways throughout the country can lead to a big jolt to the Indian hospitality business, both in terms of huge revenue and job losses. Already the cry of anguish and disappointment among players in the Indian hospitality industry as a result of this move is very much evident. This decision of the Supreme Court was induced by the intention to prevent road accidents due to drunken driving.

According to Riyaz Amlani, the President of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), this verdict could lead to states suffering losses of an overall tax revenue amounting to Rs 50,000 crore. Of course, there is no prize for guessing that this huge money could be used for constructive development purposes, which may include developing the not so impressive Indian hospitality infrastructure in India. NRAI had also estimated that according to their initial projections, over 100,000 people would be out of work due to this move.

Though these figures are alarming, some experts put these figures as very conservative.

The extent of probable damage in terms of job losses could be much higher. “An estimated number of 35,000 restaurants and bars could face closure or downsizing in the western region of the country alone. This decision may lead to job losses for more than a million employees across India. Businesses cannot be run in an environment of flux or state of uncertainty. A business is started after careful consideration of existing regulations, limitations, opportunities and potential sales. Capital-intensive businesses like hotels and restaurants work on wafer thin margins. An abrupt cancellation of sale of a core product will create havoc. Many of the hotels are in heavy debt and they may not be able to sustain this change of regulation,” observed Dilip Datwani, President, Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) or HRAWI. “The Indian food service industry, standing at Rs. 408 thousand crores today would lose close to about Rs. 200 thousand crores on account of this verdict,” proffered Kamlesh Barot, past President, FHRAI. According to HRAWI, the impact of the order is expected to hit hotels in the cities much harder as highways running through the Indian cities are used more by local travellers than interstate

drivers. “A large number of marquee hotels and restaurants inside cities have their outlets along the highway and the number of outlets affected by the order in cities is expected to be very high.

Due to the nature of their business, it would not be feasible for hotels and restaurants to relocate.

Many are expected to close down,” observed HRAWI in a press release.

The observations of HRAWI don’t seem to be at all far-fetched as liquors constitute a significant chunk of the restaurants’ business. And hotels do house restaurants, with F&B accounting for a significant chunk of their revenues.

The bar on liquor sales for those outlets who are having the misfortune of being located within 500 metres of national and state highways of India will lead to the lowering of these outlets’ revenues from food also as many guests order food only as an accompaniment with alcoholic drinks. Many guests would also opt for avoiding stay at those hotels which are barred from serving alcoholic beverages. Travel and tourism sector is also likely to be hit adversely due to this verdict.

And it seems that from now onwards, the future hotel projects in India would avoid national and state highways altogether, which in turn would create even more crisis for future hotel projects in urban India’s already crowded real estate space. This in turn may lead to escalation of costs of hotel projects too in the long-run, and consequently longer gestation period for these future hospitality projects.

These are some of the expected losses from this decision, and what are the benefits? Would the SC ruling lead to curb in drunken driving in India? In all likelihood the answer seems ‘no.’

What is stopping an irresponsible person from drinking liquor heavily from a restaurant or a hotel located 501 metres from a national or state highway in the country and driving recklessly through the highway, thereby making him and others accident prone?

At present it seems that the verdict can only result in a huge setback for the Indian food services and hospitality industry in the shortrun, which may result in closure of several hotels and restaurants. Garish Oberoi, Vice-president, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), noted some days back that already several hotels and restaurants in the country were shutting down or were in the verge of doing so.

Mar-Apr ’17

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Pic: The Leela Palace Udaipur

Hotel Business Review

Wellness in Hospitality Spa industry in India is going through a buoyant phase and this trend is reflected by the fact that nowadays, almost every five-star hotel in the country offers spa services. Spas can not only boost the hotel’s revenues but can also facilitate in attracting the guests to the property.

The usage of spas has been increasing over the years. The International Spa Association, in its US Spa Industry Study 2016, reveals that there has been a steady growth in the revenue from spas. It had increased from 15.5 billion USD in 2014 to 16.3 billion USD in 2015. India itself has seen a growth of 20 percent in the last two years, in wellness tourism.

In India too, spas are doing booming business and adding to the hotels’ profitability. Ashok Malkani takes a look at the overall scenario of spa business in the context of the Indian hospitality industry.

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Cover Story

Cover Story

J

Hotel Business Review

ust as the food & beverage department can greatly influence the bottom line of a hospitality property so do the wellness aspect. The level of wellness solutions offered by the hospitality property nowadays can significantly influence its profitability.

Demand of our Times

“Today,” said Abbas Painattu, Spa Manager of Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, “there has been a corresponding shift in the health and leisure offerings of global hotel chains. Previously the spa services in hotels were offered as amenities without bringing any significant revenue. At present in the global market, spa operations are becoming a core competency and a substantial business driver for luxury hotels.”

The spa can be described as a place that is believed to be a blessing for a tired and exhausted guest; a place where you can indulge in some ‘me’ time to switch off and relax, recharge, reflect, detox and beautify. The benefits of going to spa are numerous and almost everyone – from business travellers to millennials are likely to use this facility.

“Spas have been very popular worldwide. This trend has just caught up in India. Also, given the current lifestyle of the people in the metropolitan cities, which is often accompanied with high stress levels, spas provide for quick rejuvenation,” explained Mahima Sharma, Director of Spa – JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar.

Rishi Neoge, General Manager, Howard Johnson Bengaluru

Hebbal however, believes that “Spas have long been an integral part of the hospitality industry.” He said, “In my opinion people now have become more aware and understand the importance of fitness of both body and mind. Moreover, with the kind of stress that we face in today’s life, more and more people are taking time out to relax and rejuvenate. The importance of achieving a balance between body and mind is reflected by the growth of the spa culture in India.” He believes the importance of spas is here to stay in the Indian hospitality industry.

“We educate the guests who come and stay regularly with us. We inform them about the benefits of taking body treatments and give them an experience of the services offered in our spa.

This induces them to go for a spa treatment wherever they go,” observed Ramdinpuii Hmar, Spa Manager, Kaya Kalp Spa, ITC Maratha, Mumbai.

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Hotel Business Review

“Today, many people are particular about their health and many of them regard visiting a spa as truly essential for their health and success. Now many more people are aware of the health benefits of going to a spa, than it was a decade before. Spas can reduce stress hormone levels, benefit the heart rate, and blood pressure also. Moreover, massage is a great pain reliever,” disclosed Aparajita Das, Executive Housekeeper, Novotel Kolkata Hotel and Residences.

“There has been a shift in the perception of spas in India from an exclusive, luxury experience to a wellness-oriented experience that is valued by the average consumers to help facilitate a healthier, more vibrant life,” proffered Sandeep Chitkara, of the spa at Jaipur Marriott Hotel.

“As spa and wellness are becoming more prevalent in today’s society, hotels are ensuring they adopt these trends and are offering consumers an experience aligned with society’s increasing desire for a healthier lifestyle,” he added further.

“Hotels are nowadays incorporating facets of holistic well-being not only in their spa department, but into other aspects of the hotel as well such as in rooms, meetings, and food & beverage. For example, some hotels are offering aromatherapy and sleepaiding amenities in rooms, trendy juices and spa menus at their restaurants, and outfitting meeting rooms with healthy snacks and beverages and premium air quality control. In addition, hotels are creating new ways for guests to be active and social, such as initiating a bike-share program or leading group hikes/runs. Hotels are seeing the positive impact of the integration of spa and wellness into their entire operations,” elaborated Chitkara.

“In today’s times there are many reasons for including a spa in hotels. Spas are no longer built simply as a differentiator. Spas have become a revenue generating business for hotels and guests expect a particular standard of service from the spas. Many of the hotel’s guests are aware of the utility of spa & wellness. Spa designs have also evolved. A revisit to nature continues among today’s eco-aware spa goers and there are spa destinations which tap into the healing source of the earth,” stated Dinesh Dasgoswami, Spa Manager, Hyatt Regency Pune. “Spas have become the most preferred place for travellers after a long flight to recover from jet lag or for a relaxing massage after a hectic day of hustle and bustle in the city,” he added further.

“Today spas have become an integral part of the Indian hospitality industry and more and more new hotels are giving lot of emphasis on their spa, as globally travellers prefer to stay in a hotel with good spa facility,” affirmed Ratheesh Kumar, Spa Manager, Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa. “In the coming years, more and more hotels in India will be opening spas based on traditional

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Dr. Manisha

Ratheesh Kumar

Hisae Sumiyama

Manoj Chauhan

therapies as there will be increased demand for authentic Ayurvedic therapies and other ancient treatments like authentic Roman and Turkish baths, Russian banyas (steam rooms) and traditional Chinese medicine,” predicted Kumar.

“Today’s guests have a whole lot of stress to deal with than earlier and, given the high frequency of their international trips, it is essential to have a spa. We understand the needs of today’s jetsetter and the So SPA at Sofitel Mumbai BKC is now open 24/7. The hotel’s So SPA caters to the busy travellers with its ‘Pre Jet Lag’ treatments.

Exclusively designed for frequent travellers, the Pre Jet Lag treatments have been introduced to help our guests renew their energy and beat the jet lag blues. These treatments stimulate circulation and ease muscle tension; leaving the guests feeling renewed and relaxed,” informed Manoj Chauhan, Spa and Fitness Manager, Sofitel Mumbai BKC. Hisae Sumiyama, Sales & Marketing Asst.

Manager of Sara Spa, The Chancery Hotels Bangalore, concurs with the general view that today’s hotel guests in the country are health conscious and demand adequate services of spa from the hotel.

“Wellness trend is changing from western oriented view of beauty and health, which is accomplished by controlling & training the body, to traditional eastern oriented view, which values harmonising body, mind and soul. This is because modern society‘s lifestyle is full of stress and people are looking for healing and relaxing,” she said.

“Hotel executives have also begun to understand the fact that guests who want spa and wellness facilities are also more likely to spend more money at restaurants, bars and for other additional amenities at the hotels. Someone who arrives at a hotel after a long journey might decide to spend a little extra on a massage and splurge on retail products; an impulse purchase brought about by the spa treatment. Even if a hotel is merely a stopping point on a longer journey rather than a destination, the opportunity to indulge in spa and wellness services is a temptation many guests won’t resist,” opined Dr. Manisha, Spa Manager, U Tropicana Resort Alibaug. “Responding to the flourishing consumer demand for well-being facilities, the spa has firmly established itself in the Indian hospitality industry today,” she pointed out.

Target Clientele and Benefits

Aparajita Das

Who are the main clientele of spas in India, and what are the diversified benefits of spa? Spa in India is mainly used by business travellers of both domestic and international varieties, and also by leisure travellers from upper and upper middle class sections of the society.

The benefits of going to a spa, according to Mahima, could be summed up as “Rejuvenation

Cover Story of the mind and body, relaxation of muscles by massages, wraps for hydrating the skin and leaving it moisturised, giving glow to your skin, toning the body and doing away with pain/aches.”

“As far as the benefits of spa treatments are concerned, they are immense. When you receive a spa service, it is likely that your mind, body and soul become in harmony.

For example, a massage session in Sandeep Chitkara a spa can be a break from your job, your family, friends... to slow down and de-stress. Massage improves blood circulation, which delivers oxygen and nutrients to the cells. It also stimulates the lymphatic system, which carries away the body’s waste products,” averred Ramdinpuii.

“It has been proved that massage releases a hormone called Serotonin that enhances the body and mind’s ‘feel good’ state.

Massage therapy can help with pain management in chronic conditions such as arthritis, sciatica and muscle spasms. Pre-natal and post-natal benefits for women are some of the most important benefits of experiencing a massage,” she elaborated further.

“Moreover, professional athletes and fitness freaks can experience great relief in easing muscle tensions and cramps through trained therapists, who can relax every part of their body through deep tissue massages,” she pointed out.

“Generally, people from the upper middle class & above are the ones who visit our hotel spa,” declared Mahima, while maintaining that “Visiting a spa can make you feel completely de-stressed and rejuvenated.”

“By indulging in body contouring services at a spa, one can keep the extra pounds off, keep body weight in check, and thus facilitate in maintaining a healthy body shape. Body polishes or scrubs can gently exfoliate skin, promoting cellular renovation, refining pores and allowing the skin to experience uniform relief,” offered Dr. Manisha.

“Similarly water treatments at the spas can rinse the soul. Like life, water is yin and yang; when your body is submerged in water you find true balance, as water provides equilibrium to the body state. Heat treatments in the form of either warm, dry air or warm,

Hotel Business Review

moist air heat the body to stimulate blood circulation, initiating the purifying process,” she stated further.

“70 percent of the guests at The Chancery Hotels Bangalore are Japanese guests on business trips and 90 percent among them are male guests. We also have Indian business travellers and a small percentage of our clientele consists of the Bangalore residents,” said Hisae, while pointing out, “They come to our spa especially for getting relief from shoulder stiffness, back pain, strained eyes and stress, for increasing immunity and for help in their physical and mental health. The spa gives a person an opportunity to connect

Mar-Apr ’17

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Cover Story

Hotel Business Review

with themselves with new awareness.”

“People visit spas for stress management, for peace of mind for pampering and pleasure, for health and wellness and for relief from tiredness,” stated Painattu.

“The people who visit the spa at Novotel Kolkata Hotel and Residences are upwardly mobile people.

They are also urban health conscious people. There are youths, housewives, businessmen and other people who normally visit spas,” affirmed Aparajita.

The benefits of going to a spa, according to Aparajita, are “Taking care of self, reduction in stress hormone levels, improved heart rate and less blood pressure, boosting immunity, feeling fresh and rejuvenated, and feeling prepared for a special event in the family or office.”

“While the bulk of the people that use our spa services are obviously in-house guests and business travellers, we also see quite a few people from the vicinity walking in to our spa. The tech park crowd comprises another large segment of our visitors,” conveyed Neoge.

“While a lot has been written (and quite rightly) about the numerous health benefits of massages and other treatments offered at a spa, the biggest benefit of visiting a spa is the fact that more people are taking time off for themselves and are conscious of both the health and the beauty aspects that a place like a spa can offer them.

It really is about rejuvenation and recharge,” proffered Neoge.

“At our hotel Jaipur Marriott Hotel, the spa is a tranquil place to go to for cleansing, healing, and enhancing the overall well-being. When most people think of spas they think of basic beauty and therapeutic treatments, such as facials and massages. However, our spa is able to help you in a variety of ways; reaching far beyond just beautifying and relaxing options. When visiting a spa, you can talk to experts who can help you improve your fitness, improve your eating habits and help you learn about nutrition, maintaining or losing weight, and managing stress. Spas are even places where you can commune with nature, take time for personal reflection, and meet other people with interests similar to yours,” articulated Chitkara.

Migmar Lhamo, Spa Executive, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu, revealed, “Business travellers visit the spa at our hotel more often. About 50 to 60 percent of our guests are in-house guests. Majority of our guests are Indian, out of which the number of male guests is higher. We have about 30 to 35 percent of external guests.”

“Going to a spa benefits you in a number of ways. It relaxes your body and mind. It detoxifies your body and re-hydrates your skin. It stimulates blood circulation and can also alleviate headaches or neck pain. Visit to spa can also make your skin

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Mahima Sharma

Dinesh Dasgoswami

Migmar Lhamo

Ramdinpuii Hmar

Abbas Painattu

glow. Spas can also help to ease down migraine, sinus and head pain issues. Spas can release stress physically as well as mentally. Hair spa nourishes your hair, smoothen them and improves their texture,” asserted Migmar.

“Back massage is deeply soothing, relaxing and helps in balancing the entire nervous system. Foot massage therapy gives you pure relaxation, using healing creams that stimulate pressure points and puts you in a zone of comfort. Visit to spa can also help in releasing stiffness in joints. Spa treatments can leave your skin feeling intensively hydrated, radiant and ultra-smooth. Body spa not only can stimulate circulation, but can also relieve pain and enhances metabolism. So, visit to spa can revitalise both body and mind and balance the energy flow within,” she elaborated further.

“At the Hyatt Regency Pune, we have guests from the corporate world who also happen to be frequent travellers who enjoy indulging through health clubs and spas,” stated Dasgoswami.

“Down the ages healing powers of touch therapy have been appreciated and practiced by many naturopath advocates. Spas and massage therapies are connected closely. Experiencing a body massage from a skilled therapist can take you to the peak of relaxation level; not only physically but also mentally and spiritually. Modern day spas and wellness resorts are also offering diet and nutrition consultation and yoga sessions as per the individual’s need to give her/him a complete relaxation of mind, body & soul,” he articulated.

“Sereno Spa at the Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa is visited by most of the in-house hotel guests, who are either business travellers or leisure guests.

We offer a wide range of treatments, packages and customised therapies to cater to the guest needs,” stated Ratheesh Kumar.

“There are numerous benefits of going to a spa, which include de stressing, detoxing, pampering, relieving aches and pains, improving health and fitness, weight loss and for living a more spiritual and healthier lifestyle,” Ratheesh expressed.

“A spa embodies tranquility and rejuvenation. It is meant to be a relaxing space where people come to de-stress and energise senses, and this is exactly what Sofitel Mumbai BKC’s So Spa promises to offer guests with their every visit,” offered Chauhan.

Yes, the spa business is on the rise in India, which the Indian hospitality industry must cash on.

The hotels in the country are keen to cater to the evolved needs of the new-age spa enthusiasts but there are several aspects like the area required by a spa, special rooms needed for different treatments, etc. which must be taken care of by the hoteliers before investing on spa. In the next issue, we will delve on these aspects, as well as on the spa treatments offered by different hospitality properties. n

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Business

Hotel Business Review

Hospitality in Spirituality The enormous revenue earning potential of religious and cultural tourism in India needs to be more effectively harnessed by the Indian tourism and hospitality industry, and in this regard, our states and the Union Government should play a more proactive role than they are doing at present

By Swarnendu Biswas

I

ndia is a modern nation with an ancient but still thriving civilisation. Here the religious resonance is an integral part of our cultural legacy. There is no denying the fact that religion with its mythological hues is one of the major cementing forces behind the edifice of Indian civilisation.

Most major religions of the world, such as Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism and Judaism are being enthusiastically practiced in the pluralistic cultural milieu of India.

What is more important is that even in the twenty-first century IT-powered India, which seems to be obsessed with cricket, Bollywood and to some extent with social media, the influence of religion is very much evident among its teeming millions.

This enduring influence of religion in our society is misused by cunning charlatans, fake godmen and opportunistic politicians, but the influence of religion in India’s

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Mar-Apr ’17

pluralistic socio-cultural environment have immense potential for the Indian tourism and hospitality industry. This potential needs to be tapped in a more proactive, creative and optimal manner.

Destinations for the Soul It is common knowledge that India has numerous religious sites and shrines, which are enough to make a devotee of religious tourism to explore for at least a lifetime. From Varanasi and Jammu, from Ajmer to Tirupati, from Amritsar to Allahabad and from Goa to Puri to Rameswaram, the thread of religious tourism in India spreads across the length and breadth of the country.

From taking a dip in the holy Ganges of Varanasi at the break of the dawn, to feeling the mellifluous music of aarti rinse your soul as the twilight descends on Hardwar, from undertaking the arduous Amarnath Yatra to taking part in the Rath Yatra at Puri with

lakhs of devotees; with loud chants of Lord Jagannath spreading through the air, from taking an introspective trip to the churches of Goa and feeling the soul of Christianity whose resonance could be heard much beyond the roar of the waves of the Arabian Sea, to praying with a heart full of devotion at the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer to get relieved of one’s miseries, to feeling the ripples of middle-path spiritualism in the deep recesses of your heart at Bodh Gaya… indeed, the religious tourism in India can take myriad montages, which are fascinating enough to form their respective niches in the memories of tourists for a lifetime.

Besides these destinations where one can find one’s inner self, India has religious events of epic proportions, where everything stops for a few days at the destination/s which are focal points of such events. These events are thronged by huge numbers of domestic and

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even a sizeable number of inbound tourists, and offer enormous potential for religious tourism.

The Kumbh Mela at Allahabad, Hardwar, Nashik and Ujjain, which takes place once in one of these four destinations after every twelve years, and the annual Rath Yatra at Puri afford a collage of fascinating experiences, whose memories could last a lifetime. Kumbh Mela is the largest religious gathering on this planet. Both these mega events or rather larger than life religious gatherings are high points of collective devotion.

They give a kaleidoscopic view of the seminal yet vibrant, transient yet unchanging cultural landscape of India, where all changes are absorbed in a calm stream of continuity, without disturbing the essential sociocultural fabric.

Miles to Go But despite having such a treasure-trove of destinations geared for religious tourists, along with abundance of wonderful natural beauty, historical splendour and enchanting wildlife, India, according to the Ministry of Tourism, attracted only a mere 8.03 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2015. During 2014 and 2013, this figure was 7.68 million and 6.97 million respectively. Though foreign tourist arrivals to India, according to the statistics of the Ministry of Tourism, have enhanced considerably from 2.48 million during 1999, but still we need a long way to go.

Compare this with France which attracted 84.5 million international tourist arrivals, the US which attracted 77.5 million international tourist arrivals, or of China with its 56.9 million international tourist arrivals during 2015(according to the statistics of World

Tourism Rankings). In fact, according to World Tourism Rankings’ statistics, India with its 8.0 million international tourist arrivals in 2015, attained ninth rank out of the top 10 nations in the Asia and Pacific region, as far as the international tourist arrivals during 2015 went. Even tiny nations like Macau, South Korea and Singapore were ahead of us in this regard.

The number of domestic tourist visits to all states/UTs within India during 2015 was 1432 million, showing an 11.6 percent annual growth rate, which again is not a very encouraging figure ,considering India’s awesome religious tourism potential.

Of course, there seems to be a huge unexplored potential as far as attracting foreign tourists to India is concerned, and in this regard creative promotion of religious tourism with its myriad colours of festivity can play a crucial role for the growth of our hospitality industry.

“Indian hospitality industry has a huge potential in the area of religious tourism, which is evident from the fact that the demand in this direction keeps increasing year on year. However, most of the travellers love to get end-to-end solutions to their religious trips because of unfamiliarity of places, tourist attractions, conveyance, etc., which eventually becomes the challenging area for this kind of tourism,” asserted Chander Baljee, Managing Director of Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd. “Keeping this factor in mind, we focus on packages which offers organised spiritual travel with a set of itineraries at various price points, starting from 2 nights 3 days trips. Travellers also get to customise the package as per their needs because it is not necessary that all travellers should have the same or even similar preferences. The

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SERVING THE INDUSTRY FOR OVER 2 DECADES

Business

Hotel Business Review

entire practise helps the guests to have a pleasant, hassle-free and comfortable trip through spirituality, with value for money,” he elaborated further.

Harnessing the Festive Spirit Yes, besides larger than life religious congregations like Kumbh Mela and Rath Yatra, India is a land of a wide spectrum of religious festivities, which have immense potential for the Indian hospitality industry.

The tourism and hospitality potential of India’s timeless festivities deserve to be harnessed by our hospitality industry in a much more creative way, which can garner more tourists and hence more revenues for the industry.

The Durga Puja in Kolkata or rather in West Bengal, where the entire City of Joy and the state of West Bengal stops work for a few days to bathe in the river of undiluted celebration is one such important festival of India.

Durga Puja has been celebrated in the country since time immemorial, but has assumed such a huge magnitude with significant commercial dimensions since the last fifty years or so. Today, it is not only a religious festival, but also a cultural and entertainment extravaganza. Durga Puja, like other prominent festivities of India like Diwali and Holi, also acts as an occasion to meet old friends and distant members of extended families.

Hospitality properties can provide affordable excursion packages to the famous Durga Pujas within the city of Kolkata and its vicinity, for their guests, during the time of Durga Puja celebrations. These packages can reap lucrative dividends for the hospitality industry in Kolkata and also in Delhi, where Durga Puja is celebrated with great euphoria.

It is about time more hotels and resorts in our country hosts festivals like Durga Puja, Diwali, Holi, etc. with creativity and uncommon grandeur which can bring in enhanced revenues for these properties.

“All my hotels spread across India do host festivals like Diwali, Holi, Durga Puja, etc.

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Chander Baljee and this measure brings huge footfalls plus revenues,” averred Baljee.

Hosting of festivals can also be a means for the hospitality properties to showcase their environment-friendliness, which in turn can give them a distinctive market positioning. “We celebrate festivals by going green; like in Diwali we make sure we don’t use fire crackers because that is not environment-friendly, in Holi we make sure we use organic colours,” pointed out Baljee further.

During Diwali and Holi celebrations also, hotels could rope in Bollywood stars (at their own cost), and they can take part in Diwali and Holi celebrations with the guests. The cost of hiring the Bollywood star/s can be easily recovered by increasing the tariff of the resident guests (those who are staying at the hotels during the celebrations) only for the day of the Diwali and/or Holi festivity, and also through charging a good fee from the transient walk-in guests to the hotels, who would be induced to come in the hotel on those days to take part in festivities with the celebrity or celebrities.

Many of the guests coming to hotels in the country to take part in celebrations would not mind paying a decent sum for the ticket to play Holi or to celebrate the ‘Festival of Lights’ with Bollywood celebrities.

At the same time, if the star is called on

the eve of her/his film release, she/he may not be reluctant to celebrate Holi and Diwali with minimal charge, and view it as a PR exercise. The advertisement support needed for this promotional exercise can be easily channelised through extremely costeffective but powerful social media platforms.

However, this type of promotional initiative for festivities is more relevant for big cities, where one can have a sizeable number of moneyed walk-in transient guests.

Moreover, besides these above-mentioned fairs and festivities, India is home to myriad other lesser-known religious and cultural fairs and festivities, which need to be better promoted before the domestic and inbound tourists by the state governments and also by the Indian tourism and hospitality industry at large, and the destination/s where these lesser known but fascinating festivities are being held should be spruced with better hospitality infrastructure than they are having presently.

Organising food festivals on the occasion of Onam and Pongal in hospitality properties may be common, but it can be exciting for the industry if more and more hotels in Kerala, in association with tour operators, organise excursion tours for their guests at concessional rates within Kerala, say one week before Onam. Similarly, more and more hotels in Tamil Nadu should organise such concessional excursion tours to their guests within the state of Tamil Nadu, a week before Pongal.

Similarly, Kite Festival of Ahmedabad, Carnival of Goa or Bihu of Assam, etc. should be celebrated not only by the hotels located in places where these festivities are well-known but also by hotels located in places where these festivities are not usually celebrated. This exercise can also garner additional hospitality revenues, especially from inbound tourists who are interested to know more about the diverse, fascinating and yet enigmatic experience called India.

Need for Better Sanitation Of course, the potential for religious and

Business

cultural tourism in India can be harnessed better by developing the sanitation infrastructure of many destinations of religious tourism in India on a war footing.

Both Varanasi and Puri, two important religious tourism destinations of great mass appeal, lacks severely in terms of sanitation infrastructure. This writer went to Varanasi three years ago, and was naturally appalled by the poor maintenance of sanitation of its ghats.

The sea beach of Puri, from where one can get wonderful view of the turbulent Bay of Bengal, also falls short as far as international sanitation standards go. In fact, it can be said that many of our famous centres for religious tourism, such as Puri, Hardwar and Varanasi could generate greater number of foreign and high-end domestic tourists, and consequently much better tourism and hospitality revenues, with better cleanliness of their environment. For example, cleaning the Ganga flowing through Varanasi can easily and greatly enhance the joys of boat ride through its waters.

Initiatives Made and Needed In this regard, the respective state governments where these religious tourism destinations are located, the Union Government, and the Indian tourism and hospitality industry should play a concerted and effective role.

Similarly, all these stakeholders can come together to develop an army of qualified tourist guides, who have a knowledgeable and nuanced perspective about the religious and cultural heritage of India, and are very much acquainted with the tourist interests of the place where they could be deployed in. They can guide the domestic and inbound tourists in their religious and cultural journey through India, thereby making the money hungry and semi literate touts redundant.

Of course, the state governments and the Union Government need to come up

with more creative measures to promote the almost unimaginable potential of religious and cultural tourism in the country. One of them can be induction of a few luxury trains connecting some important religious tourist destinations of the country, which are geographically far apart from each other (say one of these trains can connect Puri, Rameshwaram, Varanasi, and Jammu together in same route).

This can be a pragmatic measure to promote religious tourism, where people can visit religious tourism destinations which are far apart from each other geographically, at one go. The launching of Bharat Darshan Tourist Train in 2016 was an initiative on similar lines but we need more endeavours in this direction from the government.

In this regard, the recent launching of Aastha Circuit Train in February 2017

by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRTC) and the North East Frontier Railway (NFR) is a praiseworthy initiative. This special pilgrim train takes travellers to various pilgrimage destinations in eastern and north-east India without incurring much expense from them.

A single trip of the train encompasses seven days and six nights. The train starts from Guwahati. Journey through this train can enable tourists to visit famous religious tourism destinations like Gangasagar, Shri Swamy Narayan Temple, Kalighat, the Konark Temple, and the Jagannath Temple at one go.

Thankfully, religious tourism is the focus area under Swadesh Darshan scheme of the present Union Government. The recent intention of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh to promote religious tourism in the state by linking the places of tourist and pilgrim interest in the state with helicopter service is praiseworthy. Orissa government’s aim to develop the Buddhist circuit of the state of Orissa is also commendable. n

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F&B

Hotel Business Review

Can We Advance Book our Menu?

By Swarnendu Biswas

I

t doesn’t deserve a mention that we are passing through digital age, which can be easily construed as an advanced stage of information age. The robotic age with its artificial intelligence is not far away from us.

The new-age innovations of our times have been naturally applied by several industries, primarily with the short-term objective to decrease costs and increase efficiency, and with the long-term objective to eventually increase revenues and profits.

Over the recent years, for innumerable corporate players such objectives have been translated from potential into welcome realities. The Indian food services industry has also applied an array of new-age innovations of our digital age with the above-mentioned objectives and many players in the industry have obviously achieved success in this regard. Not only that,

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in the near future, the applications of new-age information technologies of the digital age are expected to be more pronounced in the Indian food services industry.

There are various ways the information technology can facilitate towards enhancing customer satisfaction of restaurant guests.

Some of them are already evident, some are pregnant in the future. “Next 10 years are big for ‘out-of-home dining and here the technology is going to be the game changer.

Innovation and customisation are the mantra of today’s Indian food service business,” expressed Rohit Mahajan, Founder, Loofre.com.

“I think next way forward in terms of application of technology in the Indian food services industry is to give the guests the freedom to choose what all ingredients you need on your platter,” observed Mahajan.

O n e of t h e ways ca n b e t h ro u g h customisation of the menu in advance. For

F&B example, a family is thinking of dining at a fine dining or a casual dining restaurant in the evening. This restaurant can also be housed in a hotel. In this evolved digital age, they should also have the option of selecting the dishes they want to have at the restaurant in advance after browsing through the restaurant’s menu; being displayed at the concerned restaurant’s/hotel’s website or on its Facebook page for that matter.

The restaurant’s/hotel’s website should have the user-friendly technical option for its future guests to select the dishes they want to have at a given restaurant (let us name the restaurant as restaurant A) in advance. This restaurant can be a stand-alone restaurant or part of a restaurant chain or a restaurant housed inside a hotel or a resort or a retreat.

The guests can copy those preferred items and paste them in a special Feedback section of the restaurant’s/hotel’s website, which would be different from the usual Feedback section of the concerned property’s website.

This special Feedback section of the restaurant’s/hotel’s website can be termed as ‘Feedback to the Kitchen,’ and here the

Hotel Business Review

The Indian food services industry has also applied an array of new-age innovations of our digital age with the abovementioned objectives and many players in the industry have obviously achieved success in this regard. Not only that, in the near future, the applications of new-age information technologies of the digital age are expected to be more pronounced in the Indian food services industry. feedback should be accessed and worked upon by two or three dedicated personnel on a continuous basis through the entire operating hours of the restaurant/s. Then

the future guests can write a note saying that they want these ‘selected’ dishes to be served within five minutes of reaching their restaurant or within ten minutes of reaching the restaurant or as soon as they reach the restaurant(as per their preferences), and also specify what kind of ingredients or oils they want in those dishes.

The future guests can also mention the date and expected time of their coming to the restaurant and how much time it is expected for them to come from their home/offices/other destinations to the given restaurant. In case our guests are familiar with the restaurant A, they could also exercise the option of specifying which Chef would prepare which dishes for them, by browsing through the Chefs’ profiles, which should be there in the restaurant’s/ hotel’s website.

In fact, in this age of customisation, which seems to be the direct offshoot of growing digitalisation, not only the restaurant A; the fictitious restaurant of our example, but all good casual and fine dining restaurants in urban India should have Chef’s/Chefs’ profile

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F&B

Hotel Business Review

Rohit Mahajan placed in their website.

Yes, after all these, the guests also need to book tables to get the entire feedback process complete(no I am not joking) but this kind of detailed exercise in personalisation would be much more exhaustive than your average restaurant seat booking.

On clicking on the icon for booking the table, the guests should get a ‘projected bill’ on their e-mail id or mobile, either of which they need to mention while booking the table.

The guests have to ideally pay at least 50 percent of the projected bill in advance to make the menu booking process complete, for if they don’t turn up at the restaurant by any chance within their specified time or somewhere in the neighbourhood of that specified time, the food specially prepared for them might go waste.

Succinctly, what we are arriving at is the advanced booking of customised menu, which can easily be a possibility in the near future, in the twenty-first century Indian restaurant business. I wouldn’t be surprised if such a process has already been initiated by some enterprising restaurateurs across the Indian hospitality industry.

The Kitchen Feedback team of the restaurants/hotels can now transfer these guest requests to the concerned Chefs, for tailoring customised menu for the guests, by specifying them in detail about the time factor. For example, guest B is coming to our restaurant A, which is located at say Connnaught Place, from Janakpuri, by car and guest C is coming to restaurant A from Gurgaon in Metro (all of these places belong to Delhi-NCR). Now the cooking time for these guests should be scheduled by the Kitchen Feedback team of the restaurant/ hotel in coordination with the concerned Chefs and the guests in such a manner that

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within minutes of arrival of guest B and guest C at restaurant A, their respective choices of dishes could be made ready on their tables.

This exercise, I believe, would lead to great reduction in waiting time for the guests, which in turn would afford the restaurants to serve more consumers, within a given period of time. This in turn would help the restaurants generate extra revenues during busy hours. And more importantly, this type of exercise can enhance guest satisfaction a great deal and can easily graduate the first time guests to restaurants into repeat guests.

“On technology front, the actualisation of this idea doesn’t seem to be a big deal but the potential it unfolds is huge. It gives more freedom and choices to the customers about their eating out options,” Mahajan pointed out when I discussed the idea to him.

However, Sahil Sabhlok, Executive Chef of The Claridges, New Delhi, feels that “the concept of advance booking of menus would work well for quick service restaurants. For restaurants at luxury hotels the concept of dining in is more about the entire experience at the property along with the Chef recommending his/her signature dishes to the guests and not just about pre-ordering the menu and quickly eating and leaving.”

However, I think that even in fine dining restaurants, whether they are housed in luxury hotels or not, the guests would appreciate saving of time through advance booking of menu. They can pre-order Chef’s signature dishes too, which can be showcased at the restaurant’s/hotel’s website and they can better appreciate the ambience and decor of the restaurant while dining than by waiting

This exercise, I believe, would lead to great reduction in waiting time for the guests, which in turn would afford the restaurants to serve more consumers. This in turn would help the restaurants generate extra revenues during busy hours. And more importantly, this type of exercise can enhance guest satisfaction a great deal and can easily graduate the first time guests to restaurants into repeat guests.

to dine on hungry stomach.

Yes, there is a snag, as usual, in this model too. For example, in the midway from home to the restaurant the young kid of family D decides to change his option of pizza. Then in that case, the father should ideally have the option to modify the order according to the kid’s preference, but for this the parent should ideally be levied some extra charge, which can be decided at the restaurant’s/ hotel’s management’s discretion.

However, if the guest changes the order when he/she is only 10 minutes away from the expected time of his/her arrival to the restaurant, or if the guest arrives at the restaurant within 10 minutes of changing his/ her order, then he/she should ideally has to pay for his/her cancelled dish/es too. In case of traffic jam or due to any other unavoidable reasons for delay in arriving at the restaurant during the expected time, which say is between 7-7.15 pm for our family D, the guests need to inform the Kitchen Feedback team of the given restaurant/hotel in advance through telephonically or through e-mail, both of which are now accessible to many through Apps spruced smart phones.

This type of scenario would be much more easier to handle in the coming robotic age, when many of the manual jobs are likely to be taken up by the robots, involving more investments and much less variable costs. For example, we can easily forsee that twenty years from now, such Kitchen Feedback teams of the restaurants/hotels of the future could be easily handled by a team of robots, who can disseminate the guests’ information to the Chefs as soon as they get them, without any room for human error. n

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Spa

Hotel Business Review

Presenting Holistic Wellness Amidst Tranquility

By Sharmila Chand

A

n oasis of peace and tranquility, Neeleshwar Hermitage, located in Kasaragod in northern Kerala, stands testimony to the traditional architectural principles of Kerala Vastu.

The whole site is oriented to the east and the rising Sun, while the buildings are all placed in correct relation to each other; the four directions and the site as a whole. Â At this resort, there is a seamless synergy between traditional wood-and-thatch architecture and elements of stylish contemporary features with all modern comforts. Â The resort overlooks a gloriously unspoiled beach, stretching as far as the eye can see in both directions. The sea is clean and safe for swimming most of the year.

The idyllic resort houses Priya Ayurvedic Spa which has five

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spacious treatment rooms ranged around a central courtyard garden. The building has been designed along traditional lines with beautifully proportioned ceilings and elegantly carved pillars. The whole place is airy and well ventilated, with a wonderful calming atmosphere, in which treatments are practised in a dedicated quiet way.

All the preparations used in the spa are 100 percent natural, organically produced and sourced in a way that does not impact negatively on the environment. To do this, the management employs disadvantaged tribal groups from the Sahayadri mountains in Kerala, guaranteeing them stable employment, fair wages and social improvements. There is a menu of twenty Ayurvedic treatments,

Spa

Hotel Business Review

both general and localised. balanced, and are done in consultation with our The in-house doctor, Dr. Suma is available highly experienced resident doctor. to advise on the treatments. She does recommend holistic treatments and activities What are the key challenges in to help the guests derive maximum benefit opening a spa in India? out of their stay, and if necessary she advises Well, the key challenge of opening a spa in on an appropriate food menu to be followed India is to get quality staff. throughout their stay. In addition to the wide range of Ayurvedic programmes, some western How do you decide on the spa spa treatments are also available here, which menu? What factors have to be kept gives the spa a holistic feel of wellness. in mind to chalk out a decent spa The Hermitage is approximately two hours menu?

Altaf Chapri from Mangalore International Airport and All I want is a comprehensive wellness between four to five hours from Calicut programme, including massage, quality food, International Airport. natural drinks, yoga, meditation and more importantly, digital While visiting the spa at Neeleshwar Hermitage, I got the detoxing for few days. opportunity to interact with Altaf Chapri, Managing Director of Neeleshwar Hermitage and ABChapri Retreats. The excerpts of What do you enjoy the most about being the the interview follow: Founder/ Managing Director of this resort?

I enjoy the fact that I am helping my guests to get healthy and What are the kind of changes you have witnessed happy.

in the Indian spa industry during the past five-six years?

We have seen significant growth in this industry during this period. Nowadays people are more aware about the body and mind than they were before.

What are the current top trends in the Indian spa industry?

Nowadays people are increasingly happy to take a proper wellness programme, ranging from four to 21 days. For example, most of the guests at the Neeleshwar Hermitage opt for longer stays which are combined with massages. I have also noticed more and more people are looking for places which offer heavenly peace and natural surroundings. This can give a fillip to the spa industry.

The wellness programmes in the country are definitely stepping up to meet the challenges of busy life and stress around.

Kindly talk a bit about the wellness programmes at Priya Spa The wellness programmes on offer at the Priya Spa are well-

Could you tell us the USP of your spa? What distinguishes it from others?

Our Priya Spa at Neeleshwar Hermitage is an oasis of calm that amalgamates an ambience of tranquility with offerings of rejuvenation. In ancient India, spending time in a beautiful forest retreat was considered an integral part of a balanced life. Adapting this time honoured tradition in our increasingly noisy and hectic world, the Hermitage has been created to be a place that nourishes the spirit and fosters a sense of creative tranquility.

Do you have some customised treatments?

Yes, most of our treatments are tailored to the needs of our guests. Our in-house Ayurveda doctor, Dr. Suma, meets all the guests personally for one-to-one consultation before offering treatment.

What is your favourite treatment to receive and why it is so?

My favourite treatment has to be Joint Soothe (sradha); the perfect body-maintenance programme. First a warm oil massage to the neck and shoulders erodes the muscular tightness and pain, resulting from workday stress and bad posture, then a massage with warm oiled bundles of medicinal powder is applied to the stress areas, particularly to the joints. This relaxes and combats stiffness and pain, weather occasional or of chronic nature. The massage is for about 60 minutes!

Any other point you wish to make?

Being a father of two kids, I believe we should from an early age instill the qualities of wellness among our kids. Yoga, meditation and good food should be part of our growing up. Schools should offer mindful programs like meditation, yoga and classes on organic eating.

Mar-Apr ’17

39

Trend

Hotel Business Review

Hospitality Thrives on Technology In the twentieth and the ongoing twenty-first century, technology has had revolutionised almost every industry and the hospitality industry is no exception to this rule. In fact, hospitality industry has become much more guest-friendly during the recent years, as a result of application of new-age technologies. Today, to be successful in the hospitality industry, one must be open to using a variety of new tools to ensure enhancing satisfaction of both leisure and business travellers.

By Ashok Malkani

T

he common concept today is that millennials are most likely to reshape the hospitality industry over the next decade. This continually connected generation places a high importance on personalisation and memorable experiences in their travels, and technology is the enabler in this regard.

For example, the threat of a poor social media review is a highly powerful tool for the consumers, and hotels must now think not twice but many times over regarding the possibility of negative implications of bad reviews to potential future reservations. Large hotels now have social media departments to address bad reviews that guests have posted online in the hope of catching the guests while they are still on the property to correct the issue.

The use of social media is just one of the pertinent examples of the application of technology in the hospitality industry. Overall, we can say that the role of technology in hospitality is gaining momentum with the passing years.

Sunil Bhatia, Director, Marketing & Commerce, The Mirador Hotel, Mumbai, asserted, “The use of technology doesn’t mean that customer experience can only happen online and through devices.

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Trend

Hotel Business Review

All of these experiences need to be part of an integrated, dynamic system so that the guests’ experiences are at the forefront of the marketing and operational team’s mind. For example, if a guest leaves a comment about her stay when she checks out of the hotel, the right people need to reply and acknowledge this type of communication. If a guest leaves a complaint about not being able to stream mobile content during her stay, then processes should be put in place to ensure the right person follows up by communicating with the guest and solving the problem at the hotel.”

Importance of Wi-Fi

with PMS (Property Management System), the hotel staff is able to look up the profile of the guest – his likes and dislikes – and prepare for a suitable ambience for his arrival. However, he warns that this is a laborious manual process. “But it can enable not only for a positive atmosphere on his arrival but also meet his needs at an urgent pace,” he pointed out.

One of the important yardsticks to ascertain the technological efficiency of hospitality properties in India these days is their Wi-Fi connectivity.

Nowadays, hotel guests who travel with devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers no System Integration longer see Wi-Fi as a perk, but as a must-have Sanjay Garg, Senior Product Manager for when they check-in at a hotel.

Hospitality Marketing and Solutions with Aruba Hotel guests expect to be able to connect Networks, feels integrating core systems further to the Internet seamlessly and without too automates processes and is key to maximising many interruptions. Thus management of the efficiency and consolidating data. At the heart hospitality properties need to invest in better, of operations, your property management system faster Wi-Fi infrastructure so that people can do (PMS) can be connected to other core systems business and use their technology devices with such as CRM, online distribution channels, ease while staying at their properties. revenue management software, point-of-sale “Besides playing an important role in Dietmar Kielnhofer systems, payment processing software, and attracting the guests, Wi-Fi is also essential for phone and entertainment systems, to greatly meetings and conferences held in the hospitality property. Along with the Wi-Fi, hospitality properties also need to speed up tasks such as managing distribution, guest check-in and be able to offer access to audio-visual and digital facilities for check-out, managing reservation folios, building rich guest profiles and sending targeted guest communications. conferences,” observed Bhatia.

When core systems share relevant data automatically, the need to manually duplicate CRM for Improved Efficiency data across systems is eliminated, thereby In this post-modern digital age, for managing significantly cutting administrative workload and the hotel efficiently it is important to organise improving data accuracy. hotel data in such a way that easily displays Garg envisions a world where hotel operators detailed guest profile information such as past will be in constant touch with guests, building requests, incidents, revenue, stay nights and loyalty and sales. “Imagine connecting with a guests’ personal preferences. This enables the traveller from the planning stage through every hotel staff to shape the overall experience step of her/his journey,” he said. “Predictive, of the returning guest while building reliable, proactive and actionable data opens the door sustainable processes to capture and maintain to new travel experiences, from offering a meaningful guest service information for future personal booking experience to a seamless stays and process improvement. and personalised check-in, to a room specially Mike Benjamin, Vice President, Guestware, configured to a guest’s preferences, to ensuring an integrated CRM software solution used by that guests never get lost while they are onhospitality companies around the world, believes site — the possibilities are endless,” he observed. that by using a CRM solution which is interfaced

Sanjay Garg

Mar-Apr ’17

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Hotel Business Review

Trend

Other Popular Technologies

popular for the hospitality industry are service automation, fixed-mobile convergence, guest apps The influence of IT in hospitality has shown a marked for personal mobile devices of the guests, having improvement during the recent years. There is no broader bandwidth to enable guests to operate dearth of new technologies that are finding favour several devices at once among others. with the hoteliers. One of them is the keyless entry.

Technology which will enable quick location Starwood Hotels launched mobile keyless entry from of the hotel staff to help serve the guests at a March 2015 at 10 properties in its Aloft chain, allowing faster pace, and technology that will enable the guests in those hotels in Florida to get into their hotels to listen in on the guests’ comments about rooms using a cell phone. the hotel to enable them to solve the issues if “Redefining the way business travellers arrive at any before the guests can put them on the social hotels and check-in to their rooms in India, Starwood Sagun Sawhney media are also popular.

Hotels & Resorts has introduced ‘keyless’ entry, Sagun Sawhney, Head Sales, Oracle Hospitality, had delved allowing guests to bypass the front desk, go directly to their rooms on Oracle’s next generation solutions for the hospitality industry and unlock them with their smart phones,” pointed out Dietmar in his talk with a section of the press.

One of the solutions, like Kielnhofer, General Manager, The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace.

Simphony, can increase the hotel guest’s pleasant experiences Elsewhere, the Marriott Hotels are offering detox salads through by enabling him to order dinner as soon as he lands in the city. vending machines; hotel guests are checking in with WhatsApp; No doubt this is an experience which will leave the guests with robots are delivering fresh towels, and more hotels are using new pleasing memories. and improved software, designed to forecast demand and supply He has averred that through modern, mobile and cloud-based management. solutions his company has enabled hotels to deliver exceptional With increasing number of millennials as tourists, there is an guest experiences.

He has gone on record as stating: “By increasing need for the hoteliers to adopt new technologies to delivering our solutions via the cloud we are able to reduce the keep customers coming back. complexity and cost of IT investment, provide According to a study by Hospitality Technology, greater operational visibility to management and 54 percent of the hotels had acknowledged a desire increase business agility.” to increase spending on technology, especially in “Another trend that is happening is cutting the payment & data security, guest room tech, bandwidth proverbial cord and moving wireless wherever and mobile engagement. feasible.

We already saw this shift in terms of One can say that cloud technology is now here to Internet connectivity.

These days 90 percent of stay. A greater number of hotels, during the current our guests connect to the Internet using Wi-fi year, are expected to adopt cloud technology to keep rather than a network of cables, which will become their distribution strategy real-time and minimise redundant before this decade is over. We will the manual errors. They will delve deeper into the see a similar shift in two other aspects — media implementation of game changing technologies such streaming in guest rooms and charging of mobile as IoT, virtual reality, wireless charging, robotics, devices.

The customer of today decides what interactive digital displays, smart control apps, and content he wants to watch where and when and beacons to take the guest experience to the next Mike Benjamin on which device,” elaborated Kielnhofer. level. Hotels will continue to leverage technology as a game changing strategy in the market.

Starwood and Hilton have already upgraded a few of their The Future Ahead properties to allow their guests to unlock their rooms or access Yes, times are changing and next generation of technologies hotel facilities such as spa and fitness centres through a smart are to be adopted in the hospitality industry rather than those phone app. Guests can also use their smart devices as a remote technologies which are likely to become obsolete soon. Some control to control the television channels, lights, fans, blinds and of the next gen technologies which can greatly influence the hospitality industry are IoT, wireless charging, robotics and temperature in their rooms.

In India, hotels and hotel chains such as ITC Grand Chola, The interactive walls among others.

However, how much the technology may thrive, the role Oberoi, The Leela Palace, and ITC Maurya offer a similar experience of personal interaction with the guests is unlikely to diminish through iPad for room controls, for streaming movies on demand, in the realm of hospitality industry, for many for ordering food or for chatting with other guests. years to come. Though the number of personal Some of the trend-setting technologies, which the interactions between guests and the hotel’s hotels are keen to adopt are: personnel would get less with the growing • Upgrading of in-room technology available to influence of technology, but its importance the guests would remain. With fewer interactions with hotel • Installation of fibre optics lines to avoid costs of staff, there will be fewer opportunities to get it installing new cables every few years right if lapses in service occur. A warm smile • Improved security against hackers for those and thank you will always be timeless in the making online payments hospitality industry, no matter where technology • Technology to help reduce energy costs for hotels.

Sunil Bhatia may lead us. n Some of the technologies which have proved

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Mar-Apr ’17

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Mar-Apr ’17

43

Operations

Hotel Business Review

Increasing Hotel’s Wedding Revenues

By Sharmila Chand

F

or hotels and resorts in India, weddings can be source of lucrative and consistent stream of revenues.

As weddings have become more lavish than ever before, what are the key strategies that can help hotels in India in generating impressive revenues and maximum mileage through weddings is a question that deserves introspection and often, multiple perspectives.

The question is how do hoteliers can garner a greater slice of the revenue through organising weddings?

In this regard, I talked with some hospitality industry experts to know about key strategies that they think are needed for generating the desired revenues for hotels through weddings.

Create a Niche, Personalisation Keshari Ranjan, Associate Director of Crowne Meetings at Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla, said, “In order to attract more number of weddings in your hotel, give your guests a reason to choose your

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Mar-Apr ’17

hotel over a hotel in your competition set.

You can differentiate your hotel from your competitors on the basis of price, policy, services and products.”

At the JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, each wedding is conceived as a bespoke event.

“We curate personalised experiences through tailoring each aspect of the wedding ceremony to the tastes and preferences of our guests. We do realise that rituals of marriages differ not only from individual to individual but also from family to family and community to community. Our

efforts streamline towards understanding the distinctive preferences of our wedding guests to be able to offer services that exceeds customer expectations,” offered Surjan Singh Jolly, Food & Beverage Director, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar.

Incentives and Personal Chord “Give some, take some is an adage which has proved its utility since time immemorial.

The hotel should have a strong referral incentive programme for anyone who successfully recommends the said hotel

Sp a Operations

“Shaadi by Marriott is an initiative that has gone out leaps and bounds to communicate that we curate experiences by becoming a part of the emotional space of the guests.”

Surjan Singh Jolly, Food & Beverage Director, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar.

for a wedding event. Once the referral gets translated into business, the hotel can offer incentives to the person who gave the referral. This way, not only will that person contribute with more referrals, others too would look to do the same, which, in turn, will create more revenues through weddings for the hotel,” explained Anang Chaturvedi, Director of

Sales and Marketing, JW Marriott Hotel Chandigarh.

“A hotel which is able to strike a chord with its patrons at a personal level is best placed to reap benefits from weddings. Weddings are a very personal affair for the families involved.

It is imperative that you are able to strike that chord and inspire confidence of the guests through the services which you are offering, at the very first meeting,” offered Chaturvedi.

“With our expert events, culinary, sales and operations team, we are in a position to give our guests many reasons to believe that they need to only pick their wedding suits, while we will take care of the rest through our intuitive service,” proffered Jolly.

“It is important that we understand the emotional space of our guests and work with them as if they were family to us. Another prerequisite for a hotel hosting weddings is to comprehend the myriad preferences of different individuals,” Jolly pointed out further.

“The team at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar strives to be known amongst guests as a team that recognises the emotional strings involved in marriages.

Every time we have established this with our wedding clients, we have seen that it has only brought us amplified goodwill through word of mouth,” Jolly elaborated.

Chef Interaction and Beverages “Along with the sales and marketing re p re s e n t a t i v e s , e n s u re t h a t t h e prospective guests are approached by the Banquet Chef also during the first meeting. Getting to hear from an expert

Mar-Apr ’17

45

Operations

Hotel Business Review

“Focus your marketing strategy by targeting the most potential customers.”

Keshari Ranjan, Associate Director of Crowne Meetings at Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla.

eases the nerves and inspires confidence, resulting in business for the hotel,” reasoned Chaturvedi.

Without alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages many a wedding these days cannot even be conceived. Therefore for a great wedding, the beverage package on offer must be impeccable. “Beverages are an integral part of wedding celebrations. With beverage set-up being a key component of the wedding arrangements, offering premium liquor packages and ensuring a great bar set-up will not only draw appreciation from guests but will also drive beverage sales for the hotel concerned,” Chaturvedi pointed out further.

in order to reap the desired revenues from hosting weddings. “Ensure that you have a dedicated sales and events personnel for tapping into the weddings segment,” explained Chaturvedi.

“Timely response & dedicated one point of contact from the hotel are very essential,” said Ranjan. “At Crowne Plaza we offer a dedicated Crowne Plaza Meeting Director and the Director along with his team offer a two-hour Response Guarantee where none of the wedding queries are missed,” he explained further.

“Thoughtful marketing has become the most important ancillary function to drive impressive wedding revenues for hotels,” observed Jolly. “Wise marketing strategies help potential guests become aware of our wedding venues and services. Our marketing communications have helped us establish ground as a wedding destination at the heart of the one of the busiest cities in India.

Marketing also helps us to showcase our expert team of Chefs and event specialists,” Jolly asserted while informing that ‘Shaadi

by Marriott’ is one such initiative.

Other Revenue Driving Methods Networking with business partners is also one of the key factors for hotels towards driving impressive revenues from weddings.

“We have co-created optimal value for

A Holistic Approach Anang Chaturvedi also emphasises on a holistic approach to garner desired revenues through weddings. “Present all the services associated with weddings to a prospective client as a single package deal, with a fixed price. This way, you are offering a convenient solution to the client who simply selects your bouquet of services for a single price rather than having to deal with multiple vendors and bargaining on cost on multiple fronts,” he elaborated.

The HR Factor Dedicated sales and events team is of course very much required by the hotels

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Mar-Apr ’17

“Take wedding reviews seriously and ask for referrals and be flexible to create customised packages.”

Mallika Chatterjee, Director of Sales & Marketing, Hyatt Regency Pune.

“Today, collated and processed data is a game-changer. The hotel should look to create a strong database of social guests and influencers that can influence more event queries at the hotel.”

Anang Chaturvedi, Director of Sales and Marketing, JW Marriott Hotel Chandigarh.

wedding guests by associating with the best of wedding planners, wedding florists and decorators. This also gives the hotel the opportunity to gain access to their partners’ databases,” affirmed Jolly.

“To generate leads, the hotels should fo c u s o n i m p rov i s i n g s e a rc h e n g i n e optimisation of websites, paid media marketing and listings on venue listings portals. Unconventional marketing includes engaging and interacting with potential guests through social media platforms,” Jolly explained further.

“In this age of tech-savvy millennial, it is almost imprudent to not to make one’s wedding expertise visible in the online space,” proffered Jolly.

That is not all. “While it is necessary for a hotel to showcase its wedding venues and expertise, nothing would count if the on-ground service does not match up. It is imperative that we deliver on our words through hospitality with a heart, with service that has an eye for detail and with food & beverage that is driven by novelty,” Jolly summed up. n

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47

Technology

Hotel Business Review

The Dynamics of Hotel Security Putting in place a robust security system in hospitality properties requires enormous amount of planning, investment in the latest equipments and technologies, quite a bit of staff training and a very high level of alertness on the part of the staff and the management of the hospitality properties

By Jyotismita Sharma

H

otels can easily become soft targets for terrorists, and India, equipments, appliances, and gardens of the hotel, and also the which has been recording a high rate of economic growth belongings of the guests,” Mau explained.

Sachin Kumar, Front Office Manager, DoubleTree by Hilton for more than a decade now, is hardly an exception. As seeking attention appears to be one of the primary goals of terrorist Hotel Pune-Chinchwad concurred with this view. “The security organisations, they tend to target hotels visited by high-profile department of the hotels must provide a secure work environment domestic and foreign guests. The horrors of the Mumbai terror for its employees and at the same time a safe and secure attacks in 2008 in which the iconic hotels — The Taj Mahal Palace, environment for guests,” Kumar said.

Elaborating the importance of having a robust security in place Mumbai and The Oberoi, Mumbai & Trident, Nariman Point – were the sites chosen for the attack, are still fresh in our memories. towards offering a better and safer guest experience, Mangesh Having a tight security system in a hotel has therefore become Gadekar, Loss Prevention Manager of Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan said that such measures have immense impact on the more important than ever.

“Security measures are extremely important to the functioning brand’s reputation.

“Inadequate security has repercussions beyond guests losing of the hotel and security is always the first priority towards guest service in the hospitality industry,” said Mau Chaudhuri, General belongings to theft for which hotel can be held liable,” Gadekar added.

Manager, Royal Sarovar Portico, Siliguri, West Bengal.

Mau added that hotel management must But safeguarding guests from any aggression also ensure proper storage of materials, goods, is just one of the many dimensions of hotel’s provisional items, chemicals, and fuels like safety and security measures. Hotels need to have diesel, LPG and coal, which should be stored and adequate arrangements to protect their own staff monitored closely and in dedicated manner. and property as well.

Having the necessary fire safety measures and a “The guest, who comes to a particular hotel, trained team to respond to any such emergencies is comes with an understanding that she/he and another important dimension of the hotel security her/his belongings both will be safe and secure system. during her/his stay at the hotel. At the same time, it is also quite important that the hotel’s staff and assets are also protected and stay secure. Hence Comprehensive Safety Measures it is very important to have a proper safety and Technology, which is advancing today at a faster security system in place to protect guests, staff, pace than ever before, is changing both the hotel’s physical resources and assets such as expectations of guests as well as the way in which Mau Chaudhuri

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Mar-Apr ’17

Technology

Hotel Business Review

Some of the other measures that the hotel the hospitality industry conducts its business. This has put in place include luggage scanner at entry, has influence on the security systems of hotels too. electronic key cards for guests, key control system “With regard to security, the advancements that for guest elevator, and fully functional smoke are being implemented during the recent times are detector and fire alarm system.

RFID (radio-frequency identification) key cards, Some of the steps that Royal Sarovar Portico, baggage scanners, Door Frame Metal Detectors Siliguri has taken to ensure impeccable safety and (DFMDs), Hand Held Metal Detectors (HHMDs), security for the guests, according to Mau, are as smoke and heat detectors and CCTV surveillance,” follows: Mau said.

• Vehicular check at the main entrance is a must “Modern technology plays a pivotal role in while the guest enters. keeping hotels secure and safe. The latest systems • The use of metal detectors, DFMD and proper help to protect against physical threats, while the tagging of the luggage at the reception by the bell increasing frequency of data breaches makes Mangesh Gadekar desk to avoid mishandling of the guest belongings. cutting-edge technology an essential tool in tackling • Dedicated key management systems are being followed; cyber crime,” Gadekar disclosed, while adding that Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan has installed hardened mobile trace detector electronic key system and a single key is being issued for the room allotted to the guest. machine at security main gate for vehicle inspection.

• The entire hotel is equipped with fire fighting systems. Smoke “Traces from the touch points of the vehicles are taken and checked in the machine. This machine detects 13 types of explosives detectors in the entire hotel as well as in the guest rooms, fire and 9 types of narcotics substances and the best part of this suppression systems like sprinklers, hydrant systems and also machine is this that it has reduced the security cost to a huge foremost coverage through CCTV surveillance systems are in place.

• Safety lockers in the rooms, visitor management to the rooms, extent and it works under any weather condition. Apart from this we have list of other technological gadgets namely HHMD, DFMD, proper identification methods for the guests as well as that of the fire alarm system, and access cards, to name a few,” Gadekar added. visitors are some of the other such measures followed in the hotel.

Mau, however, mentioned that the hotel’s security was only Moreover, the use of improved and efficient camera technology in hospitality properties has ensured that criminals can no longer as good as the level of training given to staff, who serves as management’s eyes and ears. easily hide from being recognised, Kumar pointed out.

“Training should be an ongoing exercise, with Gadekar informed that at Courtyard by Marriott the aim of ensuring a consistent, professional Pune Chakan, inspection was done for all the response to all emergencies. The staff should be guests with the help of the most advanced security empowered to take responsibilities in addressing equipment. According to him, the entire luggage at unusual behaviours that occur on the property, the hotel is scanned through X-Ray machines. without jeopardising their own safety,” she noted.

“We give utmost priority to the safety and “In this regard, the housekeeping staff plays security of all the vehicles entering the hotel. an important role as they keep doing guest room Moreover, our hotel is well-equipped with fire and cleaning on a daily basis,” Kumar noted. life safety equipment, which are tested periodically According to him, the hotel’s housekeeping to ensure that the equipments are in working personnel are trained to monitor unusual activities condition and should respond during the crisis,” of the guests, ensure safety of room amenities, and Gadekar pointed out. see that the number of occupants in a room match Here it deserves a mention that Courtyard by Sachin Kumar with actual occupancy number noted in the system.

Marriott hotels also take special security measures Thus ensuring security in a hotel could be quite a tricky issue for the big indoor and outdoor events. “We also host large indoor and outdoor events and considering the threats, we do a thorough involving meticulous planning, beginning from the design of the threat assessment before every event. We do all the necessary property to limiting entry and exit points, coordination with local background checks with reputed organisations to ensure that we police and administration, and having a vigilant and trained staff offer service from the heart to all our guests,” Gadekar said. to deal with contingency measures. Sometimes even alertness of Kumar informed that DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pune- the guests themselves can play a crucial role towards maintaining Chinchwad had got CCTV surveillance system right from the entry the safety and security of the guests and staff and properties of the hospitality properties. to exit and in all important areas in the hotel premises. n

Mar-Apr ’17

49

P ro d uct Previ ew

Hotel Business Review

Modern Shaving Preparation

Uniform Trust

Infinity Hygiene Care is a leading manufacturer of shaving cream and shaving gel. It operates under the brand name of ‘Protector‘. The ‘Protector‘ shaving cream softens and moistens the skin and the hair, thus making shaving more comfortable, and contributing to smoother skin.

The advantages of using this cream, rather than soap, oil, or just water, are many.

The journey of Sky Enterprises did begin in the pre-independence era. The company has come a long way from the days of the Raj to the cyber age. However, over the years, its endeavour to provide quality products has not changed. It has never compromised on its quality of cloth and dress materials used. The product range of Sky Enterprises is valued for its high quality products and fine stitching. The company uses high grade raw materials, which are sourced from its trusted vendors. Today Sky Enterprises is regarded as a pioneer in the field of manufacturing and supplying of uniforms and uniform related accessories, and hand-made Zari embroidery, in India. The company’s product range include waiter uniforms, Chef uniforms, uniforms for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy, school uniforms, reception uniforms, uniforms for air hostesses, security uniforms, housekeeping uniforms, and all other types of corporate uniforms. The company’s prestigious clientele list includes Indian Air Force and Indian Navy among others. Besides institutional uniform tailoring, the company also executes complete job of drapery and stitching on order.

The skilled workforce, under the watchful guidance of the management of the company, are w o r k i n g h a rd t o maintain the quality of the product. The product caters to hospitality industry across the country.

Infinity Hygiene Care infinityhygienecare@gmail.com

SKY Enterprises skyenterprisesindia@gmail.com

Steel of Substance Metinox India was established in the year 2015. The company is one of the principal exporters of kitchen utensils that are designed with precision by the experts. These kitchen utensils are popular for their attractive look and flawless sheen, which can leave the onlookers impressed at the very first glance. Premium quality stainless steel is used in the manufacturing of these utensils to make them long lasting. Since the kitchen utensils from Metanox India are 100 percent rust-proof, they are also hygienic to use.

Metinox India sales@metinoxindia.com The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

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Mar-Apr ’17

Mar-Apr ’17

51

Intervi ew

Hotel Business Review

A Listener and a Leader

With two decades of experience as an hotelier, Pranab Chakravorty, Operations Manager, Hotel Levana, Lucknow, is shouldering the responsibility of running and managing the property for the last 14 months.

He began his career with Holiday Inn Pune Hinjewadi. Operations is one of his key areas of strength. The excerpts of the interview follow:

By Sharmila Chand

What is the USP of the property?

The location of Hotel Levana is unique with its strongest element being good food.

Even today, with the presence of a number of big hospitality brands in the city ranging from Marriott, Accor, Ramada, etc. we still hold the edge in terms of food’s taste and its quality.

Besides our wonderful location, Hotel Levana, Lucknow has always been a very friendly hotel for all the patrons. We make sure that we meet our guests in a homely manner and take care of their needs. This is the core training that is being imparted to our team members. This characteristics of Hotel Levana is often been talked by our guests.

What are the hotel’s distinguished tech-friendly features?

One can stay online everywhere on the property, and have key less entry to one’s rooms.

Please tell us about the green initiatives the hotel has undertaken Hotel Levana is practicing environmentfriendliness since its inception. Exteriors and interiors of the property contain lots of natural plants and shrubs. The most unique being the green wall at Atrium of 40ft height and 25 ft width.

The use of the plastic is now banned, the usage of the DG boiler has been substituted with Heat Pump. Furthermore, there is provision of rain water harvesting tanks, treating of human waste via STP. These are few of the Go Green initiatives that Hotel Levana, Lucknow is into.

What is the marketing strategy you have adopted to promote your property?

A boutique hotel has always been the catch line for us. We have always made sure that we remain flexible with the

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Mar-Apr ’17

guest requests and do as much as possible in accommodating her/him. Moreover, keeping us updated with social, sports, entertainment activities in the city has always been our core interest in building Levana as a brand.

What according to you is the role of F&B in getting business for a hotel? How much importance do you give to this department?

F&B is one of the core departments of the hotel to get business for the hotel. Specially in Lucknow where 80 percent of the hotel business is from the corporate houses, the F&B of the hotel is very important. As many of these corporates travel 20 days in a month, they are forced to depend on the meals at the hotel before and after their hectic schedule, but many of them look for the perfection in taste.

Could you reflect on the future plans and new initiatives you wish to undertake in your property?

In Indian cuisine we are initiating in bringing a fusion of platters and combinations.

What is the most crucial issue to tackle in the Indian hospitality industry these days?

Keeping up with the rates that you showcase in the market is a great challenge.

With enough number of hotels emerging all across the country, it is competitive to keep up with the prices of your products. But with the inflation ratio so high up in the past few years, maintaining the rates is getting tougher day by day.

Arranging trained staff and obviously to retain the old team members is another challenge of our profession.

What do you enjoy the most about being at the helm of affairs at the hotel?

Meeting with different people has always been a matter of liking for me. It helps me in understanding human behaviour much more closely.

What do you think makes a good GM of a hotel?

I feel a good GM of a hotel should be able to monitor the day to day activities of the property with the eyes of the team members. The thought process of her/him should be understood and felt by her/his team members too.

What is your strength, professionally?

My strong points are that I am a good listener, an unbiased leader, and I have eye for detail. I still see myself as a learner.

What would you recommend to someone interested in working in your field?

I would advise them to get ready to sustain the pressure, to believe in team work, and to learn the profession that they are choosing.

What prepared you the most for your career?

Accepting the challenges is one of the key mindsets that worked positively for my career. From time to time, I have updated myself with the trends in the hospitality industry, which has also held me in good stead.

How do you de-stress?

I unwind by going for a drive with my family.

What is your working mantra, your guiding philosophy at work?

I believe in checking and re-checking and then checking again. I also believe in ‘measure first and then you can manage.’

Mar-Apr ’15

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’15