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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
W
ith changing traveler expectations, the hospitality industry is facing upcoming challenges head on for the sector growth. The hotel industry must focus on providing a unique experience for both foreign as well as domestic clients. There are challenges ahead for the hospitality sector, but there’s also room for growth. Most of the industries are now adopting eco-friendly techniques to help sustain an ecological balance. The hospitality industry, which has always been in the forefront for promoting causes beneficial to mankind, has risen to protect Mother Nature by adopting several techniques to maintain ecological balance. Cover story talks about the efforts made by Indian hotel industry to make their properties eco-friendly and impress upon aware clients. The hotel chains are now adopting digital solutions to keep track of their clients. It’s not just about food, hygiene and ambience, but replicating exemplary customer experience at every touch point through the customer lifecycle. Although hotel industry has been slower to adopt new tech trends, the past few years have seen an increase in tech solutions in the hospitality sector. Business story dwells upon how mobile apps are being used constantly by the industry to provide better service to their customers for higher guest satisfaction. There were many up and downs for the hotel industry in the past year but on an average it was a fantastic year for the industry. The feature story explains how the future of India’s hotel industry seems to be promising and the various key factors that will drive the market The growth and success of the hotel sector depends on maintaining adequate staffing levels, which will become increasingly important over the coming years. As the industry continues to grow, attracting and retaining top talent will be a top priority for hotels. Employee retention is a challenge and if the hospitality industry wants to retain top talent, they must focus on adopting processes that help boost employee morale and productivity. Management article discusses how leadership is crucial for staff performance and retention. Article on operations, spa and property provide further insight on the industry.
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Resident Editor Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Layout & Design Hari Kumar V Abhishek Singh Rathore Production Assistant Jyoti Gupta Advertising Sales Delhi: Debabrata Nath, Sumesh Sharma Director Sales Sanjay Anand Mobile: +91 9811136837 Director Operations Rajat Taneja Mobile: +91 9810315463 Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 206, Samrat Bhawan, Ranjeet Nagar Commercial Complex, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 91-11-25704103, 45093486, 45084903 Mumbai: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 105, 1st Floor, Aarpee Centre, Gufic Compound, 11th Road, MIDC, Near Tunga Paradise, Andheri (E), Mumbai-400093, India Phone: 91-22-28395833 E-mail: info@hammer.co.in © 2019 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. No part of the publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher. Hammer Hotel Business Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed, edited, owned and published by Rajneesh Sharma on behalf of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 206, Samrat Bhawan, Ranjeet Nagar Commercial Complex, New Delhi. Printed at Print Creations, C-112/3, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-1, New Delhi. 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. Disclaimer: The editor and publisher believes that all information contained in this publication are correct at the time of publishing. Content published not necessarily are the opinion or view of the editor and publisher. Editor and publisher declines any responsibility for any action taken based on the information contained in this publication, including liability for error or omission. Annual subscription rate within India is Rs. 500 and for overseas it is US $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs. 90 in India and US $25 for overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
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 Indian hotel industry and the hoteliers are making efforts to make their properties eco-friendly. There is a concerted endeavour by some hotels to meet the increasing demands of the eco-friendly tourists.
Restaurant business in India which reflects a slice of evolving lifestyles of a plethora of urban Indians of post-modern India, nowadays cannot afford to be insular from the potent forces of social media marketing.
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BUSINESS
Mobile apps are being used constantly by the industry to provide better service to their customers. Mobile websites and apps help customers to browse through the hotel’s services, read the reviews and book rooms.
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F&B
FEATURE
The future of India’s hotel industry seems to be promising. Medical tourism, destination weddings and MICE would play important roles in the near future in fostering the growth of India’s hospitality industry.
OPERATIONS
Meticulous planning at every stage of a project can ensure cost control and efficiency. This is especially important in a renovation work for hospitality properties.
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MANAGEMENT
The dominant traits of the top most leader in any organisation, unarguably, define the shape and personality of the organisation as a whole.
departments 04 Event 10
News Scan
20 Appointments
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FOCUS
Sustainability is very crucial and hotel teams are taking great measures in this direction. Their hard work in this arena has a positive impact on the community resulting in great satisfaction to the employees.
22 Report 48 Design 52 Property 58 Spa 62
Product Preview
64 Interview
Cover Pic: Hyatt Regency Amritsar
May-June ’19
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Event
Hotel Business Review
THAIFEX-World of Food Asia 2019 Concluded with Greater Success THAIFEX 2019 - A leading food exhibition in Asia concluded its 16th edition on 1 June, 2019 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani in Bangkok. The dedicated industry trade show in the region showcased 2,745 exhibitors, including 28 start-ups and had over 67,000 visitors from 134 countries. It played host to representatives from countries such as China, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia and the USA amongst others. The show has been rebranded from 2020 edition as THAIFEXAnuga Asia. Th e s h ow h a d a n u n p re ce d e nte d participation showcasing innovative concepts and future foods like plant-based meats, dronebased food delivery, an edible coating solution that prolongs the shelf life of fruit, smart packaging for traceability and authentication, and insect-based protein powder.
Hosted Buyers Programme Business and commerce continued to be the main focus of THAIFEX-World of Food Asia. It hosted over 2,000 international buyers from various countries during its five day schedule. Out of this, 152 handpicked top hosted buyers participated in a 2-day closed-door business matchmaking program exclusively organised for international exhibitors to discuss trade deals. Across the program, over 1,300 successful meetings took place. The meetings were pre-arranged through an online business matching platform, which allowed top buyers from across Asia to select the international exhibitors they wanted to do business with in the weeks running up to the event.
Trends & Innovations THAIFEXfuture Food Experience+, introduced future of food to the visitors. It received overwhelming response from attendees, evident from the huge participation. Demonstrations at Future Food Live! - a unique cooking show hosted by the ASEAN Food and Feed Insects Association, where Le Cordon Bleu Chef Frederic Legras created well-loved desserts with a twist - incorporating cricket powder and whole insects, much to
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countries display their skills to 47 judges from all over the world to win the coveted championship titles.
the audience’s bewilderment and excitement. In addition, the THAIFEX Startup Zone boasted a contingent of 28 start-ups, which engaged in networking sessions with investors and venture capitalists from Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Myanmar, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Oman, US and Thailand. Through this specially curated program, the budding companies received a tailored experience to encourage business matchmaking. Another new program this year, the Leadership in Food Innovation Conference series, was attended by more than 300 participants, who listened to the talks given by leading trade professionals providing insights into the future of the F&B industry. Speakers at the show gave presentations on how food is changing, across several different topics, such as innovation and growth in 2019, accelerating business in food and technology, sustainability, consumer insights and marketing strategies, and a greater focus on nutrition. New countries bring local tastes to global platform THAIFEX-World of Food Asia 2019 welcomed 6 new country groups, Australia (AUSVEG), Brazil, Poland, Spain, USA, and Sri Lanka. Spain provided a unique experience at their pavilion with seminars and a tapas-style networking lunch, while Sri Lanka arranged a lunch buffet with a selection of local delights for visitors to sample. Thailand, the Kitchen of the World The 8th edition of the Thailand Ultimate Chef Challenge (TUCC) saw over 1,300 professional and budding chefs from 13
Improved Identity THAIFEX-World of Food Asia 2019 was made possible through the unique privatepublic synergistic collaboration between Koelnmesse, the leading trade fair organiser for food and food technology, Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion, and the Thai Chamber of Commerce. Now, after 16 years of this strong partnership, the organisers will be elevating the trade fair to the next level with a rebranding to THAIFEXAnuga Asia. The refreshed name will further emphasise the strong relationship between THAIFEXWorld of Food Asia and Anuga, the world’s largest F&B trade show, as well as affirm the global standard of the fair, with Anuga’s 100 years of history and experience backing THAIFEX-World of Food Asia. Koelnmesse will continue to work with the Department of International Trade Promotion and the Thai Chamber of Commerce to grow the show and bring an unprecedented business matching platform and experience to the industry. “As organisers, we’re constantly fine-tuning our programs based on feedback from exhibitors, buyers and visitors, and aligning them with the latest industry trends. We were delighted to hear that our new programs such as the THAIFEXfuture Food Experience+ and the THAIFEX Startup Zone were very well received. The future of the F&B sector is always evolving as consumers’ tastes, considerations and preferences progress, and we hope to continue refreshing and creating new programs that will deliver the ultimate trade show experience to keep attendees - even exhibitors and buyers - ahead of the curve,” said Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director, Koelnmesse Pte Ltd. THAIFEX-Anuga Asia 2020 will continue to focus on the Future of Food and will take place from 26-30 May.
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EVENTS’ CALENDER Food Taipei 2019 19-22 June 2019 Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Taiwan www.foodtaipei.com.tw
SIAL China 2019 SIAL China successfully concluded its 20th edition on May 16, 2019 in Shanghai at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). The 2019 edition of SIAL China surpassed all key figure set in 2018, expanding 23% year-over-year (YOY) in scale by occupying all 199,500 square meters of SNIEC. Asia’s leading Food Innovation Exhibition SIAL China 2019 was visited by 117,595 professional visitors from across the world. SIAL China 2019 expanded 23% year-overyear in scale, attracted 4,300 exhibitors from more than 70 countries and regions, 30 domestic provinces and cities. S I A L C h i n a 2 01 9 o p e n e d o n M ay 14th, 2019, with delegations of ministers, ambassadors, consuls and trade officers attending the Opening Ceremony. In hand were representatives from the People’s Republic of China, which included the Director of China Commerce Development Center, Director of Foreign Economic Cooperation Center of MARA, Chairman of Gansu Commission of CCPIT, Board Director of China Health Promotion Foundation, and President of Chinese Nutrition Society. The Deputy Ministers from the Agriculture Ministry of the Spanish Governments, the Argentine, Spanish, and Uruguayan Ambassadors to China, and honoured guests from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Czech, Denmark, EU delegation, Finland, France, Greece, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Peru, Russia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, and Thailand also attended the Opening Ceremony, a sign of SIAL China’s place on the global food and beverage calendar. Professional visitors, exhibitors, and media at SIAL China 2019 were able to explore all 17 halls at SNIEC, which hosted four dedicated zones: Meat (N3, N4, N5), Dairy (E4), Wine (E5, E6), and Beverage (E4), as well as seven professional events highlighting food and beverage industry talents, innovations, and trends.
“We have received very positive feedback from both exhibitors and visitors on the expanded dedicated zones, professional events and scale of SIAL China 2019. Expanding the exhibition 23% to 199,500 square meters allowed SIAL China to accommodate more exhibitors, which in term attracted more professional visitors than ever before”, said Jim Liu, CEO of SIAL China. SIAL Innovation SIAL Innovation 2019, the competition which recognises the most cutting-edge products in the food and beverage industry received a record number of submissions. In total, more than 600 products were vying for the prestigious award at SIAL China. In the afternoon of May 14th at SIAL Innovation zone located in Hall E3 Shanghai New International Expo Center, three of the ten finalists were awarded SIAL Innovation Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards, respectively. In his remarks at the opening ceremony, Nicolas Trentesaux, Show Director of SIAL Network, reminded guests that SIAL is about business, inspiration and connecting with people, and encouraged all SIAL China exhibitors and visitors to “have fun, be curious and look deeper into the fascinating world of food.” He also invited guests to look for the three prominent food industry trends of 2019 - taste, true, and meaning, throughout the exhibition and in the SIAL Innovation. Organised by Comexposium, SIAL China is the biggest food and beverage show in Asia and an integral part of the SIAL Network, the leading global network of shows dedicated to the food and beverage industry, with seven shows (SIAL Paris, SIAL Canada, Montreal and Toronto, SIAL China, SIAL Middle East, SIAL Interfood in Jakarta and SIAL India) that bring together 14,000 exhibitors and 330,000 visitors from 194 countries. The next edition of SIAL China will be during May 13-15, 2020 in Shanghai. Visit www.sialchina.com.
MIFB 2019 26-28 June 2019 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia www.mifb.com.my TRAFS 11-14 July 2019 Thailand Retail, Food & Hospitality Services 2019 Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) www.thailandhoreca.com India International Hospitality Expo (IHE 2019) 7-10 August 2019 India Exposition Centre, Greater Noida (Delhi, NCR) www.ihexpo.com Hong Kong International Tea Fair 15-17 August 2019 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, Hongkong www.hkteafair.com Annapoorna Anufood India 2019 29-31 August 2019 Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai www.worldoffoodindia.com Asiafruit Logistica 2019 4-6 September 2019 AsiaWorld-Expo, Hongkong www.asiafruitlogistica.com Food & Hotel India 2019 18-20 September 2019 Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai www.foodandhotelindia.com SIAL India 19-21 September 2019 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.sialindia.com
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Three leading International trade shows
Three leading international trade shows, TRAFS, TFBO and ASEAN Retail 2019, will take place simultaneously under one roof on July 11-14 at BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand, with more new exhibitors and features to welcome 25,000 visitors from around the world The three shows combined will see 395 exhibitors from ten countries, including six countries pavilions from Italy, Korea, Taiwan, India, China and Malaysia, showcasing thousands of products covering a full range for hotel and retail industry. TRAFS 2019, or Thailand Retail, Food & Hospitality Services in its 13th edition, displays latest technology of equipment, supplies and ingredients of Food and drink to serve the growing demand in hotels, restaurants, fine dining and hospitality businesses in Asian region. In 2018 TRAFS introduced over 100 exhibitors showcasing new innovations that help to serve the hospitality industry and welcomed over 23,000 visitors from 44 countries. Highlight of New product launch this year will be the round pizza oven by Marina, the world’s leading manufacturer of pizza oven, as well as new wine makers who will fly in from Italy to meet their potential buyers. New Experiences by number of newly created forums & functions keeping you ahead of the industry with new ideas: Hotel in the Future, TRAFS & Tastes, Hotel on Demand, Chef Competition, Bartender Competition, Barista Competition etc. The 15th edition of Thailand Franchise & Business Opportunities 2019 (TFBO), the biggest franchise and business opportunity show in the 10-nation ASEAN, is participated by almost 200 Thais and international franchisers, including Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and India, who are looking for potential master franchisees, investors to discuss business models. More than ten franchise businesses will be offered, ie food, coffee, bakery, ice cream, education, car care, beauty and spa, etc. The third show, ASEAN Retail 2019 in its 4th edition, will showcase the latest products for the booming retail industry, including shop fixture, design and storage; retail technology (POS ERP, CRM, Barcode, Cash management); and digital signage and LED. Plentiful activities for the three shows have been arranged to welcome visitors, including competitions (chefs and bartenders, coffee siphon), showcases (Hotel in the Future, TRAFS and Taste), workshop (live food and bakery demonstrations), and over 40 seminars and conferences by industry professionals. A golden opportunity for investors/buyers to visit three leading trade shows in one roof at one time and discuss businesses face to face with exhibitors from around the world. Visitors are advised to pre-register online for your convenience when arrive at the shows. For more information, please visit our web sites, or email at info@kavinintertrade.co.th
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Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru Opens Up Space for Art The Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru at Embassy ONE is host to some of the most diverse, creative artists and their practices on its premises, thus becoming a valuable archive for contemporary Indian art. It also makes the property a valuable patron of these artists by providing them a novel venue to display their work. The art for the hotel’s public spaces has been curated by renowned artist Riyas Komu, who was hired by Bengaluru’s gallery g to visualise and conceptualise the art package for the project. From the cutting-edge, mapping techniques of Saju Kunhan, to Manjunath Kamath’s flair for creating fantasies out of the ordinary, the public spaces of the hotel boast of works from some of the country’s most exciting artists. Thukral & Tagra’s quirky, kitsch, pop art-like work occupies the pride of place at CUR8, the hotel’s all-day dining space, while G R Iranna’s idealistic, representative and modernist language with his brush completes the otherwise staid foyers of the ballroom annexes. Even the lift lobbies across the hotel, curious spaces where people often loiter for a few minutes waiting for the elevator or sometimes confused over which direction to take, have stunning creations by Sumedh Rajendran whose sculptures amalgamate various fundamental forms such as animals, objects and humans.
Pride Hotels Launches New Resort in Gangtok, Sikkim Foraying into the North East India, Pride Hotels has launched Pride Terrace Valley Resort Gangtok in Sikkim. Th e l u x u ry res o rt i s prominently located at National Highway 10, Ra n i p o o l , G a n g to k , 1 8 km from Pakyong Airport and is well connected by road, rail and air. With major tourist attractions namely Nathu La Pass, MG Road, Rumtek Monastery, Tsongmo Lake, Ganesh Tok in close proximity, the resort boasts of 45 elegantly furnished rooms and suites “We are pleased to expand our footprints in India’s North East with the launch of ‘Pride ● Kitchen exhaust system including designing of air ducting, size of exhaust hood, size of ventilation blower and CFM. Terrace Valley Resort Gangtok’. This is our first property in North East India and 16th ● Kitchen fresh air system including designing of duct size and property nationally,” said S.P. Jain, Managing Director, Pride Hotels Limited. CFM of air washer system. ● LP Gas System including Gas Bank “This is our 16th hotel and we have further expansion plan to add about 500 rooms at Goa, Nagpur and Pune and planning to have total 20 hotels and resorts by 2022,” added Satyen Jain, CEO, Pride Group of Hotels. Currently Pride Hotels Ltd is operating four brands --Pride Plaza, Pride Hotels, Pride Office: A-437, G.F., Bunkar Colony, Resorts and Pride Biznotel, a midmarket hotel. Ashok Vihar, Phase-4, Delhi- 110052 Regd. Address: A-133 S.F, A-Block, Ashok Vihar, Phase-II, Delhi-110052 Ph.: 011-27303251, Mobile: 9310336756 May-June ’19 10 tarun.rrsalescorporation@gmail.com E-mail: Website: www.rrsalescorporation.com
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Hotel Business Review
Radisson Hotel Appoints 3 Key Executives in Asia Pacific As part of its transformation strategy “Destination 2022”, the Radisson Hotel Group has made three key executive appointments in Asia Pacific. The company announced in May the appointment of Bram Borrenbergs as Vice President, Human Resources, Asia Pacific; Greg Farrell as Vice President, Design and Technical Services, Asia Pacific; and Yeo Hui Leng as General Counsel, Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, Borrenbergs, Farrell and Hui Leng, will each sit on Radisson Hotel Group’s Asia Pacific Executive Committee, reporting directly to Katerina Giannouka, the company’s President, Asia Pacific. Borrenbergs, a native of the Netherlands, holds a law degree and worked at the European Commission in Brussels, before spending 15 years with NH Hotel Group, progressing to Director of Human Resources. Most recently, he was Corporate Director of Human Resources for H Hospitality Collection, based in Abu Dhabi. Farrell, a New Zealander with 28 years of experience in the design industry, has a strong reputation for his work in the hospitality sector.
He joins Radisson Hotel Group from Hong Kong, where he was Executive Director of Aedas, a leading global architecture and design practice. Hui Leng, a Singaporean national, is a law graduate of the National University of Singapore and was admitted to the Singapore Bar in 1998. She has 20 years of legal experience and joins Radisson Hotel Group from Wah Hin & Co, a Singapore-based investment company, where she held the position of Senior Vice President
and Group General Counsel. “Bram, Greg and Hui Leng, are all leading figures in their field and we are delighted to welcome them to Radisson Hotel Group’s Asia Pacific team. As we continue to execute Destination 2022, our five-year transformation strategy, our new colleagues will play a vital role in our growth as we double our global portfolio,” said Katerina Giannouka, President, Asia Pacific, Radisson Hotel Group.
ITDC profits rise Rachita Bhargava bags the Concierge of the Year Title threefold The total comprehensive income of India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), the public sector undertaking under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism, rose threefold to Rs 43.93 crore for the financial year 2018-19 as against Rs. 13.22 crore during the previous year. Revenue from operations stood at Rs. 349.96 cr. as compared to Rs. 339.71 cr. in the last fiscal. ITDC posted profit before tax (PBT) of Rs. 62.23 cr. and profit after tax (PAT)*of Rs.42.16 crore in 2018-19 against Rs.40.12 cr. and Rs.17.71 crore respectively in the previous year. This financial year the company earned an operating profit of Rs. 26.06 cr. as against operating loss of Rs. 10.09 cr. in the last financial year from continued operations. The results were announced in the Board Meeting of the company held on 30th May at the group’s flagship hotel, The Ashok, New Delhi. The Corporation proposed a dividend of 21 per cent amounting to Rs. 21.71 crore including tax as compared to 18.5 per cent during last financial year.
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The coveted title of Concierge of the Year 2019, conferred by Les Clefs d’Or India, went to Rachita Bhargava, Assistant Chef Concierge of Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru. The award ceremony took place in Pune and was attended by the members of this prestigious Society of Golden Keys Concierge from all across India. Speaking on the occasion, Rachita Bhargava mentioned she was delighted and humbled to have been the recipient of this honour and that it will be an added hallmark as a brand ambassador of the newly opened Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru. ‘My vision is to provide hands on assistance and commitment to our guests. To be able to tell and retell the stories of our rich and varied history, and eventually to be able to put Bengaluru on the world map. A city of exceptional luxury offerings and cutting edge technology but also one, where lush gardens and palaces from the yester years have been carefully preserved
as a nod to the glorious past.’ Summed up Rachita, now actively preparing for the 67th Les Clefs d’Or International Congress at New Delhi in 2020, as an engaged organiser. Rachita Bhargava has been curating some special experiences for guests visiting the Garden City, as part of the Four Seasons experiences.
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IHG Launches New ‘Atwell Jim Murray Hosts Blind Suites’ Brand tastings in India IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) recently unveiled its new all-suites brand, Atwell Suites at its Americas Investors & Leadership Conference in Las Vegas. The new uppermidscale hotel brand will target an estimated $18 billion industry segment with strong guest and owner demand, IHG said. “The Atwell Suites brand is tailor-made to meet the significant demand in the upper-midscale segment for a new all-suites brand,” Keith Barr, Chief Executive Officer, IHG, said in a statement. “Our newest offer gives owners and guests something different to what’s out there today – a stylish suite with the flex for guests to work, socialise or explore over a four-to-six-night stay,” Barr added. IHG’s current portfolio of brands includes Holiday Inn Express that caters to shorter, smarter stays; avidTM hotels; and extended stay brands Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites, catering to stays of a week or more. Atwell Suites properties will offer all-studio suites which include distinct zones for living and sleeping, IHG said.
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Jim Murray, the highly acclaimed whisky connoisseur, leading whisky critic and author of “The Whisky Bible” was on a twocity tour of India with All Things Nice to host four exclusive blind tastings in Mumbai on the 15th & 16th of May and in Delhi on the 17th & 18th. Conceptualised by sommelier Nikhil Agarwal, All Things Nice (ATN) is a platform to introduce and educate the Indian consumer on all things nice ranging from wines, cognacs, single malts and beer to cheese, charcuterie and gourmet food. “Bringing Jim Murray to India is a true pleasure because we get to share his expertise and passion for whisky with our members and partners who are whisky aficionados themselves. These unique events with Jim Murray fulfil our endeavour to propel consumption and understanding of high quality whisky in India,” said Agarwal. Jim Murray is leading player on the world’s whisky stage. The 2017 edition of his “Whisky Bible” marks 25 years since he became the world’s first-ever full time whisky writer.
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The Westin Mumbai Garden ibis Partners with Sony City Awarded ‘Best Hotel Spa’ Music on Live Music The Westin Mumbai Garden City’s signature Heavenly Spa by Westin was recently awarded the “Best Hotel Spa” at the GeoSpa Global Spa Awards 2 01 8 . A m o n g s t ot h e r guests and key people, the event saw the presence of prominent celebrities like Rekha, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sophie Choudry, Raveena Tandon, Cyrus Sahukar, Shahid Kapoor, and Kriti Sanon for the grand evening. “Our team is elated with the victory! Wellness being the core of our brand, at The Westin Mumbai Garden City we continuously aim to offer quality services to our patrons while ensuring high standards are maintained,” said Sharad Dutta, General Manager, The Westin Mumbai Garden City. The GeoSpa Global Spa Awards - which was held on 24th April organised annually is an all-India platform that symbolizes excellence for those in the business of spas.
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In partnership with global music giant Sony Music, ibis has announced a new programme, ibis Music, to bring live music experiences to its customers. The global partnership involves hosting multiple live gigs across 17 countries. In India, this programme will feature a host of new and upcoming artists artists across genres in seven ibis hotels across the country. “ibis is one of the first economy brands in India and worldwide to provide a stage at its hotels to showcase the talent of artists – professional, amateur or those who have a passion for music, with the intent to become a hub for music,” said Jean-Michel Cassé, Chief Operating Officer (COO) – India & South Asia, Accor. These live gigs will be hosted across seven cities - Delhi-NCR, Jaipur, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru at various ibis hotels. The first gig featured artist Akasa, at ibis Gurgaon Golf Course Road on the 26th of April. Rising Indian movie industry singer, Akasa, is known for her song ‘Kheench Meri Photo’ and ‘Thug Ranjha’. “We believe together we can create brand “ibis Music” as the leading platform of international stature for established and budding musicians to perform at, as well as a destination for a discerning audience that appreciates music,” said Kiran D’cruz, Director-Brand Partnerships & Music Licensing, Sony Music India.
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Hotel Business Review
Sarovar Hotels Expands Presence in Delhi NCR Sarovar Hotels and Resorts is expanding its presence in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) with the signing of new hotel in Surajkund, Faridabad. This mid-scale hotel, Sarovar Portico, will be the company’s third hotel in Haryana. “We are delighted to expand our business and boundaries further in Delhi NCR. With our focus on providing quality accommodation and services, priced attractively, the hotel will ensure a pleasant stay for all our guests travelling to this region,” said Anil Madhok, Executive Chairman, Sarovar Hotels Pvt Ltd. Scheduled to open by the end of this year, the hotel has 60 rooms including suites, multi cuisine dining, bar and a wellness center. It has a multiple banqueting and conferencing facilities with a capacity to accommodate 600 guests. The hotel offers a wide range of venues to host training’s, workshops, product launches, exhibitions, weddings and other social events.
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Westin Mumbai Garden City’s Nilesh Kantak Awarded Nilesh Kantak, Director of Spa of Heavenly Spa by Westin, The Westin Mumbai Garden City was recently awarded ‘South Asia Wellness and Spa Hotelier’ at the Stellier Asia & South Asia Awards 2019 held in Singapore on May 28. The coveted award applauds exceptional hoteliers of the year on account of their distinguished excellence, commitment and dedication. This prestigious award has been bestowed on Kantak in recognition of his stellar contribution towards leading the spa team at the hotel. “Our team is extremely elated at the win. Nilesh is a dedicated professional with strong leadership qualities. He is an amicable individual with tremendous potential and ensures that his team puts their best foot forward every day” said Sharad Datta, General Manager, The Westin Mumbai Garden City.
Accor Introduces Day Stays Hospitality major Accor has introduced the concept of “Day Stays by Accor” at its 51 hotels across India to enable people to book a room for 12 hours or less during the day at a highly discounted rate. So whether you are in need of a private and comfortable s p a ce w h e re yo u can just sit back and u nw i n d o r h ave a slightly longer transit while you catch your next flight, “Day Stays by Accor” could offer a suitable deal. “We at Accor make sure to serve our guests with the best services and offers. Day Stays by Accor has been conceptualised in a way to help our business travellers, transit travellers and guests who look for brief stays at hotels get an ease on their pocket with friendly rates and great services,” said Jean-Michel Casse, Chief Operating Officer, India and South Asia, Accor. Through “Day Stays by Accor,” guests can book a room for day utilisation and can enjoy the comfort of an overnight stay with access to all the hotel’s facilities like pool, spa, food and beverage outlets. This is essentially a room for the day, between 9 am to 9 pm. Through this concept, guests can make bookings for 12 hours or less and pay with a discount of 60 per cent on the best available rate of the day and can shorten their stay, rest and save time, Accor India said in a statement. Le Club Accor Hotels members can also earn points through this programme.
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Mohammed Shoeb Mohammad Shoeb has taken charge as the Associate Vice President, Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity, New Delhi. Shoeb brings with him over 30 years of hospitality experience, having held senior management positions in premium hotel brands across the country. He is a hotel opening specialist and has opened four hotels from 2005 till 2015 in South India. In the past, he has worked with Radisson Hotel, Accor Hotels, Intercontinental Hotels Group and ITC Welcome Group.
Sonika Chaturvedi Courtyard by Marriott, Ahmedabad recently appointed Sonika Chaturvedi as their new General Managerj. Chaturvedi brings with her 21 years of credible experience. She had earlier worked with the Taj West End, Hilton Golden Palms, before as the Director of Human Resource, Marriott India. Since the beginning of 2007, she has been associated with Goa Marriott Resorts, Renaissance Hotel Convention Centre and Marriott Executive Apartments, Mumbai as well as Marriott Bengaluru Whitefield.
Subhabrata Roy Subhabrata Roy, a hospitality veteran with over 20 years of industry experience, has been appointed as the General Manager of Double Tree Suites by Hilton Bangalore. This is his first stint with Hilton and in the new role, he will spearhead business operations, overall implementation and business development of the hotel. Roy will also be responsible for the hotel’s performance in the market. Prior to joining DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore, Roy served as the General Manager of Four Points by Sheraton, Vashi in Mumbai.
Sunil Kumar JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu has appointed Sunil Kumar as the new Hotel Manager. With more than 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Kumar brings to the role his expertise in hospitality operations and management. Prior to this, Kumar was the Hotel Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru, and the Director of Operations at The Westin Pune Koregaon Park. He has also been a part of The St. Regis, Grand Hyatt, The Trident Oberoi and The Park Hotels in various roles, adding to his diverse portfolio of experience.
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Roberta Figueiredo Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield has appointed Roberta Figueiredo as the Director of Human Resources. She brings to the new role over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry. She will be heading the HR department and will be responsible for developing strategies, objectives, policies and programmes for the associates. Figueiredo will also forefront employee management, training, succession and workforce planning, and performance management. Prior to current role her last stint was with Conrad Bengaluru.
Rishi Tiwari Hilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks recently announced the appointment of Rishi Tiwari as the new Cluster Director of Human Resource. Rishi will be responsible for the smooth and profitable operation, along with providing consultation to management on strategic staffing plans, training and development, budget, and labor relations for both Hilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks and DoubbleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore. Prior to joining he was working with Hyatt Regency Delhi as as Associate Director of Human Resources.
Akhilesh Sharma Akhilesh Sharma has been appointed as the Finance Controller at Double Tree by Hilton Pune Chinchwad. With over 20 years of experience, Sharma comes in as a seasoned professional in the hospitality sector. In his current role, he will heading the financial operations. Sharma has extensive work experience and in his tenure he has worked with various well-known brands like Sarovar Hotels, Radisson and Pride Hotels.
Rajiv Kapoor Rajiv Kapoor has taken charge as the new General Manager at Fairmont Jaipur. He will be tasked with setting a direction to capture a wide range of the market from luxury travelers to the free independent travelers and MICE events. He brings to the new role almost two decades of experience. Kapoor began his career as an Operational Trainee at Grand Hyatt and subsequently worked with various brands such as The Westin Sohna Gurgaon Resort and Spa, Le Meridien Mumbai, Sheraton Surabaya Hotel & Towers, Indonesia.
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Hotel Business Review
Amit Kumar Sangwan Pullman and Novotel New Delhi Aerocity has promoted Amit Kumar Sangwan as the Director of Food & Beverage. Sangwan brings to the new role more than 15 years of experience spanning in luxury as well as business hotels. He started his career with TGI Fridays in 2003. He worked with Leela Ambience Hotel for five years before joining Pullman and Novotel New Delhi Aerocity during its pre-opening days in 2014. He had worked at other top hotels such as Sheraton New Delhi and Marriott Welcome Hotel.
Amit Kapoor Hyatt Pune, Kalyani Nagar has appointed Amit Kapoor as the Food and Beverage Manager. Kapoor worked with Jaypee Palace Hotel Agra and ITC Grand Maratha before he moved to Grand Hyatt, Dubai in 2003 as the Assistant Outlet Manager. He later became the Outlet Manager at the property in which he worked for six years. He then moved on to Sofitel Jumeirah Beach, Dubai to head the banquet operations for eight years. In his last assignment, Kapoor was the F&B Service Manager at Courtyard by Marriott, Gurugram Downtown.
Akshay Sood Akshay Sood has been appointed as the Director of Food & Beverage at The Westin Mumbai Garden City. Sood will be responsible for managing the overall operations of the F&B department. His career began as a management trainee in the food and beverage department of the Park Hotels group. He brings along with him an experience of working with luxury brands like Kempinski and JW Marriott. His expertise lies in handling a diverse range of functions entailing F&B operations, training and budgeting.
Yaman Rai Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Outer Ring Road, has appointed Yaman Rai as Food and Beverage Manager. His most recent role was Assistant Director of Food and Beverage at The Grand New Delhi. Rai started his career as a Hotel Operation Trainee at Grand Mercure Bengaluru in 2010 and then moved to ibis and Novotel Bengaluru Techpark as Team Leader. He was based at the dual branded Accor hotel until 2017, beofre moving to Pullman New Delhi Aerocity.
Radhika Dhruv Radhika Dhruv is the new Marketing Manager of Holiday Inn Chennai OMR IT Expressway – an IHG Hotel. She will head the overall responsibility of marketing communication, public relations and leading the team to drive the growth of the hotel. Her previous stint was with Marriott as an Assistant Manager – Marketing Communications. Dhruv brings 10 years of experience and worked with hotels like The Lalit Ashok Bangalore, The Leela Raviz Kovalam & Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa,
Piyush Sharma Piyush Sharma is the new Revenue Manager at DoubleTree by Hilton Pune Chinchwad. In his seven years long career he has worked with brands like Novotel, Ibis and ITC at different levels. In his new role Sharma would be re s p o n s i b l e fo r d e v e l o p i n g a n d implementing of effective inventory and pricing strategies and liaising closely with hotel management to drive market share across all market segments and distribution channels. He would also be responsible for developing a healthy relationship with stakeholders.
Anurudh Khanna The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi & The Westin Sohna Resort and Spa recently appointed Anurudh Khanna as Multi Property Executive Chef. With a career spanning over 21 years of working with renowned luxury hotels like The ShangriLa Bangalore, Hyatt Regency Delhi, The Taj Mahal Hotel New Delhi, The Park New Delhi and The Westin Pune, he brings with him understanding of the evolving hospitality industry and food trends. He will spearhead both hotels’ diverse dining venues..
Sandeep Sahdev Sandeep Sahdev is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield. Bringing with him over 16 years of expertise, Sahdev will be leading the management staff in planning and strategising sales objectives, marketing communications, direct salesforce activities. Prior to this Sahdev was associated with The Den Bengaluru, Duet India Hotels (Asset Management), Four Points by Sheraton Pune, Sheraton Udaipur Palace Resort & Spa, The Oberoi Group, and Carlson Hotels.
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Creating Unexpected Moments for Guests F
ro m l i ve p e rfo r m i n g a rt i s t s t o savoring delightful Indian cuisines, Renaissance Hotels, part of Marriott International, has embarked on a journey to create unexpected moments for guests in line with its new marketing campaign “Discover This Way”. The brand’s new “Discover This Way” campaign is inspired by the idea that every trip can be a tale. From the brand’s surprising approach to design, to its original take on beverages and its team of local navigators, Renaissance Hotels wants to help its global travellers make memorable experiences. To commemorate this, Renaissance Hotels helped guests uncover the soul of their neighborhoods around the world with exclusive experiences and perks from the brand’s “This Way” partners on its 8th annual Global Day of Discovery on May 16. Th i s ye a r ’ s a n n u a l G l o b a l D ay of Discovery celebration took place at 160 hotels in more than 35 countries. , “We have been on a mission to continue to evolve what Renaissance Hotels offers today, and this year’s Global Day of Discovery and new ‘Discover This Way’ campaign officially marks a new era for the brand,” said George Fleck, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing & Management, Renaissance Hotels. “Today’s travelers want to feel like they’ve experienced the DNA of the neighborhood in the destination they are visiting and make the most of their trip. With help from our This Way neighborhood partners, we are committed to giving travelers a little bit unexpected at every step along their journey,” Fleck added. The Renaissance hotels in India including, Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel,
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Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, Renaissance Lucknow Hotel and Renaissance Ahmedabad Hotel, Hotels, set the mood for the spontaneous to happen, inviting guests to learn and experience something they were not planning. Guests visiting Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel will discover the indigenous city through the distinct “Namma Bengaluru” experience. Their expedition begins with a hearty local Bengaluru breakfast, followed by a visit to the captivating Tipu Sultan Summer Palace and a walk down heritage lane by exploring local artisans and handicrafts. Their expedition culminates into “The Discovery Gala” night with an incredible line up of artists coupled with creative artisans like Rangoli designers, Channapatna Toy carvers, fabric artists, along with delectable food, luxury indulgences and
signature R Bar rituals. Renaissance Lucknow Hotel is offering an excursion synonymous to its culture. Guests will pay a visit to Malihabad, the mango capital of India to meet Saleem Ullah Khan, the “Mango Man of India”, known to have grown over 300 varieties of the king of the fruits on a single tree, using grafting techniques. Following this, guests will sip on beverages specially curated by expert mixologists and indulge in an elaborate “Dastarkhwan”, with authentic dishes infused with Indian flavours. At Renaissance Ahmedabad Hotel, travelers will explore the Amul manufacturing plant along with the brand’s chocolate manufacturing unit. As guests arrive back to the property, unexpected moments await as they uncover the heart of Ahmedabad through a soulful evening along with locally inspired mocktails, Renaissance Hotels said.
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Four Seasons Opens Doors to Bengaluru Set amid 5.6 acres of landscaped gardens and water features including a 100-feet outdoor pool, Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru, has 191 rooms and 39 suites
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lush landscaped haven of relaxed luxury in a booming city, the all-new Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru at Embassy ONE is now open. “It’s truly a milestone as we open our second hotel in India,” noted Rainer Stampfer, Four Seasons President, Hotel Operations - Asia Pacific. “Together with our property in Mumbai, Four Seasons reflects the vibrancy and poise of modern India through design, experiences and personalised service to meet the needs of both travellers and local residents,” Stampfer said. The second Four Seasons in India is located within the new landmark destination Embassy ONE, encompassing the 230-room Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru, 105 Four Seasons Private Residences and commercial and luxury retail space. “We are delighted to welcome our first guests, and particularly excited to showcase the modern city of Bengaluru to our visitors,” said General Manager Fredrik Blomqvist, who oversees a team of nearly 250 deeply employees. Developed by the Embassy Group, Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru at Embassy ONE brims with modern sophistication featuring interiors by Yabu Pushelberg, beautifully complemented by a carefully curated
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collection of paintings, prints and sculptures by more than 25 contemporary Indian artists throughout the hotel. Embassy ONE is also home to 105 Four Seasons Private Residences, the first of its kind in India. “It is very fulfilling to see Four Seasons open its doors to the city of Bangalore. What started off as a vision of excellence in service and hospitality is now a reality. The many synergies in our culture, service offerings, and vision between Four Seasons and the Embassy Group have brought us together to create this iconic asset,” said Jitu Virwani, Chairman & Managing Director, Embassy Group. Set amid 5.6 acres of landscaped gardens and water features including a (100 feet) outdoor pool, Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru has 191 rooms and 39 suites.
Sipping, Savouring and Socialising at Four Seasons Led by Executive Chef Stéphane Calvet, the culinary team brings an international outlook to the table at Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru. The dining experiences are diverse – At CUR8, guests are welcomed into a design led indoor/outdoor restaurant. At the lobby level, The Lobby Lounge and Terrace, promises the city’s best afternoon tea, as
well as the Four Seasons special blend of teas, coffees and light fare around the clock. For the spirited connoisseur, lively conversation is paired with fine whiskies at The Collection every evening. There’s also the Pool Bar offering poolside tropical refreshments amid the hotel’s green gardens. Far & East literally tops the dining experience at Four Seasons from its modern space on the 21st floor, bringing together a melange of Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisines, as well as classic dishes such as the expertly prepared Peking duck. Fancy a nightcap? Copitas offers late night cocktails, as well as sundowners and shared platters with a view on the 21st floor terrace for the after-work crowd. The Infuse Spa, an uplifting hideaway tucked behind a cascading waterfall, features 11 treatment rooms where trained and intuitive therapists offer experiences ranging from massages to body scrubs, polishes and wraps.
Special Opening Offer With a stay over the weekend for one night, a guest can enjoy dinner for two in the restaurant, CUR8 with the hotel’s compliments. The offer is valid from 1st May – 30th June, 2019.
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The rise of Eco-mmodation Eco-friendliness, for the hotel industry is steadily evolving from a nice-to-have trend to a must-have priority as, according to U.N. World Tourism Organisation there will be 1.6 billion eco-inspired trips taken by 2020. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has created GSTC industry criteria suggesting indicators for hotels to enable them to come to a common understanding of sustainable tourism. Ashok Malkani takes a look at the Indian hotel industry and the efforts that hoteliers are making to make their properties eco-friendly. There is a concerted endeavour by some hotels to meet the increasing demands of the eco-friendly tourists. While it is vital for the environment which is battling the threat of global warming, the hoteliers have realised that ecofriendly policies can also help the hotel achieve economically. 26
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I
t took a few thousand years for mankind to shift from Stone Age tools to the more scientific Neolithic tools. However the development since then has been extremely fast. Rapid industrialisation as well as creation of huge megalopolises has resulted in human activities which have caused irreversible damage to the global environment due to extensive emission of greenhouse gases. Th e s e r i o u s re p e rc u ss i o n s of environmental damage are global warming, increased environmental pollution and decline in flora and fauna. The rising concern about environment is driving thinkers to seek sustainable solutions and educate people to reconsider and amend their way of living to become more ecofriendly. Several countries across the globe are working towards minimising the harmful impact of their business activities on the environment. Many, if not all, are seeking to redesign their lifestyles and get into the green mode. Most of the industries are now adopting eco-friendly techniques to help sustain an ecological balance. The hospitality industry, which has always been in the forefront for promoting causes beneficial to mankind, has risen to protect Mother Nature by adopting several techniques to maintain ecological balance.
First steps in adoption of ecofriendliness in hotels The adoption of eco-friend modes for preservation of Mother Nature started long time back. This writer remembers visiting ITC Grand Central in Lower Parel, Mumbai,
over a decade-and-a-half ago, when the communications manager of the property informed him that the hotel utilise kitchen waste as manure for their gardening activities. At this time, eco-friendliness and going green were terms that were rarely heard. Today, ITC has a platinum rating for all its luxury hotels. For ITC, sustainable design has become a buzzword for their five-star properties everywhere from Paris to Peru. Dipak Haksar, the company’s chief executive, informs that ITC Hotels set an unprecedented benchmark when its 11 luxury hotels all became certified LEED Platinum, a process that included retrofitting nine properties. Today, the company is India’s second-largest hotel chain, with more than 90 hotels throughout the country, and the only company in the world of its size to have been carbon
positive for 13 years, water positive for 16 years, and solid waste recycling positive for 11 years—all in one of the world’s most polluted countries (India, according to World Economic Forum India has six of the ten most polluted cities in the world) However, credit for being the first Ecotel Certiified Five Star Hotel of India goes to Orchid Hotel Mumbai. The hotel has been able to get this certificate owing to its several environment friendly initiatives like efficient solid waste management systems, energy conservation practices and its commitment to save environment. Its architecture is designed in such a manner that it uses maximum sunlight to light up its atrium area with natural light. Installation of solar panel enables the hotel to use sunlight as alternative to traditional expensive power supply solutions. The hotel uses LED and CFL lights to decrease usage of electricity. The hotel has set up an in-house vermin composting unit to reuse the food waste generated everyday at the hotel.
Guests’ demand for Eco-friendly Hotels The hotels opting for eco-friendly techniques could be, partly, attributed to the fact that the tourists are becoming choosy. They are looking for sustainable and authentic experiences and prefer to stay in ecofriendly hotels. Over the last few years, concern for environmental issues has increased amongst the consumers. This change has led to a greater focus on green consumers and tourists using products and services which are eco-friendly. Fro m t h e p as t ye a rs , co n ce r n fo r
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e nv i ro n m e nta l i ss u es h as i n c re as e d drastically amongst the consumers, hence affecting their consumption pattern. This change has led to a greater focus on green consumers and tourists who use those products & services which are eco friendly.
Economics of Eco-friendly Hotels Besides the preference of the guests, the eco-friendly route is also believed to improve the hotel’s bottom line enabling them to offer guests rooms at lower tariffs. A hotel can, according to financial experts, save over Rs 33 lakh simply by switching to PL lamps or CFL, as in the case of The Orchid Mumbai. No wonder hoteliers are jumping on to the eco-friendly bandwagon by taking initiatives like installing chlorofluorocarbonfree air conditioners, rainwater harvesting, tapping solar and wind power to become energy-efficient, linen reuse programmes, and recycling waste. According to Krishan Singh, business head, domestic holidays, Yatra.com, a hotel could have a savings of 20-25% a year by adopting eco-sensitive initiatives. However, it may be mentioned that experts are of the opinion that setting up a truly green hotel costs roughly 15-30% more as project cost – as it involves installing renewable energy sources, insulated facades, waste management systems, etc., which are additional expenses. But this additional investment can be
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recovered within 3 years due to savings in operational costs. Is it any wonder, then, that the number of green hotels in India has amplified in the last 10 years. The Green Hotels have adopted policies like use of low-flow showers and toilets, occupancy sensors to control lighting and air conditioner requirements and the commonplace practices like linen and towel reuse policies. The state-of-the-art technology can help hotels to decrease power consumption and reduce waste creation, water consumption and pollution. The centralised monitoring and control of consumption points can reduce power consumption and increase efficient utilisation of resources. Use of smart keys can ensure that all electrical devices are switched off when the guests exit from the room and are switched on when they enter. With varying climates in different parts of the country hotels in India need large amounts of energy either to keep guests warm during chilly winters – like in Shimla, Darjeeling, Ooty or Manali – or help guests keep cool in extremely hot climes such as in Jaipur, Udaipur, Chennai, Ahmedabad or Hyderabad. Therefore proper monitoring of energy requirements and the optimum utilisation of available resources can help hotels cut down on overheads quite substantially. This is one of the reasons why Energy Management Systems (EMS) are
becoming popular in India. The country’s expertise in software development is helping hoteliers to get customised software which would enable them to manage conservation of energy in an efficient manner. Consisting of a network of components such as HVAC interface communicators, digital wall thermostats and in-room sensors, EMS packages could become the norm in hotels in the near future.
Essentials for Eco-friendly Hotels But to be recognised as an eco friendly property, the hotel usually has to meet the following criteria: • Dependence on the natural environment • Ecological sustainability • Proven contribution to conservation • Provision of environmental training programs • Incorporation of cultural considerations • Provision of an economic return to the local community Green hotels also have to follow strict green guidelines in order to ensure that the accommodation is non-toxic and energy efficient. Some of the basic characteristics necessary for an eco-friendly hotel are: • Ensuring that the Housekeeping uses non-toxic cleaning agents and laundry detergent • Usage of 100% organic cotton sheets, towels and mattresses • Preserving a strict non-smoking
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environment • Using renewable energy sources like solar or wind energy • Utilising bulk organic soap and amenities instead of individual packages, to reduce waste • Having recycling bins for guest rooms and hotel lobby • Using energy-efficient lighting • Utilising green vehicles for on-site transportation • Offering a fresh-air exchange system • Having Greywater recycling (using kitchen, bath and laundry water for garden and landscaping) • Re-using towel and sheet (guests can tell housekeeping to leave these slightly used items to reduce water consumption)
• Serving organic and local-grown food • Using non-disposable dishes • Having a newspaper recycling program With a global online study from Nielsen disclosing that the 66% of the respondents are willing to pay more for products and services that come from companies c o m m i tt e d t o p o s i t i v e s o c i a l a n d environmental impact – up from 55% in 2014 – hotels are keen to go eco-friendly. The desire to become eco-friendly becomes more resolved when it is pointed out that younger generations share this sentiment at an even higher rate, as almost 75% of Millennial and Gen Z said they would be willing to pay extra for sustainable offerings, up from around 50% in 2014. Grace Farraj, Senior Vice President, Public
Environment friendly Housekeeping
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bowls for outdoor catering events helps reduce plastic waste. These plates and bowls are made using naturally fallen palm leaves. Since February 2018 the hotel has discontinued serving straws with beverages i n s u p p o rt of t h e # N o P l as t i c S t raws campaign. There are several other hotels like Pune Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre and the Heritage Madurai Hotel and Resort, which have been awarded gold certification, and Fortune Select at Lavasa which has a silver rating.
Development and Sustainability at Nielsen claims, “When it comes down to financial commitment, a sustainable sentiment shifts to one of increased social awareness and responsibility.” Th u s t h e i d e a , w h i c h was a n o n starter about a decade ago, that a luxury hotel can be environment-friendly has now turned on its head and several star hotels and resorts are now, encouraged by responsible customers, adopting ecofriendly environment for their guests.
Eco-friendly Properties Some of the luxury properties which have become eco-friendly properties are: Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces have implemented the Environmental Awareness and Renewal (EARTH) program, a project which began as a conscious effort to commit to energy conversation and other sustainability strategies. Taj Hotels was one of the first groups to join the tourism industry in its efforts for conservation of energy. The program EARTH began as a conscious effort to save energy and develop environment friendly sustainable business strategies. This has now been formally adopted across all its properties. ITC Hotel chain can be said to have achieved the distinction of becoming an over four decades old chain with a concept of ‘responsible luxury’. The chain has more than 100 hotels across 70 destinations, and its ten premium hotels have bagged LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) recognition at the Platinum level. ITC Grand Chola Chennai is the largest LEED Platinum certified hotel in the world. It’s the largest hotel in the world to bear the accolade, with its wind farms providing the entire hotel’s electricity. The ITC chain has come out with its ‘WelcomEnviron’ initiative, which has been started in order to propagate environmental causes in the cities where the company’s hotels are located. The guiding principle behind the initiative is ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’. The Orchid Hotel, Mumbai is the first Ecotel Certified Five Star Hotel of India. The hotel has been able to get this certificate owing to its several environment friendly initiatives like efficient solid waste management systems, energy conservation practices and its commitment to save environment. The hotel is also involved with community education towards environment conservation. The hotel has set up an in house vermi-composting unit to reuse the
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food waste generated at the hotel. The property’s architecture is designed in such a manner that it uses maximum sunlight to light up its atrium area. Instead of using traditional lighting system, it uses LED and CFL lights which save electricity for the hotel. Installation of solar panel enables the hotel to use sunlight as alternative to traditional expensive power supply solutions. The taps and other water using devices are specially designed to save water. The Fern Hotels & Resorts chain has a number of environmentally sensitive hotels spread throughout the country. Some of the top eco features that can be found in these hotels include Ayurvedic toiletries, eco-friendly baskets, water-friendly tap and flushes, cloth bags instead of plastic shopping bags, etc. The Raintree Hotels, Chennai has kept environment friendly practice in mind while constructing the hotel. The wood used for the building was medium density fiber, bamboo and rubber wood. Moreover the cement used in construction of the hotel has a significant percentage of fly ash. Similarly, the hotel has installed a water device called the ‘George Fisher Concealed Cistern’ which uses only six liters of water per flush, as compared to 15-20 liters in the case of a conventional flush. The water that is recycled by the sewage treatment plant at the hotel is used in the air conditioners. Interestingly the heat generated through air conditioning is used to warm water for bathrooms and kitchen. Alila Diwa Goa which is the first Alila hotel in India supports sustainable tourism by reducing carbon footprints with the usage of biodegradable material. The resort takes great care in minimising its environmental impact by using primarily local materials a n d wo r k i n g w i t h t h e l a n d s ca p e to preserve indigenous ecosystems. Measures such as the use of Areca leaf plates and
Summing up One finds that several hotels across the country are following sustainable practices. Indeed the ‘green’ bug seems to have bitten the Indian hotel industry. This is heartening for the country, which is emerging as a major global tourism hub, to find the hospitality industry adopting sustainable strategies as tourists are now keen to occupy ecofriendly properties. Several hotels are now claiming to be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and Ecotel certified to attract customers. While LEED Certification is a third party certification of green buildings, the Ecotel Certification is initiated by HVS, a global consulting giant in hospitality sector. The Green Hotels have adopted policies like use of low-flow showers and toilets, occupancy sensors to control lighting and air conditioner requirements and the commonplace practices like linen and towel reuse policies. The increasing number of Green Hotels has been mainly due to the growing sustainable tourism which has become a rising travel trend. According to the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, tourism contributes about 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This figure is expected to grow by 130% by 2035. The hospitality industry, to align with the Paris Climate Agreement, would need to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions per room per year by 90% by 2050 (compared to a baseline from 2010). These are sobering statistics indeed! The challenge for the Indian hotel industry may not be that high but it would definitely be a significant one. So the industry has to find a way in which the industry could grow but at the same time reduce its carbon footprints to help achieve the global target of complete decarbonisation by 2050.
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Mobile Apps for Competitive Advantage In today’s competitive business environment hotels have to adopt every means to have an edge over other contenders and a key weapon in their arsenal is technology. Mobile apps are being used constantly by the industry to provide better service to their customers. Mobile websites and apps help customers to browse through the hotel’s services, read the reviews and book rooms. Latest technological advances have contributed towards making check-in and check-out and other guest related processes easy, seamless and fast. Some hotels have even made it possible for guests to have voice controlled rooms where they can control the lighting, temperature, TV, draperies, etc in their rooms vocally. Ashok Malkani examines how hotels have managed greater guest satisfaction, while at the same time enabling them to have a better rapport with guests by understanding their likes and dislikes with the aid of mobile apps. 32
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T
he Indian hospitality industry has been progressing at a steady pace. Current trends represent a positive growth in the coming years. Presently over 29,000 rooms are under construction which are expected to be added to the country’s inventory over the next 5-6 years. This positive growth, according to analysts, is mainly due to advanced management system. Technology has, it is believed, impacted the hospitality industry in a positive way. Right hotel management system or PMS (property management system) can help the industry grow manifold. Adoption of right technology can help hoteliers to ensure enhanced operational capabilities. In today’s highly competitive market, hoteliers should not look at the investment in hotel management system as an added operational cost but as an advantage for securing more business. Rather technology can be used by hoteliers to save on operational costs and providing better services to guests. There can be no doubt that technology has impacted the hospitality industry in a positive way. Most of the customers today use mobile apps. According to Nielsen (a leading global information & measurement co m p a n y ) d ata , a s m a rt p h o n e u s e r spends around 85% of the time on apps. Clearly, mobile technology, powered by the internet and the presence of apps, is a game changing development for hotel industry for better consumer service and engagement Yes, in this environment, it is imperative that hotels get on board with what mobile has to offer, otherwise they will find business slipping away from them. As the customer experience is top of the line for hotel business, hotel managers and owners are taking support of mobile apps. Some of the features of mobile apps for hotel industry are: • Live and Up-to-date Information Sharing • Better Trend Predictions Based on Customer Behaviour • Maintaining Long-term Relationships and Connecting with Customers • Leveraging the Loyalty Program Feature
without getting your priorities right would only result in over-expenditure without, in any way, making the customer’s life better Using technology that will aid the hoteliers and result in better services to the guests has become a dire necessity at the moment, particularly with the increasing millennial population which is believed to be more demanding, practical, impatient and enterprising. According to a report by the consulting firm, Deloitte India, and lobby group, Retailers Association of India, titled “Trend-setting millennials: Redefining the consumer story”, millenials are the chief wage earners in India with a 47% share in the working age population. They are digitally connected individuals, driving various consumer segments, including the hospitality industry, towards rapid growth and development. The use of technology by millenials makes it imperative for hoteliers to meet their individual demands and expectations to remain competitive and maximise the revenue opportunities that delivering individualised services can bring. Kumar Rajagopalan, Chief Executive at Retailers Association of India, has, in a statement, said, “Millennials use digital methods to research a product before taking the decision to buy.” This is also applicable to the hospitality industry. Food is not the only criteria for choosing a particular hotel, nor is it the hotel room. There are several other aspects. Hotels have to perform more efficiently, and improve customer relations.
Utility of Mobile Apps H ote l i e rs h ave n ot o n l y to f u n ct i o n efficiently but also ensure that it is done economically. So do mobile apps serve the
Encouraging Self-service Mobile technologies enable hotels to improve efficiency and lower operating costs. However, merely investing in mobile,
Divkar Shukla
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dual purpose of efficiency and economy? H as te c h n o l o g y s u cce e d e d i n g u es t experience? M s . To o b a H as a n , M a r ket i n g a n d Communications Manager, The Surya New Delhi, avers, “Mobile Apps has helped hotels to give enhanced experience to guests. Guest can do online check-in, can place order from app. He is also always updated on time about the hotel’s offers and deals through push notifications, etc. Mobile Apps and technology have helped hotels to function more efficiently, but not economically as the development, integration and maintenance cost is high. Mobile apps help to enhance guest experience. Nowadays, guests prefer online check-in so that one doesn’t have to wait in queue to submit their ID proof at the front desk. They can do it online while coming to the hotel. They expect that as soon as they reach hotel, they should immediately have the room keys. Another benefit from mobile app is the push notification feature, which helps the hotel to send offers, deals, room packages, etc. to the selected database. As far as The Suryaa New Delhi is concerned, we have made the maximum use of technology. We have installed table management system in our restaurants where detailed information about the guest can be saved. Table preference, taste preference, personal information such as birthday, anniversary, etc. can be captured and special offer can be given to the guest on such important dates. In case of repeat guests, their profile is updated in the PMS
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so that on their next visit we may exceed their expectations. Te c h n o l o g y h a s h e l p e d h ot e l s i n improving guest experience. It has become o n e of t h e m o s t effe ct i ve c h a n n e l s of co m m u n i cat i o n . W i t h t h e h e l p of technology, we are able to take and feed guest experience in the hotel. Guest can share their stay and dining experience with the hotel team members and, in case a guest shares negative feedback, it can be turned into a positive one then and there. All this is possible with the help of technology. In case of repeat guests or long stayers, their preferences are fed into PMS for future reference.” Dinesh Rai, General Manager, Four Points by Sheraton Kochi, states, “One of the benefits of mobile apps is to cut down time, which would generally be spent in conversing with multiple people in
Tooba Hasan
different departments for various requests, to get information for ensuring guest satisfaction. This can now be centralised. This also creates an opportunity for clients to share real time feedback, which can be immediately addressed while the customers are still in house. It also works from the hotels perspective where we can keep a steady and controlled flow of information for promotions/ deals to the customers via the apps.” Divkar Shukla, General Manager, Holiday Inn Chennai, declares, “The Mobile apps have the advantage of ensuring constant engagement between the hotel and its guests in the following ways: • Enhancing ease of room booking and transportation • Knowing details about the hotel, contact details, direction and weather • Getting the Hotel reviews • Viewing the stay history and redeeming reward club points Mobile apps have benefitted the guests and hotel team as the guests can get exclusive offers and benefit reminders, make a request directly to the front desk through the Apps, view guest invoice directly through the app, manage loyalty programme, have a hassle free check-in and check-out and live virtual chat.”
Apps used by Customers As customer service is of utmost value in the hotel industry, the necessity for property owners and managers to engage, interact and attract guests is vital. Since g u es ts a re l o o k i n g fo r co nve n i e n ce at their fingertips the significance of different mobile apps has grown in recent times. Mobile hotel apps have helped not only in redefining guest experience or management but also in transactions. Travel Flash report by Criteo declares that up to 80% of last minute bookings are made on mobile devices and the conversion rate on app is 5 times higher that on mobile web. With more and more guests using mobile apps hotels have to keep track of the apps being used by the customers. So, what are the apps being used by the prospective customers and how do the hotels leverage these mobile platforms for branding, guest loyalty, marketing, advertising, cross-selling, etc? Dinesh states, “several mobile apps a re i n u s e l i ke H ote l b o o k i n g A p p s (MarriottBonvoy App) Trivago/booking. com/expedia, Customer review apps
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(Tripadvisor/ Google). Customers find it user friendly to check out the websites and review it though the app. We found these mobile applications are very robust and are having update frequently to give a user friendly phase to the customers. Mobile platforms allow us at Four Points by Sheraton Kochi, to ensure that the customers remain updated on the latest deals. It also allows for engaging opportunities like survey and competitions which keeps customers engaged and presents a marketing opportunity.” Tooba claims “Most of the guests use hotel booking app like MMT, OYO Rooms, Cleartrip.com, etc. for their stay reservation. Such mobile apps give them easy access to maximum of the hotels in a particular location. These days’ hotels have adopted a trend of maintaining their own app in order to give ‘WOW’ moment to the guests. From the feature of online check-in to place in-room dining order, everything is available at one touch. Now, with the help of App, hotels are able to push offers directly on the app through push notification feature. Time to time upgradation of the app is done to make it more user friendly. It is now easier for hotels to upsell spa packages or F&B offer when the guests is booking a stay through hotel app. Heavy discounts are offered in order to encourage stay booking through app.” George says, “Customers use mobile apps like IHG® Hotel Deals & Rewards. IHG Mobile app makes it simple for guests to book modify, find out the hotel & resort details of InterContinental Hotel Group. It also provides history of the guests’ stay and informs him about the reward club & scores. It also shows the promotions and offers of IHG.”
Serving the Customers Hotels are adapting mobile strategies through creating mobile websites. Technologies like QR codes (a type of matrix barcode) are now being put to use by the industry. QR codes provide a way to quickly use a smartphone to scan a code and the user is then sent directly to a web page to get more information. This is being put to use by hotels in areas such as their restaurants. In some hotels, customers can now find QR codes next to menu items, which they can scan to immediately get more information about the ingredients and the preparation of the food. Another service provided to the customers, in some hotels is to allow them the use of smartphones in place of room keys. Some hotels are now taking the idea of smartphone use in hotels to a new level. These include: • Shutting the curtains in the room • Turning down the lights • Adjusting the thermostat • Changing the mood settings
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Hotel Business Review
• Changing the TV channel • Activating the lifts • Getting access to local information
Ordering Room Service Tooba states, “Mobile technology allows the guests to avail most of the hotel facilities in just one touch. This has helped the hotel to add value to the guest stay. We all know that human touch cannot be replaced by technology however it enhances the services offered to the guest. Guests’ instant feedback is captured for current services and future reference as well. Hence, mobile technology has not only made the guests’ stay memorable but also have helped the hotel’s team member to provide enhanced services as per guests’ taste and preferences.” Dinesh says, “Mobile platforms allow us to ensure that the customers remain u p d ate d o n t h e l ates t d e a l s . I t a l s o allows for engaging opportunities like survey and competitions which keeps c u s to m e rs e n g a g e d a n d p re s e nts a marketing opportunity. At Marriott we have internal mobile applications which can be used as a database to track customers preference during previous stays within in the company, we also allow to keep all stakeholders updated for any guest complaints or feedback during the stay which can be immediately addressed.” Divkar declares, “Hotels use mobile technology to serve customers better in the following ways: Sharing of up to date hotel information and promotion for the guest Offering personalized service (room preferences /dining preferences /transport request) Leverage of loyalty benefits and program Providing secured payment gateway Redeeming rewards points for hotel nights and merchandise Creating hassle free check in and checkout
systems there were cash boxes, which were followed by simple cash registers, then barcodes, mobile payments and now there is cloud-based technology. M o re re ce n t l y vo i ce a n d n at u ra l language processing technologies have been evolved which interpret questions and deliver intelligent answers. Some hotels are using Augmented Reality (AR) to make hotel experience more compelling and thematic. Biometrics is another key technology that is consistently improving and finding its place within many industries. Facial recognition has been well executed by Facebook, and Apple has shown that biometrics have proven consumer benefits with Touch ID and Face ID. Divkar disclosed, “mobility, big data
Technology Galore Mobile apps are only a part of the story. In the hospitality industry technology innovations, including customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and pointof-sale (POS) tools, have come a long way. Before the term CRM was coined sales people kept journals to track customer activity and acknowledge sale through hand written thank-you notes. Before POS
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Dinesh Rai
social media et al are changing the needs of the customer: Social Media - Regular hotel update and promotion as suited to the guest choice and recommendation Mobility - Opportunity to allow the guest with your service and product based on their needs Artificial Intelligence - Voice activated services in room for IRD orders, controlling the in room devices using of Apple Siri or Google Alexa or Amazon Echo” Dinesh disclosed, “There is a significant growth among people to search in the Social platforms before booking/buying anything. From different analysis we know that they rely on Google – biggest search engine and there is a growth in Youtube searching also. As most of the travelers are tech – savvy we manage to stay live and updated in every social apps. We use a mobile app called Hyp3R, which is a real time customer engagement app, helps us to get information on what goes online about the hotel. From the past 5 years, hotels have s t a r t e d i n v e s t i n g i n m a n p o w e r fo r managing their digital platforms. Either they hire digital agencies or they hire e-commerce managers and many hotel chains have a separate digital marketing team in their corporate level exclusively for e-commerce.” Technology is constantly evolving to help the hospitality industry provide better service to its guests while also enabling it secure better business by knowing about guests likes, dislikes and preferences.
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India’s Hospitality Industry:
Prospects and Challenges By Jhuma Biswas
D
espite several challenges, India’s h o s p i ta l i ty i n d u s t ry h as s h ow n impressive performance during 2018. According to the market report titled ‘India Hotel Market Review 2018’, which is a collaboration of STR and Howarth HTL, at all India level, occupancy was the highest during 2018 since the last 10 years; ADR the highest since 2012. RevPAR for Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Jaipur was the highest in 2018 since the last 10 years; for Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Delhi, it was the highest since 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively. The report was published in February 2019. “During 2018, foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India stood at 10.56 million, achieving a growth rate of 5.20 percent year-on-year. FTAs in January 2019 stood at 1.10 million, up 5.30 percent compared to 1.05 million year-on-year,” informs IBEF. The impressive growth in foreign tourist arrivals portends well for the hospitality industry. An industry expert also echoed similar
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sentiment. “Altogether it was a great year for India’s hotel industry, not only in terms of occupancies but in terms of ARR also. There were many up and downs in the year but on an average it was a fantastic year for the industry. Increase in Revpar was the most positive sign for India’s hotel industry during 2018-2019. ” expressed Sanzeev Bhatia, VP & GM , The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa, New Delhi.
A Buoyant Trend The future of India’s hotel industry also seems to be promising. It seems medical tourism, destination weddings and MICE would play important roles in the near future in fostering the growth of India’s hospitality industry. “Going forward, CARE expects the industry to register an overall healthy growth in revenue on back of economic growth and consistently growing middle class along with increasing disposable income. There are various other key factors that drive
the market, including India’s attractiveness as a medical tourism destination; steadily growing MICE segment; and, an increasing fondness among millennial towards travel,” noted CARE Ratings in its report titled ‘Indian Hotel Industry-Review and Prospects,’ which was published in January 2019. “MICE segment followed by medical tourism and destination wedding hold a lot of potential and they have indeed emerged as key demand drivers for India’s tourism and hospitality industry. Huge revenues can be created from these segments if marketed effectively,” observed Sanzeev. “With increasing demand on back of improvement in economic activities and lower room additions, we expect the major markets in the industry to sustain the average room rates (ARRs) going forward and grow at an average of 3.5-4.5 percent per annum. Also, we expect the occupancy to inch up to an average of about 68-70 percent by the end of FY23, as compared with 66.6 percent in FY18. Accordingly, the
Feature hotel industry is expected to see an increase in room revenue at the rate of about 10-12 percent CAGR over the five years,” added the CARE Ratings report. CARE Ratings also said in the same report that “On the back of positive sentiments and expected pickup in demand, we expect the momentum to pick up and the industry to register a growth of about 7-9 percent in revenues for FY19.” Sanzeev sounded optimistic for India’s hospitality industry, during 2019-20. “The fiscal year 2019-20 will be an excellent year for India’s hospitality industry once the election results are declared and a stable government is formed. Seeing the performance in terms of international arrivals, domestic tourism and corporate travel movements in India during 201819, I am confident of a better growth in 2019-20. The reason for this confidence emanates not very much from inbound tourism to India, but on account of numerous domestic factors including the emergence of aspirational young millennial travellers in a big way, revival in corporate and business travel in the country, and rapidly evolving connectivity factor in the country,” he
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elaborated. “There will be multiple factors that will drive India’s hospitality industry during 2019. Increased connectivity amongst less popular and newer destinations thanks to the UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme by the Government of India and additional flight routes and the launch of
operations by airliners to international locations from non-metro and tier-II towns of the country will drive demand for hotels. Furthermore, government initiatives like Smart City, Swadesh Darshan, and Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD), friendly e-visa schemes and the likes will also propel
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business and religious travel within and to the country,” observed Sanzeev.
Challenges to Address It is true that India’s hospitality industry has recovered from its sluggish phase and is showing impressive growth potential. However, we cannot overlook the real impediments plaguing the growth prospects of this industry. The true and awe-inspiring potential of India’s tourism and hospitality industry can come anywhere near to its actualisation in the long-run only if the challenges and roadblocks in the path of India’s tourism and hospitality industry are effectively addressed or at least some significant successful endeavours to address them are being executed. One of the multiple roadblocks towards the growth of India’s hospitality industry’s revenues is the long rigmarole of regulations needed to activate a hotel project, which in turn increases the gestation period and the cost of the hotel project. “Hoteliers in India face regulatory constraints at every step in the process of development of hotels, beginning from land acquisition stage (for which laws differ from state-to state) to approval by various ministries & associations on various matters. The process of identifying new land parcels as per the requirement for hotels is a tedious task in India,” Sanzeev explained. Exorbitant land cost seems to be another perpetual lacuna for India’s hospitality industry. “Compared to international standards, where land costs account for
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15-20 percent of the total project cost, in India this is often in the range of 40-50 percent. This is also one of the reasons for low development of budget & mid-market hotels in India, in comparison to upscale luxury hotels, as budget hotels with lower average rates are less likely to become economically viable with such high land cost,” the hotelier elaborated further. He also pointed to the shortage of skilled manpower as another challenge for India’s hospitality industry. This is also impeding the fruition of the industry’s growth potential. “Hotels in India face the continued challenge of shortage of trained employees, especially at the managerial and supervisory levels. Most of the companies are falling short of skilled employees for their hotels. Major reason for this shortage is the paucity of quality educational institutes for development of skilled employees for the hospitality industry in the country. Retaining the workforce even through training and development is also a tedious task as attrition levels are too high in India’s hotel industry. One of the reasons for this is by and large, unattractive wage packages through the industry,” averred Sanzeev. As single women travellers are a fast emerging segment in India’s hospitality industry, hotels and resorts operating in the country should not only reserve a floor for single women travellers and group of women travellers if their budget and infrastructure permits them to do so; they should also make sincere endeavours to give more attention to women’s safety and
security and tailor travel and entertainment packages catering to the interests of women travellers. Promotion of offbeat tourist destinations is another need of the hour for India’s tourism and hospitality industry. Lack of sufficient endeavour in this direction is reflecting in untapped growth potential for our tourism and hospitality industry. “Thankfully, India’s hospitality industry has been catching up with the changing trends of preferences among a sizeable section of travellers, who have been wanting to ditch conventional touristy places to explore more offbeat destinations,” observed Aditi Balbir, the Founder and CEO of V Resorts, a new-age travel solutions company that provides standardised boutique experiences in the leisure travel space. The company has been primarily built on the concept of introducing the harried Indian travellers to new and unexplored places in the country. “The biggest trend in India’s tourism and hospitality industry is the creation of new destinations and experiences for travellers. Many travellers have evolved from being regular tourists who liked to visit the typical tourist spots to explorers who like to experience the local lives of the offbeat destinations,” opined Aditi. To tap these huge numbers of experiential travellers, India’s tourism and hospitality industry needs to vigorously promote and creatively market many more offbeat but fascinating tourist destinations of India. The present day MICE infrastructure in India is still not very encouraging. It needs to be bolstered quickly to meet the expected growing demand for the MICE segment. If that is not being done, our hospitality industry would lose much of its potential revenues which may go to Japan, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore among others. n
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Steps Towards Sustainable Measures By Sharmila Chand
S
ustainability is very crucial and hotel & restaurant teams are taking great measures in this direction. Their hard work in this arena has a positive impact on the community resulting in great satisfaction to the employees. We p re s e n t ca s e s t u d y of t h re e establishments where incessant efforts have been taken in this direction. We look at the steps they have taken to support the environment and sustainability issues. We also see what measurable goals and processes they have adopted to report on the progress of each measure.
material Replaced plastic straws and stirrers with paper straws and bamboo stirrers Implemented ‘Green Meeting’ standards to create a plastic free meeting experience Adopted a linen re-use programme, where we encourage guests who stay for
Steps taken to support the environment and sustainability issues
Le Meridien Goa Victor Chen, General Manager, Le Meridien Goa Calangute says, “At Le Meridien Goa, energy conservation and environmental sustainability are core focus and rooted in the company’s ethos of ‘Preserve the Earth’. We have carefully considered the various touch points across the hotel and how we can be more environmentally conscious and elevate guest experience, by doing our bit to reduce the impact on the environment. Following are the key steps we have taken: We have placed jute slippers and jute bags in the room instead of terry/woven
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“At Le Meridien Goa, energy conservation and environmental sustainability are core focus and rooted in the company’s ethos of ‘Preserve the Earth’ Victor Chen, General Manager, Le Meridien Goa Calangute
less than two nights to re-use bed linen. This initiative has helped save 5 kiloliters of water every day From the project stage itself, we chose energy efficient, smart lighting solutions for all our areas and hence have used only LED lights We use recycled water from our Sewage Treatment Plant to landscape our gardens in the hotel, which has helped us save 30 kiloliters water every day. Installed decomposer on property which recycles food waste into manure which is then used for landscaping purpose. He further points out, “In our effort to engage guests in our sustainability initiative, we have rolled out a program called ‘Make A Green Choice’, wherein we encourage guests to re-use linen and towels and if they explicitly agree to it then we reward their support with a meal credit (INR 350) or bonus points (up to 500) in their rewards account. Green Meetings Standard Our boardroom “Tiracol” adheres to the green meeting standards where we offer a linen-free, plastic-free experience. We use recycled paper for note pads and have ecofriendly pencils. As part of the boardroom amenities, we have water placed in a glass bottle instead of placing single use plastic bottles. We have installed solar panels which
Focus provide the heating required for water in our 146 guest rooms. Energy Efficient Practices Making an environmental impact, begins with making smart choices – right from using smart/energy efficient products to the processes we implement. Le Meridien Goa, Calangute has an impressive range of lighting fixtures and we have ensured that all the lights we have used across the hotel are LED and are energy efficient. In public area washrooms and in associate washrooms, we have installed light sensors so that we can avoid having the lights on when they are not in use. For our landscaping, we use recycled water and by doing so, it helps us save 30 kiloliters of water every day. We have implemented aerators and flow restrictors for the sinks in guest bathrooms and associate locker rooms, which helps reduce water wastage. We have a decomposer on property that helps recycle food waste to create manure which is then used for landscaping and gardening purposes. Measurable goals and processes “At Le Meridien Goa, our focus is to make a positive environmental impact and we
Hotel Business Review
MESH which records data on a monthly basis and tracks – carbon per room, water per room, energy intensity, water diversion rate and more such parameters. We review this report on a monthly basis with the property General Manager and our teams to identify areas of opportunity, appreciate good work and share best practices,” says Victor Chen. He adds, “Apart from these initiatives, we have put together an Energy Conservation Team that has a representative from each of the departments at the hotel. This environmentally conscious team meets on a monthly basis to brainstorm ideas that would help the hotel to reduce its carbon footprint.”
Conrad Pune are certain that unless our initiatives are measurable, we will not be able to assess our progress. We use several ways to measure ourselves – we evaluate our HLP usage every morning – to understand the pattern in usage of utilities, potential areas where we can save energy. Marriott International has a system called
Prachika Saxena, Director of Human Resource at Conrad Pune tells, “Conrad as the 1st luxury brand of Hilton in India is extremely aware and cautious of the environment it operates in. By 2030, we are committed to double our investment in social impact and cut our environmental footprint in half through responsible hospitality across our value chain.”
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“At the restaurant ‘Together at 12th’, Sustainability is one of our core values, be it in the bar, kitchen or interiors,” Co Founder and Head Chef Vanshika Bhatia
“By 2030, we are committed to double our investment in social impact and cut our environmental footprint in half through responsible hospitality across our value chain” Prachika Saxena, Director of Human Resource at Conrad Pune 44
May-June ’19
She adds, “As a part of Hilton, we are committed to reducing the carbon footprints we generate in terms of responsible sourcing and encouraging local produce. One of the biggest focuses is “No plastic waste” in our hotels. At Conrad, we have been successful in eliminating plastic straws from all our outlets. We have also substantially reduced the consumption of plastic bottles for water with alternate sources of water as applicable. Various other initiatives like no plastic laundry bags, 50% reduction in usage of cling films, switching to bio degradable garbage bags as applicable, using re-usable plastic containers for kitchens are some of the other areas by which we have been able to monitor our waste generation. Besides this, we have installed an Organic waste converter at the hotel to process wet garbage while dry garbage is picked by the the SwaCH organisation. Co n ra d P u n e i s a l s o t h e b i g g es t contributor to ‘Sundara’, for recycling soap and distributing the same in rural areas for hygiene and sanitation purpose.”
Together at 12th, Delhi NCR “At the restaurant ‘Together at 12th’, Sustainability is one of our core values, be it in the bar, kitchen or interiors,” says Co Founder and Head Chef Vanshika Bhatia. She adds, “Our décor comprises of mainly plants most of which are edible. Once, they fruit or flower, they are used by our Kitchen or Bar. We have also tried to keep all our ingredients locally sourced in order to support our local farmers. Our food can be classified as European Cuisine, but it is made entirely of ingredients that have been sourced sustainably.” Our staff has been tuned into this core philosophy and they also take steps to ensure that wastage doesn’t happen in any way and are sensitive to the fact that they have to try to use each and every part of the product that they are handling.” The first evident measure that everyone sees of us trying to implement sustainability in our menu is that we have an ‘Upcycled Lemonade’ and an ‘Upcycled Tortelloni’ in our menu. Both of these are made with things that are usually thrown away by bars and kitchens. The Lemonade is syrup made with the ‘Chopping Board Waste’ of the bartenders, i.e. Citrus Peels, Fruit Pulp etc. The Tortelloni has a filling that comprises of things like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach
stems, carrot shavings etc.” The second measure is that we aim to try to save as much water as possible. At the end of the day, all the water that is in our water bottles that are kept at the stations for serving guests, we water the plants. Also the Ice that is remaining, we keep aside for it to melt and also use that for watering the plants instead of letting it melt into the drain. Waste like egg shells and coffee grounds are processed into fertilizer by chefs and bartenders. They are not thrown away into garbage.” In our Bar, we use paper straws in order to avoid plastic waste. We also have coasters made of Terracotta which doesn’t only act as an amazing absorbent of moisture, but can be successfully reused and is biodegradable. Even our takeaway boxes are biodegradable.” Measurable goals and processes “Our measure is in how many bags of garbage we dispose off every day, and we try to minimise it as much as we can. Together At 12th’s bar and kitchen work in tandem and try to support each other in this endeavour as much as possible. For instance, if the bar has to make berry infused gin, once done, the kitchen uses the berries in their desserts. And on the other hand, if the kitchen is making something with Watermelon, the bar uses the peels to make their watermelon tepache. Our Chefs and Bartenders have now gotten used to the idea that they have to be as conscious as possible. Always with the thought of greens in mind, we are even growing herbs and greens via hydroponics in house and this in itself is a part of our interiors.” n
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Hotel Business Review
Eating Out with Social Media By Jhuma Biswas
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t may sound somewhat clichéd that we are going through digital age, but like many cliched statements it also happens to be true. And like many other facets or verticals of digital media, social media is also playing a huge role in our lives and lifestyles. In fact, with high possibility of greater digital penetration in our society in the near future, the role of social media is also expected to be more widespread in India, in the near future. And of course, restaurant business in India which reflects a slice of evolving lifestyles of a plethora of urban Indians of post-modern India, nowadays cannot afford to be insular from the potent forces of social media marketing. Nowadays a restaurant can easily and powerfully market itself among its target clientele through different social media platforms by incurring minimal cost as compared to what it has to incur through advertising in conventional print and audio visual routes.
Marketing Edge I think that as far as restaurants are concerned, social media is more suitable for events marketing and marketing of some promotions and some innovative dishes than for generating the brand image
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of a restaurant or of a restaurant chain in general, though the latter option can also be tried in social media. Succinctly, social media is more suitable for fostering or enhancing the brand image of the restaurant than in building it from scratch. However, influencing its target group on social media platforms even before the restaurant is having a loyal consumer base can also be successful, if the restaurant is significantly unique from its competition. But for this endeavour, the path through social media is not likely to give quick results, as it would give in the case of marketing of promotions or events or some new dishes, etc. If the restaurant has already captured the mindshare of its consumers and potential consumers through word of mouth or because of a long list of satisfied diners, it has a good chance to easily garner a
sizeable number of followers on Facebook or on other social media platforms. And to these followers information about some special events, and/or launches, and/or introductions, and/or promotions in the said restaurant (such as a food festival, a musical night with performances of celebrity singers, a buffet at very attractive prices, promotion of an innovative dish, organising of ladies night on a given day of the week, special cocktails on the eve of Holi celebrations, etc.) can be attractively showcased on the social media with negligible cost; an endeavour which would have cost a sizeable amount through traditional media. Moreover, in advertisement or promotions through traditional media, the restaurateurs and their management cannot be sure of reaching their target clientele, but through social media advertisement or promotions the restaurateurs can be much more sure as they know that the advertisement/ promotion has high chance of attracting the eyeballs of the restaurants’ page’s followers, and many of their followers are their regular or occasional clientele or can have high probability of being their target clientele in the near future.
Looks Matter Much In this age of social media explosion,
F&B
Hotel Business Review
the looks of the food & beverage matter much more than it did before. As taking photographs before having the food and posting it on social media platforms has become a common trend among the digital savvy youngsters, in this age the restaurants need to take extra care to make their food look great. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if many restaurateurs and Chefs in urban India give as much attention to the look of the food as they do to its taste and flavour. The restaurants which in this age would make their dishes Instagram friendly or at least camera-friendly are likely to gain better brand image and interest about their menu as compared to others who would fail in such an endeavour, with all other factors remaining the same. However, taste needs to complement the look of the dish. Otherwise, restaurants with presence in social media are likely to get a series of negative reviews on the social media platforms from the increasing numbers of discerning eating out crowd.
Double-edged Tool M o re ove r, i t s h o u l d d o we l l fo r t h e
restaurateurs to remember that social media is a double-edged tool. On the one hand, guests’ posting of positive comments and attractive photographs of dishes can give the restaurant free publicity that can also have the potential of going viral and escalating the restaurant’s revenues manifolds in a short span of time, but on the other hand, a negative comment of serious nature (for example, about a hygiene issue in the restaurant or about its discourteous staff) can also go viral which in turn could damage the restaurant’s reputation and hence its revenues irreparably. Therefore, we can say that social media is making it imperative for restaurateurs to become more consumer-sensitive than ever before. For popular restaurants social media is a boon, whereas for restaurants which have attracted flak in the market recently, presence on social media can easily be a nightmare. Similarly, those restaurants which respond to consumer queries, complaints and praise in social media platforms in a quick manner with appropriate responses, are likely to have a better market image among their
followers than those who don’t.
Quick Feedback Can Help Through strong presence in social media, restaurateurs and their management can also gauge the consumer likes and dislikes quite well and quickly. For example, a restaurant organised a Bengali food festival in the recent past. If the guests were not happy with some aspect or other of the festival they are likely to articulate them on the social media quickly. This quick feedback would also help the restaurateur to respond to consumers’ preferences quickly. In our example, if the complaints are of specific nature to the Bengali food festival, then after getting the quick feedback on social media, the restaurateur is not likely to repeat those ‘mistakes’ in the next Bengali food festival organised by her/him, and if the complaints are of general nature, then the restaurateur is not likely to repeat them at all. In this whole exercise, we are assuming that the restaurateur is a highly consumerresponsive one, which of course is becoming mandatory for success in this age of social media. n
HOSPITALITY OFFICE & INTERIORS
SINCE 1984
S.K.International other brands :
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May-June ’19
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Design
Hotel Business Review
Styling Heritage Palace Belgadia Palace
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h e ext rava g a nt l y d e co rate d Belgadia Palace of the Maharaja of Mayurbhanj is a heritage building depicting the rarest engineering skills and architectural excellence of a bygone era. The construction of the palace has been completed in different phases. The first phase of the palace was constructed on orders of Maharani Sumitra Devi Bhanj Deo in 1804, who ruled the state from 1796 to 1810. The palace got its aura of majesty with the intricate designs during the rule of Maharaja Krushna Chandra Bhanj Deo (1868-1882), Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanj Deo (1882-1912) and finally during the rule of Maharaja Pratap Chandra Bhanj Deo (1928-1948). This stately property has now been converted into a boutique hotel.
The Architect The palace portrays a mixture of Greek and Victorian architecture, which has been constructed using lime mortar. It is a classic western style double-storey structure of brick having a Corinthian column. Sriram Chandra Bhanj Deo made some major additions to the palace in 1892, which included 25 rooms, a dining room, museum, living room, 3 kitchens, 2 living rooms, 2 libraries, a billiards room, 2 gardens, 1 temple, 2 offices with a front and back sprawling lawn and a long drive-in from the main road with an adjoining lake at the back. All these have been extensively restored and have now been transformed
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into a thriving holiday destination. To add to the beauty, the palace is built on a hill surrounded by orchards and groves.
The Restoration Architect and Interior Designer, Pooja Bihani, a close friend of the royal family, worked closely with Mrinalika Bhanjdeo, to conceptualise the design that stays true to the rich heritage of the property so that the restoration work is carried out meticulously. After extensive planning, five rooms on the ground floor and four uniquely designed bedrooms on first floor were carved out from the original structure. The rooms on the upper floor have been
named after the royalty of Nepal, as the Queen hails from there: The Narayanhity Suite, the Shahzada Suite, The Bengal Renaissance Suite and The Crown Suite. They’ve been diligently infused with design elements that hark back to the aura of its imperial past yet with the comfort of all modern day amenities. The palace has been blessed with the huge treasure of antique furniture and accessories which have been revamped and polished to bring back its lost glory. The restoration work began in late 2016 after the family decided to convert the palace into a boutique hotel. • Renovation of the walls, by recognising the old paint colours and recreating the effect with sustainable paints. • The walls were adorned with terracotta flowers and nature imagery, which have been restored by carving out the original designs from the walls and painting them with a different colour to highlight the craftsmanship. • Remaking ceilings and reinforcing the very structure of the building has been critical. • Replacing the old wiring and pipelines with modern facilities keeping in-sync with the original architecture and furniture of the palace. • Re-using old teakwood panels as flooring and decoration pieces, to avoid tousling with any modern architecture unnecessarily. • All the furniture from Europe and East Asia were upholstered and the fabric used was a part of the royal palace and also from the
Design
palace of Kolkata and Shillong. • Goal was to make the building as much environment friendly as possible by installing energy-efficient light fixtures. • Keeping the shell of the house intact, the original 25 rooms were broken down and redesigned to accommodate luxury suites, conference spaces, billiards and theatre room, an extended library, extended dining table, rooftop for performances, gym, spa, museum with a few additional verandahs, for a multifaceted crafting of experiential heritage stay. • Gold leafing, miniature paintings and beautiful murals were restored to be placed strategically in rooms, hallways, turrets and verandahs as they were in the original palace. • All the art deco, stained glass, chandeliers have been repaired and polished to be placed strategically, giving the essence of
living in the turn of the century, as walking through the halls gives you a sense of the different periods the house has been through, beginning with the 1800s. • The engraved teak entrances have been restored to place on main archways and leakages have been fixed from old columns, both inside and outside the house. • Century-old carpets and animal taxidermy were cleaned and repaired to be mounted on walls and used in the museum. • Royal Doulton sinks and taps have been replaced by modern shower textures, and the old Lalique lights and crystal chandeliers have been replaced by energy-efficient fittings. • Claw footed bathtubs were restored and painted. The antique lamps and lanterns have also been restored and Italian marbles have been used for flooring in almost every room. • To give guests a taste of Indian tradition, mixed with authentic local experiences, the royal family’s roots in Nepal, Rajasthan and Odisha were incorporated in the rooms subtly complementing the overall Victorian architecture. • Gargoyles and window frames were repainted and fitted to mellow down the tone of the Victorian architecture. All covered Arches were brought back to their original forms and positions to add to the original grandeur. • The rooms have been decorated with remnants of the British period such as beds, doorknobs, railings, desks, draws, key holes and keys, four poster beds, ashtrays, vases, oil burning lamps, etc. The façade of the building is white with a large scale water body in front, a typical characteristic of the yesteryears. Once you enter the state, you escape the bustle of city life. Spaces & Design is an established Interior Designing and Architecture firm that was started in 2006 by Pooja Bihani. The design mantra here is to “Constantly Innovate”. Spaces and Design have paid special attention to the styling of this Heritage Palace - the verandahs have been opened up and marked with the timeless checkered black and white marbles, chandeliers that capture the regal feel and glory of the days gone by, detailed intricate and extensive mirror work, vibrant colours that span the entire length and breadth of the walls; these thoughtful elements have given a glimpse of the past glory of this iconic property.
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Operations
Hotel Business Review
Time Management in a Hotel Project By Himank Gowami
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t was almost midnight as everyone raised yet another toast to the successful completion of the project. Celebrations were in full swing. The renovation had been completed ahead of the scheduled reopening date, giving the General Manager additional two months of opportunity to welcome the guests. Yes, time is money, especially in a hotel project. The before-time opening of the hotel fa c i l i tate d a d d i t i o n a l p rof i t , s av i n g s on project staff payroll and freeing up manpower for the next assignment. This is the story of a luxury business hotel i n d ow ntow n M u m b a i w h e n a m a j o r renovation was completed in 16 months and that too including the design, tendering and execution. Meticulous planning at every stage of a project can ensure cost control and
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efficiency. This is especially important in a renovation work for hospitality properties, where an already revenue generating hospitality property shuts its doors to re-open in order to provide a better experience. We can say that every single day’s delay in the opening of a hospitality property is a loss of potential revenue making opportunities. Here let us look at some ways to bring efficiency in the whole process of planning and execution of a hotel project.
The Steps to Heed First of all, provide a crystal clear brief to the designer about the brand standards and budgets to avoid value engineering as much as possible. Should any value engineering be necessary, it should be carried out at the
beginning of the project rather than at the end. Reconsidering a design or a material at the eleventh hour has the danger of derailing the schedule. Revisions and afterthoughts in design often cause delays and demoralises the project execution team. Avoid making changes after a design has been finalised. Furthermore, make a mockup room early on in the project in order to finalise and testify all design and MEP elements. This shall facilitate that there are no unpleasant surprises related to budgets, detailing and functionality at a more crucial stage. Guest rooms constitute a significant proportion of work involved in the whole project. Getting them right early on is extremely important for the health of a hotel project. It is also pragmatic to discuss your schedule in detail before engaging a
Operations designer. Otherwise he/she may take longer to complete the assigned tasks. Also it is preferable to not engage overly busy consultants in the interest of the project. Matching diaries can be a cause of delay during the hotel project planning stage. Chart out a clear road map along with dates for all stages of project planning and ensure that all stakeholders stick to the agreed dates and timelines. Ensure that all consultants are on board ahead of time. There are numerous examples where getting a particular consultant on board at a relatively later stage has caused delays. For example, if you get an acoustic consultant when the execution has started, his/her suggested changes in the implementation process or material specifications could end up wasting precious time and money. Also take into consideration of the possible delays caused by fee negotiations and contract finalisation. It can take months at times to finalise the fine print of the contract from technical and legal standpoint.
Hotel Business Review
Give adequate importance to resource management, which is a crucial aspect towards completing a project within the stipulated timeframe. Manpower shortage, be it in the design or execution teams, can cause delays. Civil works are usually the quickest in any hotel project in India. However, the key lies in completing the MEP works flawlessly. Delays usually happen during the MEP or finishing stages. The battle is half won if the MEP works are completed within the stipulated timeframe. Don’t fall into the trap of starting execution on all fronts. BOH & MEP areas take far less time to complete than public a re as a n d g u es t ro o m s . E m p l oy yo u r resources wisely and put more focus on the zones which take comparatively longer to complete. Going pre-fab is another key aspect to save time. Make use of the technological a d va n ce m e nts to u s e p re - fa b r i cate d elements and construct as many elements off-site as possible. This not only ensures a better speed but also facilitates quality. Don’t sweat over parallel activities but
be extra cautious about the sequential activities. Derailment of any such activity has a cascading effect and it is extremely difficult to recover from such a situation. Lastly, all purchase orders should be in place well in advance to ensure timely delivery of items. Be extra cautious of the long lead imported items. Purchase teams generally take a lot of time to negotiate and to complete the paper work. Ensure ‘full kitting’ prior to the start of a project. It is advisable to give an extra few weeks to the purchase team to exploit their negotiation skills in order to save substantial cost for the investor/s.
Designing Balance In the endeavour to fast track a hotel project, quality should never be overlooked. Triumph is to complete the project within the scheduled timeline & budget and at the same time achieving top-notch quality to create value for the investor/s. The trilogy of time, cost and quality are extremely important in a hotel project and not one of these should ever be compromised. n
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Property
Hotel Business Review
Pristine Getaway!
Fortune Select Cedar Trail, Mashobra, Shimla By Sharmila Chand
A
distinct aroma welcomes you as your car enters the path lined up with pine and cedar trees. Before you get stupefied by the first glimpse of the nature’s bounty, you know you have arrived at ‘Fortune Select Cedar Trail’ in Mashobra. The car stops at the drive way which is in the shape of a necklace allowing stunning views of Shimla. Walk with clouds on a rainy day or play with snow in winters, here is your chance to enjoy all seasons. The ideal location and the thoughtful design of the property comes together to offer an exhilarating experience.
Lobby As you enter the lobby, alive with the warmth and positive energy of the smiling team members, the eye catching pristine chandelier strikes you. Dangling from the roof
Salient Features • A beautiful property set amidst dancing cedar trees, away from the maddening crowds. • Signature entrance drive from Tarapur to the hotel. • All rooms have balcony with panoramic views of the hills. • Local flavours of the region in F&B menus. • Highly trained staff providing Fortune Personalised Guest Experiences.
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of the atrium lobby, it looks stunning, made up of hand crafted leaves of borosilicate, embellished with Swarovski crystals that reflect the sun rays to provide a rainbow effect. Its unique and immaculate design echoes quality workmanship.
Design The hotel embraces a modern European style design bringing the beauty of the outdoors in through the concept of a ‘Glass House’. The décor is an eclectic mix of chic, contemporary look with a relaxed vibe. The Hotel features comfortable, aesthetically
done rooms, minimalistic elegant spaces and well designed dining areas.
Accommodation Accommodation at the property is offered in modern 47 rooms with state-of-the-art facilities, including high internet connectivity and 24 hour room service. The best part about the rooms is the private sit out terrace for you to bask in the natural glory around.
Dining Bond with your family or friends over good food served at The Zodiac, all day dining
Property
Green Initiatives • RO water bottled in reusable glass bottles in Zodiac Restaurant and Banquets to reduce the plastic waste from water bottles. • Biodegradable paper straws at all F&B outlets to eliminate usage of single use plastic. • Biodegradable colour coded garbage bags to ensure all waste is segregated at source. • Gardens are watered daily from reusable STP plant treated water • Heat pumps for hot water which is the most efficient technology and saves energy cost thus reducing carbon foot print. • Sourcing all ingredients within 100km radius by promoting more of local flavours. This also reduces carbon foot print to the environment. • The used grinded coffee beans powder is used in gardens as natural manure to the plants. • Waste compost machine which converts all the organic waste from the kitchen into usable organic manure for the plants in the garden. signature multi-cuisine restaurant featuring sumptuous buffets, overlooking the majestic Himalayas. Indulge in a hearty and lazy breakfast as you are spoilt for choices with Indian, Oriental and Continental favourites. You can also choose from an extensive a la carte menu featuring the best of Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines. In the day, the restaurant is flood-lit with natural sunshine and by night, it becomes a buzzing fine-dining place. Evenings are best spent at ‘Neptune Bar and Lounge’. Located at lobby level, the bar is an ideal venue to relax and unwind with an excellent selection of spirits, signature cocktails, wines and beers.
Sunset Garden Make your evening special at the sunset garden while enjoying an awe inspiring sunset. The team sets up a stunning table for a memorable romantic candle light dinner. Count the stars as the clear sky above you is rare to behold while the impeccable service lets you relish every moment with handcrafted menus. If you wish to have fun time with your group, the garden converts into a fun outdoor party place where guests can enjoy hot snacks and drinks, bonfires with soft, classy music playing in the background.
Experiences Mashobra is a pristine paradise in Shimla district and is home to beautiful sanctuaries, apple orchards, streams gushing through valleys and adventure activities. Tucked in a peaceful corner of Shimla, Mashobra could be your offbeat hill station, ideal for family holidays, solo trips, honeymooners and corporate offsite conferences. You could indulge in a whole lot of activities like rafting, paragliding, rock climbing, trekking, rappelling, quad biking, bird
“We delight our guests by providing one portion meals. The ‘One Bite Wonders’ on our buffets are pre-designed and provide a visual treat to the guests. This Instagrammable food is a big hit with our culinary travelers” Pranay Kumar Malik, The Executive Chef
“I am only as good as my team” Arif Asmath, General Manager, Fortune Select Cedar Trail, Mashobra, Shimla A passionate hotelier, Arif Asmath holds more than two decades of experience in Hospitality industry. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management and has various certificate programs from Cornell School of Hotel Administration and The University of Edinburgh, to his credit. During his distinguished career, Arif has worked at some of the finest hotels in the world including Sun Island Resort & Spa Maldives, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai, The Cloister at Sea Island in the United States, to Veranda Grace Bay Resorts at Turks, Caicos Islands and Raffles Hotel, Singapore as their Director of Resident Services, Shangri-La Resort and Spa Boracay Philippines as their Villa Manager, to name a few. He moved back to India in 2014 and joined the Indian Hotels Company. Arif Asmath won the Hotelier India General Manager of the Year 2016 for his outstanding performance with Ginger hotel, Bhubaneswar. He also won the HICSA Best New Hotel Award 2018 for pre-opening the Ginger hotel, Mumbai Andheri. He enjoys contributing back to the society and actively participates in several volunteer activities, Cleanliness Drive, Blood donation camps, Plantation Drives, Educating the under privileged children etc. Currently as General Manager of Fortune Select Cedar Trail, Mashobra, Shimla he leads a strong team of 85 staff members. Arif has been instrumental in driving the hotel’s operations from the pre-opening stage to become one of the preferred hotels in Shimla. During his spare time, Arif Asmath loves travelling with his family exploring various places within India and enjoying the local flavours and culinary delights that the cities have to offer. In an exclusive interview with Sharmila Chand, he talks about his work philosophy and more…. What is the USP of your property? Ours is a beautiful property set amidst dancing cedar trees, away from the maddening crowd. We have noted distinguishing factors like: all rooms have balcony for enjoying the panoramic views of the surrounding hills; we are proud to have ‘Green Building Design’; also the culinary experience at our restaurants is top of the class as we promote the local flavours of the
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Property
Hotel Business Review
Upcoming Features A large swimming pool with collapsible roof well connected to the Spa. 16 premium family suites panoramic view of the hills
with
A Gazebo A fine dining restaurant watching and more. The Fortune Select Hotel takes full advantage of the destination and offers a bountiful of experiences for the ‘in house’ guests. The team organises picnics with packed lunch; River Rafting at Tatapani; Trekking on the hillocks of Carignano Nature Park; Golf and Horse Back Riding at Naldhera Golf Course; Nature Walk & Local Village Experience at Patengali Village and Adventure Sports activity at Kufri Adventure Resorts. At the property, there are various features to keep the guests engaged. While the health enthusiasts can spend some quality time at the world class Gym, well equipped with modern high tech features, there is a card room and a mini library for those seeking peaceful time. For kids, there is a dedicated room with popular board games. Additionally, there is an Activity Room that conducts Drawing classes for kids, not to forget the movie room for viewing your choice of movies. The hotel also conducts other indoor activities like Towel Origami Classes, Yoga session, Zumba Classes and Cooking Demonstrations.
Banquets & Conferencing The location of the property and its sophisticated design provides a perfect setting for corporate meets or private celebrations. Spanning two floors, the hotel’s meeting and event space can be completely customized based on the type of event. The two banquet halls can accommodate up to 300 guests and are ideal for corporate events and meets. Looking for a spectacular destination wedding, here is your venue as the hotel is fully geared to make it outstanding and unforgettable. With state-of-the-art banquet facilities, delicious gourmet options and bespoke services, the dedicated team ensures every event is as promising and exclusive as their guest’s stay. n
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region. Above all, we have highly trained staff providing ‘Fortune Personalized Guest Experiences’.
What is the marketing strategy you have adopted to promote your property? Fortune Select Cedar Trail, Mashobra (Shimla) is a picturesque property set in the lap of nature. Besides the world class facilities, delectable culinary delights, personalised services, and impeccable Fortune service standards that we bring to the guest, we have woven many unique experiences that a guest can enjoy during his stay with us. Our brand philosophy revolves around providing contemporary accommodation to business and leisure travellers, with an emphasis on personalised service at great value. Besides this prevalent 360 degree marketing initiatives offline and on digital, we are presently promoting special offers with attractive inclusions, to engage potential guests across platforms. Our branding strategy has been built hugely on the word of mouth recommendations of our customers, as all brand growth essentially thrives on the customer experience.
What distinguishes your property from others in the same bracket? Besides having a fabulous team who is well trained and eager to provide personalised guest experiences, we have a strong culinary (F&B) lineage that comes from our parent company ITC Hotels. Also, our big and small initiatives towards building a strong relationship with our local community, is our distinguishing factor. We conduct several CSR Initiatives for the environment and community we operate from.
What according to you is the role of F&B in getting business for a hotel? Food is an important part of the hotel experience for nearly all guests today so much so that travelers seek social experiences while sketching their travel itineraries. Trends like Culinary-based travel, farmto-table movement and the food truck experience are much prevalent today. It thus gives hotels an opportunity to create activities and packages around food and beverage to showcase their culinary expertise
We too have handpicked a highly skilled culinary team, lead by our Executive Chef that think beyond their on-site restaurants to create activities and packages that showcase the flavours of their unique location to attract high footfalls to our hotel. Be it packing a customized picnic basket to take away on treks, or bringing in the local flavours of the unique location over special dinners, lavish breakfast offerings to lend an healthy start to the day, or sourcing fresh local ingredients and translating them to culinary delights at the restaurant; we are attempting it all to delight our guests.
What is the most crucial issue to tackle in the Hospitality industry today? Customer Expectations are constantly changing and evolving, so we need to empower our guests at all times so that we can continuously delight them.
What do you enjoy most about being at the helm of affairs at the hotel? My mentor once told me that in hospitality industry there is never a moment. I fully agree on that and in my 21 years of working, every single day been a memorable experience.
the dull last has
What has been the most rewarding moment in your career? I have had the opportunity to take care of four former US Presidents during various stages of my career outside India and cherish the interactions and knowledge I have gained from them. Also winning the ‘Hotelier India General Manager of the Year 2016’ Award during my tenure at Bhubaneswar.
How do you de-stress? At Fortune Select Cedar Trail, Mashobra (Shimla), I regularly walk for 10 to 15 minutes and talk to my team members after every one hour of work. I like to interact with my guests and engage with them. I normally don’t get stressed and this activity helps me maintain a sharper focus at work.
What is your guiding philosophy and working Mantra? I am only as good as my team, I ensure my team is always motivated and engaged. I am always there to lend a helping hand and offer support whenever my team needs me. My Working Mantra is - Today I am going to be the best that I can be.
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Management
Hotel Business Review
What kind of a Leader are you - a Maker or a Breaker? By L. Aruna Dhir
T
he dominant traits of the top most leader in any organisation, unarguably, define the shape and personality of the organisation as a whole. So whether the top dog is fair, biased, aggressive, assimilative, open-minded and inclusive or clique and coterie centered, insecure or confident, the organisation tends to take on similar features and harbour the climate that screams of the same defining set of behavioural facets.
A Balanced Leader is the backbone of a Healthy Organisation The author is a Hospitality & Feature Writer and Columnist for some of the world’s highest ranked Hospitality publications. Her industry writings are used as references in case studies and hotel schools. She is a recognised and national-poll winning Corporate Communications specialist, PR Strategist and Writer. A seasoned hotelier, she loves to present hospitality industry watch, insights, case studies and analysis to her ever-increasing base of global readership. She has over two decades of experience in Hospitality Communications and Brand Management and has worked with some of the best global hotel companies - The Imperial New Delhi, The Oberoi, New Delhi, Hyatt Regency Delhi. Aruna was appointed to the Board of Association of Emerging Leaders Dialogues (AELD), as the second Indian representative and the only woman leader from India.
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In one’s career history, while growth and better opportunity are often the crucial reasons for moving out from one and into another organisation, the other main reason that seldom gets talked about openly is a huge sense of disenchantment or dissatisfaction or unhappiness stemming from a sour equation with an immediate boss or the super boss or the politically charged peer group that makes it difficult for one to perform optimally. Complicated and unreasonable bosses or a set of ogre-like colleagues is in fact a bigger, often unspoken reason for people to move and seek greener pastures elsewhere. Several HR studies, globally, have proved this fact time and again. In the early 1990s, as a young, sprightly fresher with rose-tinted glasses I joined the Public Affairs Section of a Diplomatic Mission in Delhi. This was my second job and I had often heard that it was Asians who were more clique-y, gossipy, with inherent biases and prone to apple-polishing. So, imagine my astonishment when I found some of my
Western colleagues as guilty as their Asian counterparts. My first reaction was, “Hell, Here too!” And the second reaction post some thought, “We all are the same beneath the veneer.” My first boss here was a grouchy, somewhat mean, cranky man given to favouritism and unpleasant disposition. He was tendentious towards one single person – obviously his favourite – instead of treating the entire team fairly; so much so that this person embodied the same attributes as the boss, adding extra doses of her viciousness to it. At one time when I was working along with her, she would rejoice in giving me some of the most menial tasks – “just do the filing,” “get me connected to so and so on the phone,” – and had the audacity to keep the official files hidden away and stashed under lock and key lest I lay my hands on them even when I had to file. Mind you, this was no confidential data but the ludicrous behaviour continued, fanned by the boss’ strong inclination towards this person that allowed for many such unprofessional acts to flourish in the department. Then one day this boss was transferred out and in came a breath of fresh air in the form of a youthful, dynamic lady who brought in a sea change in the department in terms of how we viewed PR work, how we regarded each other as colleagues, how our work was perceived by other departments and the parent Government we had to report back to. What came across bright and clear were two different modes of leadership, two distinct personalities who contributed in
Management their own way to the manner the department looked, breathed, felt and delivered. While one was a negative influence, the other used her high standard of skills, fine leadership style, fair & equal opportunity approach to make every work day a fun and productive day and ended up turning the Public Affairs Department into a highly respected and sought after department in the High Commission.
Leadership Traits must dovetail into the Big Picture My next stint for a period of about two decades has been with hotels. Now, hotels are completely multicultural organisations where the work force is truly international, hailing from different countries; but of course the largest base is of the countrymen from the place where the hotel is located. Yet, in hotels it becomes extremely pertinent to know how to work together with people from as far and wide as France and Germany to Sri Lanka and China. Despite the cultural differences, this ends up adding lot of fun elements to one’s day in the life of the organization, as you end up learning about these cultures and understanding what makes the ‘other’ people tick. This, however, is subject matter of another discourse. In hotels, while the owner or the CEO of the hotel chain is the defining personality, the GM of the unit hotel where you may work is the lord of his own fiefdom. The team and staff pick out from this leader’s personality aspects and way of running his hotel as much as the top boss’ style percolates down. On hindsight, having worked with six different GMs across three hotel chains, I have been fortunate to sometimes thrive and at times strive & struggle in as many organisational climates. And where there has been striving, it really has been a battlefront that has made one as hard as a rock, yet more understanding of the complexities and dynamics of a fire-pit organisation.
As a Leader, are you a Maker or a Breaker? It has also brought home the point that leaders can really make or break an organisation. Not just what corporate literature may tell you, from personal experience, too, I can list out the following: • The organisation can be a happy and fun place to which you look forward to returning every morning and to which you willingly want to give extra hours at the end of the day. Such organisations create an overriding sense of
job engagement and satisfaction. • It can be such that each day, nay, moment is difficult to pass with an impossible boss breathing menacingly down your neck; and wicked set of colleagues rubbing their hands in malicious glee every time they pull you down like the proverbial crab. • The organisation can be healthy, conducive to work with unsurpassed functionality and highly ethical work practices. Responsibilities and recognition, exemplary output and rewards go hand in hand in such places. • It can be sick, divisive, undermining and demoralising. What might get you ahead is hoodwinking and proximity to the influential people like the bosses or the boss’ right hand man; even if such easily ill-gotten prizes are short-lived and open to scrutiny. • The organisation can be a place that allows you to blossom as a star worker with positive strokes that help germinate your skills and talent into wonderful fruits of productivity. • It can also be a place where there is so much of negative energy that all that can flower there is more bad blood splattered about by parasitic employees who eat into the climate. • The organisation can be a place where workers breathe in fresh air, enjoy positive influences, are allowed space to make mistakes and grow, have access to information, become a two way process in clear communication and are given learning opportunities. • Then there are organisations that live in the dark zone of fear, punishment, connivance and control. They operate like secret missions where unnecessary stuff is hidden and kept out of reach of the employees thereby acting as major impediment in the processes and execution of duty. • Th e re a re h e a l t h y a n d b u z z i n g organisations that promote good work practices, innovation and creativity and encourage workers to take ownership of their actions. • And there are organisations where flattery, manipulation, bad performances, terrible attitudes and overall downward slope in almost all areas rule the roost. It is widely seen that the top man maneuvering the reins of the organisation can really lead by example, allowing for the finest personal and professional traits and benchmarked business best practices to shape the organisation into an exemplary company; that boasts happy, engaged and optimally delivering team. n
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NAVIN POLYCON
Delhi Off.: 81, DSIDC Sheds, Scheme-I, Phase-II, New Okhla Indl. Complex, New Delhi-110020, Phone: 26387377, 26386392, 26386507 Fax: 011-26386063 Mobile: 98102 59863 E-mail: navinpolycon@rediffmail.com www.navinpolycon.com Agra: M/s. Camex India, Ph.:0562-2620720 / 6541904 Mobile: 9837077627 Contact: Mr. Sachin Jain Bangalore: M/s. Celestial Health Care, Mob.: 09343047197 Fax: 080-5504757 Contact: Mr. John Brito Calcutta: Ph.: 033-24554959, 24551558 Contact: Mr. Vipul Jodhpur: M/s. Chemtech Corporation, Mobile: 09829188885 Contact: Dr. A. Hussain
May-June ’19
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SERVING THE INDUSTRY FOR OVER 2 DECADES
Spa
Hotel Business Review
Embrace Heavenly Bliss! Heavenly Spa by Westin, The Westin Mumbai Garden City
By Sharmila Chand
T
he warmly-lit room soothes your senses as you prepare to get your choice of spa therapy at the Heavenly Spa by Westin. The concept and philosophy here is to provide a sensorial experience in a serene environment designed to inspire and renew the spirit of every guest. The aesthetic décor is done by Chhada Siembieda & Associates (Australia). The spa menu has a blend of Ayurvedic, Thai and Aromatic spa rituals and packages. The spa also offers some highly effective treatments that include the Marine Salt Scrub, Vinotherapy and Heavenly Spa Signature Massage, delicately designed to invigorate, soothe and heal the body and mind. The team of therapists is in sync with the specific requirements, and accordingly offers guests with a customised wellness experience. The sensual treatments are amalgamated with natural therapies and vary from therapeutic massages to cleansing facials and reviving body treatments. 8 treatment rooms are named as Ginseng, Mint, Rose, Basil etc. denoting nature’s blessing. All the rooms are equipped with a shower room inside. Out of the 8 treatment rooms, one is dedicated for
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Spa Thai massage and the other one is for Ayurveda treatments. For those who like to enjoy the spa experience in the comfort of their room, the in-room spa facility caters to all such needs. The salon is outsourced to the brand ‘Kromakay’. The Fitness Center is called The Westin WORKOUT Fitness Studio which is open 24 hours for all the in-house guests. All the cardio and strength equipment are from the state of the art Technogym which is one of the leading brand. The fitness center is also equipped with TRX, Bosu trainer, Physio balls, medicine balls and Kettel Bells. Every detailing has been taken care of, for examples, there is a provision of AED in case of emergency situations like a cardiac arrest. Nilesh Kantak, Director of Heavenly Spa by Westin, The Westin Mumbai Garden City was recently awarded ‘South Asia Wellness and Spa Hotelier’ at the Stellier Asia & South Asia Awards 2019. The coveted awards applaud exceptional Hoteliers of the Year on account of their distinguished excellence, marked by qualities and services that surpass any competition and recognise their
Hotel Business Review
hard work, commitment and dedication. This prestigious award has been bestowed on Kantak to recognise his stellar contribution towards leading the spa team at the hotel. Sharad Datta, General Manager, The Westin Mumbai Garden City said, “Our
team is extremely elated at the win. Nilesh is a dedicated professional with strong leadership qualities. He is an amicable individual with tremendous potential and ensures that his team puts their best foot forward every day.” n
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Spa
Hotel Business Review
Nilesh Kantak,
Director - Heavenly Spa by Westin, The Westin Mumbai Garden City What kind of changes you have witnessed in the spa industry in the past years?
For Nilesh Kantak, fitness has always been his first love. He believes in working out every day. After being diagnosed with a lower back injury in 1998, Nilesh was asked to stop his workout completely. But his passion for fitness encouraged him to resume his fitness regime again. He completed his fitness certification course - ISSA and later joined as a Personal Trainer in a leading fitness brand - Talwalkar’s. Having experienced a severe back problem, Nilesh made sure to not let his clients suffer the way he had. Post his stint of training celebrities, Nilesh found his way forward in the hospitality industry as an Assistant Health club Manager at Hotel Sun and Sand after which he worked with Star Cruises as an Assistant Services Manager for 3 years. He moved on to work at Grand Hyatt as an Assistant Spa Manager and later promoted as a Spa Manager at the Hyatt Regency, Pune. He moved ahead the ladder with properties like - Vivanta by Taj, Kovalam and Vivanta by Taj, Srilanka as a Spa Manager. Post his stint as a Spa Manager, he was appointed as the Director of Spa at Hyatt Regency Delhi. His journey from a fitness trainer to his current designation as the Director of Spa, The Westin Mumbai Garden City is commendable. Currently, at the age of 50, wellness still remains his passion and he swears by his wellness mantra – ‘Keep your guests fit, they will keep their family fit’. In an exclusive interview with Sharmila Chand, he talks about the spa industry and more…
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The major difference in the Spa industry in last 5-6 years has been awareness. Guests have become more aware of the ongoing trends in the wellness industry and their personal needs, which is very good news for us. Men are indulging in facial treatments more as compared to some years back. This is due to the availability of exclusive men products. More foreign companies are trying the Indian market now. In addition, the hotel spas currently are having more wellness and fitness activities under one roof which are complementing the spa treatments, like Yoga, Aqua Zumba, Piloxing, etc. The express treatments have also become popular amongst guests who are travelling and don’t have much time. Compared to the past, there are lots of spa courses which have started, in order to educate the students for them to make a career in the spa industry. We at the Heavenly Spa by Westin Mumbai also have an exclusive Eat Well menu for spa which focuses on the well-being of the guests.
What are the current top trends in Spa? Extreme Temperatures: Exposing the body to hot and cold temperatures has been used for centuries in wellness techniques to detoxify the body, facilitate blood circulation and increase muscle tone. Sound Healing: Using different sound techniques to relax and meditate. Guided Meditation: Using the voice to guide to attain relaxation and rejuvenation. Wellness at work: Many companies are now focusing on their employees’ health by playing soothing music, focusing on a calm décor, investing in a fitness centre in the premises or organising Yoga sessions during the week. They also give spa vouchers to their best employees as a token of appreciation.
What are the key challenges in opening a spa? • Ensuring your employees see a future with you • Sustaining growth in sales of retail products • Maintaining customer service quality • Building a relationship with customers in order to see more loyal customers • Long working hours
How do you decide on the spa menu? Before curating a spa menu, I study the concept
of spa, know the location of the spa or the hotel, understand the type of clientele along with their needs, analyse the profile of the guests who will be patronising the spa and checking the guest’s paying capacity.
What do you enjoy most about being a Spa Head? Being a spa professional, I get to interact with a lot of guests daily and discuss about their lifestyle. When they work on their stress-free lifestyle and realise the importance of wellness, I feel great.
Could you tell us the USP of your Spa? What distinguishes it from others? We take pride in having Signature treatments as our USP. Also a Holistic approach to wellness at a mental, physical and spiritual level with facilities of 8 spa treatment rooms, wet area facilities consisting of steam room, chill showers and relaxation area, Techno gym equipment with TRX workout section in Fitness Center and outdoor adult and kids pool. Ours is an internationally branded Westin Spa with 24 hours Fitness Center for in-house guests. We have heated treatment bed in all rooms with shower facility; Dedicated Ayurveda room with Shirodhara facility and dedicated Thai treatment room.
Do you have some customised treatments? The first question we ask guests in our Heavenly Spa is - “How would you like to feel today”. Based on the response, we curate or let them select from customised Signature treatments and packages as per their skin types and personal needs. We have a treatment package known as WISH where the guests can choose a relaxing massage, a scrub, a wrap and a facial based on the guest’s skin type. The total time duration of this package is 200 minutes. We believe in a complete Spa Journey Experience.
What is your favourite treatment to receive? Why? My favorite treatment is our ‘Heavenly Spa Signature Treatment’ where the guest gets a 60 minute massage of their choice, followed by a 30 minute hot herbal poultice on the back. This treatment relieves all the aches and fatigue from the body, especially from the back to give you a rejuvenating experience.
Feb-Mar ’18
Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review
May-June ’19
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P ro d uct Previ ew
Hotel Business Review
Hose Reel
Quality Scents
T&S Brass and Bronze Works, a leading global manufacturer of innovative foodservice and commercial plumbing products, has acquired Italian manufacturer Klarco SRL, creating a union of two of the oldest and strongest family-owned plumbing manufacturers in the industry today. S o m e o f the key products that Klarco manufactures include a 20m Hose Reel as well as a single-lever faucetwith a pull-out spray and lever handle. The 20m hose reel comes with the heavy-duty NITO-2 Combi Spray Gun (connection is 1/2 G) for industrial cleaning, has anti-friction rollers and swivels on the hose to reduce wear and tear of the hose, is suitable for food contact, and comes with a stainless steel external reinforcement spring to protect the hose from excessive band radius, among many other features. The casing and wall bracket are made of polishedAISI 304 stainless steel. The spray gun has a trigger with safety lock to prevent accidental spraying and has been designed with ergonomics in mind as well as a heat-insulated handle. The single-lever faucet is a deck-mount mixing faucet with an adjustable spray-jet pull-out sprayFurniture and has lightweight nylon Outdoor lever handles that allow for great precision positioning while WICKER | STRAP & ROPEin| its TEAK preventing the accidental closingLoungers of the water flow. It’s also equipped Dining | Living| | Umbrellas/Parasols Accessories Cabanas/Gazebos with a ceramic mixing cartridge for| durability and quality. T&S Brass and Bronze Works, Inc. rchowdhury@tsbrass.com
Everyone needs aromas in their day to day life whether it is a body perfume, air freshener or cosmetics. Creating these aromas is a complex blend of science and arts. Gralit India Biotech offers this art and science to satisfy the basic hospitality needs for sensory satisfaction of their valuable clientele. Gralit India Biotech with the help of highly skilled research team developed one of the finest notes of fragrances exclusively for the hospitality industry. Apart from this, to provide best of quality to customers, they regularly conduct the quality test of blends made by the technician for their strength, top notes & their elasticity. Understanding the potential requirement of modern fragrances in the hospitality industry GIB introduced its first brand in 2012 named as “Aerocide Herbal” into the market. In these Six years “Aerocide” has established its benchmark not only in domestic but also in International market by joining hands with the best hospitality groups such as Taj, Marriott, ITC, Carlson, IHG, Accor, Hyatt & Healthcare sector such as Apollo & Max Hospitals. Gralit India Biotech Pvt. Ltd. info@aerocide.in
Outdoor Excellence VETRA is a leading manufacturer of outdoor furniture and accessories. The company specialises in Wicker furniture. VETRA has gained expertise in fabricating synthetic wicker furniture that suits all-weather conditions. VETRA was incorporated with the aim to create extraordinary outdoor furniture range that is of CORPORATE OFFICE: 22, Swarn Park, Mundka, Nangloi, New Delhi Contact: +91 11-28345872/3 | +91 9810265873 supplies hotel eminent quality and aesthetically sound. Vetra Furniture furniture, resort furniture, outdoor furniture, VETRA STUDIO: garden furniture, wicker 402, Near Ghitorni Metro Station, Opp Pillar no.117,M.G.Road, New Delhi Contact: +91farmhouse 9599881172 furniture, terrace restaurant furniture, furniture, poolside www.vetrafurniture.com info@vetrafurniture.com furniture, poolside umbrella, water proof furniture andvetrafurniture many more. Setting benchmarks of excellence in this field, VETRA has always focused on creating masterpieces that reflect magnificence, luxury & comfort. Considerate about the changing needs of the furniture market, they have come up with a classic collection of open-air furniture that is water proof, frost proof, UV resistant, long lasting & fully recyclable. Modi Woodspace Pvt. Ltd. info@vetrafurniture.com
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Luxurious Bed & Bath Linen Quality and sophistication are the hallmarks of Home Zone’s bed & bath linen range, which is used in the star category hotels in India. The company makes exquisite bed linen for hotel rooms with different infill materials like down & feather, soft microfibre & hollow fibre. The company provides a comprehensive range of pillows, cushions, duvets, comforters, mattress toppers and mattress protectors. In the bath linen category, the company provides an awesome range of towels & robes. Succinctly, Home Zone’s superb quality linen can enhance the guests’ comfort while adding a fashionable touch to the hotel’s bedroom too. Home Zone India, based in Panipat, Haryana, has marketing offices in New Delhi (Central Office), Punjab, Srinagar, Hyderabad, Kathmandu & Kolkata.
Home Zone India
info@homezoneindia.com
Pr odu c t Prev i ew
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Hotel Business Review
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Advertiser’s Index Company
Page No.
Company
Page No.
Adisun International
63
modern cosmetic india
08
akasa international
14
modi woodspace pvt. ltd.
17
aNUGA 2019
35
navin polycon
57
avon hospitality
16
plushpedic mattresses pvt. ltd.
37
01
pushkal textiles
25
charnock equipments pvt. ltd. evolis card printer india pvt. ltd.
fic
gralit india biotech pvt. ltd.
29
home comfort texo fab
14
home zone india
51
IFB INDUSTRIES LTD.
15
india international hospitality expo
23
infinity hygiene care
16
itw india pvt. ltd.
33
LA SCENTEUR FRAGRANCE TECHNOLOGIES PVT. LTD.
07
laxmi brush company
18
loomcrafts furniture india pvt. ltd.
09
mastech services mehta furnishers Midddleby Celfrost Innovations (P) Ltd
QUARTZ HOMECARE (I) PVT. LTD. bc R R SALES CORPORATION
10
RANS TECHNOCRATS (iNDIA) PVT. LTD.
18
remington steel arts
62
sial china 2019
55
S. K. INTERNATIONAL
47
STACKWELL 59 snoozer bedding ltd.
11
TREND & DESIGN
31
Vedic Aroma Lab
41
43
Venus Industries
05
13
whirlpool of india ltd. bic
33, 49
winterhalter india pvt. ltd.
45
May-June ’19
46
63
Feb-Mar ’19
Intervi ew
Hotel Business Review
A Dynamic Hotelier!
Suman Gahlot, General Manager, Aloft New Delhi Aerocity By Sharmila Chand A maverick at multi-tasking with multidisciplinary expertise, Suman Gahlot is the esteemed General Manager of the flagship Aloft Hotel in the capital city Aloft New Delhi Aerocity. A firm believer in ‘walking the talk’, Gahlot has ensured that the global promise of Aloft Hotels resonates in Aerocity, New Delhi as well as permeates through the entire guest experience. An adroit businesswoman, Gahlot is a dynamic and charismatic industry veteran with old-world learnings and new-age thinking. Her responsibilities in her present position include handling the Operations, Finance, Sales, Marketing, Research and Development for the hotel. Coming from a great legacy and lineage of The Taj Group, Gahlot has curated and established many strong hospitality brands in India. She has been also conferred with ‘Women of the Decade in Hospitality’ by the Women Economic Forum and many honours for her exemplary work. She is a passionate supporter of the women in pursuit of their dreams and that is why she established ASSOCHAM Ladies League- Hyderabad Chapter. In an exclusive interview with Sharmila Chand she talks about the hospitality industry and more… What is the USP of your property? Being located in Aerocity, the emerging hospitality and leisure destination in New Delhi is our foremost USP. We are next to World Mark – The emerging lifestyle and corporate hub offering a variety of entertainment, office spaces, shopping & dining options at a walking distance from the hotel. Vibrant ambience and contemporary arty interiors with live music entertainment attracts our guests. 3 variant dining options that include Nook, an all-day dining international cuisine restaurant; WXYZ, signature bar with live music and Re:Fuel, a grab & go gourmet outlet also makes up our outstanding features.
What is the marketing strategy adopted to promote your property? 64
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At Aloft New Delhi Aerocity, we focus immensely on our presence on digital channels and social media. As we operate a hotel that has unique passion points including music, design and technology, it is eminent that we position and promote the hotel digitally to attract the right clientele. F&B is an important part of our hotel’s marketing strategy and we deeply focus on promoting the same online and offline. The process involves deliberately creating campaigns and experiences which the guests find unique and connect them well with the hotel.
What distinguishes your property from others in the same bracket? A sense of comfort and positivity is a reflection of Aloft New Delhi Aerocity. The vibrancy and ambience paired up well with the service presents a distinguished experience altogether to our valuable guests. The hotel being situated at a prime location, the stay experience along with the F&B offerings makes it a diverse package in itself. The brand’s value proposition very well established at Aloft New Delhi Aerocity resonates with the new-age traveler who is looking for unique experiences and technological innovations that establish a ‘connect’ and make the stay match their lifestyle.
What would you say is the ‘Differentiating Factor’ of your F&B outlets? Few characters on which we drive our food beverage are: ‘Fun element’ - We at Aloft try our best to make dining experience a fun filling and memorable event. We believe in ‘direct interaction’ between chefs and guests as it helps to deliver the best.
Could you reflect on future plans and new initiatives you wish to undertake in your property? Keeping in line with the ethos of the Aloft brand, we constantly strive to cater to the expected and unexpected needs and wants of the modern traveler who looks forward to a jet setting lifestyle and vibrant social scene at great value. We are on a quest to make Aloft one of the most hip, happening new destinations in the capital which attracts not only the coveted millennials but also the business/leisure
travelers - talk about toy room/next phase/ live entertainment/listening to what the guests need, etc.
What is the most crucial issue to tackle in the Hospitality industry today? Talent acquisition and retention, especially in case of aspirational millennials. As an industry, I feel we need to adapt and adopt to the capricious needs of the newer talent pool we are looking to attract which is the mainstay of this dynamic industry. Just to elucidate this - within my time I have seen the shift from very strict grooming standards - no beards/visible tattoos to being considerably more relaxed in favour of the right candidates and business needs.
What do you enjoy most about being at the helm of affairs at the hotel? Despite the major technological advancements within hospitality, the core of the industry is its people which always shall remain. Guiding, mentoring and motivating individuals and teams to achieve their untapped potential, thereby setting them up for success is the one thing I have always thoroughly enjoyed being a part of. This stems from the fact that my current success is credited to being supported and mentored by exceptional leaders within the industry.
What has been the most rewarding moment in your career? For me that one moment is a collective myriad of moments across my diverse experience which brings me to the now and I stand today as a confident and astute business leader.
How do you de - stress? Hospitality is a 24/7, 365 day business with incessant demands. I am fortunate enough to totally enjoy what I do and thereby rarely feel stressed by the nature of the beast. Everyday moments like being with family, reading, and cherishing the down time alleviates the rare stressful moments.
What is your working Mantra, your guiding philosophy in work? Preparation, perspiration and aspiration makes any goal achievable.
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