March -April 2013 ( Magazine for Hotel Professionals)

Mar-Apr ’13

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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

Associate Editor

Swarnendu Biswas Resident Editor

Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Feature Editor

Kanishka Gupta Sub-Editor

Angshupriya Danda Layout & Design

Hari Kumar V Narender Kumar

Production Assistant

Mamta Sharma

Advertising Sales

Delhi: Debabrath Nath, Sumesh Sharma Mumbai: Rajesh Tupsakhre Subscription Sales

Dattaram Gangurde Director Sales

Sanjay Anand

Director Operations & Finance

Rajat Taneja

Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi:

Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 1202, Pragati Tower, 26, Rajindra Place, New Delhi-110008, India Phone: 91-11-45084903, 25854103 Telefax: 91-11-25854105 Mumbai:

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E-mail: hammerpublishers@vsnl.net Website: www.hbrmag.com © 2013 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., 1202, Pragati Tower, 26 Rajindra Place, New Delhi. Printed at Print Creations, C-112/3, Basement, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase- 1, 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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Nowadays India is having sizeable numbers of domestic and inbound tourists who have more than healthy disposable incomes and global lifestyle. They are increasingly looking for something unusual in their holiday experiences, which are beyond the run-ofthe-mill luxury found at regular five-star or four-star properties. And many among them have a fascination towards erstwhile royalty and towards our rich cultural traditions, which they want to savour without compromising on the post-modern amenities that a topnotch hospitality property today is expected to provide. For them heritage hotels and resorts, many of which have taken their rebirth from palaces, forts and mansions, are the right hospitality options to indulge or explore.

In our Cover Story of this issue, we have explored the subject of heritage hospitality, where we have not only attempted to probe into the business logic behind heritage hotels and resorts in detail, but also attempted to examine what a heritage hospitality property actually should be. The future of the heritage hospitality and what the heritage hotels and resorts need to do to keep abreast with the changing market dynamics are also being touched upon in the story. Brief notes on three of the several premium reflections of heritage hospitality in the country are also being given.

The paucity of skilled manpower in the Indian hospitality industry has been a nagging challenge for some years and has been posing an impediment to the expansion plans of domestic as well as international hotel chains as well as stand-alone hospitality properties. To compound this problem is the looming threat of high attrition rates, which many a time get translated into realty.

The attrition is a big challenge for the Indian hospitality industry, and especially in the light of the fact that by 2016-17, the $23 billion Indian hotel industry envisages to have at least 50,000 more rooms, across top six cities of India, the problem becomes still more acute. The high attrition rate in the Indian hospitality industry is a combination of high level of dissatisfaction among workers with her/his current job and the ample alternative employment opportunities elsewhere.

Unless our hospitality industry concertedly makes an earnest effort to increase the pay packages of the workers in the industry and make them at par with many other professionally lucrative avenues of the services sector, and try sincerely to address the erratic and extremely long working hours that an average worker in the hotel industry faces on a fairly regular basis, the situation is not likely to change for the better. We have attempted to holistically cover this burning issue plaguing the hospitality industry through this edition’s Business Story.

Besides these relevant topics, the exploration of Lavasa, a hot and happening destination for the hospitality industry of India, the review of a five-star property in Bangalore, short features on design and technological aspects of the industry, and our other regular sections are expected to give you much relevant reading material between the pages, which are of course complemented by our News and Events section.

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

The Rajput fortresses, palaces of royalty, castles and havelis of nobles can serve as right options for being converted into wonderful heritage hospitality properties, and we are witnessing the conversion of royalty and nobility into the business of hospitality as an emerging trend in the Indian hotel industry.

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BUSINESS

The paucity of skilled manpower in the Indian hospitality industry has been a perpetual problem for some years and can easily pose as an impediment to the expansion plans of hotel chains of both domestic and international varieties.

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PROPERTY

The property seamlessly combines artistic and innovative design with a commitment towards the environmentally aware practices that is the hallmark of Alila properties around the globe.

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TECHNOLOGY

Managing customer traffic is a key component of the efficiency of the elevators and escalators in commercial establishments like hotels. From an operational stand point, elevators and escalators should be able to contribute towards the reduction of overhead costs through energy efficiency.

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DESIGN

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F&B

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SPA

Awnings, canopies, and shades not only offer convenient and flexible protection from the Sun, wind and cold, but also contribute to the privacy factor. They can also add to the aesthetic appeal of the environment or rather the in-vironment of the hospitality property concerned, depending on how aesthetically they are being constructed.

Carrot juice, porridge and boiled egg? You hear these options and lose your appetite. No, thank you, forget the health diet, is what you tell yourself. No worries, wellness or spa cuisine has come a long way.

It is no more insipid, flat and boring...

A pure indulgence zone for the senses, Espace, the spa at Radisson Blu Hotel Noida, brings in an amalgamation of the beauty and balance under one roof.

DEPARTMENTS 04

Event

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News Scan

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Appointments

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Report

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Product Preview

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Business Opportunity

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Interview

Cover Pix: Fairmont Jaipur

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Event

HOTEL Business Review

EVENTS’ CALENDER

HOTELEX

Shanghai 2013

Concludes with Applause Co-organised by Shanghai Tourism Bureau, China Tourism Hotel Association and Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo, HOTELEX Shanghai 2013 concluded successfully on 3rd April 2013, at Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC); welcoming an overwhelming visitor head count of 70,557 with an exhibiting area of 130,000 square meters.

The number of exhibitors this year had reached over 1,500 with a promising 30 percent growth, covering 11 halls with an exhibiting space of 130,000 square meters. The number of professional visitors had also seen impressive growth with 36 percent increase from the previous year’s edition. Also the overseas visitors this year saw a 63.3 percent increase over that of the 2012 edition, due to the pre-show intensive promotion. The

event this year attracted over 300 media partners from home and abroad to report and visit. For instance, Channel Young, Drink International Magazine, Foodservice Consultant Magazine, Hospitality Magazine, China Hotel Purchase News, Meadin.com among others covered stories of different aspects in HOTELEX, an event that attracted exhibitors, visitors, baristas, bartenders and judges.

In the 2013 edition HOTELEX invited the industry opinion leaders and trend setters to share knowledge and information with the participants of the event. ‘Foodservice in the 21st Century’

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HOTELEX 2013 1-3 April 2013 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, Shanghai,China www.hotelex.cn SIAL China 2013 7-9 May 2013 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China www.sialchina.com Thaifex- World of Food ASIA 2013 22-26 May 2013 Impact Challenger, Thailand www.worldoffoodasia.com

forum elaborated on how catering owners and operators can stand out from fierce market competition with distinguished service and futuristic concepts. Speakers such as Jane Ganaway from Yum! China, Robin Ashton from Foodservice Equipment Report Magazine, Don Fisher from FisherNickel, Francois Tesniere — the awardwinning architect and visionary designer — engaged and inspired the audience and participants at the forum.

HOTELEX 2013 had also collaborated with U.S. Agricultural Trade Office Shanghai Center this year to help put on an excellent show, utilising food ingredients from USA. With the purpose of introducing these food ingredients from USA into the Chinese restaurants, the Taste of the United States 2013 — Asian Master Chef Challenge featured many award-winning Chinese Chefs.

HOTELEX Shanghai 2014 will be held from March 31st to April 3rd at Shanghai New International Expo Center with more space and fascinating events, as stated by the event officials.

HBF 2013 14-16 June 2013 Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai www.hbf.co.in HOSFAIR 2013 27-29 June 2013 China Imports & Exports Fair Complex, Guangzhou www.hosfair.com TRAFS 2013 25-28 July 2013 Hall 103, Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC), Bangkok www.thailandhoreca.com Hong Kong International Tea Fair 15-17 August 2013 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, Hongkong www.hkteafair.com Food Ingredients India 2013 3-5 October 2013 Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai www.fiindia.ingredientsnetwork.com The 2nd Shenzhen International Hospitality Equipment & Supplies Fair 14-16 October 2013 Shenzhen Exhibition Center, China www.szhosfair.com Fine Food India 11-13 December 2013 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.finefoodindiaexpo.com

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Event

HOTEL Business Review

BITEC, Bangkok Will Host TRAFS 2013

TRAFS 2013 (7th edition of the show), the leading food & retail show in Thailand, is going to be held during 25th- 28th July 2013 at BITEC, Bangkok It is expected to be an ideal platform for manufacturers/ distributors of food/drinks equipment supplies and suppliers from the world.

The event is expected to attract 28,000 target buyers from 50 countries. TRAFS 2013 is also co-located with the 9th edition of Thailand Franchise & Business Opportunities, which can give double exposure to the visitors and exhibitors at the event.

TRAFS 2012 (6th edition) witnessed a new record of over 27,000 visitors from 48 countries. According to Kavin Kittiboonya, Managing Director of Kavin Intertrade Co., Ltd, the show organizer, a total of

27, 415 visitors from 48 countries were registered during the four-day event last year. Of this, 27,123 were visitors (hoteliers, hospitality professionals, etc.) from Thailand, and the rest were from the 47 countries.

Top ten overseas visitors were from Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, the United States, Japan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Australia, Hong Kong, and China.

Kittiboonya said that based on the post show questionnaire with exhibitors, it was revealed that the majority of them were satisfied with the results of the show, the quality of the visitors, and almost 70 percent of them had confirmed to participate in the TRAFS 2013. They were

also satisfied with the comprehensive activities arranged throughout the show, which included hotelier competitions, food and bakery workshops and hotelier seminars/meetings.

TRAFS 2013 has increased exhibition space to 7,000 sq.m from 6,000 sq.m. in its 2012 edition, in order to cope with the needs of existing exhibitors plus new exhibitors, both from Thailand and overseas.

HOSFAIR Guangzhou Synergy Exposures Will Organise 3rd 2013 to Celebrate its Hospitality Business Fair and Food & Beverage Process Tech Fair 2013 11th Anniversary The 11th Guangzhou International Hospitality Equipment and Supplies Fair or HOSFAIR 2013 will be held during 27th-29th June 2013, at the China Import and Export Fair Complex. The annual show has gradually emerged as a prominent and high-quality hospitality show over the years. With the objective of maximising the potential of related sectors and creating a comprehensive exhibition, the show will host ten sectors from the industry namely kitchen and catering, hotel furniture, hotel textile, clean and laundry, interior supplies tableware, intelligence, coffee, wine & spirit, food and beverage. The show is expected to arrange more than 4000 stands and cover 80,000 square meters of exhibition space.

Guided by the spirit of innovation, cooperation and internationalisation, HOSFAIR Guangzhou is geared to become a grand fair in the hospitality industry. With an objective to hone the fair as the most effective platform for hotel supplies, manufacturers and traders, HOSFAIR has introduced the brands of the exhibitors into the international market as well.

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The 3rd Hospitality Business Fair 2013 and Food & Beverage Process Tech Fair 2013 will be organised by Synergy Exposures & Events India Pvt. Ltd. from June 14th-16th 2013, in Chennai. The concurrent events catering to the hotel and food processing sector will also organise a conference i.e.

Hospitality Knowledge Sharing Forum 2013, in partnership with leading industrial associations at the same venue.

Synergy Exposures & Events India Pvt. Ltd. has in the past organised several successful expos across South India, covering a variety of subjects. This expo is aimed at contributing to the growth of the hospitality industry and food processing industry by enabling the manufacturers and service providers with an opportunity to be at the right place.

Hospitality Business Fair 2013 aims at providing a platform for face-to-face interaction between the manufacturers or suppliers and the buyers. The expo is expected to showcase over 150 exhibitors from across the globe. The unique feature of the event is that it is a highly focused event revolving around the hotels and food chains in South India.

South Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (SIHRA), Hospitality Purchasing Managers Forum (HPMF), The Tamil Nadu Hotels Association, Indo French Chamber Of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI), TN Bakers Federation India, etc. have extended their support for the event and will promote the expo to their members.

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HOTEL Business Review

Aahar 2013:

Facilitating Business and Knowledge Aahar International Fair 2013, one of India’s leading food and hospitality fairs, commenced on 14th March, 2013, at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. This year the fiveday-long event attracted more than 671 exhibitors, which showcased their offerings at the mammoth expo, which was spread across Hall nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 to 12 A, 14 and 15. According to the sources at India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), this exhibitor participation represented an enhancement of almost 15 percent from that of the 2012 edition, which witnessed the participation of 565 exhibitors. Net covered space at the Aahar 2013 show exceeded 19,000 sq. mt.

The trade fair, which witnessed impressive visitor participation from both India and overseas, was a symposium of buyers and sellers and service providers that offered everything under one destination (Pragati Maidan) for the various markets pertaining to the food & beverage and hospitality business. The five-day-long event attracted top decision

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makers and buyers from the food & beverage and hospitality industry.

The overseas participation was also increased this year as compared to that of Aahar 2012, with exhibitors from 50 countries taking part at the event. Two concurrent exhibitions were covered under the ambit of Aahar 2013. They were Food India and Hospitality India. Hospitality India covered hotel & restaurant equipment and supplies and Food India

covered processed foods & beverages.

The trade fair with a history dating back to 1981, was being organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), and was supported by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, and Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

Association of Resource Companies for the Hospitality Industry of India (ARCHI), Hotel & Restaurant Equipment Manufacturers’ Association of India (HOTREMAI), and All India Food Processors’ Association (AIFPA) were the associates for the event.

This year, the theme of the fair was

‘Traceability –An Essence of Food Products.’ The theme assumes special significance for the food safety industry where traceability is viewed as a strategy that enhances business and pays for itself in the process. A food company with an advanced traceability system allows real-time alerts to be generated, enabling better operational decisions.

A highlight of this year’s edition of Aahar was the culinary shows, where live cooking could be witnessed by the audience. The range of products on display at Aahar 2013 included food products and processed food items including beverages; mill machinery and equipments; machinery related to food processing and packaging of food products; poultry, farm equipments and supplies; dairy and confectionery

Event

equipments; air-conditioning, refrigeration and cold storage systems; air and water-pollution control equipment and accessories; hotel and kitchen equipment and tableware; laundry and interiors and housekeeping equipment; health and fitness equipment; consultancy services and miscellaneous products related to food industry and hospitality supplies. The product range at the exhibition was impressive as it covered the entire gamut of the hospitality and food industry.

“The agriculture and food processing sectors are the mainstays of our economy.

These sectors have the potential to provide employment in the country and were therefore given priority in the Union Budget recently,” said Rita Menon, Chairman and Managing Director, ITPO. Rita Menon informed that the fair attracted over 25,000 business visitors — an increase of nearly 15 percent over the last Aahar edition. She added that the presence of 17 countries from different continents reflected global confidence in the Indian economy.

Dr. Charan Das Mahant, Minister of State, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Govt. of India, said, “Aahar has given the ministry the opportunity to showcase the developments in the field of food processing.” He urged the industry to develop new processed products from the raw farm produce like milk, meat, poultry and marine products, as the country ranks among the top two in the world in the production of these products.

He stressed on creating an integrated

HOTEL Business Review

value chain in the food processing and hospitality sectors for increasing India’s shares in the global exports and to face future challenges. He said that extensive efforts must be directed to save agricultural produce through creation of integrated value chains, food processing parks and institutions for maintaining global standards for processed food. The Minister also laid emphasis on food safety issues. “Now as food standards and health issues are making headlines, there is a need to address these issues,” he added, while pointing out that even small cities are taking keen interest in food safety measures.

Succinctly, with the notable participation and exhibition of wide variety of innovative products, Aahar 2013 presented itself as a great information and business distribution platform for the hospitality and food and beverage industry.

During these three decades of its successful journey through aroma and flavours, services and smiles, Aahar has emerged as a perfect one-stop destination to showcase the growth and development of the food & beverage and the hospitality industry and as a great opportunity for both potential suppliers and buyers of these industries to interact and benefit from each other.

Over the years, Aahar has been recognised as one of the leading events of its kind in Asia that has been bridging the information gap between consumers and manufacturers and increasing each others’ knowledge base pertaining to the food & beverage and the hospitality industry.

Today Aahar is regarded as much more than a huge industrial fair. Over the three glorious decades, Aahar has been playing a very important role not only in bridging the yawning gap between potential business partners from India and abroad in the dominion of food & beverage and hospitality industry but also in offering a

podium for executing government schemes for infrastructural growth like establishing food parks, packaging and value-added centres, integrated cold-chain facility, etc.

With the promising growth potential for both the food & beverage and hospitality sectors, and with interesting and happening trends that both these sectors are witnessing, the overall potential of Aahar seems to be brimming with new promises.

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HOTEL Business Review

Park Hyatt Chennai Shines at the HICSA Awards Park Hyatt Chennai has been recognised as ‘The Best New Hotel of the Year’, at the HICSA Hotels of the Year Awards – 2013, in the debut year of its launch. Park Hyatt Chennai features 201 luxury guestrooms, including 20 indulgent suites, all thoughtfully designed to create an inviting environment for the guests. The 30th hotel in the Park Hyatt portfolio, Park Hyatt Chennai offers an array of epicurean tastes and experiences in a wonderfully sublime setting at the all-day dining option called The Dining Room.

Recently, Park Hyatt Chennai launched an exciting new dining extravaganza, The Flying Elephant, which is a unique specialty restaurant offering diners a selection of exotic cuisines in an awe-inspiring ambience. Park Hyatt Chennai offers its guests spa treatments at Antahpura Spa, which have been

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News Scan inspired by legendary therapies from the illustrious lineage of Chettinad. Park Hyatt Chennai has a state-of-the-art meeting facility at The Apartment, which comes across as more than 8,000 square feet of versatile and innovative meeting and event space.

On winning this popular award, Yann Gillet, General Manager, Park Hyatt Chennai, said, “We at Park Hyatt Chennai are elated with this honour that has been accorded to us. The HICSA 2013 - Best New Hotel of the Year award is a wonderful endorsement and reassurance that we are headed towards the right direction.”

The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group Honoured with National Award for Excellence in Hospitality Education The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group was awarded the National Award for Excellence in Hospitality Education 2011-12 in the Hotel category undertaking skill development in the hospitality sector by the Minister of State for Tourism, K. Chiranjeevi. The award was received by Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson and Managing Director of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, at the prestigious ceremony that was held at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi, on 5th April 2013. The award is in recognition of Project Disha, which is being implemented under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group.

Project Disha seeks to assist school students and local youth to have access to quality ‘education leading to employment’.

Currently, there are 3500 students who have successfully passed out from the Disha Centers.

More than 75 percent of these students have been successfully placed in various jobs across the country. The courses include employment oriented vocational training in the hospitality sector, computer literacy, spoken English courses and life skills training.

The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group believes in developing destinations and not just hotels. For its unique efforts, the group has often been recognised and awarded. After receiving the award, Jyotsna Suri said “We are deeply honoured to receive the National Award for Excellence in Hospitality Education and we are thankful to the Tourism Ministry for recognising our efforts.”

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HOTEL Business Review

Michelin Brings Green Guides to India Michelin, the automotive tyre manufacturer, has announced the launch of its flagship Green Guide series in India, earlier in April. The launch of the Chennai and Tamil Nadu Green Guide edition is a first in the series, encouraging travellers from across the world to explore the rich heritage and cultural diversity of India.

“At Michelin, our core mission is to enhance mobility around the world, not only through innovative Michelin tyres, but also through our flagship mobility assets such as the Green Guide. We are excited to bring our Green Guides to India, starting with Tamil Nadu & Chennai edition. With this launch, we aim to promote and improve travel experience in Tamil Nadu for travelers from all over India and also from overseas,” said Prashant Prabhu, President, Michelin Group Africa, India and Middle East. “India is a unique travel destination that offers travelers a rich mix of culture and history across a broad spectrum of remarkable destinations from both coasts to the Himalayas. We hope that with Green Guide coming to India, we can contribute to nation’s burgeoning tourism industry” he added.

The first Michelin Green Guide on Chennai & Tamil Nadu offers a detailed array of insider tips and local information that will help visitors to get immersed in this region. While using the Green Guide travellers will get details on diverse aspects of the region — the people, the history, culinary traditions, cultural conducts and many other authentic experiences.

The internationally acclaimed Michelin star rating system allows travellers to see at a glance a destination’s major tourist attractions.

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Concur Welcomes InterContinental Hotels Group as Concur Open Booking Partner Concur, a global leader in integrated travel and expense management, has announced that IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading global hotel companies, is signed as a Concur Open Booking partner. Concur Open Booking enables transactions booked through travel supplier websites to automatically appear in Concur, delivering complete visibility, streamlined expense reporting and enhanced duty of care data back to corporate clients, regardless of where travel was booked.

With the integration of Concur Open Booking, travellers whose profiles are linked with their IHG loyalty program account will be able to book directly on IHG’s seven brand websites, which include InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts, the Holiday Inn brand family and two extended stay brands, and also can avail the company’s negotiated rates. The guests can also enjoy a personalised web experience that includes e-receipts that automatically pre-populate their expense report. Best of all, Concur clients get more visibility into employee travel spend and enhanced duty of care capabilities across all employee travel. These new capabilities are expected to be available for corporate clients, beginning in 2013.

“We are pleased to join the Concur Open Booking solution to create a new and enhanced booking experience for business travellers, who are among the more than 71 million frequent guests worldwide loyal to the IHG family of hotel brands,” said Andrew Rubinacci, Vice President, Distribution & Intermediary Sales, IHG.

Four Points By Sheraton Debuts in Ahmedabad Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced the debut of its rapidly expanding Four Points by Sheraton brand in Ahmedabad. Owned by SAMHI Hotels (Ahmedabad) Private Limited, Four Points by Sheraton Ahmedabad will be a conversion from an existing hotel and will be Starwood’s fifth Four Points by Sheraton property in India and the first managed Four Points by Sheraton property in the country.

Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President, Specialty Select Brands, Starwood, said, “The Four Points brand, offering ‘best for business’ proposition for travelers seeking great hotels at great rates, has grown on to become the second largest pipeline among all Starwood brands. We are excited to open our fifth Four Points by Sheraton in India and we believe that the brand has immense opportunity in the country.”

“Gujarat is amongst the fastest growing states in India and is an important market for Starwood. The debut of the Four Points by Sheraton brand in the state will strengthen the brand’s presence in the Indian market and will match with our goal to continue to expand our footprints in tier II markets, and in micro markets within larger metros,” said Dilip Puri, Managing Director, India and Regional Vice President, South Asia for Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels and Resorts.

In India, Starwood Hotels & Resorts currently operates four Four Points by Sheraton Hotels in Navi Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur and Vishakhapatnam, and has three under development projects in Gurgaon, Mumbai and Faridabad. The Ahmedabad hotel is Starwood’s first in the city of Ahmedabad under its upscale portfolio. Starwood will further strengthen its upscale brands’ portfolio in the city of Ahmedabad with the opening of Aloft Ahmedabad, SG Road later this month. Four Points by Sheraton Ahmedabad is a 104-room hotel that is well situated with a visible location in the city.

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HOTEL Business Review

Making Kitchens More Efficient and Safe Rational, the global market leader in hot food preparation, recently held two consultant seminars about efficient kitchen planning and intelligent cooking processes, in Bangalore and Delhi. More than 300 hundred planners and dealers working in the food & beverage and hospitality industry could see live how easy and efficient the cooking process is done by using Rational’s SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency.

The SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency replaces almost all the appliances traditionally found in a professional kitchen. It can grill, steam, gratinate, bake, rise, roast, braise, simmer, stew, poach or blanche. The unit independently determines, controls and monitors the optimum cooking process – just by the push of a button.

“The SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency is not only the standard for western cuisines, but also for Indian cuisine”, explained Pinaki Banerjee — MD, Rational India. “We have developed cooking processes especially for the Indian cuisine, like biryani, tikkas, tandoori, idli and samosas. Our Rational Research and Development department from Germany has been working together closely with Master Chefs from India. Our new cook book proofs that the Rational SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency is already the new standard for Indian cuisine,” he added.

Rational has carved a niche in Delhi and Mumbai as far as its presence in India goes, and now the company envisages to extensively reach other parts of the country, with its high efficient product ‘SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency.’

“Customers worldwide are facing growing energy costs and need to find out how they can make their kitchen more profitable. With SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency the customers can save 70 percent of energy consumption compared with traditional kitchen equipment without combi steamer,“ pointed out Gerrard Kramer, a kitchen planning expert from the Germany, while discoursing on latest kitchen trends.

Infrastructure Development Project to Boost Goa’s Tourism The project of developing tourism infrastructure near Baga Creek in Goa has come through. The project is designed to beautify and upgrade infrastructure near the Baga Creek which would cover the parking facilities, viewing tower, seaside pathways, etc.

The proposed work includes construction of seaside pathway from Baga to Calangute, construction of approach road from Baga to Arpora Bridge, construction of seating and landscaping near Baga Creek, and construction of parking and landscaping near Baga Beach temple, and parking area near the viewing tower.

On the occasion, Goa’s Tourism Minister, Dilip Parulekar said, “Baga, Calangute and Candolim are the busiest tourist attractions in Goa, and are the most visited tourist spots in the state with heavily crowded beaches. These beaches needed special attention in terms of more facilities and tourist attractions. A need was felt to develop the surrounding area with proper and better accesses, and beautifications of the area, in order to boost tourism in the state.”

The project has been scheduled to be completed in 180 days (excluding monsoon) from the date of commencement of work.

The estimated cost for this project is Rs.9,04,58,256.

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HOTEL Business Review

News Scan

Kempinski Ambience Delhi is Now Open

Songkran Food Festival at Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon

Kempinski has reinforced its commitment to India by launching its first independently managed hotel in the commercial district of Shahdara in East Delhi – Kempinski Ambience Delhi. As the first of eight Kempinski openings planned to take place by 2015, Kempinski Ambience Delhi is set to be an upscale landmark address for business, entertainment and weddings in the region.

The hotel is contemporarily designed and features 480 rooms and suites, spread across two towers, connected by a sky bridge. Each tower has a dedicated entrance, a lobby and a check-in desk. Kempinski Ambience Delhi features banqueting facilities of over 70,000 sq. ft., including India’s largest pillar-less ballroom in a luxury hotel that can accommodate up to 6000 guests. Amongst the dining options are four specialty restaurants including Café Knosh (allday dining restaurant), Dilli 32 (an Indian specialty restaurant), Mei Kun (an Asian restaurant), and Casaluna (an Italian restaurant). In addition, the hotel has a scenic, glass-enclosed bar, the Cherry Bar, two

Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon hosted Songkran Food Festival at Red Zen, the authentic Pan Asian restaurant of the property. Guests enjoyed the delicious Thai cuisine prepared by Expat Chef Piyawat, who prepared an array of lip smacking delicacies. The festival was held from 12th April- 28th April 2013. Speaking on the occasion, Expat Chef Piyawat, Courtyard

by Marriott, Gurgaon, said, “Thai food offers a variety of flavours and tastes. The festival menu is influenced by exquisite Thai culinary tradition through sourcing fresh ingredients and ensuring each dish is distinctively unique in flavours and colours.”

The ala carte menu of the festival presented the traditional authentic Thai dishes amidst an ambience which brought out the true flavours of Thailand. Patrons were served with a plethora of Thai grubs like Thord Man Kung (Thai shrimp cakes), Larbkai (Spicy mince chicken with roasted rice and fresh herbs), Pla Nueng Manow (Steamed fish with chilli and lemon sauce), PhadKee Mao Phak (Stir-fried vegetables with chilli and Thai herbs), Khao Mali (Steamed jasmine rice) for food enthusiasts.

Global Travellers Want To Stay Connected business centres and recreational facilities including the spa with hammam, and an ice fountain.

Commenting on Kempinski’s vision to strengthen its foothold in India through this fully-managed property, Reto Wittwer, President and CEO of Kempinski Hotels, said, “Across the world, our guests who are keen to discover the world through Kempinski come to seek authentic experiences of new destinations. Shahdara fits our vision perfectly, through its unique blend of a rustic Old Delhi charm coupled with an early embrace of the most sophisticated modern infrastructure technology.” Raj Singh Gehlot, Chairman and Managing Director of Ambience Group, which owns the hotel, said, “For more than 115 years, Kempinski Hotels have hosted the most renowned and powerful international celebrities and global leaders, and we are proud to have been chosen to open its first hotel in India.”

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Global travellers are looking for a home away from home experience when they stay in a hotel, according to the latest research from leading online accommodation booking service, Hotels.com. Topping the list of must-have hotel amenities are free Wi-Fi and free food and beverages, with caffeine being a must.

Free Wi-Fi triumphs over both free parking and complimentary breakfast when it comes to choosing a hotel for both leisure and business travel, showing that access to the online world is a necessity for modern-day travellers. In fact, just 11 percent of global travellers said they would be willing to pay for Wi-Fi when staying in a hotel. Among Indian travellers, 26 percent considered Wi-Fi as an important amenity while looking for hotel accommodation during leisure travel.

Free breakfast ranked as the favourite (31 percent) non-tech item that global travellers would want to see as one of the standards at all hotels in 2013.

48 percent of Indian travellers would like to see complimentary breakfast to be a standard offering at all hotels in 2013. 26 percent of global respondents said that their favourite amenity while staying at a luxury hotel is the high-end fitness centre and/or spa, while designer toiletries also ranked highly at a healthy 21 percent.

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News Scan

HOTEL Business Review

The Oberoi, New Delhi Awarded Best 5 Star Deluxe Hotel In recognition of its significant contribution to tourism in the country and its unremitting commitment towards excellence, The Oberoi, New Delhi has been awarded the prestigious National Tourism Award in the Best Five Star Deluxe category.

Instituted by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, the National Tourism Awards are among the most coveted awards in the travel and tourism industry in the country and are presented annually, in various categories, acknowledging exceptional performance and contribution to promoting India as a tourist destination. This recognition by the The Oberoi, New DelhiMinistry of Tourism comes after The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur being awarded with the National Tourism Award in 2010 – 2011.

Jay Rathore, Vice President & General Manager, The Oberoi, New Delhi, said, “It is a matter of great privilege to receive the award from the President of India. The award reflects the hotel’s commitment to quality and consistent dedication to

guest satisfaction.” Talking further about the accolade, Rathore pointed out, “The honour bestowed on us has been made possible by the efforts of our highly motivated and well-trained team members. Such recognition reinforces our commitment to improve consistently, anticipate our guests’ needs and live up to their expectations.”

Hilton HHonors Announces Dream Resorts Promotion Hilton HHonors, the loyalty programme for Hilton Worldwide’s 10 hotel brands, has introduced the Dream Resorts promotion, which will allow guests to save 30 percent on bed and breakfast rates all year long (until 31st December 2013) at the Hilton Worldwide’s resorts in Goa and Shillim, if the booking is done before 14th May 2013. Located just two kilometers from Baga Beach, DoubleTree by Hilton Goa-Arpora-Baga is the perfect base to explore the breathtaking coastline of North Goa. Meanwhile, a short drive from Mumbai and Pune, Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa features all-villa accommodation with butler service, extensive dining options, and a range of invigorating activities with the most comprehensive spa facility in Asia.

Hilton HHonors, the award-winning guest-loyalty programme for Hilton Worldwide’s 10 distinct hotel brands, offers its 34 million members myriad ways to earn and redeem points.

HHonors members can now redeem points at any of the ten Hilton hotel brands across the world, for any room, anywhere, anytime, including the most luxurious of the suites.

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Magic Holidays to Reach Out to More Customers Magic Holidays, from the Panoramic Group of Companies, is rolling out an aggressive marketing and advertising campaign, beginning from 7th April 2013 onwards. The aim of this campaign is to establish Magic Holidays as one of the leading timeshare vacation providers in the country by directly engaging with the customers to establish a firm relationship.

This pan-India campaign will feature a mix of print ads, hoarding and radio ads. Along with this, even the logo and branding for Magic Holidays will undergo a change. According to Hitesh Kshatriya, COO of Panoramic Group of Companies, “The new campaign will help us get more visibility and reach out to more people in the market. The concept of a family vacation is something that is still very valued in India; however factors like rising airfare and hotel costs cause people to put their plans on hold. With a tool like timeshare holidays, we are positive about guaranteeing our customers with memorable holidays for the next 25 years at a cost that doesn’t burn a hole in their pockets.”

Meanwhile, the company is also planning on expanding its operations in India and abroad. As a part of this, it is actively looking out for properties to acquire at popular holiday destinations. Magic Holidays also has a tie-up with Resort Condominium International (RCI) to facilitate a range of holiday options. In addition to this, to facilitate its expansion plans, the company has also adopted a franchise model that has helped it spread its network throughout the country.

Spring Air Bedding Co. (India) Ltd. F-39, Ground Floor, Shopping Centre 1, Mansarover Garden, New Delhi 110015 Tel.: 011-40793344, E-Mail: info@springair.in, projects.springair@gmail.com For institutional enquires please contact: North: 09711159350, West: 022-25296616, 09029373942, Central: 09826130505, South: 080-26644757, 09845813489, East: 033-40629290, 09831237711, 09831154834.

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HOTEL Business Review

JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, the Tallest Hotel in the World, Opened The JW Marriott brand recently opened its landmark luxury hotel in the Middle-East – the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai. Acquiring the coveted title of the World’s Tallest Hotel from the Guinness Book of World Records, the 72-storyed property is the first JW Marriott Marquis outside of North America and the 59th addition to the brand’s global luxury hospitality portfolio. A host of international personalities, including Marriott International’s President & CEO, Arne Sorenson were present for the official unveiling.

Soaring at 355 meters (1,164 feet), the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is just 26 meters shorter than New York City’s famed Empire State Building.

“Dubai is an important destination for Marriott International as one of the world’s most exciting cities offering world-class facilities and infrastructure, central location in the region and future growth potential,” said Arne Sorenson, Marriott International President & CEO. “Our expanding collection of world-class JW Marriott hotels offers

travelers a one-of-a-kind luxury experience. The investment in this unique and visually stunning hotel is a testament to the continued opportunities that lie ahead for the brand and company.”

In addition to serving luxury business tourists and travellers, the hotel, which is owned by Emirates Group, will target the lucrative and increasingly important MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) market, which is expected to cater to a longidentified gap in the region. The hotel is expected to play a key role in attracting major conventions and events to the destination. Along with cutting-edge business facilities, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai features more than 7,500 sq.mt. of indoor and outdoor event space, including two ballrooms, and a large selection of world-class dining and entertainment options.

Currently, there are 59 JW Marriott hotels in 23 countries and by 2015, the portfolio is expected to encompass 79 properties in 28 countries.

Summer Festival Celebration Offer from Daiwik Hotels Rameswaram Daiwik Hotels Rameswaram, part of India’s first specialty chain of full service four-star pilgrimage hotels, has launched an ‘Exclusive Summer Festival Package’ for the forthcoming festival season at Rameswaram, to be held from April to September 2013. The offer has been created keeping in mind

the requirements of the tourists and travellers arriving during the festivals of Ramalinga Pratistha, Vasantutsavam, and Thirukalyanam, during these months.

The four-star property offers a wide range of knowledge-based pilgrim services and recreational amenities. The hotel comes equipped with a unique Pilgrim Assist Desk, offering detailed information about temple rituals, their timing, and also guided facilities for puja at the temple.

RCI Welcomes Hotel Shevaroys, Yercaud, to its Portfolio of Affiliated Resorts in India RCI has announced an affiliation with Hotel Shevaroys in Yercaud, which is nestled amidst several acres of lush green coffee plantations on the Servaroyan Hills of Tamil Nadu.

“We are honoured to be a part of the exclusive portfolio of RCI affiliated resorts, and we welcome the benefits that this affiliation will bring to our guests who will now have access to the most desirable vacation destinations around the world.

We also look forward to welcoming RCI’s members as guests at our property,” said R. Devadass, Chairman and Managing

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Director, Hotel Shevaroys.

“RCI is pleased to welcome Hotel Shevaroys, Yercaud, into its portfolio of affiliated resorts in India,” said Radhika Shastry, Managing Director, RCI India.

“Given the growing popularity of Yercaud, this beautifully located property is a testimony to our commitment to widen the choice of vacation options we offer our members,” she added.

With an objective of meeting the demands of the modern tourists and travellers, while also providing a relaxing hill resort experience with its uniquely

designed and well-appointed cottages, Hotel Shevaroys was the first to start the trend of offering villa style accommodation in Yercaud. Most of its villas come with an attached car park, and a sit-out and private lawn, offering families much desired privacy.

Hotel Shevaroys offers four food and beverage options, which include, The Red Dragon, a Chinese restaurant; The Silver Oak, featuring multiple cuisines; Malar, serving pure vegetarian fare; and Bear’s Cave, a well appointed bar. The hotel also boasts of an on-site supermarket and a bakery.

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HOTEL Business Review

Jojy Abraham

Jojy Abraham has been appointed as the Manager of Siddh Spa at Hyatt Regency Chennai.

Hailing from Kerala, he brings with him experience of more than 12 years from various renowned hospitality properties.

His key responsibilities as the Manager of Siddh Spa will include identifying the needs of guests, developing marketing strategies, controlling costs as per the hotel budget, managing inventory effectively, and assisting the team in growth.

Sanjay Gupta

Le Meridien Jaipur has appointed Sanjay Gupta as the General Manager of the hotel. Prior to joining Le Meridien Jaipur, Gupta had been instrumental in establishing Le Méridien Coimbatore. Having invested almost 19 years in the industry, Gupta has also worked at The Royal Orchid Group of Hotels, in Bangalore. His previous tenures include working with The Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, and Trident Hotels, Mumbai.

Ranju Alex

Ranju Alex has been appointed as the General Manager of Goa Marriott Resort & Spa. She joined Marriott International in 2010, after a successful stint as General Manager of Oberoi Grand Hotel, Kolkata. Ranju moves to Goa after completing a successful tenure with the first Marriott property in Pune as GM of Courtyard by Marriott, Pune Hinjewadi.

In her current role, Ranju is responsible for overseeing all aspects of operational and strategic management of the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa. She brings with her close to two decades of experience

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in hotel management and operations. A diploma holder in hotel management, she is an alumnus of IHM Kolkata.

Pavithran Nambiar

Pavithran Nambiar is the newly appointed General Manager of JW Marriott Mumbai. With over 16 years of experience, Nambiar has worked with renowned brands such as Accor and Marriott Group Hotels. Nambiar joins JW Marriott Mumbai from Goa Marriott Resort. Prior to the stnits with Marriott family, he worked with Accor, where he was the General Manager of the Novotel Hyderabad Hotel and Convention Center.

Federico Pucci

Federico Pucci has been appointed the Sous Chef at Le Cirque, The Leela Palace New Delhi.

He brings with him an international experience of six years. Born in Prato, a small town in Tuscany, Chef Federico was working with the three times Michelin Star, Chef Massimiliano Alajmo, at Le Calandre Padua, Italy, before joining Le Cirque New Delhi. His passion for cooking took him to several renowned Italian restaurants like Baccarossa (Florence), Restaurant 500 in Florence, Novecento restaurant, La Taverna Del Capitano in Naples among others. His zeal and desire to broaden his horizons brought him to Le Cirque, at The Leela Palace New Delhi.

Rajiv Srivastava

Sterling Holidays has announced the appointment of Rajiv Srivastava as the Corporate Chef. In his new role, Srivastava will manage the company’s culinary operations. A degree holder from the Institute of Hotel Management Lucknow, Srivastava has an experience of more than 25 years in the industry. He has

previously worked in various capacities with Lemon Tree Hotels, InterContinental and Hyatt Regency, amongst other hospitality players. He is widely known for his distinguished culinary skills and innovativeness in culinary operations.

Srivastava was ranked amongst the ‘Top 50 Chefs of India’ by Indian Culinary Forum, in 2012-13.

Vijay Taksali

Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel has appointed Vijay Taksali as the Director of Finance.

Taksali’s role at the hotel will include account management, budgeting, taxation and compliances, banking, software usages, and cost control for the company, whilst developing strategies in alignment to the organisation’s goals and targets. Taksali has served as a Chartered Accountant with 14 years of post-qualification experience in hotels and has worked in a wide variety of hospitality properties.

Taksali was a part of the pre-opening team of five major properties i.e. Gajner Palace Hotel (HRH Group of Hotels), Amanbagh (Aman Resorts, Singapore), Crowne Plaza (Intercontinental Hotel Group), Hotel IBIS (Accor Group) and Pullman Gurgaon Central Park (Accor Group).

Sanjoy Kumar Das

Hotel Radha Regent – A Sarovar Portico Hotel, Chennai has appointed Sanjoy Kumar Das as the General Manager of the hotel. Prior to joining Radha Regent, Kumar led the team at The Raintree Hotel, Chennai and earlier worked at the Hilton Warwick, United Kingdom, Taj Hotels and Resorts, The Park Hotel Kolkata and Park Plaza Ludhiana. Kumar has invested almost 19 years in the hospitality industry. Earlier he was associated with Hilton Hotels Worldwide in the UK, where he spent two fruitful years in learning the nuances of the European hospitality industry at Warwick’s finest luxury hotel, Hilton Warwick.

HOTEL Business Review

Appointments

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HOTEL Business Review

Geared for Comprehensive Laundry Needs

A

huge commercial laundry plant endowed with tunnel laundry facility is coming up in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. It is expected to be operational

by November 2013. CLPPL is a Private Limited company incorporated on 18th November 2011 with the primary objective of catering to the linen and garment cleaning requirements of hotels and general public. CLPPL has envisaged to set up this commercial laundry at RIICO Industrial Area, Pathredi, Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. The company has already acquired 1.52 acre land for setting up this commercial laundry plant.

Central Linen Park Private Limited (CLPPL) has tied up with Supershine Laundry Systems Private Limited for successful implementation of the project.Here it deserves a mention that Supershine Laundry Systems Private Limited is a leading turn-key laundry solutions provider in the country with its scope encompassing project planning & assessment, supply of laundry equipments and other allied equipments, installation and commissioning of laundry and other allied equipments, laundry operations and after sales service support. “Supershine Laundry Systems has vast experience in executing similar projects like the abovementioned one and has executed 400 such laundry projects in India till date.

We are confident that Supershine will be able to effectively execute the supply, installation, commissioning and the after sales service aspect of this project,” informed Karan Goyal, Vice President, Central Linen Park Private Limited.

This forthcoming impressive facility at the industrial hub will not only be targeted at meeting the comprehensive laundry needs of the five-star and four-star hospitality properties across Delhi-NCR and Jaipur, but would also holistically address the retail laundry needs. The retail services will be

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provided by CLPPL’s retail arm named Wonderkleen. From room linen, staff uniforms of hotels, and F&B linen to shirts, trousers, coats, jackets, sarees, suits, etc. the forthcoming unit will cover a huge range of laundry products under its ambit.

The services that would be provided at the laundry will include washing, drying, dry cleaning, and ironing. The laundry operations of this commercial laundry unit will be able to clean all kinds of linen, garments and clothes. “This huge facility is geared to adapt to linen/ garment processing demand variations,” pointed out Goyal. The annual capacity of the plant will be 13,870 tonnes, which

is amazingly high as compared to the capacity of average laundries in hotels and hospitals or in usual commercial laundries. The daily installed capacity of the laundry unit comes to an astonishing 38 tonnes per day.

The facility will be endowed with world-renowned imported laundry equipment brands like Milnor(USA) and Jensen(Denmark), use best of the laundry detergents, and have impeccable support structure in accordance with international standards. Moreover, the plant spruced with tunnel laundry facility will also be handled by a management and operations team with years of enriching professional experience.

Logistics to match expected delivery schedule, and competitive pricing would be other hallmarks of this forthcoming commercial laundry unit.

This commercial laundry plant on the anvil is expected to effectively counter the opportunity cost of in-house laundry operations, both in terms of space and human resources. Today, outsourcing of laundry operations by hotels and hospitals is gaining currency as it helps save costs and facilitate to focus the units more effectively on generating revenues. We can easily visualise that outsourcing of laundry operations to a state-of-the-art laundry facility that can easily match and even exceed the expectations of laundry services of five-star properties, can enable the given hotel to better and more creatively focus on critical revenue generating challenges like that of selling rooms or better positioning its F&B options.

“Besides, the real estate dedicated to in-house laundry service can be better utilised by the hotel for revenue generating initiatives such as banqueting options, dining restaurant/s or can be even used for developing more rooms, if a state-ofthe-art outsourced laundry operations is available at affordable rates, not very far from the given hospitality property.

Moreover, outsourcing of laundry needs can improve linen utilisation rates by reducing the average linen per adjusted guest room,” explained Goyal. Besides outsourcing of the non-critical tasks like laundry operations can reduce the costs of having an FTE on board.

On the expansion plans of this laundry unit, Goyal sounded extremely enthusiastic. He informed that CLPPL is planning to expand its presence aggressively, and over the next five years, the company is envisaging to open laundry units in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. “It is aiming to be a 100 crore company in the ensuing five years,” aired Goyal. CLPPL would diversify into linen hiring concept as well in the future.

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UNWTO Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh hosted the 25th Joint Commission Meeting of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Commission for East Asia and Pacific, and the UNWTO Commission for South Asia, in Hyderabad, during 12th- 14th April 2013.

As part of this event, the Ministry of Tourism, in association with UNWTO, also organised the UNWTO Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development to focus on this critical subject.

The UNWTO Joint Commission Meeting brought together delegates from member countries and gave them an opportunity to review the tourism performance of the region and deliberate on measures for further development.

The focus on UNWTO priorities such as travel (visa) facilitation, intelligent taxation and air connectivity

set the frame for the adjoining Sustainable Tourism Conference, hosted by the Ministry of Tourism of the Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh. At the opening, the Indian Minister of State for Tourism, Dr. K. Chiranjeevi, emphasised on the importance of intra-regional and inter-regional cooperation as a key to sustainable tourism development.

During the conference, countries shared their challenges and difficulties in developing sustainable tourism, including the call to increase tourism’s contribution to poverty reduction, the need for long-term impact monitoring, and the prioritisation of tourism in national development policies.

Zoltan Somogyi, UNWTO’s Executive Director for Member Relations and Services, noted that UNWTO is

committed to standing by its members to advance the sustainability agenda by generating know-how, disseminating information and continuing to work closely with countries in the region to identify the challenges, needs and opportunities for sustainable development and formulate and implement effective sustainable tourism development strategies.

Overall, the events gathered senior tourism executives from over 20 UNWTO Member States, who were joined by representatives from India´s state governments, union territories and private stakeholders.

Web Based System to Bring Transparency in Granting Approval for Hotel Projects in India Union Tourism Minister, K. Chiranjeevi, recently launched a web-based public service delivery system for hotel approval and classification with a view to bring in transparency in granting approvals for hotel projects and classification status to functioning hotels.

The Minister said that with the help of this system, all applicants seeking hotel project approvals, hotel classification and approvals for other related services will be able to track the progress of their cases online on a real time basis. He further added, “By putting this system in place, there will be a pressure on the officers of the Ministry to deliver on time and an increased accountability on their part.

Now onwards, all applications will have to be examined within 15 working days from receipt for completeness. Thereafter, all hotel inspections will be scheduled within next 15 working days. The recommendations of Hotel and Restaurants Approval & Classification Committee

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will be communicated on the spot to the applicant and these recommendations will also be put on web with final decision within 10 days of the inspection.”

The Minister stated that in due course,

the Tourism Ministry would move towards an e-regime and accept e-applications and proposals. The Ministry of Tourism will also constitute such systems in its other spheres of functioning also. Chiranjeevi urged his officers in the Ministry and industry to work in ‘one vision one mission’ framework.

Leading hospitality industry players also spoke on the occasion and lauded the efforts of the Ministry and stated that this

is a path breaking initiative taken by the Ministry of Tourism to bring transparency in its functioning.

Presently, the hotel promoters and owners seek voluntary approval from the Ministry of Tourism for their projects and classification from One Star to Five Star Deluxe by submitting applications. These requests are processed for a final decision within 90 days from the receipt of applications. At present, the applicants remain unaware of the status of their applications till the final decision is conveyed to them. With the new move, all information relating to such applications indicating the latest status will be put on the website of the Ministry of Tourism.

All applicants will be given a password to access the details posted on the web. The web details will indicate the date of receipt of applications, status regarding project approval, proposed date of the visit of Hotel and Restaurant Classification Committee, final recommendation of the committee and the final status of classification/approval.

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HOTEL Business Review

Nature, Adventure and

Lavasa

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ith an awe-inspiring infrastructure development spanning over 23,000 acres of picturesque and lush landscape, Lavasa has the distinction of being the largest urban infrastructure project in India.

Lavasa is post-independence India’s first planned hill city, being developed by HCC ((Hindustan Construction Company), a group known for developing and building responsible infrastructure through next practices. The group’s turnover was Rs.8157 crore on March 2011-12, and the group’s businesses span diverse sectors, covering engineering & construction, real estate, infrastructure, urban development & management.

In fact, Lavasa is a planned hill city in the making where you can find a wide range of amenities and facilities of urban life in the backdrop of sombre green hills. The city is designed in a way so that people can live, work, learn and play in harmony with nature. The master plan of Lavasa is designed in conjunction with internationally renowned design consultant HOK Internationl Limited, USA. The unique hill station or hill city is founded on the principles of new urbanism;

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it has all the facilities of city life within walking distance. Lavasa is created with environmentally sensitive town planning, inspired by biomimicry. The city of Lavasa is about one fifth of the size of Greater Mumbai.

You can reach this environmentallyfriendly sylvan paradise nestled amidst Sahayadri mountains after a three-hourlong drive from the bustling and sweaty Mumbai. Lavasa is only one hour’s drive from Pune. The developments at Lavasa include retail spaces, commercial establishments, hotels, an event and convention centre, educational institutions, recreational facilities and more. Lavasa has already sold a number of residences, has 250 hotel rooms, and has a capacity for 10000 students. Ekaant — the retreat, Fortune Select Dasve, Mercure Lavasa, and The Waterfront Shaw are some of the out-of-the-world hospitality options at Lavasa.

All under completion structures in Lavasa pertaining to education, hospitality and leisure are fast reaching the stage of completion. No wonder, Lavasa, which

is planned for an estimated permanent population of around 0.3 million residents, can be an ideal gateway or haven for tourists seeking business and/or leisure. It is envisaged that the place would attract around 2 million tourists per annum. The hospitality potential of this new-age hill city is simply great, and the destination has holidaying options catering to varied pocket sizes.

In fact, Lavasa has the potential to emerge among the top holiday destinations of Maharashtra. This summer, some of Lavasa’s top resorts are already running to packed capacities, thanks to block bookings during the forthcoming summer holidays.

During 2012, Lavasa garnered 1,40,000 tourists during April-June. Approximately 7 lakh tourists came to Lavasa during 2012.

Lavasa has also received award from TTF (Travel & Tourism Fair), India’s biggest travel show, as ‘The most promising new destination.’

Lavasa’s popularity among holiday-seekers is on account of its wide range of leisure

Focus

HOTEL Business Review

The Right Place to Study Hospitality

tourism options, which are sprinkled with the spirit of adventure. For children and young adults looking for exciting outdoor activities, Lavasa offers a comprehensive adventure package, which includes outdoor activities such as zip-line, Burma-bridge, parallel-traverse, jet-skiing and rides on allterrain vehicles. Lavasa’s line-up of offerings also includes archery, paint-ball target shooting and air rifle shooting.

These are complemented with a wide array of water sports, which include aqua volleyball, aqua basketball, rides in nonmotorised boats, inflatable obstacle among others. In fact, Lavasa is one of the few ideal destinations in India for indulging in adventure sports.

Lakeshore Watersports, with its diverse array of exciting choices for water sport enthusiasts, comes across as the perfect destination for getting wonderful water sports experience at Lavasa, Lakeshore combines a pristine scenic experience with

For students wanting to study hospitality management and take it up as a career option also Lavasa can be an ideal destination. This in turn, can easily foster educational tourism in the place. Ecole Hoteliere Lavasa is a hospitality management college of excellence with the academic certification from the École hôtelière de Lausanne of Switzerland.

Surrounded by hills, The Ecole Hoteliere Lavasa campus is spread across 4 acres.

The world-class infrastructure of the institute includes multi-media classrooms, study rooms, wine testing labs, an amphitheatre, auditoriums, a cyber hotel, IT labs, training and display kitchens and guest mock rooms.

Already establishing new benchmarks of excellence in hospitality education in India, Ecole Hoteliere Lavasa is geared to nurture the best-in-class professionals, hospitality leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow with its unique curriculum, highly specialised learning facilitators and state-of-the-art facilities. The institute offers hands-on training at various hospitality formats such as luxury hotels, budget hotels, serviced apartments, club, sports academies, restaurants, etc. during the course itself. There is also the option to complete the course in Switzerland from the third year onwards.

The institute provides a balanced mix of business and hospitality education. Here it deserves a mention that Ecole Hoteliere Lavasa (LEH) has started admissions for its fifth batch of ‘Hospitality Management Programme’ for the new academic year 2013. an adrenaline rush over water. Trendy inflatable rafts and boats at Lakeshare are complemented by highly trained and certified staff, so as to ensure your safety while you indulge in pure liquid fun.

For lovers of extreme adventure sports, Xthrill Adventure Academy, set against the stunning backdrop of the green and rugged terrain of the Sahyadris and a soaring uninterrupted horizon, is the right address at Lavasa. For those of you whose idea of entertainment detours off the beaten track,

A Coveted Distinction Here it deserves a mention that The Waterfront Shaw in Lavasa has become the first hospitality property in India to earn the Certified Guest Service Property designation awarded by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute. To earn the title, 47 frontline employees completed AHLEI’s Guest Service Gold Training program and successfully passed the Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP) exam.

The Waterfront Shaw offers both hotel rooms and apartments and is classified as a B&B/Inn by TripAdvisor, which recognised the property with its 2012 Certificate of Excellence. Here the accommodations range from Studio, 1 Bedroom and 2 Bedroom Apartments with a host of amenities that provides wholesome living.

“It has always been my personal belief that maintaining high standards of consistent quality and wowing customers is not the exclusive domain of the deluxe category and luxury hotels,” said Jimmy Shaw, Managing Director of The Waterfront Shaw, Lavasa.

“It is the simple things that matter; the gentle and caring touch, the small gesture and the ability to please beyond what was expected or demanded of us that sets a star property apart from its peers,” he added.

Shaw noted that the General Manager of the property and the entire team at The Waterfront Shaw enthusiastically accepted the challenge to undergo the training and pass the certification exam.

The Waterfront Shaw not only provides you with great options to relax and unwind, but with its fully equipped business centre with work stations and private cubicle, the Conference Room for up to 18 persons, the property provides holistic facilities for the business travellers too.

this adventure zone at Lavasa can provide the requisite thrills. From rappelling to rock climbing to bungee jumping and from para gliding to archery to kayaking, here you can explore your latent adventure streak to the hilt. Of course, this session of extreme adventure at Xthrill Adventure Academy is spruced with the assurance of international safety standards.

However, that does not mean that in Lavasa you cannot find your long forgotten hours of solitude. You can begin your days of the holiday in this hill city with a nature trail, while exploring picturesque locales. The journey through the city in the trackless train is also fascinating.

After this date with nature and adventure, one can ideally visit the Dasvino Town & Country Club, which is located on the banks of Warasgaon Lake. The property set amidst captivating locale includes in its ambit a world-class spa, restaurants, a pub and gymnasium, etc. Together the experiences can rejuvenate you for the next part of the trip.

Fo r b u s i n e s s t r a ve l l e r s , L a va s a International Convention Centre can present itself as an ideal venue. Here one can have business meets, conferences, corporate outings, team building workshops and exhibitions. Here the delegates can also avail of a wide range of post conference leisure activities including water sports, nature trails, adventure sports, etc. Some of the leading Indian and global corporate players have conducted conferences at this convention centre. 

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HOTEL Business Review

Cover Story

The Business Neemrana Fort-Palace

For the well-heeled tourists of both domestic and inbound varieties, a stay at the heritage hotels or resorts can come across as passport towards erstwhile royalty. At these properties, the tourists can have the opportunity to get a feel of the romance of history and folklore along with all the trappings of post-modern luxury. In fact, a creatively constructed heritage hotel or a resort can act as a time machine of sorts, where present and the past can merge beautifully to create a great future for the Indian hospitality industry.

The Rajput fortresses, palaces of royalty, castles and havelis of nobles can serve as right options for being converted into wonderful heritage hospitality properties, and we are witnessing the conversion of royalty and nobility into the business of hospitality as an emerging trend in the Indian hotel industry. Here Swarnendu Biswas probes into the business logic behind heritage hotels and resorts and has also attempted to examine what a heritage hospitality property actually should be through experts’ inputs. The future of the heritage hospitality and what the heritage hotels and resorts need to do to keep abreast with the changing market dynamics are also being touched upon in the story.

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Cover Story

HOTEL Business Review

of Heritage W

ith the advent and maturation of globalisation, and with rising affluence in select pockets of the urban Indian society, both taste for food & beverage preferences and tourism have reflected evolution in urban India. This has in turn brought about many changes in the F&B and as well as in the hospitality industry of the country.

One such evolving trend is the growth of heritage hotels and resorts, which has started gaining currency since the last decade.

Erstwhile Royalty with Postmodern Facility The major clientele at the plethora of heritage hospitality properties in India are not only the rich inbound tourists, comprising foreigners and NRIs. Now there is a growing segment of domestic tourists and travellers with considerable money power in India, who are no longer

content on having luxury and other experiences of the regular kind in their vacations.

They are increasingly seeking for something exclusive and want to feel like royalty during their leisure travels. They are looking for unconventional travel options which also include enjoying stateof-the-art modern amenities and opulence in an environment infused with bygone romance and charm of royalty, amidst the ambience of stately architecture of palaces, mansions or havelis. It becomes even better if this amalgamation of modernity and royalty is spruced with the fascinating vignettes of local montages.

Yes, stay at heritage hotels and/or resorts can afford fascinating glimpses into the rural life of India, and also give the tourists the taste of the regional cuisines, festivals, sports and cultural extravaganza, which a stay in a normal five-star property located amidst concrete jungle may not be able to provide.

In other words, the tourists coming to heritage hotels and resorts like visiting high-end gyms and spas, but also want to spice up these physical wellness experiences with lost folklores and local legends, which can create a longing in their souls. They like shaking a leg at the discos or go for adrenaline- infused adventure sports, but also yearn for hearing the traditional folk music, see the traditional folk dancers perform to long forgotten tunes, and hear the fascinating fables resonating through the dark alleys of history.

The typical tourist of a high-end heritage property is likely to want the best of yesterday and today, the best of cosmopolitan and ethnic; the best of the today’s amenities and timeless traditions.

And our hospitality industry is earnest to cater to them through heritage properties, as they have the requisite money power to influence the bottom lines of the industry.

Many of the heritage hotels of today were erstwhile palaces and royal mansions.

Welcomheritage Umed Bhawan Palace, Kota

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HOTEL Business Review

Even havelis of nobles are being converted into heritage properties. They often have rich architectural and cultural legacies to boast of. Many of these architectural treasures which were facing the imminent prospect of decay due to changing financial realties of the erstwhile royalty in the post-independence era, were given rebirth as heritage hotels and resorts through pragmatic entrepreneurial vision, often after extensive renovation and restoration.

However, heritage hotels and resorts need not always be five-star properties, though there are many heritage properties in India where opulence and luxury are predominant features. In fact, heritage hospitality properties have a very broad definition.

Making the Past Alive Heritage hotels and resorts can be simply described as hospitality properties where you can get to enjoy the cultural aura of the past centuries or decades without compromising on the modern day amenities. However, some experts may want to make the definition slightly more stringent.

“Any hospitality property which has been built prior to 1950 that has heritage and traditional architectural ambience, and promotes local cuisine, culture, handicrafts along with basic comforts to a tourist and/or traveller can be called a heritage hotel or resort. Heritage hotels are generally the conversion of an old

Sanjay Kirpal

palace, fort, haveli(mansion) or some other historical place,” said Sanjay Kirpal, Chief Executive Officer, WelcomHeritage. He wisely inferred that “The depiction of the bygone era and the guest comfort level are the two most important attributes for any heritage hospitality property.”

However, that does not mean that a heritage hospitality property should ape the past without reflection; rather it should make the past alive in the context of present. “A heritage hotel or resort is not just a restored old property but it also has to reflect the traditions and the culture of an era and of a region. These reflections should be as authentic as possible and rather than ‘aping’ the past effort should be directed to make it alive again in a natural way,” asserted Francis Wacziarg, the Cochairman, Neemrana Hotels Pvt. Ltd. “We have felt that a heritage hotel need

Embodying an Aesthetic Heritage

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erched high above the desert capital of Jodhpur, Umaid Bhawan Palace is perhaps the last of the great palaces of India, and one of the largest private residences in the world — set amidst 26 acres of lush gardens.

Named after Maharaja Umaid Singh, this golden-yellow sandstone monument was conceived on a grand scale, in the fashionable Art Deco style of that time. After 15 years in construction, the 347- room palace was finally completed in 1943, and it has been serving as the principal residence of the Jodhpur royal family ever since.

Designed by the renowned Edwardian architect Henry Lanchester, the golden hued desert sandstone palace-hotel has 64 rooms and suites for the guests.

The property is a blend of eastern and western architectural influences. The property’s majestic 105 foot high cupola is influenced by the Renaissance art, while the towers draw inspiration from Rajput tradition. The lavish interiors with gilt furniture and elegant artwork follow the Art Deco style, complemented by the exotic murals of the self-exiled Polish artist Stefan Norblin.

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not feel like any other hotel. That is why we have called ourselves ‘non hotel hotels’.

Others have followed on similar lines but some have gone over the top in restoring the old structures and made them look new. This is maybe what differentiates us from some others,” proffered Wacziarg.

Over the years, Neemrana Hotels has come a long way since its beginning of journey into the heritage and hospitality, in 1977. Wacziarg, who is a founding member of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) and a trustee on IFA (India Foundation for the Arts), informed that now Neemrana Hotels has its presence in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Gujarat, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Pondicherry and soon will have its presence in West Bengal too.

The company has 27 unique heritage hotels in its ambit.

“None of the properties we have were originally built to be hotels — their enduse has been changed through restoration and revitalization, thereby giving them a new lease of life. This Neemranification, by which abandoned buildings come into their own viability cycle to live on into the past is what we have achieved,” explained Aman Nath, Co-Chairman, Neemrana Hotels Pvt. Ltd.

Distinctively Different Besides these general attributes, ideally a good heritage property should have its distinctive features too or in other words its USPs, in order to stand out from the crowd. Each heritage property should reflect its very own history through its ambience and décor. “Each heritage hotel or resort should have its distinct features which can create interest amongst the tourists and travellers,” aired Kirpal, while pointing out that “It is essential that the uniqueness of a given heritage property be a part of its guests’ experiences while ensuring that the guests are having a comfortable stay.”

These distinctive features may vary from the uniqueness of the locale at which the property is situated (for example, if it is located very close to a place of relatively lesser known but very significant religious or historical landmark, or in the midst of a lake or in a remote island inhabited by ancient tribes), to the extraordinary heritage elements of the property (for example, if paintings of a particular era

Cover Story of the medieval period are part of the property’s décor or say if all the staff of the hotel are dressed in a uniform simulating that of Akbar’s soldiers, or the cuisine served at the hotel is exactly true to the cuisine of the period when the property was being originally built) to the singular cultural festivities associated with the property concerned, etc.

Welcoming the Heritage Here it deserves a mention that WelcomHeritage is a major player in the heritage hospitality segment in the country. It would not be an overstatement to say that WelcomHeritage properties have the potential to offer the tourists their elusive ‘great escape’ from the mundane.

WelcomHeritage, a joint venture between ITC Limited and Jodhana Heritage, was formed in 1997.

“WelcomHeritage primarily works on the franchisee model wherein it supports the sales & marketing activities of the hospitality properties which come under the WelcomHeritage brand and also provides the operational assistance into these properties’ day to day management.

HOTEL Business Review

The Palace on the Lake

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uilt as a pleasure palace on an island in Lake Pichola by Maharana Jagat Singh II, the 62nd successor to the royal dynasty of Mewar, in 1746, Taj Lake Palace was originally known as Jag Niwas. The Taj Lake Palace Udaipur can be described as a dream in white marble, rising from the serene waters of Lake Pichola. The palace turned majestic hospitality property in the backdrop of Aravalli mountains has 66 rooms and 17 suites, which offer stunning views and intricate décor to envelop guests in their royal mystique.

Here the most discerning guests can get impressed by a series of unique experiences. Experience the royal Mewar fare at the Lily Pond, where courtesans once welcomed royalty into the palace. Or sail into a crimson sunset on a 150-year old ceremonial barge complete with candlelight and resplendently dressed oarsmen.

Saunter to a heritage walk with a royal escort with caviar, pate and a bottle of bubbly. Let the sounds and sights of the busy city seep through your soul as your royal butler accompanies you on a shopping trip…

However, one of our hotels, WH Umed Bhawan Palace in Kota is under the lease management contract,” noted Kirpal.

The WelcomHeritage brand spans across exclusive heritage destinations, ranging from majestic palaces to traditional

havelis and stately forts; from jungle lodges resonating with the spirit of adventure to tea garden homes and quiet nature resorts where solitude reigns. WelcomHeritage brings an array of fascinating holiday options where the past glides into the

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present to create a collage of future memories for the tourists and travellers.

“It has been our endeavour to Located just eight kilometres from encourage heritage tourism and assist the Jaipur, The Oberoi Rajvilas comes property owners by providing technical, across as an idyllic retreat that evokes marketing and operational support, while the grandeur of Rajasthan’s royalty promoting the Indian culture, handicrafts, with luxury villas and royal tents in a cuisine and generate local employment,” fort-like setting. Built in a traditional Rajasthani fort style, this heritage hotel is spread explained Kirpal. across 32 acres of verdant gardens.

According to him, WelcomHeritage The hotel has 54 Premier Rooms, 13 Luxury Tents, one Royal Tent, two Luxury Villas is the largest chain of heritage hotels in with Private Pools and one Kohinoor Villa with a Private Pool. A 280-year-old Shiva temple the country. “Each of our properties and a Rajasthani haveli on the premises of the hotel have been carefully restored. speaks of the royal lineage and reflects the Old armory that is majestically mounted on the walls of the hotels can be a source essence of Indian heritage. We offer 40 of fascination and awe among the guests. Exquisite gold leaf hand painted wall murals, hotels across 13 states which are Haryana, and colourful Indian miniature paintings adorn the fort-hotel. Original paintings by the Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Jammu & renowned Indian artist, Parikh Maity are also part of the modern art collection of the Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, place.

Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. We provide experiences which are who can be regarded as one of the pioneers top-notch heritage properties. Taj Lake exclusive while at the same time, affordable. Palace Udaipur, the Umaid Bhawan Palace of heritage hospitality in the country.

We present extra value to the guests and Kirpal also talked about a bright future Jodhpur, the Rambagh Palace Jaipur, The experiences which are unique and far for the heritage hospitality properties in Oberoi Udaivilas, and The Oberoi Rajvilas removed from a standardised resemblance,” India. “The heritage hotels in India are can serve as preferred havens for tourists elaborated the hospitality honcho. mushrooming and with the concerted who are passionate about our heritage and In the recent past, WelcomHeritage has has the money power to enjoy it in these efforts of the individual property owners gone for sub-branding exercise. The suband the Tourism Ministry of India, a post-modern times. brands are named as Legend, Heritage, and further growth in the segment is certainly Nature Resort and they are being based on Past Has a Future expected,” he asserted. the nature and location of the properties.

The overall economic scenario in the “Currently, we have nine Legend, 19 country in general and the tourism Being Inclusive and Innovative Heritage and 12 Nature Resorts under scenario in particular, despite the However, there is no denying the fact that our brand,” informed Kirpal. According temporary sluggish trend, portend to a in these price conscious times, especially to him, “The specialisation and the guest great future for the heritage hospitality with the backdrop of more and more experience that we want to create in each properties. Moreover, the awesome hotels emerging in the Indian hospitality sub-brand are different.” diversity of the country in terms of space, heritage hospitality segment could I asked the industry leader about the culture, cuisines and crafts, along with its increase its consumer base by becoming marketing strategy to expand the overall rich historical legacy, together presents a more affordable to the domestic and presence of WelcomHeritage brand in great platform for heritage tourism and as well as inbound tourists at large.

India. “Subsequent to the sub-banding hospitality to prosper.

Otherwise, increased competition from of WelcomHeritage properties, we have “The potential is huge as there is a other segments would eventually eat away clearly embarked on different marketing great desire among the Indian tourists and the market share of heritage hospitality. strategies for all our sub-brands. Overall, travellers to discover their past. When we Furthermore, heritage hospitality and we will maintain focus on holiday started we had only 30 percent Indian heritage tourism in India should become packages with attractive inclusions which guests, now they represent 80 percent more innovative and experimental or at will provide the highlights of our unique of our clientele. I wish that more people least come with more different options destinations. Our current marketing efforts join this endeavour of recreating such in the times to come, as the tourists’ are being channeled towards tapping the heritage properties,” said Wacziarg with choices are continually evolving through domestic, the MICE segment, unmistakable enthusiasm in day-to-day influences of television and and the wedding crowd in the his voice. globalisation. most appropriate manner,” he Within a decade or so, the There is now a growing number of explained. spread of heritage hospitality discerning tourists who are always looking However, besides in India has gone much for something different from the usual WelcomHeritage and beyond Rajasthan. “Initially experiences, and before they get bored with Neemrana, there are several heritage hospitality seemed the regular options of heritage hospitality other important brands in the to be exclusive to Rajasthan (which may be were innovative a decade fast evolving market of heritage but now it has spread all over before), the industry must come up with hospitality in the country. Taj India and it is picking up very a new set of tourism options to impress and Oberoi also have their Francis Wacziarg them again… fast,” pointed out Wacziarg, 

Enter the Royal Fort

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Business

Industry Needs to Tackle

Attrition The services sector is the edifice of the modern Indian economy and the Indian hospitality industry has emerged as one of the crucial industries, fostering the growth of the services sector in India.

According to the report of Research and Markets titled Hotel Industry in India (2011-2015), the Indian hotel industry is likely to experience robust growth on the back of rising disposable incomes and favourable industry statistics. By 2016-17, the $23 billion Indian hotel industry envisages to have at least 50,000 more rooms, across top six cities of India. But whether there would be enough skilled personnel to meet the demand for additional manpower in this industry, which is already plagued by the paucity of trained staff, remains a million dollar question.

Presently, the hospitality industry of India needs close to 600,000 skilled professionals, but the availability of trained manpower in the industry is around only 55,000. The demand for skilled manpower in the industry is only expected to grow further with the industry’s growth.

Ashok Malkani takes a look at the steep attrition rate in the Indian hotel industry. A few suggestions from the industry players might help to tackle this issue. However, how successfully this challenge is being addressed remains to be seen.

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Business

I

f you are revisiting a restaurant of a hotel and you expect the same waiter with whom you had established a rapport on your last visit, you are likely to be disappointed as he may have already left the job for a more lucrative offer from some other industry. Attrition seems to have been sweeping through the Indian hospitality industry. The global recession was expected to ease this problem but it still looms large as ever. Sanjay Singh, General Manager of Radisson Hotel Pune Kharadi, believes that the level of attrition has come down but it is still a challenge that needs urgent attention.

“The attrition level has come down from what it used to be in pre-recession years, but it still isn’t that low that HRs in our industry can neglect it and breathe easy. There is tremendous competition in our industry and deserving candidates have enough of options to choose from the long list of job offers from the hospitality or any other sector,” asserted Singh: “Ankush Sharma, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott, Chennai, also views that attrition is still prevalent in the industry.

According to industry insiders, 1020 percent of the graduates from hotel management institutes in the country are now taking up jobs in the financial services sector. The problem becomes more acute at the mid-management level, with over 50 percent choosing to opt out in favour of other service sector jobs.

The difference in remuneration between the hospitality and financial services sectors is seeming to be a yawning

HOTEL Business Review

worry for the industry, in the gap, as the hospitality backdrop of scarcity of skilled industry in India is among manpower in the hospitality the few service industries in industry. This projected the country where salaries growth scenario in the Indian have not been raised in a hospitality sector is going to significant manner, during further escalate the manpower the last few years. “The problems of the industry. malaise of attrition even According to a Cushman affects the Fortune 500 Sanjay Singh & Wakefield report titled companies. The reason for ‘Survival to Supremacy, employees opting out is due Indian Hospitality Story 2012 & Beyond, to long working hours and a plethora of “The Ministry of Tourism estimates an opportunities in abroad or at home, in additional requirement of 2.26 million BPO’s, shopping malls, entertainment hotel rooms by 2016, from both classified centres, airlines, cruise liners, etc.,” explained Krishna Rao, Food & Beverage and unclassified hotels, derived through Manager, The Mirador, Mumbai the tourism target for 2016.” The report further noted that, “with a growing Growth with HR Gaps number of foreign tourist arrivals and India’s hospitality sector is expected domestic tourists, a shortage of trained to attract an investment of over $200 manpower could be a major cause for billion over the next three years. As per concern.” a recent report by global database and The paucity of skilled manpower in research service for hotel construction the Indian hospitality industry has been projects, Tophotelprojects.com, over a perpetual problem for some years and the next three years, India will see the can easily pose as an impediment to the coming up of around 300 branded expansion plans of hotel chains of both hotels, which will comprise about 17 domestic and international varieties. percent of Asia’s hotel construction Everybody knows that hospitality is pipeline. India has the second largest one of the most labour-intensive service number of hotels under construction in sectors and depends largely on repeat Asia, with only China being ahead of us value of the business. But often in this in this regard. Hotel projects presently industry, the workers, who should be under construction in India include treated as assets, are saddled with huge projects of esteemed internationally workload and erratic working hours, and renowned hotel chains too. are impaired with meagre salary. So it However, the above piece of news can would not be entirely wrong to say that come across both as a celebration and the hospitality industry of India at large

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HOTEL Business Review

human resources would is to be blamed for this be in the labour-intensive human resource lacuna. areas involving high According to the skills training. Thus I same report of Cushman & Wakefield, “The think housekeeping and current supply of skilled kitchen are areas where professionally trained the industry would face manpower is estimated maximum paucity of trained to be a very dismal 8.92 manpower.” percent to the total Some of the effective requirement as per a answers to bridge this gap study commissioned by include not only generation the Ministry of Tourism.” and massive hiring of more Ankush Sharma However, thankfully skilled manpower for the the government is taking initiatives to Indian hospitality industry, but also by address this long-standing problem. “The arresting the attrition rate through better Government, having identified this gap, pay packages, sensible working hours and has factored in initiatives in the 11th and in-house training.

12th Five Year Plans. While the 11th However, according to a renowned Five Year Plan (2007- 2011) looked at hospitality industry analyst, the employee establishing hotel management and other costs for the Indian hotel industry have related institutes to educate and train registered a rise of about 10-15 percent the managerial level workforce for the over the last two years and are expected to hospitality sector, the 12th Five Year Plan rise by 20 percent over the next couple of (2012 - 2017) looks at creating food craft years. For example, the industry leaders institutes, with short term programs to such as Indian Hotels Company, EIH Ltd train the non-managerial workforce,” the and Hotel Leela Venture did experience Cushman & Wakefield report elaborated. 17 to 29 percent escalation in employee The food & beverage, housekeeping cost during 2010. and front office are the areas where the dearth of talent is faced most acutely Remuneration is the Key in the hotel industry. While talking of Singh believes the reasons for the paucity of manpower in the hospitality Indian hospitality industry’s employees industry, Akshay Kulkarni, Regional frequently looking for other avenues and Director of Hospitality for South and employers are firstly the remuneration Southeast Asia at Cushman & Wakefield which is comparatively low at the entry asserted that, “Most of the shortage of and mid-management level in the Indian hospitality industry and then the “Long working hours with shifts at odd hours coupled with very little freedom in terms of flexibility to distribute that time as per one’s need, entailing very little control on work-life balance, and also the availability of alternate competing opportunities in same and other industries with better remuneration.”

Singh affirms that “the industry needs to find ways and means to overcome these HR challenges, which are at the root of high attrition rate in the Indian hospitality industry.”

Singh also talked about some healthy HR practices of Radisson regarding checking attrition. “At Radisson, we keep our remunerations competitive and benchmark them time to time for all levels of hierarchies. Also, our HR practices are more oriented towards keeping our employees engaged. We

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Business read pulse of our key performers by following ‘stay interviews’ in our hotel and accordingly take suitable measures in their retention,” he averred. “Apart from these, we follow regular reward and recognition programs to keep our employees motivated and constantly undertake brand building exercises to instill the feeling of pride that one experiences by associating with a brand like Radisson,” he added.

Competitive remuneration seems to be the key word. The Mirador, Mumbai too, according to Rao, offers a competitive remuneration, “which, to a large extent prevents poaching.” Here it deserves a mention that competitive remuneration within the hospitality industry is often a relevant option to check attrition when dealing with competitive employment offers only from within the industry.

Sometimes lucrative options from other industries may not be countered by competitive remuneration within the hospitality industry.

Motivation and Other Factors Besides remuneration, motivation is another key factor that can check the attrition rate in the Indian hospitality industry. Rao believes that team leaders who create motivating environments tend to keep their team together for a longer period. Motivation can come either from fun events or serious events like a talk on career opportunities. Rao also rightly feels that team leaders should stand up for their team.

There are other reasons for attrition too. According to Sharma, “The causes of attrition could also be due to job dissatisfaction, personal reasons such as marriage, relocating to a new city, personal or professional development, etc.”

Sharma opines that the causes of attrition can be tackled by constantly boosting the morale of the employees via monetary and non-monetary rewards and for those who choose to relocate due to personal reasons such as marriage, the company can offer a different city transfer in the same organisation, wherever possible. “The most important thing is to have a culture in which employees feel that they are as important as the guests — we at the Marriott believe in that.

If an employee feels cared for and sees that the company allows her/him the

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HOTEL Business Review

opportunity to develop and grow, she/he the visions and aims of the company is not likely to look further than her/his and once they are hired – keep them current organisation,” stated Sharma. engaged. There is no cookie cut approach Rao opines that in order to check the to retaining staff,” opined Sharma while attrition rate, “The management has to be ruminating on a permanent solution to open minded and the employees have to this chronic malady. be empowered to come out with ideas but Rao and Singh both believe that it these ideas must be tenable to work in a requires an overall change in the attitude team.” Rao thinks that the hotels must of the industry. “It needs an industry come out with creative ideas to tackle the wide change; we collectively need to impatience of the employees. bring employee remuneration at par “We have to keep introducing with the other competing industries, and something new to keep the interest of should discourage long working hours the employees in our organisation alive. and encourage efficiency. Innovative New strategies with changes that can be means and work practices should also be made according to the situation need to devised to provide flexibility in working be drawn up every two years. Changes hours, thereby imparting better work-life like timings, higher pay package, and balance,” elaborated Singh. incentives like medical facilities are Overall, it can be said that besides needed to create good better and competitive working environment. remuneration, not only Continual training is within the industry but also necessary to upgrade also across the industries in the employees’ level the realm of service sector, of performance,” Rao reduction in working hours, elaborated. more flexibility in work Singh is of the opinion schedules, greater motivation and recognition to employees; that if an employee is given especially for a job well done, an extra responsibility it regular training opportunities, will keep her/him with and improving the social the company longer. But perception of the hospitality extra responsibility should Akshay Kulkarni industry professionals can be given only after proper help prevent the attrition rate training. “Employees are across hotels and resorts of the country, generally career conscious so they must significantly. be shown their career ladder. If they are Introducing greater variety in assured that the current job offers a path repetitive, boring tasks, bringing in towards their future aspirations then greater degree of transparent two way they are likely to stay with the company longer,” explained Singh. communication between management Moreover, the social perception about and employees, executing better the professionals and workers engaged scheduling of work so that there doesn’t in the hospitality industry in our still occur instances of one worker getting by and large conservative society is not loaded with work and the other having very good. Kulkarni feels that not only only leisure, are other effective and the government and the hotel industry enduring means towards employee should lend support to the hospitality retention, not only in the Indian training and education, but they should hospitality industry, but in any other take steps to reposition the hotel industry industry. The incentive of retention and facilitate in achieving greater social bonus is also a long-term pragmatic acceptance for the professionals of the inducement to check frequent switching hotel industry. of jobs in the Indian hospitality industry.

The increasing number of rooms in Towards Solution offing with no signs of an equal number We must find a permanent solution of skilled workers graduating from the to check the high attrition rate in the hospitality institutes makes it imperative Indian hospitality industry on a warthat hotels in India develop the art of footing. “We must hire candidates whose retaining their employees. And develop them quickly. ambitions in their career match with 

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HOTEL Business Review

Finding Leisure in Business

By Angshupriya Danda

A

s the cab halted at the entrance of the airport, I somehow gathered my droopy self; a resultant of less sleep in the night before the flight, and strolled towards the checkin. Despite the creeping tiredness in my bones, I couldn’t hide my enthusiasm of reaching Alila Hotel and Residence Bangalore and explore the property, about which I heard great things.

As the car breezed past the tall buildings and cluttered traffic, the montages of Bangalore also passed by me. The IT hub of India doesn’t have much to offer for the vacationers, and I am sure many will agree that apart from high rises and some very interesting eating-out joints and restaurants, there is nothing very attractive about the city from a tourists’ point of view.

As the cab halted at the entrance, we alighted with smiling faces greeting us. Krishna Unni, the newly appointed General Manager of the property, received us at the lobby, and soon our souls were refreshed with a honey ginger welcome drink.

Alila Hotel and Residence Bangalore is

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sheltered from the hectic urban chaos of Bangalore, located almost 18 kilometers away from the railway station and bus station, and just 56 kilometers away from the airport! I couldn’t help but notice the décor and architectural splendour of the reception and lobby. There was a certain amount of finesse and elegance involved in the design of the reception, which was

quite ‘English’ according to my perception.

I was informed that the stately property was designed by the award-winning London-based architects, Allies and Morrison.

The First Impression Alila Hotel and Residence Bangalore is located in Whitefield, a serene suburb in

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HOTEL Business Review

Krishna Unni

one of the fastest growing metropolis of the country, which was earlier inhabited by the Anglo-Indian community of the city.

Now the area has given way to high-rises of the IT companies, which can give a fillip to the business of the hotel from potential business tourists. The property can also be an ideal weekend getaway for guests.

The said hospitality property, which is placed in a newly designed twelve-storeyed building, offers a harmonious blend of suave spaces for both work and play. The personalised services which epitomise the high standards of hospitality, synonymous with the Alila properties worldwide, are reflected directly in this Bangalore property of Alila too. The property seamlessly combines artistic and innovative design with a commitment towards the environmentally aware practices that is the hallmark of Alila properties around the globe.

The 376 sq. ft. Studio Room of Alila where I was put up exuded the best in comfort with contemporary functionality that is always a pleasure to come back to after a hectic day of business parleys, or arrive at after a hectic journey for that matter.

and wood work of the commodious and elegant studio room imparted a sense of tranquility, which facilitated me to slide into a nap. Work can wait…

The property has 101 guest rooms, together with 19 elite suites, combining contemporary design and traditional Indian decoration in elegant arrangements.

The rooms were demarcated into three categories, namely the Studio Room, the Soho Suite and the Leisure Suite.

The Leisure Suite comes across as a haven of opulence and functionality that can make for couples’ ideal retreat. Each Leisure Suite is spread over an area of 699 sq.ft. and features a large bedroom and a large bathroom, and a balcony with an oversized day bed – the perfect place for enjoying a relaxing short nap or curling up with your favorite novel. The Soho Suite on the other hand, having the same legroom of 699 sq. ft. as the Leisure Suites, offers a home-away-from-home feel, with munificent space and great amenities, including a separate living area which can also serve as a private office or meeting room; complete with its own meeting table and guest washroom and a private balcony with scenic views of Bangalore, overlooking the placid Varthur Lake.

Designed to Impress The panache and elegance of the design of the hotel can be noticed in its corridors, floor spaces and hotel rooms, which are uniquely adorned with bronze sculptures created by Dimpy Menon, a passionate artist based in Bangalore. These bronze sculptures exuded an inimitable rhythm and seemed life like.

“To display its love for art, the property also organises various art exhibitions in association with numerous art galleries in Bangalore,” pointed out Unni, as I was getting impressed by the dexterity and aesthetic vision of the sculptures, while leisurely sipping the glorious taste of the Souvenir Blanc wine on the High 5 Tapas Bar and Lounge, which overlooked the infinity pool and the beautiful city skyline. As the evening glided into twilight I came to know more and more about Unni’s passion towards the hospitality business, which he has garnered through 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

During dinner at the Pasha Bar and Grill, we were joined in by the charming and beautiful Doris Goh. Doris came across as a charismatic and stunning lady with a pleasant smile and hospitable attitude. As the Global Vice-President, Sales and Marketing of Alila Hotels and Resorts she takes great pride in the fact that she was the first employee at Alila Hotels and Resorts.

Doris joined the organisation in 2003, and has been instrumental in building the brand from scratch since then. She has been enthusiastically involved in embracing the pursuit of green initiatives and community-driven projects as Alila’s commitment towards responsible tourism, and has implemented the same practices at Alila Hotel and Residence Bangalore.

“The name Alila is derived from Sanskrit, which means ‘surprise’, which aptly describes the refreshing character of our properties and often also the reaction of our guests upon arrival and throughout their stay with us,” explained Doris.

More Room for Luxury Of course, the room was spruced with complimentary Wi-Fi Internet access, a 32 inch LCD with satellite channels, a stuffed mini bar (as I poured myself a leisurely drink, I missed my irksome Associate Editor with a fascination for spirits; struggling with half-baked copies at the desk), coffee/tea-making facilities, hair dryer & bath amenities, in-room safe and a private balcony. The design

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Property

Prospects and Growth

The Trip Through Tastes

kept at the backdrop of the bar, lent the bar with an unusual ambience altogether.

The avant-garde business and lifestyle The Pasha Bar and Grill is positioned hotel is equipped with four F&B options on the 5th floor of the hotel and has named Tiffin Room, Tiffin Bar, Pasha an open terrace and swimming pool; Bar and Grill, and High 5 Tapas Bar affording a stunning view of the city and Lounge, which together presents skyline. The Infinity Pool, as the name a unique gastronomic experience with suggests, lends a feeling of infinity due unconventional dining settings and to its structure. One can unwind by the impeccable service. poolside with or without a drink, or take a The second day of my visit at the dive in to the sparkling clear water of the hotel was mostly comprised of tingling Infinity Pool. I tried my legs (and hands of the taste buds, and despite having a too) at swimming, and the soothing waters disturbingly critical disposition towards prepared me to tackle the hedonistic the stuff being served on my plate, I binge through aromas and flavours, which was looking forward to the gastronomic followed soon. exploration with much enthusiasm.

Besides food, the relaxed ambience The Tiffin Room is an elegant and wonderful service restaurant that could serve are the highlights of this as a perfect setting for a restaurant. Here the guests business engagement, and as can always indulge in the well as for a friendly meeting specialty cocktails made or a romantic rendezvous. with fresh ingredients, It can serve as an ideal which lend them with full backdrop for a momentous body and distinctiveness. occasion or for celebrating I enjoyed a chilled beer a simple reflective moment along with a scrumptious to be enjoyed among friends fare. The menu at Pasha and families. The culinary Bar and Grill is inspired offerings of this all-day by the cuisine from the dining outlet are designed to North-west frontier. satisfy a global palate with a range of modern European, Doris Goh Find Your Wellness Pan Asian and regional After the epicurean Indian offerings, which are fare, the mind was prepared for some being made available to the guests at the wellness. Anitha came across as one of hotel as well as for the visiting guests. the knowledgeable Spa Managers that I The Tiffin Bar that doubles up as a have personally come across. The products café bar can serve as an all day meeting used at the spa come under the exclusive place for social, informal or business range of ‘Alila Living’ spa products, being gatherings. One can relax on the cosy manufactured in Bali. lounge chairs placed around the area and Trained in anatomical physiology, enjoy mouth-watering pastries and baked massage, meditation and service, the local dishes from the kitchen while also sipping therapists at Spa Alila combine the latest on the choicest of alcoholic and nonorganic nutrition and health knowledge alcoholic beverages from the drinks menu.

Wonderful brass coloured kettles and brass to impart the guests with rejuvenating experience. “We are committed to coloured lunch dabbas, which are being

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Not very old in the hospitality scenario of India, Alila Hotel and Residence Bangalore was opened in the first quarter of the last year. Owned by UKn Properties, the hotel is managed by Alila under its brand name. Alila administers boutique luxury hotels and resorts in the Asia-Pacific region, which are located in the heart of key cities, and also in some of the most beautiful resort destinations.

Being members of Design Hotels, Alila Hotels and Resorts’ properties are renowned for their creative style and outstanding designs.

As informed by Doris, the brand Alila is looking forward to expand ambitiously. The brand plans to expand to 10 new hotels by 2015, with forthcoming properties in Oman, China, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

The group currently manages eight properties, which are spread across Bali, Jakarta, Bangalore and Goa. Tapping the right customers at the right time is definitely challenging, but Alila Hotel and Residence Bangalore, seems to have caught the right nerve.

Likewise, the prospective growth of the brand seems positive if steered in the right direction. providing unique treatments, blending ancient Asian healing techniques with age-old beauty recipes featuring the curative benefits of fresh, natural, quality ingredients,” proffered Anitha.

Following a brief chat with Anitha about how important it is to get pampered (especially for a lady) over the finer things in life, I proceeded towards my one hour Balinese Signature massage at the spa. The massage involved ancient Balinese healing therapy that combined gentle stretching, long therapeutic strokes and skin rolling to relieve muscle pain. Occasional palm and thumb pressure techniques were also applied to unravel the deepest stress and improve blood flow.

Balancing expertise with an intuitive sense of well-being, Spa Alila definitely created a natural, heartfelt and surprisingly different wellness experience within me.

Even as I moved to the airport the following morning to catch the flight back to Delhi, the soothing touches of the masseur were still lingering deep in my senses… 

Mar-Apr ’13

47

Technology

HOTEL Business Review

Scaling Heights

By Kanishka Gupta

V

ertical transportation or commuting forms a very important part of the hospitality industry. Managing customer traffic is a key component of the efficiency of the elevators and escalators in commercial establishments like hotels. From an operational stand point, elevators and escalators should be able to contribute towards the reduction of overhead costs through energy efficiency.

However, these days the role of elevators and escalators often is not just about moving people upwards and downwards with safety, it is also about doing it with ease, comfort, speed and efficiency. Considering that the elevator and escalator are among the most accessed spaces in a hotel, their aesthetics and comfort of ride too add to the overall customer experience. This is why a lot of hotels invest in the right elevator music.

Moreover, hotels are also growing taller with the promise of offering guests ‘a-room-with-aview’ and therefore there is an emerging need to ensure faster elevators with a smooth ride and less waiting times.

elevators’ and escalators’ market. However, players with technology advantage will continue to lead and meet the growing demand. “State-of-the-art technology has emerged as a major driver followed by safety and aesthetic appeal for the elevators and escalators. Acceptance towards greener technologies is another feature being widely adopted in this industry. The customer base has also become sophisticated, and they are demanding world class products,” said K. Manivannan, Director (Western Region), Otis Elevator Company (India) Limited. Otis is the world’s leading manufacturer of elevators, escalators and moving walkways.

Besides Otis Elevator Company (India) Limited, two other prominent companies in the elevators’ and escalators’ market that deserve special mention about their operations in India are KONE and Schindler. KONE, one of the global leaders in the elevator and escalator industry, was founded in 1910. KONE provides innovative and eco-efficient solutions for elevators, escalators and automatic building doors.

Evolution in India KONE started business in India more than Due to rapid urbanisation and real estate 25 years ago and is today one of the largest development, the elevator and escalator industry elevator companies in the Indian elevator K. Manivannan in India is now the second largest in the world market. Presently, the company employs about after China. In 2012 China was the world’s 2800 people in the country. KONE’s factory in largest elevator and escalator market with sales of 400,000 units Chennai produces elevators for the Indian market with some per annum. India is the second largest elevator and escalator exports to Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The factory has market in the world today with sales of 42,000 units. By 2016, a training center where KONE’s installation engineers and India is expected to have elevator and escalator sales of 70,000 field mechanics are trained to meet KONE India’s strong units. Apart from elevators for residential projects, whose reputation for high quality and non-compromised safety, as well market is booming, there is a lot of growth happening in the as the expectations of Indian customers, when installing and elevator market for commercial establishments (hotels and office maintaining elevators and escalators. KONE serves customers all buildings) as well as elevators for infrastructure space. around India through its 40 branches.

The last few years have seen a lot of players entering the The other company, Schindler will be the first global elevator

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Technology and escalator company to set up a greenfield manufacturing facility for the production of escalators for the Indian market.

The facility, located near Pune, is scheduled to go into operation in early 2014. The multi-million euro plant is to be built on a new 160,000 sq.m site in the Chakan Industrial Estate, outside Pune. The site, owned by Schindler, will also be home to an R&D center and an elevator factory.

“The new plant will enable Schindler to provide escalators at more competitive conditions for the local market,” said the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Jürgen Tinggren. Tinggren added that India is of strategic importance for Schindler and the new investment reaffirms the company’s long-term commitment to this growing market. Currently, Schindler supplies the Indian market with escalators from its production facilities in China and Europe.

Meeting the Market Requirement The requirement of escalators and elevators in a hotel project is decided based on the traffic inflow in the hotel and the average occupancy per room. Normally, a hotel has one adult and one child to two adults per room. Escalators are provided in the hotel’s lobby. The escalators are usually planned for the hotel lobby to go to the first landing.

The different types of lifts that Otis Elevator Company (India) Limited has supplied are the with machine room category and also at times with the machine room less arrangement. These are high capacity lifts with taller cabs and door heights to allow for interior décor to match the exterior finishes,” pointed out Manivannan.

“A sizeable chunk of our commercial sales comes from hotels.

HOTEL Business Review

It will continue to be that way as the Indian hotel industry is on a positive growth trajectory, which is evident with big ticket internal hotel chains expanding in and entering the Indian market. Otis has a strong product offering backed with excellent service, which gives us a lead over other players in the market.

We have supplied lifts for some of the leading hotel projects,” elaborated Manivannan.

The Advent of Green Technologies One of the biggest advancements in the manufacturing of elevators and escalators these days is ensuring that the company makes its products with minimal impact on the environment. “With this practice of embracing a culture of producing environmentally safe products and manufacturing processes, we have adapted a Way to Green philosophy. We select all components for optimal performance and minimal environmental impact. We have cut down product packing materials and maximised reusable packaging. And we work to optimise processes that limit environmental impact in our factories. We do all these with the goal of getting products to customers in the fastest, safest possible way, with the minimum possible carbon footprints. Towards this endeavour, Otis also takes a proactive approach to managing and validating performance, waste reduction, and operational impact of suppliers who join us on The Way To Green. When it comes to our manufacturing processes and operations, we constantly work to reduce overall industrial waste and maximise the amount of waste we recycle. In fact, about 97 percent of our industrial waste is recycled. At the same time, we have dramatically reduced our non-recycled waste too,” elaborated Manivannan.

To illustrate its commitment, the solar panels at Otis’ green manufacturing facility in Madrid, Spain, which produces energy efficient Gen2 elevators, generates 60 percent of the electricity need for operations. Using solar panels to heat water and carefully regulate lighting based on available daylight are just few of the ways this facility minimises the environmental impact.

Otis also has the world’s first green elevator factory at Tianjin, China. Located in China’s Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA), the Otis Elevator Company TEDA Center office building has achieved Gold-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The Otis TEDA Center uses advanced technologies to reduce site energy usage by at least 25 percent, compared to conventional design and construction methods, while delivering lasting environmental benefits over the building’s lifecycle.

The Emerging Future The impressive growth scenario of tourism and hospitality in the country is expected to fuel the growth of elevators’ and escalators’ market for the Indian hospitality industry, in the near future. However, continual innovation and upgradition of technology are the needs of the hour. “Innovation is the key to a successful future and green technologies are gaining solid ground. In fact, a large percentage of our sales comes from our GeN2 (Green Technologies) range. There is a good market for green elevators in India and this is evident from the growing real estate space in green category,” concluded Manivannan, while informing that over 1877 projects are being approved by IGBC as green structure. 

Mar-Apr ’13

49

Design

HOTEL Business Review

Growing in the Shade

By Kanishka Gupta

A

wnings, canopies, and shades not only offer convenient and flexible protection from the Sun, wind and cold, but also contribute to the privacy factor. They can also add to the aesthetic appeal of the environment or rather the in-vironment of the hospitality property concerned, depending on how aesthetically they are being constructed.

Awnings, shades & canopies are very prominent nowadays, as apart from playing their role in withstanding weather conditions they also contribute towards enhancing the charm of the overall ambience in the vicinity.

Furthermore, areas which cannot be covered with permanent structures due to building bylaws can be covered with awnings, canopies and shades. It is common to see hotel restaurants being run under such coverings, which can increase the revenue earning potential of the hotel concerned too. Such areas can be air cooled or air-conditioned also. Areas covered by awnings, canopies and shades can transform the space into happening socialising spots. With right lighting, we can create an amazing effect too under the awnings, canopies and shades, resulting in romantic rendezvous.

Canopies and shades can become essential part of the décor of a hotel or any public area, especially in a country like ours where the Sun can get pretty harsh in the summers. They are a necessity at the hotel’s pool side where guests want to enjoy the weather and sun

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bathe, and at al fresco outlets. Since they are flexible and easily movable, they are easy to use and can be moved as per the preferences and likings of the guests.

“During the last 15-20 years, the awnings, canopies and shades industry in India has constantly upgraded production process, design and materials to meet the end user’s demand. Low maintenance, durability, better finish, smarter design are some of the features of these products, which have emerged over the years. The choice of fabric has also become wide; now right from low cost Chinese to high-end European fabrics are available.

Besides these, the range of colours is

more comprehensive to meet the new architectural trends,” said Sandeep Thareja, Managing Director, Encon.

The company offers various options in awning, canopy and outdoor covering products.

“In the earlier times, due to limitation of the availability of the right kind of raw materials like weather resistant fabrics, outdoor furniture, etc. in India, the evolution process of awnings, canopies and shades in the country was impeded.

However, with the right raw materials available nowadays, it has become easier to have top quality awnings, canopies and shades in India,” asserted

Design Shubhankar Mehta, Owner, manufacture are available Trend n Design. He in standard and as well as believes that the growing in non standard/customised awareness pertaining to sizes, shapes and colours, shades and canopies in the buyer automatically gets the country is another the confidence as they could reason for the evolution get the product as per their of shades & canopies in own specifications. With our India now as compared to experience of many years that of the past. into the trade, we endeavour Sandeep Thareja “At the JW Marriott to keep on improving on Hotel Chandigarh, umbrellas and our products on a day-to-day basis,” canopies are mostly used in the open explained Mehta further. lounging areas like pools and restaurants.

“There are different types of awnings, They are easy to move, change, remove canopies and shades that have been and can make a difference in the supplied to hotel clients in India, by ambience of the place where used. They Encon. Awnings can primarily be of are a cost-effective way to change the look two types — retractable and fixed. and feel of a place. Umbrellas are placed Retractable awnings can be retracted at the pool deck, swimming pool lounge manually or motorized,” explained area and also for special set up in banquet Thareja. Retractable awning comprises of terrace awning, window awning, vertical functions. Awnings have limited use at awning, and drop arm awning. “On the JW Marriott Hotel Chandigarh but are other hand, the fixed awnings are fixed more used in other Marriott properties,” and cannot be retracted,” he pointed elaborated Rachita Sood, Director out. Shades and canopies can —Services, JW Marriott Hotel Chandigarh. be customised as per the site or So how do suppliers the clients’ requirement. ITC determine the requirement of Maurya Sheraton and Towers, awnings, canopies and shades Old World Hospitality Pvt. by hoteliers and how do Ltd., Taj Group of Hotels, they get the purchase order?

Kingdom of Dreams, 32nd “Once a lead or enquiry is Milestone, Marriott, Cafe received from any hotel, a Coffee Day are only some of the preliminary meeting is held long list of esteemed clients of with the hotel’s representative Encon.

Shubhankar Mehta to understand the property’s “Apart from the requirement. Colour options, design and umbrellas, we also manufacture their feasibility are being discussed. Based marquees and gazebos, which are suited on the inputs received, architectural for the landscaped areas in hotels, drawings, 3d drawings and estimates embassies, townships, etc. Similarly, are submitted for approval. Following apart from shades and canopies, we approval, a purchase order is issued to manufacture outdoor wicker furniture, including pool loungers, dining sets, the vendor and then the production sofas, etc. Also, our range of products process begins,” explained Thareja. includes a comprehensive array of “The purchase orders are based on a lot banquet furniture including stackable of factors, which include price, quality, chairs, foldaway tables, and technical specifications, clientele, etc,” informed trolleys. Approximately Mehta.

90 percent of our sales are “The requirement generated from the hotel of canopies & shades is industry,” proffered Mehta. increasing day by day, as an The sizes of awnings, canopies outdoor area/landscaped and shades vary according to garden is becoming a need the needs of the client. “Every for almost every new fiveclient has different setups star hospitality property or dimensions for her/his nowadays. Since the awnings, respective outdoor areas, hence shades & canopies we the sizes for awnings, canopies Rachita Sood

HOTEL Business Review

and shades are not specific/standard everywhere. We manufacture marquees in standard sizes i.e. 10ft x 10ft, 12ft x 12ft & 15ft x 15ft. Gazebos or tents can be made in any given size as per the choice of the client,” elaborated Mehta.

So, what are the new technological developments in the manufacturing of awnings, canopies and shades in India, in the current scenario? “The awnings, canopies and shades are getting better by the day in terms of technology.

The retractable awnings are smoother and require lesser maintenance. The PVC coated fabric are heat sealed at the joints; earlier they were stitched.

The fixed awnings are being made in stainless steel also as compared mild steel which was used earlier,” said Thareja. “With the international markets opening up nowadays, there are lots of new developments in terms of the technicalities of these products and with FDI being introduced in India, the situation is going to get better only in terms of the demand for such products,” opined Mehta.

Although there is no consolidated data on the awnings, canopies and shades industry in India, there is no denying the fact that the awnings, canopies and shades industry is growing manifolds.

“The future of this industry is bright as the demand from infrastructure and developers continue to grow every year,” observed Thareja, who however, also noted that, “This industry is still importintensive for high-end fabrics.”

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Mar-Apr ’13

51

F&B

HOTEL Business Review

Spa Cuisine: Healthy and Not Boring

By Sharmila Chand age-old principles of healthy cooking and eating that seem to have been forgotten in today’s world of fast and processed food products,” explained Parakkal.

Cuisine Based on Three Doshas

C

arrot juice, porridge and boiled egg? You hear these options and lose your appetite. No, thank you, forget the health diet, is what you tell yourself. No worries, wellness or spa cuisine has come a long way. It is no more insipid, flat and boring... In fact, these days Chefs and Spa Managers take extra efforts towards offering delicious options in their wonderfully orchestrated ‘Spa Menu.’

“High-end spas today employ top culinary experts and Chefs who have made spa cuisine into an art form, creating elaborate dishes that make up some of the best menus in the world,” observed Jacqualine Tara Herron, Director, The Imperial Spa, New Delhi.

The Imperial New Delhi and the Chef Vijayan Parakkal, Executive Chef, The Leela Kovalam, have created spa cuisine based on the philosophy of Ayurveda. “Spa food has nothing to do with depriving yourself. Instead it has everything to do with

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Here it deserves a mention that Ayurveda places great emphasis on prevention of diseases and encourages the maintenance of health through proper diet and correct cooking methods.

Ayurveda works on three governing principles or humors called doshas. The three doshas according to Ayurveda are Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

All of us have these three doshas to varying degrees, although one and sometimes two tend to be predominant and the other(s) are subdued in a given body constitution. Experts say, when they are in right balance, the doshas do promote the normal functions of the body and maintain holistic health and well-being. If they get out of balance, they create mental, emotional and physical ailments.

Vata type persons tend to have light body frames, variable digestion and often are vulnerable towards gas and constipation. Therefore, their health can be best maintained or remain in good shape if they partake warm, nourishing and primarily cooked food products, and avoid having dried, cold, frozen and excessive amount of raw food products. Also, they should avoid those food items which are hard to digest and are prone to increase intestinal gas.

Vata is balanced by sweet, sour and salty tasting food products.

Pitta types are blessed with healthy appetites and Chef Vijayan Parakkal strong digestive

F&B capabilities, but they are susceptible towards hyperacidity and inflammatory disorders.

So they should avoid eating greasy, hot, spicy, salty and fermented food products, as well as sour and acidic fruits. Pitta is balanced by bitter, sweet and astringent tastes.

Kapha type persons are endowed with large body frame and they are prone towards weight gain and obesity. They are also susceptible to lethargy, and congestive disorders. Their health can be maintained best on a light, reducing diet, which is low in carbohydrates. They should avoid dairy products, cold food and drinks, poor quality oils and sweet treats. Kapha is balanced with pungent, bitter and astringent tastes.

Spa Cuisine at The Imperial New Delhi Using organic food products as much as possible, and keeping the cooking method simple should be the two important features of spa menu. Furthermore, the spa menu should

HOTEL Business Review

Special Spa Cuisine at The Leela Kovalam

• Steamed organic Nendran banana • Whole moong beans pancake with red onion and ginger chutney • Pressed brown rice with curry leaves, black mustard & organic vegetables • Steamed red rice cake with black chickpeas stew • Quail egg appam with coconut milk and vegetable stew • White chick peas flour pancake with coriander, chillies & tomatoes • Rice vermicelli upma with peanuts and red chutney, etc.

make a conscious effort to avoid frozen, canned, processed, and genetically modified food products as much as possible.

Avoiding leftovers, and using fresh, ripe fruits and veggies are other wise options in spa menu.

While spa food is simple food, it does not mean it has to be lacking in flavour. No wonder, the spa cuisine at The Imperial New Delhi presents itself as an array of tantalising treats. The Executive Chef of The Imperial New Delhi has formulated recipes on the basis of Ayurveda. These preparations are part of the spa menu at 1911 — the all day dining multi-cuisine restaurant at The Imperial New Delhi, for resident guests. For me the Executive Chef of The Imperial New Delhi selected various dishes from the spa menu at Imperial Spa to illustrate his point.

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HOTEL Business Review

For example, Ginger and Lemon Tea is a tridoshic drink and can be consumed by all the three body types with little variations. However, for the pitta type persons, according to the Executive Chef of The Imperial New Delhi, “It needs to be consumed cold or at room temperature with less ginger and lemon, whereas it should be served hot for vata and kapha type persons.”

Similarly, Avocado, Orange and Mint Splash is a very good summer lunch for the pitta prakruti persons, as it contains generous amount of mint, which is a cooling herb, and avocado.

Then there is Ginger Tossed Tofu and Vegetable Soup with Brown Rice, which is an excellent soup for kapha prakruti persons. Tofu provides rich protein source and brown rice provides roughage to assimilate the same. Ginger in the soup provides pungency and warmth, which in return facilitates to quicken the metabolic rate.

Edible Wellness @ The Leela Kovalam The Leela Kovalam also designs spa menu according to the Ayurveda philosophy of various body types. With the assistance of Ayurvedic Spa Consultant, the guests’ diet requirements are determined. From there, a team of doctors and Chefs work together to develop a dosha-specific menu, best suited for nutritious healing.

According to Parakkal, “Spa cuisine is all about being a balanced meal that is fresh, local, organic, holistic, nutritious, natural and colourfully enticing to the palate and other senses.

The key to the philosophy behind spa food is to keep food in as natural a state as possible. This basically is what is known as low human intervention food (Low HI), which is whereby the food undergoes minimal or no change from its place in nature to your plate.”

Parakkal sounded enthused while talking about spa cuisine at The Leela Kovalam. “We emphasise on having the freshest possible ingredients, which are grown in our own organic herb

Signature Dishes of the Ayurvedic Menu at 1911, at The Imperial New Delhi • Marinated beans with slow roasted tomato, with caper and sweet paprika vinaigrette • Vegetables’ clear soup with tofu • Palak Paneer, Arhar dal Tadka, and Plain Parantha with coriander raita.

• Wok tossed soy nuggets and Pok Choy in almond sauce with steamed brown rice, kimchi (a traditional fermented Korean side dish comprising vegetables with a variety of seasonings).

• Pumpkin Cannelloni with sautéed green vegetables with tomato sauce.

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F&B Spa

and vegetable garden. A lot of local fruits and vegetables like breadfruit, banana, bird’s eye chilli, jack fruit, red coconut, green coconut, papaya, tamarind, lady finger, bottle gourd, etc. are grown in our herb garden. The resort also promotes local farmers by buying the ingredients straight from them through the local administration sponsored bodies. These vegetables from the farmers and are not treated with any chemicals or fertilisers,” he articulated.

The medium of cooking is very crucial for spa cuisine and Chef Parakkal is very strict about using extra virgin coconut oil and olive oil for cooking. “Many of us believe that the coconut oil is saturated and is not good for health, so at The Leela Kovalam, extra virgin coconut oil is used. Those who are not in favour of coconut oil have the option of choosing from corn oil and olive oil,” he articulated.

“We use a lot of legumes in our spa cuisine, which are farm grown within the villages, like moong beans, red beans, horse gram, etc. These are organically grown and are used in their most natural form. The bran is retained in most cases, which provides fibers to the body along with few rare proteins,” Parakkal proffered.

“Horse gram and drum stick leaves soup with black peppercorn and other spices is an excellent example of how we retain the old style food ingredients, which is made here in the most interesting ways. Flax seeds, one of the healthiest natural foods, are also used in desserts, shakes and salads,” he asserted.

Seafood lovers are not deprived on account of health food at The Leela Kovlam. Chef Parakkal’s team serves fresh seafood in its most natural form, and avoids cooking them in lots of spices and oil.

He explains, “Another aspect of our menu is using free range chicken rather than caged chicken. The meat of free range chicken would be tender and flavoursome, and the dish would be far superior than what would be if one has to make it from a caged chicken. Plenty of quail meat and quail eggs are also used in our menu to ensure that the natural and rare food stuffs are available for guests to enjoy during their stay.”

The Leela Kovalam’s wellness cuisine has many sugarfree desserts to choose from. The desserts are prepared with fresh fruit puree, molasses or honey, and replace white sugar.

Lastly, the resort prepares and recommends spice and herb infused drinking water as well as pure whole barley water. 

Mar-Apr ’13

55

Spa

HOTEL Business Review

Find Your

Own Space

By Sharmila Chand

A

pure indulgence zone for the senses, Espace, the spa at Radisson Blu Hotel Noida, brings in an amalgamation of the beauty and balance under one roof.

A journey for the mind, body, spirit and soul, Espace comes across as a calm pool of wellness amidst the concrete jungle of Noida. While at Espace, the white, grey and aqua hues soothe the senses and allow for a free flow of the spirits. The creatively done up interiors

by Monica Malhotra Kandhari invoke freshness, beauty, balance and space into the spa.

The sprawling spa boasts of therapy rooms, a unisex salon, and a state-of-theart fitness centre. Interplay of light, colour and sound adds towards creating the right ambience in which to explore your inner self. The USP of Espace is perhaps the fact that it is open 24x7, offering complete indulgence of exploring your wellness options within your comfortable time and space.

At Espace you can find your own wellness space. Here you can experience a complete range of detox and distress spa therapies, even as you get the opportunity at the exclusive salon of the spa to enjoy a holistic makeover and the best of parlour

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services. The salon at Espace offers treatments for gentle conditioning of the skin and deep purifying facials with topend products to cleanse your skin, remove impurities, stimulate blood flow and loosen surface blockage while inducing relaxation.

However, the wellness options at Espace go much beyond de-stress or detox. The spa addressees the time honoured tradition of holistic well-being.

Well-trained attendants and therapists,

special menus for the body and soul, and personalised attention are factors that together make Espace a refreshingly different wellness space.

The spa section boasts of treatments ranging from traditional Ayurvedic to classical Swedish massages to refresh and renew your body. Choose from a range of relaxing and rejuvenating body treatments. Opt for the ‘Heart of Espace’ a special body treatment using fresh fruits or go for ginger herb body wrap, or an

Spa almond or apricot body scrub to cleanse, exfoliate and restore elasticity and leave the skin glowing. The two spa suites with private steam and shower, provides you the luxury of your private time and space.

The parquet-floored studio at the spa offers workshops with celebrity panelists in yoga, aerobics, and also dance classes for salsa, jive and various other forms of dances. It can be your destination for aerobics, yoga and meditation under the guidance of qualified trainers. For the less adventurous, chill at the outdoor swimming pool while sipping your choice of drink or just get in touch with your inner self in the steam or sauna room.

While having a date with your inner self at Espace, you can go in for the stateof-the- art fitness centre spruced with a complete gymnasium, to take off those extra pounds.

One-stop, top of the line fitness center, spread across 5000 sq. ft. with over 20 stations, overlooks a large water cascade.

The joy of a hard-hitting workout is in tune with specially created music and is refreshing against the backdrop of a gentle

HOTEL Business Review

waterfall cascading across the breadth of the sphere shaped fitness centre.

Enjoy the acrobatic display of lights on the waterfall as you workout. The cardio stations have individual television screens. The cardio-vascular equipments

from Life Fitness and strength training equipments from Cybex are installed for people who want to get the most out of their workout. Professional trainers in the gymnasium would offer customised routines and schedules. 

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57

Spa

HOTEL Business Review

Leading

Wellness at

Espace

Sudeshna Pal, the Spa Director at Espace, came across as an incisive professional.

She has over 17 years experience in hospitality, and is armed with a degree in food and nutrition from J.D. Birla Institute, Kolkata. She possesses thorough knowledge of spa & salon treatments, and spa retailing.

Having in-depth ability to work in a multi-cultural and a multi-task work environment, she has great regard for the workforce, and a deep concern towards quality of hospitality, and guest satisfaction. The excerpts of the interview follow: How long have you been in the wellness industry? What are the types of changes you have witnessed in your ďŹ eld during the past 5-6 years?

I have invested 10 years in the wellness industry. During the recent years, the rise in the annual disposable incomes coupled with increasing health awareness has improved opportunities for the existing and new players in the Indian wellness market.

Moreover, social pressures, lifestyle demands and a distorted work/life balance have generated an increasing

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need for wellness and well-being, and a desire for escapism and indulgence. To cater to this growing demand, the rapid growth and evolution in spa facilities continues unabatedly.

However, the spa & body treatment segment is still in its nascent stage in India.

At the same time, the growth potential for spa and wellness therapies is huge in India.

Growing demand for medical spas is also an emerging trend in the recent years.

Moreover, earlier hotels used to position gyms and spas as amenities, but now many established hotel chains are re-branding around wellness.

What are the current top trends in the spa business, which also include spa operations and design?

Today, the spa visitors want premium quality equipments, trainers with impeccable credentials, great location and wonderful atmosphere. Creativity, innovation and service excellence are essential factors behind opening and operating a successful spa venture these days.

I fully agree with the internationally renowned spa Guru Susan Harmsworth, who rightly said that there was currently

Spa

a trend to move away from Jacuzzi-style to filtered hot pools, vitality pools, and snail shell-shaped showers with ‘arctic mist’ or ‘tropical rain.’ Appropriate balancing of allocation of space in spas between revenue and non-revenue generating areas is the need of the hour.

What are the top three traits or skills every Spa Director (Spa Head) must have to manage the spa successfully?

A Spa Director needs to intuitively listen to not only her/his guests but also to her/his staff. Happy staff looks after its guests well, which creates happy guests, which happens to be the ultimate goal. To attain the objective of guest satisfaction, the Spa Director must possess excellent people management skills.

I strive to develop an environment that has open communication, trust and respect. For me it is important that everybody in my team is not only respected and empowered, but is also honoured and treasured. Staff that is content and happy will help keep our guests happy and will help Espace continue to keep its top rating.

In any successful business, leadership is of crucial importance, and the business of spa is no different in this regard. The successful Spa Director should lead from the front, should ensure that the minute needs of the guests are being catered to, and must be able to motivate and support the staff.

Spa Directors also need to set and meet the financial goals for her/his spa, which include revenue targets, retail percentage, maintaining sales, reducing expenses, etc.

What do you enjoy the most about being a Spa Director?

I love staying fit and having that objective as part of my job is fantastic. I also enjoy seeing other people taking to fitness and switching to healthy lifestyles.

Achieving wellness goals with people is very rewarding. Moreover, the working environment here is quite nice and I enjoy meeting people and helping them towards their wellness journey.

What are the current challenges in the spa business in India?

One of the challenges towards growth

HOTEL Business Review

of the spa business is to change the perception towards spas. The general public still associates spas and wellness centres with luxury and pampering, which are targeted at privileged segments.

The spa services are still being construed as indulgences, which doesn’t fit into common person’s budget.

Moreover, the target consumers of spas still do not have a clear vision about the value that a spa can provide to their well-being. This lack of clear public perception is further affected by flawed impression about spa services, which are often projected by many of our industry professionals.

The ongoing economic crisis has led to another challenge for the spa industry, as many spas have cut their costs without corresponding price reduction for their services. This is leading to depletion of consumer confidence towards spa services and is eventually also compromising on customer loyalty towards our industry.

Finding the right people for the team is also a big challenge, starting from spa therapists to supervisors.

There is an additional challenge the Indian wellness industry faces today. The industry is not sure that what is exactly the consumer is looking for. It is essential to figure out what the clientele is looking for (whether it is relaxation, rejuvenation, health, leisure, etc. or all of them), and to understand whether all these services can be offered under a specific spa model.

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

The location of the spa makes it one of the most easily accessible spas in the Delhi-NCR region. Moreover, keeping in mind the hygiene factor and environment sustainability, most of the items used in our spa, like the aprons, disposable garments, etc. are biodegradable, made out of corn starch.

There are different kinds of spas, how would you define and classify your spa?

Since our spa is located in a five-star deluxe hotel it can be categorised as a ‘Hotel Spa.’ We offer complete wellbeing for the guests, right from their fitness and diet regime to skin care and rejuvenation.

How many treatment rooms do you have, and how big is the Espace?

The total area of Espace is 10,000 sq. ft., which includes 6000 sq. ft. of salon and spa. We have four therapy rooms and three facial rooms.

Do you offer a signature treatment?

‘The Rose Rendezvous’ is the signature treatment of Espace. The treatment is rich in the antioxidants vitamin A and vitamin C. This treatment involves application of Rose oil, which has a tonic and astringent effect on the capillaries, which lie just below the skin surface. The treatment comprises a wonderful rose scrub, the rose petal and herb hydrating face pack, and an aromatic body treatment involving signature massage oil, which consists of rose oil, bergamot oil, and ginger.

Tell us about the other facilities and features offered at your spa

A whole kingdom of beauty and wellness has been unveiled under one roof at Espace. You can choose from a range of relaxing and rejuvenating body treatments, which vary from traditional Ayurvedic to classical Swedish massages to refresh and renew your body.

At Espace, the centuries old traditional treatments along with the latest ones offer ample scope for tailoring customised treatments for the guests.

Do you have some special massages?

Yes, we do have them. They are named as Spice Poultice, and Hot Aromatic Candle Massage.

What is your favourite treatment to receive?

I immensely enjoy the Hot Aromatic Candle Massage during the winters, which helps me to relieve the pain due to stress and stretched working hours.

The treatment is also very unique.

One can also immensely enjoy the exotic splendour with our Hot Aromatic Candle Massage, infused with rich cocoa and shear butter; enriched with essential fragrance oils and vitamin E.

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HOTEL Business Review

LUXURY WINDOW SOLUTION

Known under the brand name “Green Future”, the company offers a comprehensive range of window solutions, from fixed windows to casement, tilt and turns to parallel sliding, lift and slide to fold and slides, etc. Multiple international tie-up’s and association endow Green Future to offer multiple solutions to cater every kind of budgets and project requirements.

With an experience and expertise in the solutions provider industry, Green Future tenders all the opening solutions to the market in a wide variety of materials - uPVC, Aluminium, Thermal break, Alu-wood and Bullet proof windows.

To complement the same, clients can also select integrated blinds in various colors and mode of operations.

May it be a housing project, a five star hotel, hospital, institutional projects, high-end apartment or premium villas, Green Future is present in almost all the sectors and serves pan India. Few of their ongoing projects are Holiday Inn Hotel (Delhi), Floraville by Paramount Group (Uttar Pradesh), IIT campus (Himachal Pradesh), Multispecialty hospital (Madhya Pradesh), ISKCON (West Bengal).

Green Future products are weather resistant, termite and corrosion resistant, sound insulated, thermal insulated, fire resistant etc. Under the Go – Green initiative Green Future ensures that all products are manufactured in environment friendly facilities.

Green Future Windows Pvt. Ltd. sales@greenfuture.in

ARC INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE DINNERWARE AND DRINKWARE

Arc International, the recognized tableware leader from France have launched new dinnerware and drinkware collections with the Zenix and Kwarx technological advancements under their Arcoroc and Chef and Sommelier brands. Backed with years of expertise in glassware, dinnerware and cutlery manufacturing, Arc International’s new collections include elegant and chic dinnerware collections – Intensity and Tendency under the Arcoroc brand and drinkware collections – Open Up and Cabernet under the Chef and Sommelier brand.

Arc International maintains its place in the global markets through a portfolio of brands which include Cristal D’Arques, Luminarc, Rak in the consumer goods segment, and Arcoroc and Chef and Sommelier in the food service segment. With these brands, the group offers to its customers and consumers, innovative and high quality products and services researched and developed to suit the varying consumer preferences across markets.

Arc International Tarunasingh81@gmail.com

Product Preview EXER-KING THE TOTAL POWER – HYDRAULIC MULTIGYM FOR HOTEL SUITES

Exer-King, 6-in-1 multi hydraulic exercising equipment, can act as an exclusive Health Club in hotel suites. Exer-King the Total Power is a hydraulic multigym which is 100 percent safe and offers complete body workout in just 10-20 minutes.

A user friendly machine, it has no need for an instructor or supervisor and provides cardio-vascular, resistance training, strength building, flexibility and endurance at the same time. It provides a complete body workout from legs to abs to shoulders. There is no need to lift weights on or off a machine. Several workouts can be performed on this single machine without getting up. One needs just 15-20 minutes to work out on it every day for weight-control, cardio vascular and aerobic benefits, increased stamina and flexibility. Because of the hydraulics, there is no jerk on any body parts or muscles. There are no cables to break, weight stacks to slam or dumbbells to fall therefore it is safe enough for children, senior citizens and women as well. It is eco-friendly and requires no electricity for operation.

Fluid-Tech Industries fluidtechfitness@gmail.com

DESIGNER CARPETS FROM RAMSHA

Ramsha Home & Living is the maker of India’s first branded carpet, certified by ISO 9001:2008. The company manufactures customised carpets and wall to wall carpets for banquet halls, ball rooms, restaurants, hotels, corporate offices, residential apartments and other spaces.

The company provides comprehensive flooring and furnishing solutions such as carpeting, bed spreads, cushion covers, cushions, bed runners, pillow covers, decorating pillows, bath mats, etc. Ramsha Home & Living informs the customers and designers about the latest updates and trends through newsletters. Ramsha Home & Living is a product of ARS Colors, one of the leading manufacturers and exporters of carpet, home furnishing & colour reference systems. The business was founded in 2001 with the dream of making homes beautiful and it has been exporting its products to 48 countries around the world since then.

Ramsha Home & Living info@ramshahome.com

FULLY AUTOMATIC CONVEYOR OVENS FROM ASTER The fully automatic conveyor oven from the house of Aster has a completely hands free operation for producing large volume of pizzas. The robust stainless steel construction with sturdy controls has an 18 inch wide reversible conveyor belt with an electronic variable speed controller. With digital display of temperature and time controller, the machine works on hot air jet technology for faster and even cooking.

Aster Technologies Pvt. Ltd. info@asterindia.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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Advertiser’s Index

HOTEL Business Review

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ADVERTISER’S INDE X COMPANY

PAGE NO.

AIM TECH

53

AKSAI CREATION

FIC

ALPHA FOAM PVT. LTD.

57

COIRFOAM INDIA PVT. LTD.

BC

COMBII ORGANOCHEM PVT. LTD.

27

FCML PROJECTS

25

HBF 2013

63

HOSFAIR 2013

55

HOTEL EXPO 2013

39

IFB INDUSTRIES LTD.

17

KANHA HOTEL SUPPLIES

19

KESRI TRANSCONTINENTAL

37

LOOM CRAFTS FURNITURE (INDIA) PVT. LTD.

28, 29

MITORA MACHINEX PVT. LTD.

10

OZONE OVERSEAS PVT. LTD.

11, 43

* G F - G AT E F O L D

* F I C - F R O N T I N S I D E C O V E R

COMPANY

PAGE NO.

MITZVAH ENGG. INC.

62

PUSHKAL TEXTILES

16

RAMSONS GARMENT FINISHING EQUIPMENT PVT. LTD.

23

RAMSHA HOME & LIVING

15

RANS TECHNOCRATS (INDIA) PVT. LTD.

BIC

REMINGTON STEEL ARTS

62

SIO VASUNDHRA INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD.

01

SPRING AIR BEDDING CO. (INDIA) LTD.

21

SPRINGWEL MATTRESSES PVT. LTD.

07

SUPERSHINE LAUNDRY SYSTEMS PVT. LTD.

31

TRAFS 2013

47

UNIVERSAL CHEF S.L.

12, 13

VENUS INDUSTRIES

05

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

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* B I C - B A C K I N S I D E C O V E R

* B C - B A C K C O V E R

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Interview

HOTEL Business Review

Wishing Good Morning to Hospitality

By Sharmila Chand Inderpal Singh Kochhar, MD, Sewara Hospitality & Development, was introduced to the world of hospitality while training at The Setai, located at the Miami beach.

His passion for Indian history and culture led him to the conceptualisation of the brand Sewara in 2005.

He started his venture with Lodi – The Garden Restaurant in New Delhi, and subsequently followed it up with Pushkar Resorts at Pushkar, Rajasthan. He managed to turn these into profitable ventures within two years, along with another addition in the form of Lakshman Sagar, Pali, Rajasthan, to his existing ‘brand wagon.’

Overall, Sewara Hospitality & Development has ten properties in its ambit. Some of these have been operational for several years, some are due to open shortly and some are still in the predevelopment phase. Kochhar is currently working on the development of Qila Tatarpur, Rajasthan.

Today, Sewara brand has expanded its verticals from just hospitality to organics and design as well. It has already forayed into a retail outlet for organic products. The excerpts of the interview follow: What is the USP of your brand?

Our USP stems from our core brand values like sustainability, community involvement, and minimal carbon footprints, which are the key differentiators and together forms our brand identity.

We have built our brand and will continue to do so focusing on key parameters like innovation, simplicity, authenticity and consistency. We aim to represent contemporary India, which stems from our rich heritage and is influenced largely by globalisation.

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?

Along with other factors, F&B is very important and plays a key role in creating the perfect dining experience for the guests, and in getting business to a hotel; more specifically to a restaurant of the hotel.

From serving local cuisine at Lakshman Sagar to presenting European fare at Lodi — The Garden Restaurant, the primary focus for our F&B options has been on innovative dishes made from the fresh ingredients, on a regular basis.

The use of seasonal fruits and vegetables plays a significant role at the F&B options for all our properties. We are passionate about the food we serve and ensure that it is made from the freshest possible home grown ingredients.

Could you reflect on the new initiatives that you have undertaken

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in your hospitality division?

Currently, we are working on the concept of the pop up fort at Qila Tatarpur. At Lakshman Sagar, we have added a number of exciting local activities to enhance the guests’ experience like local liquor tasting, goat herding, turban tying, etc. While at Pushkar Resorts, we have added concierge services for shopping and further customised guest itineraries to ensure that it is a memorable stay for them. Our customised itineraries ensure an authentic local experience to our guests.

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

Maintaining the quality of the product and services along with ensuring the price in the competitive market is the biggest challenge in the Indian hospitality industry these days. Everyday there are new hotels and restaurants coming up and the customers are spoilt for choice. Therefore, to stay on top of the game, innovation and creative marketing strategies are a must along with maintaining consistent standards.

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

The challenge of representing an ideology through a property and ensuring that the properties speak to the guests and convey our brand message and values is the most exciting part of being in this position.

What is your strength, professionally?

My understanding and focus on the conceptualisation of a project, my attention to detail at every step of project development and my passion for community involvement in the project have been my greatest assets.

How would you describe yourself as a professional? What is your work mantra; your guiding philosophy in work?

I am a tough taskmaster and I desire to get perfect results from my team.

Teamwork is my guiding philosophy at work. I work on the principle of educating the various departments in my team on a 360 degree view of a business model and on encouraging them to understand & question the reason behind every task given, so that there is a sense of ownership. This in turn, help us to develop as a team.

How do you de-stress?

I unwind by reading, cycling and gardening.

Can you tell us what is your favourite pastime?

I love to travel across the lesser known parts of our country and understand and connect with the people in those places, to their local way of life. According to me, this is the real India, which most of us living in big cities are unaware of.

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