Hotel Business Review (Nov- Dec 2014)

Sept-Oct ’14

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Editorial

HOTEL Business Review

HOTEL B u s i n e s s

R e v i e w

An Exclusive Business Magazine for the Hotel Industry

Publisher cum Editor

Rajneesh Sharma

rajneeshhammer@gmail.com

Associate Editor

Swarnendu Biswas Resident Editor

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

Hari Kumar V Narender Kumar

Production Assistant

Mamta Sharma

Business Co-ordinator

Pooja Anand

Advertising Sales

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

Dattaram Gangurde Director Sales

Sanjay Anand

Director Operations & Finance

Rajat Taneja

Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi:

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

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E-mail: hammerpublishers@vsnl.net Website: www.hbrmag.com © 2014 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. No article can be reproduced in part or as whole without prior permission of the Publisher.

Hammer Hotel Business Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed and published by Rajneesh Sharma on behalf of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1202, Pragati Tower, 26 Rajindra Place, New Delhi. Printed at Print Creations, C-112/3, Basement, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase- 1, New Delhi 110 028.

Annual Subscription rate within India is Rs. 450 and overseas US $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs. 90 in India and US $25 overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. Editorial Policy : Editorial emphasis in Hammer Hotel Business Review

magazine is on educational & informational material specifically designed to assist those responsible for managing instututional Hotel business. Articles are welcome and will be published on the sole discretion of the editor.

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In this issue, we are presenting the concluding installment of our feature on MICE. It is common knowledge that with the growth in business travel, MICE business is impressively growing in India and is slated to become the major revenue earning source for the Indian hospitality industry. The facilities offered to the MICE clientele across Indian hotels are also becoming more sophisticated and innovative in nature.

However, what we need is more international level conferencing facilities across hotels so that the industry is ready with the supply to meet the growing demand. In fact, more hotels in tourist locations with their USP being focused on MICE, are also required. In this issue’s Cover Story, a number of hotel industry professionals discuss the various initiatives being adopted by their hotels to attract the discerning MICE clientele.

Marketing hotels and resorts through savvy use of online platforms can reap rich dividends in this digital age, and hotels and resorts which are solely dependent upon the conventional media to market themselves are likely to lose the race. However, simply use of online platforms would not do, the need of the hour is to effectively use the online platforms to boost revenues and profits. For example, extremely guest-friendly ways to develop a website can help a hotel stay ahead of the competition. In the Business Story, we have discussed various intelligent ways through which hotel websites could promote their hotel’s business.

Tourism of the north-east region in India is a case of neglected potential. The states of north-east India can garner more revenues from tourism and hospitality only if the connectivity issues across the region are addressed, and promotion and awareness campaign about the various tourism features of the region are highlighted in a creative and sustained manner. Our Feature section deals with northeast India’s tourist highlights and the two major factors which are impeding the satisfactory enhancement of the tourism revenues of the region.

Besides these, the coverage of the Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort in our Property section, the profile feature on the super creative hotelier Priya Paul for our Profile section, the feature on prevailing and emerging F&B trends for our F&B section, along with a wealth of information pertaining to the Indian hospitality industry, have together managed to present an exhaustive package for our readers to explore upon.

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

Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE)segment has been growing at a fast pace in India.

This business is now making way to tier II cities of the country too. A trend is being noticed to move away from the conventional destinations.

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FEATURE

Geographical area of north-east India has great natural beauty, complemented with wonderful wildlife and adventure tourism options and a rich tribal culture.

The tourism package that north-east India offers can greatly interest the growing numbers of domestic travellers, especially those who are opting for the offbeat travel options, and also the large sections of inbound tourists.

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SPA

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PROPERTY

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PROFILE

An idyllic sanctuary in the middle of the urban habitat, Arogya Spa & Fitness Centre at Hyatt Regency Pune offers an array of essential therapies to facilitate that well-being seeps into the body with the healing touch of minerals and essential oils.

Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort exemplifies understated indulgence and amiable service in an intimate sanctuary, offering guests an experience that is characteristically inspiring.

Hotel’s marketing, in today’s environment, has adopted strategies that are extremely relevant in this digital era.

Marketing your hotel needs careful planning. One has to make and follow a marketing plan even if the fruits of your labour aren’t immediately apparent.

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Priya Paul is not your average hotelier. The Chairperson of Kolkata-based Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited, who joined the group in 1988 as the Marketing Manager of The Park, New Delhi after graduating in Economics from the Wellesley College in the US, has uncommon aesthetic vision coupled with pragmatic business sense.

DEPARTMENTS F&B

As we are in the last phase of 2014, let us take a look at some of the key trends that rocked the Indian restaurant business during this year.

Some were good, some were not so good. There were some challenges as well along with the trends.

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News Scan

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Product Preview

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Business Opportunity

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Cover Pix: Banquets Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort

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Equip’Hotel 2014 A very positive business climate, with an edition held under the banner of hospitality and export

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quip’Hotel 2014 succeeded in catering to the needs of professionals by presenting a large number of new products on the stands but also by contributing a host of new ideas through its Studios. “The project “Smile” created a new friendly momentum and the general atmosphere amply reflected this, making a considerable impact on our buyers: I believe that more than ever, Equip’Hotel, in federating the entire profession has demonstrated its essential role in this hospitality and catering market,” says Corinne Menegaux, Show Director.

This year more than 1600 exhibitors showcased their products at the show. 111,064 professionals including 19.2 % from outside France visited the show. The show witnessed more than 500 speakers at seminars and round tables. 500 chefs including 150 with Michelin stars graced the show followed by 15 cookery and design contests bringing together more than 250 contestants. 15 trend studios were set to present the latest trends in the industry. Also show had 250 features and live demonstrations.

Equip’Hotel confirmed its status as the international meeting place for hospitality and catering with international visitor numbers up 5% and a highly successful inaugural edition of the Club Export and the ‘Top Buyers’ programme. Once again this year,

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Equip’Hotel was home to the widest selection of experts who discussed and tackled the big issues in hospitality and catering today.

Throughout the 5 days of the show, architects, designers, experts, all active members of the Ambassadors programme, shared their experiences at international round tables.

Equip’Hotel also innovated with the introduction of the Club Export programme, offering optimised business contacts between 250 major international buyers (Thailand, USA, Chile, South Africa, Northern Europe, etc.), invited as Equip’Hotel Top Buyers, and 400 exhibitors looking to increase their exports of goods and services. More than 3,000 international project planners also signed up to Club Export and were able to take advantage of the introduction programme.

This edition of Equip’Hotel was also a true catering festival with the attendance of a great number of chefs (including over 150 Michelin-starred chefs!) on the Resto des Chefs, at prestigious contests (TrophéeDelaveyne, Trophée Masse, Chefs en Or…), and at assemblies of chefs on the show (CollègeCulinaire). Fresh produce found its home at the heart of the exhibition with the Producers’ Village and the substantial participation of TransGourmet, in particular with its fresh produce market, launched in response to key issues in the profession.

Other essential subjects:the noticeable upmarket shift of the interior design offering and the development of “building fittings and materials” gave professionals a host of new ideas for their establishments. The Equip’Hotel Studios in their role as genuine trend incubators met with great success.

Hotels in all their forms at Equip’Hotel!

The show witnessed the huge success for Studio Deco: “Hotel Gallery” presented by Elizabeth Leriche and design consultancy Le LAD with Christophe Delcourt and Guillaume Terver. A space dedicated to hotel trends which shone a spotlight on all the public areas and living spaces in a hotel: corridors, a leisure room, a spa, a cinema, a photo gallery, a concept store, a bookshop and a bar.

For Room Studio: Mission Accomplished!

3 rooms designed by leading architects and

designers: Stella Cadente & Florian Claudel, Hicham Lahlou, Olivier Lapidus and 3 rooms built by young talents: Régis Botta, Céline Tuzzolino, Emmanuelle Gain & Laëtitia Faburel, selected as part of the 2014 year group of the Equip’Hotel Talents competition, in association with Designer’s Days and under the artistic guidance of Thierry Virvaire.

Seminars and Presentations ‘Studio Cuisine’: presented by Remy Lucas, CEO of Cate Marketing: Visitors displayed considerable interest in this studio to draw inspiration from the 20 ideas contributed by 18 chefs and restaurant owners present on site. Through cookery workshops and presentations, the speakers exhibited their recipes and solutions to develop their turnover and increase their clientele. ‘ S t u d i o C o n t r a c t ’ : a ll t he la t e st developments in hotels and design were analysed by specialists with market news, sustainable development focuses, deco design trends, room concepts and UNIFA workshops.

‘StudiodesArtsdelatable’: against the Coffee Wall, 399 cups lined up to form the largest selection of coffee cups, under the supervision of Sylvie Amar. At a seminar, the designer unveiled the “Trends in tableware for 2015.” Worth remembering: crumb catchers, beer glasses, cutlery using traditionalmaterials, and the use of copper.

‘StudioSpa’: One again this year, Spas received star treatment at the exhibition.

Equip’Hotel and Isabelle Charrier offered on ‘StudioSpa’ a content-rich programme of presentations and seminars on all the latest issues in spas. These included the findings of the 2014 study on the Spa and wellness market, conducted by Atout France.

‘Studio Bar’: designed and managed by Victor Delpierre, was the stage for talks, demonstrations and industry figures, showing visitors a range of solutions and handy hints for the bar and service profession.

‘StudioTechno’: round tables on technological solutions to improve communication, sales and management in HoReCa establishments. New technology is moving fast and offers increasing quantities of innovative solutions to improve service quality and raise the profitability of bars, restaurants and hotels.

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IFFT/Interior Lifestyle Living 26 to 28 November 2014, Tokyo, Japan

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FFT/Interior Lifestyle Living’s seventh edition ended with record breaking 391 exhibitors (Domestic: 326, Overseas: 65) from 25 countries/regions, exhibiting premium quality furniture from all over the world. The show offered a strong business platform by bringing together key players in the design and interior industries. Increasing its exhibition size and internationality this year, the show became even more responsive to the market’s needs through an extensive product line-up as well as special exhibits and a series of events.

THE HOTEL Situated at the entrance of the West hall, the special showcase at the Atrium was a hotspot for visitors to find market and design trends. The theme for the Atrium highlight was “THE HOTEL” which offered ideas on various accommodation styles through a range of products and presentations. The entire area including the exhibitor booths was designed as a classic hotel that was renovated to a modern taste by Mitusko Kuroda, an Interior stylist/style director, and the designs were united under the theme colour blue.

Another appealing point at THE HOTEL was the “Long long table” at the centre of the cafe area that comes with around 80 famous and iconic chairs sponsored by companies such as Maruni Wood Industry. Inc and designed by Naohito Fukazawa, ‘Challenge’

chair from Conde House Co., Ltd. and ‘U’ chair from Miyazaki Chair Factory Co., Ltd., to name a few. The cafe was run by FUGLEN, a Norwegian cafe that offered what is said to be the best coffee in the world by the New York Times. FUGLEN also exhibited furniture designed by young Norwegian designers as Norwegian Icons at THE HOTEL. CREATIVE RESOURCE Responding to the expanding market for housing renovation, this highlight focused on the vast potential of resources and materials for interior design and home remodelling, such as floor, wall and fixing materials as well as mastered skill sets and services for producing interior goods and housing construction. The concept developed by Keiji Ashizawa, a young and established architect known for his simple yet edgy designs. Also there was a special collaborative showcase where products designed by three renowned architects, Keiji Ashizawa, Chikara Ono, and Jyo Nagasaka, were displayed.

JAPAN STYLE ‘Japan Style’ showcased a selection of sophisticated products that transcend the beauty of both traditional and modern Japanese design, and the history of the country’s artisanal skill sets. Originally

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organised for Ambiente, it has recently been developed at this fair and the sister fair Interior Lifestyle Tokyo. This area reinforced the promotion of Japanese design, skills and culture.

NEXT and TALENTS ‘Next and Talents’ was the zone for young, talented designers and entrepreneurs to obtain business opportunities through encounters with high-quality visitors.

These two areas were also developed from Ambiente. Exhibitors in this area has a chance to be chosen for the Young Designers Award, and will get a chance to exhibit at Ambiente 2015, where young talents are given the chance to make a leap forward overseas.

HEIMTEXTIL THEME PARK Based on Heimtextil Trends 2015/2016, IFFT/Interior Lifestyle Living offered a preview of the new Trends Experience at Heimtextil Theme Park. This showcase at IFFT/Interior Lifestyle Living was directed by Dan Namura of the design firm Dan Project, one of the members of Creative Direction and also a member of the Trendtable Contributors at Heimtextil. This instalment enabled the visitors to interactively experience the coming trends.

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LIFESTYLE SALON 2014 ‘Lifestyle Salon 2014’ where experts presented seminars categorised into three different topics: Atrium (THE HOTEL), Trend and Business. This year there were two slots by Sebastian Herkner, a leading German designer to talk about the front-line of product designing.

The first IFFT/Interior Lifestyle Living took place in 2008, combining IFFT (International Furniture Fair Tokyo) with the concept of Interior Lifestyle Tokyo, and becoming the leading trade fair for the Japanese high-end interior market. This fair is a sister fair of Interior Lifestyle Tokyo held in June, which is based on Messe Frankfurt’s largest international consumer foods fair Ambiente and the international textile fair Heimtextil.

Heimtextil India 2015 After the overwhelming success of Heimtextil India this summer, Messe Frankfurt has announced announce the next edition of inspiration - Heimtextil India 2015 that aims to bring with it enhanced opportunities to network during the Indian buying season, from 25 - 27 June 2015 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The organisers, in a series of moves to scale up the exhibition level, have decided to focus on technical innovations, upcoming talents, knowledge sharing, as well as home furnishing and textile market developments through strategically planned fringe programmes.

Covering 4,000 sqm exhibiting space, the second edition of the fair will be 40% per cent bigger than the previous one. Along with the increase in floor space, bookings for the 2015 edition is also up with more than 50% of the space already locked by major Indian brands. Demand for space from international manufacturers of home furnishing and contract textiles remains strong with confirmations expected in the coming months.

Creating the perfect launch pad for new ideas and innovations, Heimtextil India 2015 will represent the entire gamut of home furnishing and contract textile products, classified into nine all-encompassing product categories such as: bedroom, bath linen, table linen, kitchen textiles, window decorations, furniture fabric salon, textile floor coverings, walls of the world, as well as edesign and technology.

The fair’s strategic co-location with Ambiente India will offer an ultra-convenient sourcing experience to home fashion buyers in India by offering the widest spectrum of

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interior, lifestyle, furnishing, collectibles and home décor products all under one roof.

According to Raj Manek, Executive Director and Board Member of Messe Frankfurt Asia Holding Ltd, “for the second edition, we strive to achieve the dual objective of bringing modern home textile and furnsihing products from India and across the globe available within the reach of Indian buyers while educating and enthralling home fashion industry players through the fair’s unique exhibition, features and design forum format. Aligning the structure and strategy is essential and with planning underway, we hope to make an official announcement about the concurrently scheduled programmes soon.”

Ambiente India The international offspring of the most important consumer goods show - Ambiente India – marked its entry onto the subcontinent with a striking showcase of a range of themes in home decoration and lifestyle this summer. Returning with more product segments to cover the extensive gamut of interior décor business, Ambiente India 2015 will create a trade hub for manufacturers, designers and suppliers of home décor and interior accessories with enhanced opportunities to network, showcase current trends, launch new products, and discover home fashion innovations.

The trade fair will take place from 25 – 27 June 2015, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, which marks the pre-festive retail season in India and is the peak buying season for home fashion buyers, particularly retailers catering to the end-user’s high demand during buying periods like Diwali, Christmas and the wedding and gifting season. Targeting interior designers, decorators, architects, wholesalers, retailers, and modern traders as visitors, Ambiente India 2015 will encompass a diverse range of interior products, separated into the three well-defined product groups of Dining, Giving and Living.

Ambiente India together with Heimtextil India has successfully carved a position as a credible sourcing platform with the launch edition witnessing an attendance of 6525* trade visitors from across the nation and several deals being closed at the fair. That is why many of the 163** exhibitors from the debut edition have voiced their intention to be back again in 2015 For more information, visit website at www.messefrankfurt.com

EVENTS’ CALENDER Hotel Investment Forum India 14-15 January 2015 The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon www.hifi-india.com Sigep 2015 17-21 January 2015 Remini Fiera, Italy www.en.sigep.it Aahar 2015 10-14 March 2015 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.aaharinternationalfair.com EDT Expo 25-28 March 2015 Istanbul, Turkey www.cnredtexpo.com HOTELEX 2015 30 March - 2 April 2015 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China www.hotelex.cn SIAL China 2015 6-8 May 2015 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China www.sialchina.com HOFEX 2015 6-9 May 2015 Hongkong Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong www.hofex.com AMBIENTE INDIA 25-27 June 2015 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.ambiente-india.in HEIMTEXTIL INDIA 25-27 June 2015 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.heimtextil.in

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Premier Inn Announces its First Property in Mumbai Premier Inn, UK’s biggest hotel chain, announced its plans to establish its footprint in the financial capital of the country, Mumbai. This edition will mark the debut of Premier Inn hotels in Mumbai, catering to the vibrant city’s mid-scale market segment. Premier Inn Mumbai Worli, which will feature 350 rooms, will be strategically located in the Lower Parel district, between the Central Business District, Santacruz Airport and the North Mumbai Business Districts.

Commenting on the development, Aly Shariff, Senior Vice President, Operations (Asia), said “We are extremely proud to be setting up a Aly Shariff property in Mumbai. This property is essential to Premier Inn’s growth strategy and fulfils our objective of entering the mid-scale hotel market of Mumbai.

We are offering a unique product, which is perfectly designed

N ews Sca n to host business travellers as well as families. The property is scheduled to open in 2018 and we look forward to welcoming guests to the Premier Inn experience.”

Premier Inn Mumbai Worli is slated to be one of the largest midmarket hotels in the country. It will feature an all-day dining restaurant and a trendy bar, as well as a fully equipped gymnasium. The property David Vely will also boast amenities which include flexible meetings and conferencing facilities, and the famous Hypnos branded bed in all rooms.

Premier Inn Mumbai Worli joins Premier Inn’s growing portfolio of properties worldwide as it plans to have around 50 hotels in India, Southeast Asia and Middle East by 2018.

“Opening new hotels in these three key regions is now part of our long-term strategy to further enhance and develop the Premier Inn brand globally and we are confident it will be well received in new markets by value conscious travellers” said David Vely, Senior Vice President Development, Premier Inn Middle East, Africa & India.

Premier Inn currently operates over 670 hotels globally including five hotels in the Middle East and three in India. It is designed to meet the needs of a rapidly growing economy travel segment in the region.

The Fern Opens in Asansol Fern Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of The Fern Residency, Asansol a mid-scale business hotel in the second largest city of West Bengal. Part of the Galaxy Mall complex, the hotel has 42 rooms, 2 restaurants and 7000 sq. ft. of banqueting space.

The exquisitely designed guest rooms reflect modern amenities and facilities. Hotel offers three types of rooms.

Winter Green Rooms is the base category which has 315 sq. ft. of space, The Fern Club Room & The Hazel Suites. There is wide selection of local and international cuisines available at The Vista — the all day dining option — along with a lounge bar and in-room dining. With the largest banquet halls in Asansol, the hotel is the preferred venue for rooms & conferences.

With its baseline ‘Leading environmentally sensitive hotels’, The Fern Hotels & Resorts is amongst the fastest growing hotel brands in India, with 1500+ rooms presently under management and 1000+ rooms expected between 2014-16. The group expects to double its inventory by 2017. The Fern will be opening eight properties in 2015.

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HOTEL Business Review

Hyatt Place Opens in Gurgaon Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and SAMHI announced the opening of Hyatt Place Gurgaon/Udyog Vihar in the state of Haryana, India. This is the first Hyatt Place hotel in the gateway city of Delhi-NCR and the second Hyatt Place hotel in India, following the 2012 opening of Hyatt Place Hampi.

“The opening of Hyatt Place Gurgaon/Udyog Vihar marks a significant milestone for the Hyatt Place brand as it continues to expand in India and around the world,” said Pablo Graf, Senior Vice President of Operations for Hyatt, Southwest Asia.

“The Hyatt Place brand combines style, innovation and round the clock convenience to create a perfect seamless stay with every modern comfort for the multitasking traveler,” he added.

“Within three years SAMHI has worked with a number of global hotel operators to launch strong hotel products and brands in India. The bouquet of brands in our portfolio reflects our excitement about the Indian lodging markets and its potential,” said Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Ashish Jakhanwala, SAMHI. “Hyatt is a globally recognised hospitality company, and with it deep roots in India, we are excited to collaborate with Hyatt in a growing market such as Gurgaon.

The location, product and the Hyatt Place brand gives us confidence of the hotel’s imminent success.”

“As Gurgaon continues to grow and thrive economically, we are excited to add to the momentum by introducing Hyatt Place Gurgaon/Udyog Vihar to the area,” said General Manager, Sumit Kumar. “The Hyatt Place brand was designed from the insight of our guest’s appreciation for approachable style, where design and quality is delivered in a very simple and affordable fashion, offering a seamless travel experience for guests, and we are delighted with this new choice for travelers visiting the dynamic city of Gurgaon. We are confident that everyone from business travelers to leisure travelers will appreciate the open, intuitive design, casual atmosphere and practical amenities, such as free Wi-Fi and 24-hour fresh food offerings.”

Hyatt Place Gurgaon/Udyog Vihar offers 176 rooms, featuring a 42-inch HDTV, a plush Hyatt Grand Bed and a Cozy Corner sofa sleeper in select guestrooms along with Free Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel. It has 2,720 square feet (253 square meters) of flexible, high-tech meeting and function space, complimentary Gallery Kitchen Breakfast, featuring freshly prepared breakfast sandwiches, a variety of fresh fruits, hot and cold cereal, yogurt, breads, premium coffee, and an assortment of juices.

Madhubhan Resort and SPA Celebrates Five Years of Excellence Known for its long-standing grandeur, pristine outdoor recreation, privacy, and uncompromising standard of service, Madhubhan Resort and SPA celebrates 5 years of grand excellence in the hospitality sector. Through the years Madhubhan Resort and SPA has served as a one stop destination in Gujarat, for the business and leisure travellers from across the globe, who enjoy an unforgettable experience in wellness and hospitality.

The ethno-contemporary resort reaches the five year milestone and remains true to its cultural heritage with each expanding horizon. With focus on the rich history and traditional activities the resort offers a host of facilities for guests; from indoor games to outdoor sports, from shopping or sightseeing to relaxing at the Madhubhan Spa & Naturopathy, there are activities for every age group.

Nestled in the lush landscaped gardens with pavilions and courtyards, Madhubhan Resort and Spa also houses a haven called Rejou —The healing 12

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Spa & Naturopathy center.

It is the perfect place to relax, unwind and get away from the outside world. Here the soothing aromas of fragrant herbs and spices compliment the beauty of natural surroundings, giving you complete relaxation and rejuvenation.

Taruna Patel, CEO, Madhubhan Resort & Spa, said “As we celebrate 5 years of grand excellence at Madhubhan Resort and SPA, we look forward to capitalizing on the outstanding tradition of exceptional service at our luxury resort. The synergy of Indian cultural ethos and the phenomenal milestone we have achieved is encouraging. Together, our dedicated team will continue to offer

our guests the highest quality in resort experience thus establishing Madhubhan as one of the most popular destinations.”

Inspired by classic design and coupled with the simplicity of timeless fun, the favourite recreation activities at the resorts include; Swimming, Water Polo, Nature Walk, Cricket, Tennis, Badminton, Yoga, Activity centre, Kids zone and Amphitheatre. The 22 acres of lush greenery at Madhubhan Resort and SPA offers an upscale travel experience to every guest with well-appointed guest rooms and suites and a host of family amenities and activities.

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Hyderabad a Preferred Destination in 2015 Hyderabad, India’s convention capital has got yet another accolade with National Geographic Traveller Magazine, which rated Hyderabad as the second best place in the world that one should see in 2015. Hyderabad offers an interesting combination for both MICE and leisure travelers who can enjoy the world class infrastructure and experience warm hospitality & culture.

The city has a princely legacy of the Nizams’ heritage with a variety of tourist attractions like Charminar, Qutub Shahi Tombs, State Art Gallery, Historic Parks, India’s largest stone Buddha statue, and many more. The boom in IT and pharmaceutical sector has changed Hyderabad into a fast developing business centre. The city offers the best international connectivity and facilities and has grown into a world class Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions destination. Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), managed by Accor, is the first purpose build convention centre in India & has played an important role in contributing to position Hyderabad as the best MICE

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destination in South East Asia.

HICC has been host to some of the best events and international conventions, which has put Hyderabad on international map and has provided a great impetus to the city’s hospitality sector. “We are pleased to announce that Hyderabad has been voted as 2nd best place in world in 2015. This proud accolade comes from the specialised & elite travel magazine.

This recognition highlights the rich cultural heritage, state-ofthe-art facilities and exceptional service and value for money which Hyderabad provides to its MICE visitors,” said Neil Paterson, General Manager - Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre & HICC.

ARK- the New Lounge-Bar ARK at Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport marks the latest addition to the hotel’s F&B outlets and brings forth the concept of an exclusive bar. This 70-seat high energy bar has distinctive elixirs, exhilarating music and mouth-watering eats in a vibrant setting, which come together to provide a spirited experience. The lounge bar has a culmination of fusion styles and contemporary décor.

Elaborating further on the launch of ARK, Vikas Kapai, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport said, “Keeping in mind the versatile audience that Mumbai houses, we decided to introduce an exclusive bar at our hotel. Our aim is to give Mumbai a nightlife destination located in the heart of the city that caters to party goers as well as transit passengers, as we are located in close proximity to the international airport. The city enjoys a great nightlife and ARK, with its launch, looks at upping the ante as far as bars in the city are concerned.”

ARK aims at providing its patrons with an excellent food and beverage experience along with world-class hospitality and is also the only bar in North Mumbai which serves delectable craft beer. With its chic ambience, opulent F&B options and exceptional location, ARK aspires to become the Go To destination in North Mumbai.

ARK is among the few lounge bars in the city which houses a rack of collector edition wine. The signature beverages include a collection of molecular cocktails and ARK signature cocktails.

The Chefs at ARK have brought to the forefront current and trendy food to satisfy the palate of every guest that visits ARK. Bar specialty snacks from across the world like the beer brat, fish and chips and Philadelphia stuffed mushrooms make their way into ARK’s menu and are the perfect accompaniment to be savoured with the signature cocktails.

The bar interiors are made up of Italian marble finishes, rustic wooden floors, and sleek textured fabric sofas.

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Visa on Arrival in India The Indian government officially unveiled Visa on Arrival (VoA), enabled by Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), for citizens of 43 countries. Travellers who intend to travel to India can now avail ETA through nine airports in the country by a simplified digitised procedure while sitting in their homes. The application received real time will be processed at 40 counters set up by the Immigration Department and ETA will be issued for eligible applicants within 72 hours of the submitting of the application.

The Immigration Department has set up 72 dedicated counters at nine airports— in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, and Goa – to facilitate and take care of ETA travellers. However, these travellers will be able to depart from any international airport in the country.

The 43 countries which are eligible for ETA are Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Djibouti, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, USA, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.

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CSIA Inaugurates ‘GVK Lounge’ GVK Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport’s (CSIA) Terminal T2 has opened its all new Luxury Lounge for its first / business class travelers. The ‘GVK Lounge’ was inaugurated by Dr. GVK Reddy, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director, GVK. This is the first ever common Luxury Lounge in the

country, unlike other global and Indian airports, which usually have different first/ business class lounges for different airlines.

Spread across an area of 30,000 sq. ft. in two levels – Level 4 and 3, the GVK Lounge has a total capacity to accommodate 440 guests at any given point in time. It hosts some of the most innovative facilities and latest technologies in the form of Concierge Services, Smoking Zone, F&B, Bar, Luxury Spa, Shower Area, Relaxation Area, Library and a Business Centre.

CSIA has awarded the lounge concession to a partnership between Travel Food Services (TFS), the leading food and beverage operator in the travel sector, and Performa, a Gate Group company and a worldwide leader in designing, managing and servicing of airport lounges.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. GVK Reddy, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director, GVK said, “At GVK CSIA, it has been our continuous endeavour to enhance traveller delight, and the new GVK Lounge at T2 will successfully take this effort to new heights. The lounge reflects a kaleidoscopic vision of the dreams of India and the pulse of Mumbai, and is themed to give the travellers a blend of world class local ambiences at the airport.”

Commenting on the occasion, Sunil Kapur, Chairman, TFS said, “We have worked closely with the team at GVK MIAL to embody the vision of the Airport into our lounge experience for travellers, and are confident our partnership with Performa will create a true benchmark.”

Beat Ehlers, Managing Director, Performa (Gate Group’s lounge service brand) said, “We are elated to be working together with our partners GVK and TFS for bringing together the best of both worlds to create an unrivalled customer service experience for premium travellers through unique service, culinary excellence and an exceptional lounge concept based on personal interaction, warm and professional service and a solid understanding of the guest mindset and product knowledge, delivering nothing but the best.”

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The Leela Group Shines at Conde Nast Traveller India Readers’ Travel Awards 2014 The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has announced that two of its luxurious leisure hotels — The Leela Palace Udaipur and The Leela Goa — clinched top recognition at the fourth edition of Conde Nast Traveller India Readers’ Travel Awards 2014.

The luxury spa, ESPA, at The Leela Palace Udaipur, located on the banks of Lake Pichola, was voted as the ‘Favourite Hotel Spa in India’, and The Leela Goa, the beachside luxury resort spread across 75 acres of green sanctuary and fresh water lagoons was awarded ‘Runner-up Favourite Leisure Hotel in India’.

The awards were conferred at a glittering ceremony in New Delhi with some of the most sought after names gracing the gathering, including, the Chief Guest, Dr. Lalit K Panwar, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Ambassadors and High Commissioners from around the world, and prominent personalities in travel, tourism and hospitality.

Commenting on the recognition, Rajiv Kaul, President, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts said, “We are delighted that the discerning readers of Conde Nast Traveller have chosen two of our hotels as the top favourites in India. This is testimony to our commitment towards service excellence and providing memorable experiences.

We also deeply thank the Conde Nast Traveller India team for the thoughtful and touching tribute to our Late Founder Chairman which made the evening particularly unforgettable for the entire Leela family.”

The highlight of this elegant evening was the soulstirring video tribute created specially by Conde Nast Traveller India for hotelier extraordinaire and Founder Chairman of The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, Late Capt. C. P. Krishnan Nair, who passed away on May 17th this year.

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WelcomHeritage Launches Two New Properties WelcomHeritage has announced two new properties in Leh & Srinagar. WelcomHeritage Lha-Ri-Sa Resort, located at LehLadakh, is the latest addition to the WelcomHeritage collection of Nature Resorts.

The resort has 23 rooms and tree houses reflecting the traditional approach in a contemporary way.

It offers a dining experience with its in-house restaurant that serves authentic Ladakhi, Mughlai, Chinese, Continental & Gujrati cuisines and a unique tree platform with an outdoor restaurant.

The property also extends facilities like a traditional prayer room, a garden courtyard for cultural programmes, an organic kitchen garden, private terrace and moon view terrace.

The resort became operational in 2006 under the entrepreneurship of Tashi Motup and since then the hotel is driven towards its commitment of excellence. The word ‘Lha’ means Pass, ‘Ri’ means Mountain, ‘Sa’ means Earth. Together these words connote a divine land where we can virtually see the rich profound Earth and overwhelming mountains come together, manifesting oneness.

Lha-Ri-Sa Resort is a perfect blend of traditional allure and contemporary conceptualization. It is indeed a great way to experience a harmony of untouched natural bounty and lavish Ladakhi culture.

WelcomHeritage has signed property at Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh under its collection of Nature Resorts known as WelcomHeritage Glenview Resort. Perched in the charming state of Himachal Pradesh, Kasauli is a beautiful hill station situated at a height of 6000 feet, at a distance of 75 km from Shimla. Kasauli still retains its old world charm & natural beauty and has well stood its ground of being one of the most charming hill stations in Asia.

The resort has 50 rooms and suites and offers facilities like spa and an infinity pool. Also, the property extends a banquet cum conference hall that can accommodate up to 300 guests, a Board room for small meetings, a multi-cuisine restaurant, bar, lounge, terrace, lawn and ample parking space in the basement. The resort also offers a kids’ zone, pool table, table tennis, etc. for recreation.

The resort is presently under renovation and will be debuting on 1st September, 2015.

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Road Show by Tourism Corporations The tourism industry contributes significantly to the foreign exchange earnings and with the changing lifestyle pattern in the garb of modernity, this sector has been an area of much importance and tourism corporations take this opportunity to usher in a new era for domestic travel market.

“In view of this changing perspective and thriving potentialities, West Bengal Govt. is keen to attend in various travel and tourism shows being conducted by various travel tour organizers, irrespective of volume, genesis, and other dimensions. This Department has confirmed participation in tourism fairs at Surat, Pune, Hyderabad, Kochi and others apart from in the metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmadabad in an assertive way for ensuring better business to cater to inbound travel market,” said Amlan Jyoti Saha, Joint Dir. WB Tourism Corporation.

Unlike other years, West Bengal Tourism will be participating in travel festival even in B category cities like Lucknow, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Vizag, Coimbatore to reach out to the target audience in a result oriented way.

With perceptible increase of budgetary allocation, particularly in the publicity sector, West Bengal Tourism is making its presence felt in the e-media publications, digital display, bill boards, hoarding, FM Radio, TV Channels, in both domestic and international magazines, railway tickets, etc. to reach out to the masses to depict the bounties and resourcefulness of West Bengal, a state which is mingled with cultural and historic diversity.

“Experiential tourism has been given one of the major thrust areas to attract tourists in West Bengal. Customised package are being developed to the optimum level of tourist satisfaction. Need of the hour is to upgrade, innovate, promote and create an enabling atmosphere to attract tourists from all parts of the globe” enumerated Supriyo Ghoshal, GM, West Bengal Tourism Corporation.

Kashmir has also revived & has bounced back to welcome tourism again. “A major portion of Jammu & Kashmir consists of the western Himalayas, which besides many lofty mountain ranges with varying heights of 3000 to

6000 meters and above, also abound in rivers, lakes, passes, glaciers, plateaus and plains. The number of streams, brooks, hill torrents and rivers is also fairly large in the state. The most important rivers are the Indus, Chenab, Jehlum and Ravi” said Shamim Wani, MD, J&K Tourism Corporation.

“Tourism is thriving in Jammu & Kashmir. This year nearly 12 million tourists have already visited the state.

This year in September, Jammu & Kashmir witnessed the worst of the floods in decades. In the time of need locals helped thousands of stranded tourists showing true spirit of Kashmiriyat. The bond was so strong that not even a single fatality of a tourist was reported. Jammu & Kashmir bounced back to normalcy in record number of days,” enumerated Tassaduk Hussain, Joint Director, Kashmir Tourism.

“In Jammu & Kashmir, 99 percent of hotels are back in business. Tourists coming to Kashmir besides exploring leisure options can indulge in many activities such as skiing, mountain hiking, para gliding, horseback riding, river rafting, tout fishing, and golfing,” explained Talat Parvez, Director of Tourism Kashmir.

Hotel Formule1 Announces the 24x 7 Toll Free Number Staying true to its brand promise of being a ‘Rest Assured’ hotel, Hotel Formule1 has announced the launch of a central ‘toll-free’ number to make booking for its customers easy. The 24x7 toll free number -1800 313 1223 aims at creating a connectivity bridge between the hotel and its valued

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customers across the nation.

Commenting on the launch, Philip Logan, Vice President, Hotel Formule1 India, said, “We understand that in today’s fast-paced and digital savvy world, time is a luxury which should be treasured dearly. Designed to make the process

of booking a room faster, simpler and convenient, this toll free number is Formule1’s attempt to make the brand more accessible. Hotel Formule1 recently launched its fifth property in Gurgaon. The brand also has properties in Greater Noida, Bangalore, Ahmadabad and Pune.

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HOTEL Business Review

Kempinski Ambience Hotel Celebrated Children’s Day As a socially responsible hotel company, the first Kempinski flagship hotel in India, Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi, celebrated Children’s Day with special kids from Noida Deaf Society (NDS), a project which was started by a home maker Ruma Roka to address the issues of sustainable livelihood for these differently-abled children. Ruma has transformed many lives with her contribution towards the society by educating these kids and providing meaningful employment to them. In order to acknowledge her efforts and as a part of the corporate social responsibility, Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi spent the day with these kids. The idea was to spend time with them, interact with them and make them feel special on this occasion. The hotel made some special arrangements for the children such as delicious snacks fresh from the bakery, tattoo artist to ink the kids temporarily with fun pictures and also a balloon man to make this an unforgettable day for the children.

On the initiative, Puneet Singh, the General Manager, Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi says, “Such initiatives give us a sense of satisfaction that we are fortunate enough to give something back to the society. Smile on those faces will always give us the strength to move on. Kempinski Hotels have always been associated with CSR initiatives and I am glad to be a part of it, I hope this small act of ours will bring some moments of joy in their life.”

Goldfinch Hotels Wins Australian Service Excellence Award Goldfinch Hotels, MRG Hospitality & Infrastructures Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru was awarded the International Service Excellence Award 2014 at the 13th Annual Australian Service Excellence Awards held in Melbourne recently.

The Awards were hosted by the Customer Service Institute of Australia (CSIA) known to be an authority in customer service. Endorsed by the Prime Minister of Australia and the International Council of Customer Service Organisations (ICCSO), the Awards are internationally recognised as a platform to promote and reward service excellence, professionalism and outstanding achievement by individuals and organisations across the globe.

“The Goldfinch Hotels, MRG Group is proud to have received the Award, which has been universally regarded as the gold standard in service industry recognition,” says Gaurav Shetty, Managing Director, Goldfinch Hotels, who received the Award at the awards ceremony hosted at the Crown Palladium, Melbourne on October 7, 2014.

“The Award shall serve as an impetus to maintaining high levels of customer service across our hotels and restaurants,” remarked Dinesh Manjunath, Group CEO, MRG Group. The Goldfinch hotel chain, established in Bangalore during 2000 presently owns and operates four hotels and 15 restaurants across Bangalore and Mangalore. The MRG Group has recently tied up with two leading international hotel brands with a view to expanding the hospitality business in Bangalore and Goa. The Awards evening at Melbourne was hosted by the Customer Service Institute of Australia (CSIA) and Jessica Rowe, of Channel 10, co-hosted by Marty Fields, Australian award-winning standup comedian and actor.

JW Marriott Celebrates International Chef’s Day Every year in the month of October, chefs across the world celebrate International Chef ’s Day. The special day is celebrated to recognize the contribution of these culinary artists who strive hard to satisfy our gastronomical urge. The International Chef’s day also provides an opportunity to chefs to give back to the society they belong to. JW Marriott, Hotel Pune also joined the league and celebrated the International Chef’s Day in their customary magnificent way.

To give a more significant meaning to the celebrations of International Chef ’s Day, JW Marriott hosted city’s well known grandparents along with their grandchildren to re-live their fond memories of being chefs at home. The event saw the grandmothers 22

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take centre stage as the real life chefs to collaborate with JW Marriott Hotel’s team of chefs to cook up some home style food with tips exchanged by all.

Some of the well known grandparents of the city who attended with their grandkids were Padma Vibhushan Dr. K. H. Sancheti, K. M. Talera, Ihwardas Chordia, Advocate Khurjekar, Walchandji Sancheti, Rajarao Telco, Manohar Kamatto name a few.

Along with the cook up with the grandparents, kids and chefs, all the guests were taken on a tour to the herbs garden

and back yard of hotel. It was an experience thoroughly enjoyed by all. All the Guests wore chef caps and aprons to salute the chef ’s efforts to satiate our taste buds in innovative ways.

Speaking about the initiative Chef Ajmal Salim, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Hotel Pune said, “We as Chefs are always looking at ways to bring a smile on to people’s faces with our cooking. Today is our day and we feel blessed when we get the acknowledgement from senior home cooks, the real life Chefs, about our efforts and we are thankful to JW Marriott for making the International Chefs day celebration so special.”

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Sarovar Announced Two New Properties

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tepping in to raise the bar of hospitality industry in the oldest city of Punjab, Sarovar Hotels announced the opening of Sarovar Portico in Jalandhar. This will be the 6th property of the Sarovar Group in Punjab including Chandigarh.

Located near BSF Chowk, G.T Road, Sarovar Portico-a unit of Armani Buildcon, ensures comfort for both business and leisure travellers. The hotel promises to offer unmatched contemporary services and facilities in Jalandhar. Blending modern design with warm, bright hues and elegant interiors, all 42 rooms and suites exude cheerfulness and functionality. The rooms offer all comforts including free high speed internet, Tea/Coffee Maker, private Mini Bar, Safe Deposit Locker, Executive writing desk, LCD televisions etc. The hotel also offers Conference and Banqueting facilities.

Ajay K Bakaya, Executive Director, Sarovar Hotels said, “In recent years, Jalandhar has seen rapid urbanisation and has developed into a centre of industrial and commercial activity. Sarovar Portico will add to the charm of the hospitality sector in the region by offering best services and facilities.”

Sharing details on Sarovar’s expansion plans in Punjab, Ajay Bakaya stated that, “Jalandhar is the largest developed and cleanest city of Punjab state. Jalandhar being the center city of Punjab provides goods like glass and furniture to the neighbouring cities. It is also a hub of sports goods manufacture. Looking at the rate of rapid industrialization in Jalandhar, we plan to open Park Plaza very soon here. Also, to cater the massive tourist footfall in Amritsar, the group is 24

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looking forward to come up with Sarovar Portico in 2016.”

Offering modern accommodation and superior amenities, Sarovar Portico is committed to provide numerous services including an Outdoor Pool, a Fitness Centre, Business services, Free HighSpeed Internet access, a complimentary Buffet Breakfast and available taxi services for hire. The hotel rightly caters to the need of wedding & social banquets with ultimate cuisine options. The Crystal hall in the Sarovar Portico can cater to 300 guests comfortably.

“Café 181”— the multi-cuisine restaurant at the hotel — is ready to tickle taste buds of the city residents with stimulating Indian, Oriental and Continental cuisine and Al-a-Carte menus for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Also, The Lounge serves an amazing range of exotic Cocktails, international Wines &Spirits, Mocktails and starters for every mood. Keeping in mind the importance of safety and security for single lady travellers, a dedicated women’s wing is also present in the hotel,” informed Saurabh Ralhan, General Manager, Sarovar Portico Jalandhar.

The group also announced the opening of Nirwana Hometel in Jaipur.

This will be the group’s third hotel in Jaipur and fifth property in Rajasthan, in addition to Sarovar Portico & Park Inn in Jaipur; Park Plaza in Jodhpur and Optus Hometel in Bhiwadi.

The 82 rooms blend aesthetics with functionality to provide comfortable, restful stays. Nirwana Hometel Jaipur is Sarovar’s vibrant value brand that redefines the concept of an economy hotel. The hotel is defined by intelligent amenities and essential services which

speak to the needs of the budgetconscious traveller who seeks quality and affordability.

“Jaipur attracts a large number of domestic and international leisure tourists every year and in recent years movement of corporate travel segment into the city has also increased. The Hometel brand from Sarovar Hotels offers everything a guest aspires at a price that comes as a pleasant surprise. Nirwana Hometel will cater to both corporate and leisure segments owing to its location, comfortable rooms, business facilities and attractive dining options,” said Anil Madhok, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. “Nirwana Hometel is architecturally designed to give its guest a sense of adequate spaciousness by brilliantly managing the areas and facilities. Its intelligent amenities, essential services and affordability make it stand apart from array of similar hotels in the city. Nirwana Hometel will rejuvenate the concept of budget hotels with its services,” said Surja Ram Meel, Director, Meel Hotels Pvt. Ltd. “Each of the 82 well-designed guest rooms and suites at the hotel are modern in appeal and offer all contemporary amenities for a comfortable stay. The hotel restaurant-Flavours offers a great variety of Indian as well as international cuisine to tickle your taste buds along with the bar-Chill to refresh you with amazing cocktails and mocktails. A fitness centre would provide much desired respite. Two state of the art board rooms make meetings effortless. In addition, the hotel provides free Wi-Fi access too,” shared Veerendra Meel, Director, Meel Hotels Pvt. Ltd.

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Appointment

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Dr Jyotsna Suri Dr Jyotsna Suri, Chairman & Managing Director, Bharat Hotels, has been appointed as President of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

The announcement was made at the conclusion of the 87th Annual General Meeting. She succeeds Sidharth Birla to the top position.

Prior to this, she was Senior Vice President of FICCI. Dr Suri has been Chairperson of the FICCI Tourism Committee for the last five years and the only woman at the position. She has also been the only Indian member on the International Executive Committee of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), and Executive Member of Hotel Association of India.

Shashi Razdan Golden Tulip Hotels has appointed Shashi Razdan as the Area Director of Sales & Marketing, South Asia. A stalwart in the hospitality industry, Shashi brings with him over 23 years of rich experience from his previous stints at several renowned hotel groups including The Oberoi, The Imperial, Hampshire, and Uppal’s Orchid.

Prior to joining Louvre Hotels, Shashi held the position of Director of Sales & Marketing – with InterContinental Hotels Group - Crowne Plaza, Delhi. A graduate from Delhi University, Shashi has extensive experience in Sales, Revenue Management, Food & Beverage Operations.

As the Area Director Sales and Marketing, Shashi will be responsible in overseeing and directing all aspects of the Sales and Marketing activities of the Group for the South Asia region.

He will play a key role in the planning and development of promotional strategies, managing the sales and marketing team, implementing revenue generating measures and driving hotel performance.

Neha Saigal Neha Saigal who has joined JW Marriott Mumbai as the new Associate Director of Rooms. With over 10 years of experience at various Marriott International properties, Neha Saigal has made her mark on the travel and hospitality industry.

Neha brings forth a wealth of customer-service industry experience to Mumbai’s most iconic hotel, JW Marriott Mumbai. Educated in Crans-Montana in Switzerland, she 26

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holds a bachelor’s of business administration (BBA) in hospitality and tourism, plus a diploma in hotel management.

Neha was the Associate Director of Rooms at Courtyard Pune City Centre, where she was responsible for ensuring quality service and guest satisfaction.

She was also the Front Office Manager at JW Marriott Chandigarh, the Assistant Front Office Manager at JW Marriott Mumbai and the Assistant Front Office Manager at Melbourne Marriott Hotel, Australia.

Srijan Vadhera Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru announces the appointment of Srijan Vadhera as the hotel’s resident manager. He will work closely with the hotel’s general manager to oversee the rooms and food and beverage divisions, as well as other operational departments, including spa and recreation.

With over 16 years of experience in hospitality industry, Srijan Vadhera began his career in food and beverage and catering. He has held executive positions at some of the finest hospitality brands in major cities across India, including as executive assistant manager, group director of sales and marketing and regional director of sales with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Zuri Hotels, and Hyatt Hotels & Resorts.

He holds a masters degree in business administration.

Manali Gautam Sarovar Hotels has announced the appointment of Manali Gautam as Assistant Manager - Public Relations. She will operate from Company’s Corporate Office in New Delhi.

Manali possesses five year experience in media & corporate communications. Her last assignment was with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Chandigarh.

She has earlier also worked with the Dainik Bhaskar Group.

At Sarovar Hotels, Manali will actively take forward Company’s public relations strategy, build media relations and source favorable press coverage for the Group.

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Cover Story

MICE on the Rise

MICE is an important segment of the travel and tourism industry. It is a major revenue provider to the entire tourism industry, in general, and to the hospitality industry, in particular. MICE market in India is growing. There is no hard and fast rule to follow on how to attract MICE clients. The MICE promotional and marketing efforts for the hotels include one-to-one meetings, focused events, direct mail communications and offline and online campaigns with customers. MICE exhibitions also give greater brand visibility along with the opening up of networking opportunities to interact with potential customers.

In our last issue, prominent hotel industry professionals spoke about the percentage of MICE clientele in their hotels and the facilities they offered these clients to attract them.

Promoting the “Business with Pleasure” motto is the intention of the industry. Providing a novel concept was the idea to attract more MICE clientele. Here they discuss, with Ashok Malkani, some more steps being adopted by them to keep the MICE guests satisfied.

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eetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) segment has been growing at a fast pace in India. This business is now making way to tier II cities of the country too. A trend is being noticed to move away from the conventional destinations. New hotels are being built specifically to cater to the MICE clientele in Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai, etc.

According to Samir Avasthi, Director of Sales –International Sales Office, India, Hilton Worldwide, there has been an increased rotation of national conferences to cities such as Pune, Kochi, Lavasa (Maharashtra) and Hyderabad, apart from Delhi, Mumbai or Jaipur, etc. He states that market trends show an increase in MICE business. But at the same time, there are possibilities of a slowdown in MICE business and, therefore, hotels have to be ready to adopt new initiatives to keep this clientele satisfied.

Theme Dinners One of the initiatives, or ideas, that have been adopted by almost all hotels is Theme Dinners. Another is entertainment. Patria Badgwar, Director of Sales and Marketing, Bengaluru Marriott Whitefield disclosed that her hotel had taken up theme dinners in earnest. “We have an in-house events team that specialises is customising events as per the guest’s requirements.

Our Meetings Imagined website also showcases various themes that our clients could select, based on their meeting objective. Some of the meeting objectives are ideate, promote, celebrate, networking and educate. Based on these objectives

we offer our clients various themes which range from the décor to the food setup that cater best to their needs,” she elaborated.

Amrita Gujral, Director, Sales & Marketing, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach, stated, “Our hotel organises, besides theme dinners, business aperitifs and coffee breaks for its clients. These small touches go a long way in giving a taste of the kind of hospitality and culinary experience that the hotel has.”

Stephanie D’Silva, Director, Sales and Marketing at JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai said that many hotels organised theme dinners. “In our hotel the culinary expertise ties in beautifully with meeting themes and agendas. We also provide experts who furnish a more holistic view

to a matter of finer nuances as that of wine pairing or modern table etiquettes – concepts that aren’t industry specified yet can be fruitful to most.”

Abdul Nasir Shaikh, Director of Operations, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel & Lakeside Chalet Marriott Executive Apartments, averred, “Our exciting theme breaks are something that leave our guests in awe.

Our corporate guests can choose from a variety of fun theme coffee-tea breaks which are indigenous in nature (Mumbai Dabbawala, Bollywood, Local Ingredients, Monsoon, Regional Cuisines), Product based (Chocolate, Coffee, Indian Sweets, Spices, Ice Cream, Candy), International (Fashion, Hollywood, Wine and Cheese), and Sport-based (Football, Cricket),

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Jatin Khanna

Ranju Alex

Elton Hurtis

to make their event more exciting and memorable one.”

Hemant Tenneti, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan stated,” Out hotel not only organises theme dinners tying in with the central theme of the meeting, we go to the extent of ensuring that all meal periods including lunch and coffee breaks are themed, to ensure that the guests take back an experience with them.”

Manish Dayya, General Manager, Novotel Goa Shrem Resort and Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort stated that they offered theme breaks and worked in close coordination with the in-house events team to ensure instant availability, hassle free, bespoke solutions, dedicated support before and through the event.

Parul Thakur, General Manager, JW Marriott Bengaluru, stated that their dedicated events team was driven to deliver perfection, both in terms of conceptualisation to execution of events.

“We offer themed dinners to our

clients at the organiser’s request. Based on the brief we receive, we curate a special theme and menu for their delegates,” informed Amarendra Kumar, Assistant Director of Sales, Alila Diwa Goa. Javed Parvez, Director of Sales, Novotel Hyderabad Airport, revealed, “We conduct fun filled and themed lunches/dinners to add a touch of uniqueness to the meals for our MICE clients. These themes are also customised to the nature of meetings and conferences. For example, the menu of a hi-tea organised for a finance company included sandwiches with edible $100 notes on top. Other themes include Fake Food (with deception being an element like in a savoury muffin), Elements of Life (food inspired by fire, air, water and earth) and so on.”

Ranju Alex, General Manager, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa, said, “We usually insist that clients break away from the usual Gala Dinner format and move to more inventive catering options which are more impactful in terms of the overall offsite/MICE experience to their attendees. We are one of the few hotels that specialise in outdoor catering, utilising venues such as the Solar Colaco and the Reis Magos Fort.”

Aashu Bhatnager, General ManagerSales & Marketing, TGB Banquets & Hotels Ltd., disclosed, “Theme dinners are quite popular. Companies share their event concepts with their event organisers and hotels and we have been arranging for tailor made events from time-to-time.

While we have our pre-fixed easy to choose menu options, we provide a high degree of customisation and a wide gamut of cuisine options.”

Jatin Khanna, General Manager, JW Marriott Pune stated, “Meetings Imagined’ is the first-of-its-kind concept introduced by Marriott that reinvents how meetings are planned. Believing that every meeting has a purpose and each purpose has to be delivered differently, the ‘Meetings Imagined’ concept provides our guests an interactive online platform.

After understanding the concept and idea of the event, our F&B and culinary teams provide various options to the guests to choose from. We not only organise theme dinners but also complement it with theme decors / set-ups and innovative F&B options.”

Elton Hurtis, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott Bhopal disclosed, “Theme dinners are popular. Bhopal, being a heritage Nawabi city, people love to keep the authentic royal theme.”

Sunil Bhatia, Sales & Marketing Manager, Hotel Mirador, said that his hotel did indulge in theme dinners.

“However, it all depends on the budget of the client.”

Patria Badgwar

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Abdul Nasir Shaikh

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Hemant Tenneti

Light Entertainment Theme dinners, or lunches, are only part of the MICE get togethers in the Indian MICE segment. There are also need for providing some entertainment to ease the tensions of the attendees. Stephanie declared, “Our customer engagement events will stand a testimony to the light heartedness Marriott can display! We have had our associates dress up as characters out of a Bollywood scene and Chef ’s selling vada-pav like they were at a train station.”

“Renaissance Hotels worldwide has inspired a new era in hotel-branded entertainment with the launch of RLife LIVE, an entertainment and music platform that provides hotel guests and local patrons the chance to engage with musical talent on-site at 150 Renaissance properties world-wide. The unforgettable interactions vary from acoustic performances, unexpected DJ sets, post-concert events and meet and greet opportunities. Renaissance Hotels created this program knowing their hotel guests want to discover something new and be one step ahead of the crowd when it comes to music experiences. These guests are passionate about finding the best hidden gems and local finds in whatever city they are staying at. Through RLife LIVE Renaissance Hotels aims to be the leader in providing hotel guests with a fresh new way to view the entertainment world through unforgettable experiences.

Renaissance Mumbai launched its first RLife LIVE event with the Indian contemporary folk artists Raghu Dixit, followed by various live performance by artists such as The Other People, Shilpa Rao, Indus Creed to name a few. This

HOTEL Business Review

year too, Renaissance Mumbai has an interesting line up of events for music enthusiasts and patrons,” disclosed Abdul Nasir.

Jatin disclosed, “These days guests believe in organising interactive events and exercises which provide the participants a chance to interact and enjoy along with the training. We often conceptualise and organise multifaceted sessions for our guests keeping in mind the objective of their event. Cooking and cocktail making competition, yoga sessions, etc. are some of the light hearted entertainments which we have organised in the past.”

Philippe Charraudeau, Vice President (West) & General Manager, ITC Maratha Mumbai, said, “Depending on the occasion, ITC organises stress buster balls and some indoor games during thematic coffee/tea breaks for guests attending an event.”

“Goa is all about fun, fair and parties and no parties are complete without entertainments. We, at Novotel Goa, work with event partners to offer the best of entertainment options, based on the budgets as suggested by the clients, and customise these requirements including sound and audio visual requirement for these entertainments and activities,” Manish stated.

Ranju too believes that Goa is a land of fun and frolic. “Goa has a lot of local talent in terms of folk dancers, magicians, stand up comedians, one man bands and also in terms of larger full fledged bands, which provide quality entertainment to customers. Goa Marriott is also happy to organize other activities such as the Amazing Race, Treasure Hunts,

Amrita Gujral

Masterchef Cook offs, Football/Cricket and other sporting activities, which entertain and also help create a sense of team amongst the participants,” She added.

Javed asserted, “At Novotel Hyderabad Airport, we believe in offering our MICE clients the chance to bring an element of fun during work and engaging them to the fullest throughout their stay. At our Sports Arena, they can avail of swimming and long tennis training sessions that are conducted by certified trainers. We have a live band to help all our guests unwind, with themed dinners on Fridays and Saturdays, as well as Brunch on Sundays.

“Alila Diwa Goa takes pride in going that extra mile to make our guests’ stay at the hotel a memorable one. Hence, we organise events for our MICE clientele including serenades’, saxophonists, Indian traditional acoustic performances depending on the interests of the delegates,” Amerendra stated.

Incentives /Value Additions

Parul Thakur

MICE is an important segment of guests for the hotel industry. Sunil asserted, “MICE is important business since the client profile helps in boosting food & beverage business also, in case one gets to do one of the Gala Evenings. It’s a good opportunity to showcase one’s brand (product & services) before delegations, associations, corporates and single business travelers.”

So what are the value additions offered by the hotels to the MICE clientele?

Sunil lists a few offered at the Mirador Mumbai as: venue transfers, early checkin, late checkout, discounts on F&B, and laundry.

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Philippe Charraudeau

Stephanie declared, “JW Marriott Mumbai offers over 14,000 sq. ft. of banquet space with customized packages suited to its guests, all this tied in with its personalised and exemplary services.

Additionally, Marriott is soon introducing a concept of the most unimaginable meetings called Meetings Imagines, across its brands. “ “Being a part of Accor Group of Hotels, we, at Novotal Hyderabad Airport, have very strong loyalty program called Meeting Planner, which specifically caters to MICE groups,” disclosed Javed.

Manish added that the Accor group had a global program, which was followed

by Novotel Goa. “This programme, created especially for meeting planners and conference organisers, is called the ‘Le Club Accorhotels Meeting Planner’”.

Philippe stated, “By virtue of its large potential and importance to the business, we have a dedicated team to handle the MICE segment usually comprising of both room sales and banquet sales representatives. Our

Sunil Bhatia

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association with Starwood enables international guests to avail attractive offers. Further, our expertise on green banqueting, membership programmes, F&B promotions and various value-added services are some of the initiatives offered to this segment.”

Ranju said, “Value additions at our hotel­— Goa Marrriott Resort & Spa — could be anything – from complimentary shared airport transfers via hotel coach, to complimentary Internet to double Marriott reward points and hotel discounts.”

Amarendra explained, “The value added services offered by Alila Diwa Goa are the booker incentive and room night incentive programme to attract more business. The people who book hotels for MICE events are called the bookers.

They are the ones who decide which hotel would be perfect for a given event.

If they book Alila Diwa Goa, we offer them a booker incentive which they can redeem later. The room night incentive programme is for the company wherein free nights are offered to them for their next business to ensure they return to us.”

Parul stated, “At JW Marriott Bengaluru, we strive to offer value added propositions to promote our MICE offerings. With Marriott Rewarding Events, our guests have the opportunity to earn points when they plan their meeting or event at Marriott. They can earn up to 50,000 points per qualified event with Rewarding Events, that they can redeem for free hotel stays, luxury cruises and spa getaways. At the JW Marriott Bengaluru, we believe in going beyond and adding value to all the services we offer our guests, right from crafted food & beverage options to relaxing spa sessions.”

Amrita disclosed, “We incentivise MICE organisers and direct corporates by offering them various packages that they can choose from. At Novotel Mumbai, we also have an incentive programme called Le Club Meeting Partners.”

Patria said, “We provide customised value additions based on our client’s needs. Most of our events include guests from different cities or countries, hence personalising the experience is something we at Bengaluru Marrriott Whitefield focus on. Value additions such as Dedicated Meeting Planners, Complimentary Stage and Projectors,

Stephanie D’Silva

Themed Breaks, Tailormade City Tours, Complimentary Cooking and Cocktail Making Classes are offered to our meeting partners”.

Abdul Nasir declared, “A very popular new trend at Renaissance Mumbai is the ‘Green Meetings’. Renaissance Mumbai has been on the forefront of environment conservation and gives all its customers the choice of this option; these meetings have organic and seasonal food items, table mint with local flavour (imli goli, aam papad, etc), recycle stationary, paper less menu and terrariums (potted plants) as center piece.”

Jatin asserted, “While having the largest room inventory and convention spaces in the city remains JW Marriott Pune’s strength which attracts a lot of MICE movement, the Marriott brand also provides the advantage of Marriott rewards program wherein a guest can earn points or airline miles when they hold an event with us. The specialised Events team at the hotel ensures that we support the guest with automated tools for event

Amarendra Kumar

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Javed Parvez

registration, event planning checklists and organise pre-conference meetings with the hotel team to understand guest requirements.”

Aashu stated, “Our expert advise in guiding our customers in what fits their pocket and event viability set us apart from our competitor hotels.”

Future Plans for Attracting MICE But no hotel, irrespective of the service and facilities it offers, can remain complacent and self-satisfied. There has to be constant endeavour to come up with something new….something unique. And most of the hotels are busy doing that.

“Alila Diwa Goa has always tried to ensure repeated business by exceeding expectations and we make sure we continue doing this. Some of the key activities that we are planning for the future are attending MICE themed trade fairs, organising FAM trips for agents and bookers that have MICE potential and offering them incentive programmes,” asserted Amarendra.

Abdul claimed, “After conducting a global research on the way people work, we at Renaissance determined that what the industry provides in meetings & events has great opportunity for change. The world today is more social, more mobile, more global and more collaborative. Therefore we, at Renaissance Mumbai, are innovating to deliver more inspiring, more engaging, and more results driven meeting experiences. We are transforming the meeting experience with engaging technology, flexible workspaces to inspire collaboration, and with creative solutions for the way you work today.”

Hemant sums up the future plans at 34

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Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan as: • Customised packages • Innovative food and beverage • Modern meeting spaces with set ups based on purpose of meeting • Outdoor social venues • Activities around the hotel to keep the guests engaged Ranju sums up the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa’s plans thus: • Targeting our main source markets and meeting with customers • Partnering with consolidators and group intermediaries towards promoting the hotel as a MICE destination • Event calendars to track both domestic and international MICE movements.

Sunil says Mirador Mumbai’s plans for attracting more MICE guests are to tie up with the principal agents & journals associated with the event.

Philippe disclosed that to attract large numbers of MNCs, corporate guests and top echelons of various companies, “we organise multi-city road shows, participate in exhibitions, and host cultural events to showcase our various brands.”

Jatin felt that the hospitality scenario was ever changing. “The future of MICE is not just about tables and chairs. It is about adding value to the event. We at the JW Marriott Pune strive to bring that much needed value to every guest’s event, through innovative set ups, culinary options, technology and an exceptional experience to provide personalised and innovative solutions to our guests. To achieve this we focus on training our staff to prepare them to deliver extraordinary service.”

Manish had a different take on the subject. He stated, “We want to participate in all trades and fairs that

Aashu Bhatnagar

Manish Dayya

support and promote MICE, both nationally and internationally, and ensure that the potential of this segment coming to Goa increases further.”

Patria disclosed, “Marriott has four hotels in Bengaluru and there are many more that have been planned to open in 2015. Also the city needs a convention bureau so that Bengaluru can be promoted as a destination internationally.

Elton revealed, “Courtyard by Marriott Bhopal has been partnering with the Government of Madhya Pradesh for promoting MP as the MICE destination.

Also we do regular sales blitz in the source cities to promote the city of Bhopal as a preferred destination.”

Aashu talking about his company’s future plans said, “We are planning for designing MICE packages and penetrating events and conferences market. We also organise industry wide FAM trips for our locations. With our standard packages, followed by a high degree of customisation options, we are sure to draw MICE clients to our locations in Surat, Rajkot and Ahmedabad.

Industry predictions indicate that the MICE sector in India is poised for vigorous growth. Recuperating after the recession, it is springing back, stronger than ever. The demand for meetings is on the rise and though companies are not splurging, luxury venues are not being ruled out either. The growing demand for meetings has resulted in hotels giving preference to larger meetings capable of paying more. The incentives and facilities being offered to this clientele is, according to the industry sources, destined to result in a boost for the MICE business, in the hotel industry. n

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Boosting Hotel Bookings Effective Marketing Strategy for 2015 Hotel’s marketing, in today’s environment, has adopted strategies that are extremely relevant in this digital era. It must be realised that offering a discounted rate is not is a wise option for attracting guests. Heavy discounting may affect the brand in the long run. Also the loyal customers may react adversely to this initiative.

Fortunately, positioning your hotel for future success and accomplishing your short-term marketing goals are not mutually exclusive concepts. There are several ways to market your hotel for future success without compromising the pressing needs of today.

Preparing a website that is easily accessible and has attractive content is a point that needs to be seriously considered. Ashok Malkani takes a look at some of the methods that have to be earnestly considered to make a success of your hotel. There are tips galore for preparing an effective website to grab the clients’ attention and making a prospective guest into a real time guest. A look at the trends in the hospitality sector during 2015 will enable the hoteliers in India to adopt an effective marketing strategy.

M

arketing your hotel needs careful planning. One has to make and follow a marketing plan even if the fruits of your labour aren’t immediately apparent. Hotel marketing strategies take time and effort.

Running a profitable hotel requires knowledge of what’s come before and a special knack for what’s next. It takes great attention to detail.

However, marketing of a hotel is not difficult, even in this competitive world, if you have an understanding of how to make your hotel saleable to prospective buyers. Today when DoMs and Marketing Managers speak about hotel marketing, mention of internet inevitably creeps in. Everyone agrees

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that the days of marketing your hotel through the conventional media is now a thing of the past.

A comprehensive hotel marketing plan helps your hotel business reach its goals. It is the road map of how you’ll focus your energy to achieve these goals—the route from point A to point B. For this you have to follow five basic rules: (1) Define yourself (2) Choose your audience (3) Settle the digital question (4) Ramp up inbound and outbound marketing strategies (5) Track your return on investment.

Highlighting the Plus Points Famous American actor RuPaul once

said, “If you don’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” Hotels too should follow this mantra. First pin down your property’s identity. Next let the world love you.

Business The work you should do to define your hotel’s unique identity will ultimately help you solidify your brand. Your hotel brand is far more than the colours in your marketing materials and the shape of your logo. Your brand communicates your company’s character and, accordingly, lets potential guests know what you offer better than anyone else.

And the best way to do this is through the net. Today, most hoteliers realise the importance of their webface to their customers and the extent to which customers interact with the brand through that medium. The Indian online industry has grown at a tremendous pace over the last 5 years. As Internet and credit card penetration has increased, more and more customers have started to adopt the e-commerce model.

Net Business India has been the cynosure of Internet and mobile-based consumer business. With over 800 million mobile subscribers, 100 million Internet

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subscribers, and 20 million facebook users, India has been at the forefront of Internet, mobile and social media usage.

With e-tail transactions crossing $400 million and poised to cross $12 billion by 2016, undoubtedly it’s a golden era for e-commerce in India.

Marketing has gone digital. No ifs, ands or buts about it—it’s time to market your property online. You need a website. Your website needs to be mobile compatible Mobile engagement is the driving force behind almost every sector of the market and the same goes for the travel and hospitality sector. This is reflected in the MakeMyTrip’s Hotel Tariff Tracker which reveals that 27 percent of MakeMyTrip’s online domestic hotel transactions in financial year ending March 2014 were contributed via mobile. This showcases the increasing propensity of Indian travellers to look and book hotels through smartphones.

MakeMyTrip witnessed a 45 percent increase in hotel bookings (web and

mobile) for summer holiday period. The highest transaction amount for hotel booking on mobile this year was Rs 1.15 lakh while the minimum transaction recorded was Rs 260.

According to Sanjay Bhasin, Managing Director at Goibibo, about 6 percent of hotel inventory is sold online — which is a huge market to be exploited indeed!

“Consumers are shifting focus from off line to online transactions. We saw more than 100 percent growth in online hotel bookings,” says Sharat Dhall, president, Yatra Online Pvt. Ltd. “The Internet has broken down information barriers creating unprecedented levels of transparency, and travellers can now get a true idea of the value that one hotel has to offer versus another,” says Aloke Bajpai, CEO and Co-founder at ixigo.com, an online travel company.

Create an Outstanding Website Rich Internet Applications (RIAs)

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represent a real opportunity for hoteliers to improve their online offerings because these are the tools which provide web designers the greatest flexibility in meeting the needs of the brand. But added richness will not always equate to an improved (or even a good) experience. At every point, you must think about what is the best possible experience for your customers.

Now more than ever, hotel websites play a central role in attracting guests.

In fact, Google recently unveiled a study which shows that 96 percent of all travellers rely on search engines to find accommodations. This is great news for hotels that have beautiful, responsive websites. On the other hand, it’s frightening data for any hotel with an outdated or poorly-designed web platform.

The overwhelming majority of guests will judge your entire hotel based on the first impression they get from your hotel website. So you have to plan your website meticulously.

Most hoteliers realise the importance of their webface to their customers and the extent to which customers interact with the brand through that medium; therefore, we should always invest in the best possible experience for our visitors.

RIAs provide the potential to take that experience to the next level. The best way to decide if RIA is right for you is to recognise your current website’s unique problems and identify optimum opportunities for improvement.

Experts suggest that you should give extensive details of the hotel. Details are what set you apart from the competition.

Your website is the best tool available for showing off your property and convincing guests that they should book with you. The more specialised you make your property the more likely you are to attract the kinds of guests you want. Your website content, thus, should be your top priority.

Quality Content, Need of the Hour Your web content has to be extremely good. This is significant as the clients are more and more interested in reading details about your hotel.

So what should you outline in the content? You have to first gauge what the guests want from you. Are they looking for a quick, easy place to spend a night?

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A romantic getaway? A family vacation?

An urban experience? Do they want a lot of attention or do they want to be left alone?

At times this would depend on the location of your property. Once you identify the types of guests your property attracts, think about whether your website serves them as well as your property does. Does your website show potential guests exactly what your property has to offer? The role of your content is to answer all their questions.

To effectively engage your visitors, you must present the most important information right away. This means strategically incorporating key details on your homepage, where visitors expect to see the things that interest them most.

To prevent bounces and encourage bookings, good hotel web design should have the following: Prominent Reservation Button: Never make your guests hunt

for a way to reserve a room. Feature your reservation button or availability calendar in a way that’s impossible to miss.

Are there areas of your site where visitors struggle with load times or accessing information that could benefit from RIA solutions? What are the new opportunities that customers may not yet be considering that can improve your site’s offering? These questions need to be addressed.

Many times, customer issues come down to, “How many clicks do I have to make to get to the information I need?”

Reducing the number of clicks improves the experience, and when designed

properly, RIAs can do that.

Contact Info: Some guests would rather send email inquiries or book over the phone. Display your hotel’s contact information prominently to make this easier.

Descriptive Content: Engage your visitors with compelling, descriptive content on your homepage. Focus on your location, especially if you’re conveniently stationed near the area’s top businesses or attractions. Continue with details that make your hotel sound attractive.

Photos: Select your hotel’s best photography and feature it prominently in a slideshow gallery near the top of your homepage or as a dynamic website background.

Targeting Your Guests While making the content don’t be under the erroneous impression that guests choose you. This way you may end up putting entirely irrelevant material on your website.

Your marketing plan will be far more successful if you choose your guests.

Imagine the types of people who would get the most value from your accommodations. Are they business people or leisure travelers? People traveling alone or with their families?

Young people looking for an original experience? This exercise will help you focus your marketing messages. How can your marketing speak to the solutions you offer each person? The answer to this question will help you create consistent, efficient hotel marketing materials. In the end, it’s all about knowing your audience.

New Developments As technology changes, hotel websites must adapt. Modern devices and new search engine updates have made old design strategies obsolete. To see if your site is stuck in the Dark Ages, let’s take a look at some key developments.

Several years ago, Flash animation was all the rage. Unfortunately, when Apple released the iPhone, it chose not to support Flash technology. The result?

Tens of thousands of hotel websites appeared broken on the vast majority of mobile devices. Enter HTML5, a powerful, flexible technology that provides the same graphical functionality

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of Flash without any of its clunky weight and incompatibilities. If your website doesn’t have a responsive design based on HTML5, you’re way behind the times, and the repercussions will prove costly According to the study conducted

by Google and Ipsos MediaCT, 36 percent of business travellers and 40 percent of leisure travellers use mobile devices to locate hotels. What’s more, this same research determined that poor mobile performance is the number one deterrent keeping mobile users from booking with a specific hotel. HTML5 is key to ensuring that your site is able to reach this rapidly growing market.

But this is not the end. It’s just the beginning.

To reach the full spectrum of your potential guests, your site must have a responsive design that adapts to each and every device and browser your guest might use to explore your property online.

This means a design that will automatically adjust itself to fit any resolution, device, or browser. Without this critical concept, your website will only be able to tap a limited pool of consumers—much to the delight of your key competitors.

Your online booking engine is fundamental when it comes to efficiently booking guests. It needs to be fast and easy to navigate. It needs an interactive availability calendar. It should also have a modern user interface that seamlessly blends with the look and style of your website.

Since search engine algorithms are becoming more sophisticated, websites with quality content do the best. Have your hotel marketing plan include a website with relevant articles, rich photography, and video.

Looking at the Year Ahead Updating your website at regular intervals is essential. As the hotel acquires new dimensions, you must focus on them. Every Marketing Manager must also know of the travel trends and the challenges and opportunities in

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the times to come. So what lies ahead in the coming year? The year ahead is full of challenges and opportunities.

It is predicted that benefit of loyalty programme will play an important role, particularly in the mid-market and budget-end of the market. As far as brands are concerned, they must focus on implementing consistently simpler but more compelling brand promises, and combine value with experience to entice consumers.

In 2015, Social media frenzy will become truly integrated in the travel and hospitality decision-making process, representing both threats and opportunities for the industry. Mobile technology will increasingly be at the heart of the consumer-brand interaction and

will offer a plethora of opportunities for customisation, communication, promotion and loyalty.

New Rules of the Game for Success in 2015 Several changes will have to be made if one desires to succeed during the year ahead. Millennials have become the fastest growing customer segment.

Exploration, interaction and experience are the major focus of millennials.

This customer segment besides looking for gourmet experience at reasonable price are interested in using technology to do things that many have become accustomed to doing manually; this includes checking in at hotels.

Here is what the industry will have to deal with successfully to make a success in the coming year: Customer Service: This will make the list every year, but this year it has to be a

combination of ‘high tech, high touch’.

Service must include enabling guests to be self-sufficient. The rise of the digital traveler requires the hotel industry to balance the expectation of personalization while enhancing the need to remain independent.

Technology: Consumers and not hotels will continue to drive in-room technological advances. We have already seen such technology that allows guests to charge multiple electronic devices and check-out from their room, but that is only the beginning. As guests rely more and more on their smart phones, hotels must make it easier for guests to get what they want and need through simple apps.

Hotels will need to continue to invest in technology to help improve the guest experience, but, they must also make smart investments. With limited budgets, hotels cannot afford to try every new technology. They must upgrade to technologies that have been proven to add to revenues and reduce costs.

It may be great to give every guest a remote control that opens the windows and closes the shades in their room, but that may not be justified if it does not bring in more revenue than it costs.

Tracking Returns What’s a plan if you don’t have a way to track its success? Make sure to follow through on all of your marketing efforts by including ways to monitor your return on investment (ROI). As you move forward with your plan, you’ll need to make informed decisions for each of your marketing strategies.

Knowing how to market your hotel not just for short-term occupancy gains but for future growth is a hallmark of a successful hospitality organisation. It is always the laggards in an economy that sacrifice strategic goals for immediate returns, and in a recession it is those businesses that keep their eyes on the future that find themselves in the best position after the storm. These marketing steps are expected to put you on the right path for longterm success, without compromising your immediate objectives. n

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Let us Look

North-Eastwards

By Swarnendu Biswas

T

he eight states of north-east India are Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim. It doesn’t deserve a mention that north-east India is a largely unexplored frontier for the tourism and hospitality industry of India.

This is despite the fact that the geographical area of north-east India has great natural beauty, complemented with wonderful wildlife and adventure tourism options and a rich tribal culture.

The tourism package that north-east India offers can greatly interest the growing numbers of domestic travellers, especially those who are opting for the offbeat travel options, and also the large sections of inbound tourists. In fact, the need for intelligent exploration of northeast India’s awesome tourism potential becomes very much apparent if we view some discouraging tourism statistics of our country.

Dismal Statistics India, according to the figures of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), attracted only 6.84 million foreign tourists during 2013 and only 6.5 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2012, which is negligible as compared to its widespread natural diversity, rich historical heritage and spellbinding adventure tourism and wildlife options.

It should make our tourism policy

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makers introspect that why China attracted 55.7 million foreign tourists in 2013, as compared to 6.84 million foreign tourist arrivals in India during the same year. During the same year, the US attracted 69.8 million international tourists. Even Thailand and Malyasia attracted 26.5 million and 25.7 million international tourists during 2013(according to UNWTO figures), despite having much smaller size than India. According to the Ministry of Tourism’s statistics, India attracted 6.97 million foreign tourists during 2013, which was also not very satisfactory.

The domestic tourism scenario is not that heart-warming either. Though

according to the Ministry of Tourism, during 2012, Indian states and UTs had 1036 million domestic tourist visits, as compared to 865 million in 2011 and 748 million in 2010, but these figures hardly give any indication of our awesome tourism potential. During 2013, according to the Ministry of Tourism, the domestic tourist visits in India to all states/UTs was only 1145 million, showing an annual growth rate of 9.6 percent over the 2012 figures. One of the effective ways to improve these dismal tourism statistics in India is to exploit the huge tourism potential of the north-east region more proactively and intelligently.

However, not only India’s inbound

Feature and domestic tourists’ numbers are discouraging, the fact remains that India’s domestic tourism is also very lopsided.

Our ten states’ contribution was about 84.5 percent of the total number of domestic tourist visits in the country during 2012, which revealed how lopsided our development of tourism sector is and how much of the huge tourism potential of the country is remaining to be tapped.

Of course, as the readers have guessed, the top ten states in terms of domestic tourist visits in India during 2012 didn’t feature any north-east state. This also indicates not only great unexplored potential for attracting our inbound and domestic tourist traffic to the northeast regions of the country, but also the unexplored potential for greatly enhancing the number of our inbound and domestic tourists by vigorously promoting northeast India as a destination.

Treasure-trove for Tourism One of the highpoints of northeast tourism is Majuli in Assam, the second largest river island in the world, surrounded by the mighty Brahamputra.

The place should be a must visit place for the lovers of nature and heritage. It is located about 20 km from Jorhat, a town of Assam. The place not only has fascinating natural beauty but embodies great historical and cultural legacy. The island’s 144 villages are home to several ethnic communities.

It is where the 15th century saint and fountainhead of Assamese culture, Sankardeva established a satra or neoVaishnavite monastery. This was followed by the development of 64 more satras. Due to the annual floods and constant land erosion, Majuli today is only a fraction of its original size of 1256 sq.km, which has forced many of the satras to shift base to Assam’s mainland.

HOTEL Business Review

But even today, Majuli is the principal seat of Vaishnavite faith, culture and practice, though only 22 of the 65 satras established in Majuli do remain. Many of these monasteries preserve antiques like weapons, utensils, jewellery and other items of cultural significance.

The pottery in Majuli, made from beaten clay and burnt in driftwood fired kilns, is similar to the pottery making tradition of the ancient Harappan civilisation, dating four-and-a-half thousand years ago. The river island also has a fascinating weaving tradition with a whole range of colours and textures, made in cotton and silk.

The best time to visit Majuli is during Rasleela, a three day festival held usually in mid-November. The festival celebrates the legendary love of Radha and Krishna and the devotion of the gopis to Krishna.

Almost every person in the island, whose population is predominantly tribal, takes part in the Rasleela festival. People from far flung places come to the island to take part in this festival.

Besides its cultural legacy, Majuli can be environment lover’s delight with its rich

bio-diversity. Here one can spot many rare and endangered avifauna species, such as the greater adjutant stork, pelican and the whistling teal.

However, sadly Majuli’s tourism infrastructure is poorly developed with hardly any star-rated hotels in Majuli.

Ferry service from Jorhat is the only way to reach Majuli. In this regard one should say that developing the tourism and hospitality infrastructure of this fascinating river island and creatively advertising the destination in the right print and audio visual platforms could properly exploit the tourism potential of this river island and generate new sources of livelihood for its locals.

Besides Majuli, one of Assam’s important tourism highlights is its varied wildlife, which includes the one horned rhinoceros among many others. It is natural, considering the state which has 35 percent of its area under forest cover.

Manas National Park, Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary ,and Kaziranga National Park are only some of the wonderful destinations to explore the awe-inspiring range of wild splendours of Assam. Manas National Park and Kaziranga National Park, the latter being famous for its onehorned rhinioceros, are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Brahamputra Beach Festival, Bihu Dance Festival and Tea Festival showcase the rich cultural kaleidoscope of Assam.

The tour of tea gardens in Assam can also be an enriching experience of Assam, where you can soak in pristine natural beauty nestled in greenery. River rafting in the Brahamputra, mountaineering and trekking are great opportunities for

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largely neglected. There are two main reasons for this unexplored potential.

Connectivity Constraints

intrepid tourists to satiate their spirit of adventure in the state.

Assam has a scenic hill station also, which is named Halflong. It is located 680 m above sea level. It is characterised by blue hills, green rivers and rare orchards and birds. Halflong Lake is a major attraction of this hill station as is Garampani, a hot water spring.

However, what tourism of Assam needs is more promotion and more and better tourism and hospitality infrastructure to earn the desired revenues for the tourism and hospitality industry of the state and generate the desired employment from its tourism. It also needs a political climate free from the insurgency inspired violence.

Besides Halflong, there are quite a few scenic hill stations in north-east too. Most famous of them are probably Shillong and Gangtok. Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, situated 1496 metres above sea level, was known by British as the Scotland of the East in the pre-independence era.

However, despite being the capital it still doesn’t have a rail connection and its Umroi Airport has only limited flights.

The airport has direct flights to only Kolkata and Guwahati. Guwahati Airport is the nearest proper air link to the city. In fact, the entire state of Meghalaya has only two airports.

Elephant Falls, Lady Hydari Park with its adjacent mini zoo, Wards Lake, Shillong Peak, and Butterfly Museum are among the various tourist highlights of Shillong.

Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, is another important hill station reflecting great scenic beauty. It is located 1650 m above sea level. Besides natural beauty, 44

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Gangtok has immense cultural significance too. Gangtok is a centre of Tibetan Buddhist culture and learning, and has the presence of several monasteries, and centres of Tibetology. However, like in Shillong, the connectivity in this capital to the rest of India is discouraging.

There is no rail connectivity to Gangtok too, with the nearest railhead being the New Jalpaiguri station at Siligiuri, located 124 km from Gangtok.

The closest airport from Gangtok is the Bagdogra Airport, which is located 16 km from the Siliguri town in West Bengal.

There is daily helicopter service from Bagdogra Airport to Gangtok, but it only operates once a day and carries only four passengers at a time. Pakyong Airport, to be located 12 km south of Gangtok, is under construction.

Succinctly, pristine natural beauty, rich cultural and historical heritage, fascinating glimpses into tribal lives, spellbinding wildlife and adventure tourism options‌ north-east has all. But its tourism is still

It is lamentable that Pakyong Airport will be the first greenfield airport to be constructed in the North-eastern region of India and will have the distinction of being the first airport in the state of Sikkim. If that is the situation of connectivity to the two above-mentioned capitals of northeast states, one can very well imagine the scenario of connectivity of other remote and beautiful parts of north-east India to the rest of the country.

There is no denying the fact that connectivity constraints are impeding the growth of tourism in north-east India. Developing air connectivity in various states of north-east India is most important for attracting the inbound tourists. At present, air connectivity between north-east India and the rest of India and beyond, and also within states of north-east India is dismal. In fact, it requires urgent attention by the Indian government.

Without good air connectivity in these eight states many tourists who want to visit maximum number of spots within northeast India at one go, and who would not prefer to travel through the states by road and consequently exhaust herself/himself and also spend a large amount of time in the process, would be discouraged to visit north-east India.

For example, consider the trouble a tourist from Berlin has to undertake to visit Shillong. She/he would likely to be reluctant to sacrifice her/his comfort for this elaborate travel schedule. It is surprising that the entire northeast India has only two international airports (Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi

Feature

International Airport in Guwahati, and Tulihal International Airport in Imphal, Manipur). And from Tulihal International Airport ,flight to only one international destination is directly connected, which is Mandalay in Myanmar. Most of the western world (Europe and beyond) are not directly connected by flights with Guwahati too.

Except Assam, no other states of northeast have more than two functional airports for commercial flights. Sikkim has no airport till today.

What to speak of flights, even rail and road infrastructure across north-east India is far from satisfactory. In this regard, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent announcement that the Centre would provide Rs.28,000 crore for laying new railway lines in the north-east region of India can evoke new hope for the tourism and hospitality sectors of north-east India. But how far would this envisaged investment would lead to the improvement of rail network in north-east India is a matter which can be evaluated in future.

Lack of Awareness Besides connectivity constraints, the lack of awareness has also led to appalling ignorance among the rest of India towards its north-east region, which has greatly affected the region’s tourism revenues.

Every year, a plethora of Indians throng to Shimla, Kullu-Manali, Mussoorie, Darjeeling, Mahabaleshwar and other popular hill stations, but I am not sure whether many of those tourists have heard of a small town nestled in the hills, named Along or Aalo. This scenic hill station is located in the West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, 297 km from

HOTEL Business Review

Arunachal Pradesh’s capital, Itanagar. It is placed in a valley, at the confluence of rivers Sipu and Siyom.

Situated 300 m above sea level, its picturesque ambience is surrounded by mountains, and is dotted with plantations. Along does provide opportunities for trekking, hiking, angling and river rafting. While in Along , a visit to its nearby villages can give the tourists glimpses to the day-to-day lives of the simple and smiling people of Arunachal Pradesh. At Along, one can also enjoy the crop cultivation festival named Mopin in early April and the Yamgo River Festival in January.

Similarly, the Dzoku Valley in Nagaland-Manipur border, which is located only 30 km from the Nagalnd’s capital Kohima and which assumes breathtaking beauty through its carpet of flowers during June to September, is not very much popular among the conventional tourists of India.

The rare Dzükou Lily is found only in this valley, which can make the valley an eco-tourist’s delight for exploration.

Rhododendrons of various hues are no less captivating. Treks through the Dzukou Valley can be an ethereal adventure of a lifetime. During winters, the stream flowing through Dzukou Valley gets frozen. During summers, wild herbs sprout along the banks of streams and during monsoons, the entire valley gets decked with flowers. But how many of our conventional domestic and inbound tourists know of the place? Not many, I am sure.

The Naga Heritage Village, which is located just 10 km from Kohima, and the Hornbill Festival are other wonderful

attractions of Nagaland, that more and more tourists should explore. But neither information about Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh’s rich tribal heritage and nor Mizoram and Sikkim’s mountaineering options are disseminated to the world of tourists in the way they should. How many of us know that Mizoram has more than 20 peaks whose heights vary from 1179 m to 2157 m in altitude?

How many rich Indians who visit Switzerland or Greece for holidays do think of visiting Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh, which is one of the largest wildlife protected areas in India and is the largest national park of the north-east region? It also happens to be the third largest national park in India, in terms of area. The park also has the distinction of having the northernmost lowland evergreen rainforests in the world at 27°N latitude.

There are several such examples of wonderful north-east locales or festivities not getting the desired tourist patronage due to lack of awareness, which in turn could be traced to lack in promotion and publicity.

Of course, initiatives to drastically improve the air, rail and road connectivity of the north-east India to the rest of India is the need of the hour, but that should be complemented by an array of incentives by the respective state governments of the north-east India for the hoteliers willing to invest in these eight states.

And of course, the promotion and awareness generation of north-east India’s tourism highlights, its rich and diversified ethnic culture and its sumptuous cuisine among the rest of India and also in the abroad is very much required. This can be done through creative and sustained advertisement campaigns in digital, electronics and print media and also through food festivals highlighting northeast cuisine across India and abroad.

Hosting of myriad festivals germane to the north-east India, in Indian metros and other big cities of India, and also in abroad, at regular intervals, can also be a pragmatic option to generate awareness and promotion about northeast India’s tourism across rest of India and abroad. Of course, these festivals should also be highlighted through advertisement campaigns in print and audio visual media. n

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F&B

HOTEL Business Review

Prevailing and Emerging F&B Trends

By Sharmila Chand

A

s we are in the last phase of 2014, let us take a look at some of the key trends that rocked the Indian restaurant business during this year. Some were good, some were not so good. There were some challenges as well along with the trends.

We talked to some industry professionals and got to know their opinions on the key trends that dominated the Indian restaurant business during 2014, and also what they expected in the forthcoming new year. However, many of these trends and challenges discussed below are not only germane to 2014 but have been continuing for some time. What is important in the context of this write-up is that 2014 also passed through these trends and challenges.

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Eating Out in 2014 “Wine, whiskey and beer cocktails are trending in a big way. In the past, consumers enjoyed their wines without any customisation; their whiskies on the rocks and their beer chilled without any additions. But of late people have started experimenting with their classic favourite alcoholic beverages, in a more pronounced manner. The number of consumers for all these three beverages has also increased and so has the demand for their experimentation,” elaborated Nirupa Shankar, Director, High Ultra Lounge, Bangalore, while talking about the recent restaurant business trends in India.

“Pan-Asian cuisine is also creating a big buzz in the Indian food service industry.

Restaurants are offering classic pan-Asian food, comfort pan-Asian food and pan-

Asian food with a modern twist,” she noted further.

Online food reviews are also playing a big role in the success of the restaurant business. “More consumers than before are depending on reviews and ratings before venturing out to a restaurant or a bar,” Nirupa explained.

“In 2014, more restaurants in India are seen serving fusion cuisine, with east meets west being in demand. Even Arabic takeaway food also is on the rise,” stated Shekhar Bhargav, Senior VP Operations, Royal Orchid Hotels and Regenta Hotels, Bangalore.

“Extensive sourcing of locally grown organic food products to meet the demand of health conscious guests is the in thing in 2014. Moreover, preparing healthy dishes with seasonal vegetables was the flavour of the season which is likely to continue next year too,” Bhargav averred while elaborating that “2014 has been a tough year for the F&B outlets in India, in terms of competition. One saw the trend of Chefs wanting to showcase their craft in front of savvy diners who preferred interacting with Chefs. Custom made food has also been a rising trend.”

“Social media has made a huge impact on the food service industry in general, with people sharing reviews and pictures

F&B

HOTEL Business Review

Nirupa Shankar

of their eating out. The way food is being presented has also changed drastically, and it continues to be an important trend during 2014,” pointed out Vedant Kanoi, Co-Founder, foodcloud.in.

“Late night delivery, restaurants focused on delivery, and food delivery from home Chefs are somethings which are gaining a lot of traction,” Kanoi observed.

According to Kanoi, “In terms of cuisines, modern Indian and Mexican cuisine have been the major trends in the Indian food service industry.”

“Lately, the Indian market is flooded with cuisines from all around the world and the readiness of people to try these global cuisines has increased,” articulated

Shekhar Bhargav

Satej Saigaonkar, Executive Chef, Courtyard by Marriott, Ahmedabad.

“However, we have noticed that the consumer preference still remains tilted towards traditional Indian food with a modern twist to it. Based on this very concept, our vegetarian specialty restaurant — Shakahari — has been revamped. The restaurant serves Indian vegan food with a modern twist; an example of which is our Chikki Kurmura Cheesecake,” Saigaonkar noted.

“Keep calm and stay healthy was seen as the new trend, and given this, a lot of our customers shifted to healthier and lighter versions of food. Our latest addition, Java+, offers a variety of healthy smoothies and fresh juices to help our customers stay fit,” he added further.

“The key trends in the Indian food service industry which have been observed in 2014 include the launch of the unique dining destinations and F&B hubs in Delhi-NCR,” put Indrashis Sinha, Associate F&B Director, Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon.

The Challenges to Consider Along with the prevailing trends, 2014 also passed through a series of challenges for the Indian restaurant business.

“Competition has heated things up.

New restaurants and new restaurant concepts are opening every other day.

This makes maintaining customer loyalty challenging as consumers want to try something new and visit the latest restaurant,” pointed out Nirupa.

According to her, “Retaining good talent is also getting tougher for existing restaurants as new restaurants are paying increasingly high salaries.”

“More and more restaurateurs are going for designing specialised restaurants which feature food from a particular region to maintain the authenticity. Hence restaurants of hotels, which offer multicuisine are suddenly feeling the threat,” affirmed Bhargav.

“Exhaustive government regulations and the lack of clarity of these regulations have been a challenge for entrepreneurs in the Indian food service business, which is continuing in 2014 too. Another major challenge is the paucity of skilled work force,” expressed Kanoi.

“The challenges in kitchen are increasing, ranging from paucity of trained manpower to paucity of supply chain

Indrashis Sinha

effectiveness,” proffered Sanjay Bahl, Director, Food and Beverage, The Suryaa New Delhi.

“People are also re-discovering a taste for traditional, local food from all over the world. In some cases when the cuisine is not suited to the Indian palate, fusion of flavours is required, which can be a challenge,” offered Nirupa.

“Ahmedabad is emerging as the new business market, as a result of this we get to cater to multiple national & international clients. But coping up with their various preferences becomes a challenge for us. Some of our major clientele includes South & East Indians, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, British, Arabic and Spanish,” informed Saigaonkar. This challenge for the food service professionals can be extended to food service businesses of many other big cities of India.

“Changing global F&B trends and

Gaurav Singh

Nov-Dec ’14

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HOTEL Business Review

Satej Saigaonkar

discerning and very well-travelled diners are pushing the bar on quality. Hence training, quality of ingredients, expertise and knowledge of Chefs, and the willingness to raise the bar has become critical for the success of many restaurant businesses of India,” explained Gaurav Singh, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott, Ahmedabad.

“A large section of guests are now expecting much more than good food and beverage from a restaurant. They want different experiences combined with superlative ambience and service,” asserted Nirupa.

“Repeat customers have come to expect restaurants to know their favourite drinks and dishes to keep tab of their preferences.

In this regard we can say that data analytics of consumer preferences will become important,” she elaborated further.

content but also to have calories content with nutritional values written on them,” elaborated Bhargav further.

Bhargav had other interesting points too. “Local customised food and flavours will survive, and authentic community food will also be in demand. Restaurants in hotels will have to focus on their breakfast spread with focus on health food and even dessert menu will have to be calorie conscious,” he expressed.

“The popularity of social media and its effectiveness will be on the rise in the Indian restaurant business. The reach of culinary establishments to woo their guests with much more net oriented, personalised service will emerge,” articulated Bahl.

“Many branded hotels and restaurant chains are coming up in key business cities, Ahmedabad being one of them. This paves the way for new food concepts to flow in, creating awareness and demand for newer products. Thus we can see that restaurants will get more opportunity to experiment with food based on their creativity,” explained Saigaonkar.

Moreover, diners are moving from three-meals-a-day concept to small bites and inter-meals. This will influence the restaurant business in future. “A prominent trend to rule the market will be of quick service restaurants, where quick bites, salads, Mexican street food, dim sums, wraps, rolls and frozen desserts will capture a big chunk of the market. This will be even more apparent in a market like Ahmedabad where many business clients travel from metros,” Saigaonkar added further.

“Going forward, we can see that low calorie, low fat and less carbohydrate

The Possible Future Trends The expectations from 2015 or rather observations about the futuristic trends from the players in the Indian food service industry also made for interesting discussions.

“Extensive use of technology will be the next big thing in this market. Today as technology has completely revolutionised how shopping is done, same can be forecasted in this industry as well,” viewed Bhargav.

“It can be forecasted that in the future most restaurants will present menu on ipads where customers will have the option of ordering through ipads. As the customers are getting health conscious, the menus will be expected to not only have

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Sanjay Bahl

Vedant Kanoi

options shall become more popular; though, being able to deliver these in a comfort manner with excellent taste that is recognisable to the Indian palates and following superb quality standards is going to be a challenge to deliver,” stated Singh.

According to him, “Some traditional methods of cooking and exquisite preparations will remain as part of the fine dining culture but easy to go dining options such as cafes, bistros and QSRs are going to gain volumes. Moreover, more and more diners are nowadays wishing to eat small portions. In this context, lighter meals like brunches, hi-teas, supper and mid night snacks are bound to have success.”

“I think consumers will have more frequent casual eating out outings than ever before, and the culture of dining out is going to see an upward surge,” Singh observed.

“Opening of new cafés, bars and restaurants would continue to mushroom in Delhi-NCR as there are lot of projects in pipeline. The industry would have something new to add to the existing pool of dining options in Delhi-NCR,” aired Sinha.

“The year 2015 looks promising for food service and hospitality industry of India, as the tourism and economy are expected to only improve from the current trend. With more options for dining, with new concept based restaurants coming up and the existing restaurants expected to further shape up in helping the customers with more choices and new experiences, we are looking forward to an exciting time in 2015,” stated Sinha confidently, while analysing the macro trends in these industries. n

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Sp a

HOTEL Business Review

Find Your

Arogya in Pune

By Sharmila Chand

A

n idyllic sanctuary in the middle of the urban habitat, Arogya Spa & Fitness Centre at Hyatt Regency Pune offers an array of essential therapies to facilitate that well-being seeps into the body with the healing touch of minerals and essential oils.

Succinctly, Arogya Spa & Fitness Centre comes across as a sanctuary that provides a holistic approach to rejuvenation. It is designed to help revitalise, de-stress and align your senses with curative therapies that are inspired by indigenous traditions.

The name is derived from the Sanskrit term ‘Arogya’, which means ‘complete wellness.’ The logo draws from the

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belief that if the six chakras in the body are aligned, then the seventh chakra is naturally activated and the body becomes free from every ailment. In tune with this belief, Arogya offers treatments to assist in balancing the chakras and bringing wellness.

According to the traditional Indian beliefs, the chakras are energy centres and are located through the midline of the body, starting with the base chakra, the sacral chakra, solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, throat chakra, brow chakra and the crown chakra. Once the six chakras are aligned then the crown chakra is activated, ushering in a state of holistic wellness.

Arogya Spa & Fitness Centre, which is spread across 650 sq.m, has six exquisite

treatment rooms, including two couples’ suites and one Ayurvedic therapy room.

Each of these treatment rooms features its own private shower and changing area.

The spa also features steam and sauna rooms, and a whirlpool bath.

Here guests can indulge in traditional massages or purifying facials. Guests can also benefit from the age-old knowledge of traditional Indian medicine known as Ayurveda.

A wide range of body polishes and scrubs, derived from a traditional mixture of Indian spices to promote deep cleansing, relieve muscular soreness and improve blood circulation, thereby leaving the guests refreshed and recharged, is also available. What is more, an in-house Ayurvedic doctor helps guests to understand the science of Ayurveda.

However, at this wellness destination you can get both Indian and western therapies to attain your rejuvenation.

The state-of-the-art gymnasium has a wide range of the latest cardio and strength training equipments, which facilitate the guests to get a perfect workout. In addition, personal trainers are there to assist at all times. The spa also features a temperature-controlled, indoor swimming pool (with sun roof ) that is set among aesthetic water features and mirrors.

Arogya Spa & Fitness Centre also

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HOTEL Business Review

has a yoga studio endowed with shockabsorbent wooden flooring and wafting of soothing background music, which is specially styled for yoga enthusiasts.

Rounding off the spa experience is an indoor heated swimming pool with sun roof and water features, which can give guests the perfect swim experience year-round, thereby also enabling them to rejuvenate their spirits with the healing touch of water. n

The Practitioner of Wellness

By Sharmila Chand Dr. Dinesh Goswami, the Spa Director at Hyatt Regency Pune, was born and brought up the in city of temples— Bhubaneswar. Hailing from a family of devout spiritualists, he has been carrying the traits of spiritualism along with him since his childhood.

He began his journey into wellness during his early years of schooling and practiced yoga as part of his regular routine, along with the regular studies. His interest in learning the art of healing again pulled him into the alternative studies, where he explored more through yoga, Ayurveda and alternative medicines. He also pursued Spa Management from Ananda Spa Institute and CIBTAC, and Yoga Programme from Yoga-Vedanta Forest Acadamy, Rishikesh.

Dr. Goswami has expertise in wellness & diet consultation and prescribes treatments to guests as per their health issues and needs.

He has also practiced and taught the traditional Hatha Yoga method for over 15 years. His signature yoga classes include the sequential practice of sun salutation, asanas, pranayama, relaxation and meditation. The excerpts of interview follow: What are the current trends in the Indian spa industry? How have the things changed and what all have remained the same?

Now the guests are very much aware of the utility of spa & wellness. Spa designs have also changed and evolved. A re-visit to nature continues among today’s eco-aware spa goers and there are spa destinations which tap into the healing source of the earth. Many wellness professionals today emphasise on using muds, sands, and other natural materials.

However, I would like to add that as the modern concept of the day spa gained popularity, much of the natural element of wellness has been lost.

What are the key challenges in spa business, these days?

Staff retention is a main challenge.

Making guests understand the philosophy of spa service when they have unreasonable demands is also a challenge in our profession. Informing a guest that his/her code of conduct in the spa is

not acceptable is another challenging proposition.

What factors have to be kept in mind while chalking out a decent spa menu?

The spa menu should be designed according to the location of the establishment. It should not showcase a huge number of treatments, which can lead to confusion in guests’ mind.

Furthermore, while designing spa menu, always keep options for short duration treatments, focusing into key areas. It is always preferable to have exclusive indigenous treatments, which always play the role of icing on the cake in the spa menu. The concept behind the spa menu should also be strong and very clear.

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

As a Spa Director, I enjoy interacting with my colleagues and guests the most.

I also like to use eco-friendly products. I enjoy introducing new services, products

and techniques with a natural approach.

Could you describe Arogya Spa & Fitness Centre in a sentence?

With a holistic approach to rejuvenation and fitness inspired by indigenous traditions, Arogya Spa & Fitness Centre is an idyllic sanctuary where guests can practice yoga, or experience a host of well-being therapies to relax, recharge, rebalance and revive.

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

Rasa Massage is my favourite as it is an anytime massage, which helps me to relax, de-stress and renew my physical and emotional energy.

This stress busting massage begins with gentle thumb strokes on tired and sore muscles, with a blend of fragrant signature oils. Each muscle section is massaged and stretched, gently easing knotted nerves, and restoring the energy flow.

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Grand Mercure in Goa

A New Destination for Travellers and Tourists

G

rand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort is Accor’s first spa property in India. It aims to defy conventional ideas about what guests might expect not only from a resort in Goa, but also from a resort as a whole.

Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort exemplifies understated indulgence and amiable service in an intimate sanctuary, offering guests an experience that is characteristically inspiring. Nestled amidst the serene countryside of lush paddy plantations, relaxation reigns at the upscale resort.

This breathtaking property just off North Goa’s bustling nightlife and beaches is designed as a magical hideaway where time stands still and the serenity of the location rejuvenates you. Owned by the Shrem Group and managed by Accor India, this enchanting getaway is situated on the calm and inviting corner of Candolim road and is only 40 minutes from the airport by car.

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The resort has been designed aesthetically as contemporary and sophisticated. With its dramatic architecture, this resort in North Goa was conceptualized as a charming IndoPortuguese destination. The interiors are designed to capture the Goan ethos

Manish Dayya

through modest furniture with clean lines. Whether relishing an intimate couple’s hideaway or a retreat for the entire family, the 121 rooms and suites at this resort offers havens of space and cosiness.

Grand Mercure is targeting high-end leisure guests and group travellers as well as small to medium MICE business.

Goa is becoming a tourist attraction for families and independent travellers who look for entertainment, fine dining, shopping and a sense of history.

Commenting at the launch, Nitan Chhatwal, MD, Shrem Group, said, “We are delighted to be associated with the Grand Mercure brand in India, and are confident of Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort being a preferred choice for travellers. With this association, we plan to bring the best of hospitality to leisure and business travellers to the region”.

Designed with travellers’ passions in mind and aiming to offer the very

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HOTEL Business Review

Chy

Festa

Restaurants

beverages offer thirst quenching options to the leisure clientele. Fresh sugarcane juice and bantewali bottle is reminiscent of one’s childhood or choose over a shinkajvi or masala chai with an aroma of bhajiyya platter, vindaloo puff or freshly baked cookies.

Festa, the 100 seater all day diner restaurant is overlooking the vitality pool, banyan tree and lush green paddy

fields. The name primarily stems out from festivity. Festa is an innovative, trendy all day dining venue for discerning diners. The restaurant offers multiple menu options for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Buffet and A la’ carte. Festa showcases European, Asian and Indian cuisines and emphasises on freshness and creative plate presentations, which are distinctly unique in their offerings.

best of Grand Mercure hospitality, the resort aims to delight the shopaholic, the gastronome, the spa enthusiast and the nature lover. With an exclusive array of local offerings including the select Kajahbeedi, Kings Beer,Soda Codd Masala Shikanjvi, guests at Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort will be enamoured by a string of upscale experiences.

Manish Dayya, General Manager, Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort, said, “Our aim at the Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort is to create a memorable experience for all our guests. The resort has been designed as an upscale gateway for families and couples offering solitude, comfort & a well-deserved holiday slumber! With unique dining concepts on offer, the resort strives to delight guests’ palate with an array of flavours.”

Resident guests and visitors can feast on an extensive selection of cuisines at the hotel’s four restaurants and bars. Chy, an all-day café and deli, serves freshly brewed coffee and tea, healthy juices, homemade breads and pastries and a wide selection of snacks. Festa is a 100 seat innovative,

trendy all day dining venue for discerning travellers and international diners. The restaurant takes guests on a theatrical culinary journey encompassing European, Asian & Indian delicacies paired with wine from an extensive list.

At Junho Bar, guests can enjoy classic cocktails, and a fine selection of spirits and wines with scrumptious cocktail snacks. The lounge sports a majestic floor-to-ceiling Wine Tower, along with

a collection of select international wines.

Attached to the pool, Sunken Bar, the pool bar serves refreshing cocktails and light snacks.

BalæSpa at Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort offers holistic treatments through a blend of therapeutic measures. Nestled in a tropical Balinese inspired design, this spa sanctuary offers a distinct retreat experience for soul-seekers and selfindulgent individuals. The enticing blend of traditional and exotic treatments is worth experiencing at Balæ.

In India, Accor operates a network of 7 distinctive brands underpinned by operational excellence, while embracing its European heritage. Accor is uniquely placed as the only international hotel group in India with brands that span across all segments from luxury to budget, operating 26 hotels across the key destinations in India.

The Grand Mercure brand has operated in Asia Pacific for almost 20 years, anchoring itself around “Discover a new authentic” with the hotels closely connected to their local areas through their design, character and flavour, combined with upscale hospitality service.

Chy,the 45 seater deli, is located in the opulent lobby. It is a place to pick up your favorite sweet bites including some of the finest creations by talented Chefs.

Be spoilt for choice with wide selection of delectable chocolates, cookies, sumptuous cakes, waffle sandwiches and petit fours. A wide variety of teas, coffee, smoothies and local inspired

Nitan Chhatwal

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Property

HOTEL Business Review

The Bar

Junho Bar, with an option of indoor seating and contemporary music or of sipping a beverage under the stars in rustle of the wind, is the newest watering hole of Goa. Its

Rooms

The resort features 86 Superior Rooms, 10 Deluxe Rooms, 20 Superior Suites and five Executive Suites. Chic in decor and detail, each room at the resort in Goa is designed to keep the guests relaxed, offering a fine combination of sophistication, indulgence,

wine library boasts to have a wide collection of wines from traditional vintages to new world wines. An equal emphasis is given on local beers, mocktails, cocktails uniquely shaken and stirred with fresh fruit purees and compotes.

Sunken Bar, attached to the pool, serves refreshing cocktails and light snacks.

Overlooking the lush green paddy fields, the bar is a place to relax in between swims in the pool.

extravagance and service under one umbrella.

All guestrooms and suites are equipped with LED satellite television (42”), electronic safe, refrigerated private bar, in-room tea and coffee making service, a radio alarm clock with MP3 player connection and a refreshing collection of bath and body products.

Banquets

Appreciating the needs of today’s business travellers, the resort features one business centre and three board rooms and four meeting rooms. The four meeting rooms at Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort – Iris (2000 sqft); Ivy (2000 sqft); Lily (500 sqft); Tulip (1000 sqft) are equipped with the latest audio-visual and communications technology. The expansive 8000 sq. ft. outdoor convention space is ideal venue for MICE and wedding events. The extensive conference and banqueting facilities at the hotel accommodates up to 800 persons in a variety of flexible settings; ideal for business meetings, training seminars, picturesque wedding venues and social gatherings.

Swimming Pool

After taking a refreshing swim in the temperature-controlled indoor swimming pool, one can relax on the comfortable lounges by the poolside with drinks. There is also a Kids Pool, all with change area and washroom facility.

Health Club

Spa

Balæ is derived from Sanskrit word Balæ which means young and powerful; traits which the guest can feel once he/she has been rejuvenated at the Balæ Spa. Balæ Spa at Grand Mercure Goa Shrem Resort offers holistic treatments through a blend of therapeutic offers. Change is what the spa wants to bring to guests at Balæ Spa, which is designed within the tropical Balinese style 54

Nov-Dec ’14

garden. The spa boasts of housing 5 chalets, each of which has two treatment rooms.

Every single room has an outdoor rain shower, wardrobe and vanity counter. Ten treatment rooms are equipped and designed to cater to various spa treatments from Ayurveda to Balinese, Thai style massages, western body treatments and facials. For those romantic getaways, hotel has the couple spa chalet with Jacuzzi.

Sweat it out at the state-of-the-art gymnasium equipped with TechnoGym cardio machines and free weights. The fully-equipped fitness centre, with an extensive range of modern equipment, makes working out a pleasure for guests.

Kids’ Corner

While guest spend quality time with spouse, one can be rest assured that the little ones will be well taken care of and entertained at Kids’ Corner, which is equipped with fun games and gaming consoles.

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Profile

HOTEL Business Review

The Maverick Hotelier

By Swarnendu Biswas

P

riya Paul is not your average hotelier.

The Chairperson of Kolkata-based Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited, who joined the group in 1988 as the Marketing Manager of The Park, New Delhi after graduating in Economics from the Wellesley College in the US, has uncommon aesthetic vision coupled with pragmatic business sense.

Her creative energies, which propelled The Park to reach new heights of success during her tenure, is amply complemented by her leadership qualities. She can be easily credited for bringing the concept of boutique hotels in the country.

The Testing Times During the first two years of her journey with The Park, she learned the nuances of the hospitality business and was reporting to her father Late Surrendra Paul. Soon she became the de facto General Manager of The Park, New Delhi.

However, soon the tough times began too. Just two years after her induction in the group, in 1990, her father Late Surrendra Paul, the then Chairman of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, was killed in a terrorist attack in Assam. Just nine months before that her teenage brother was killed in a car crash. Along with immense personal tragedies at a tender age she had to also all of a sudden shoulder the responsibility of the then three hotels of the chain, located at Visakhapatnam, New Delhi and Kolkata.

“It was tough time for me as all of a sudden, my ambit of responsibility enhanced from managing one hotel to heading three hotels,” Priya recalled.

Her experience as a student leader and as the head girl of her school in the past helped her in her new found leadership experiences where she was expected to know the right answers in an industry in which she was comparatively new. And to top it all, then the hotel industry of India was going through a recession.

It was a sink or swim case for her, but she chose to fly…and eventually came out with flying colours.

On hindsight, it seems that some elements of her initially uphill challenges were 56

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probably created by herself. She chose to set the bar high. Besides managing the hotel chain, Priya felt the urgent need to make the hotels of The Park chain suitable for a new globalised age, which involved setting new standards, streamlining operating procedures and hiring the right personnel.

And she soon translated that vision into reality. Besides these she also gave a complete makeover to the three properties.

She also went on in adding quite a few more elegant hotels to her group’s portfolio.

Growth and Innovation Today after two decades of being spearheaded by Priya’s potent and futuristic vision, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels has 10 hotels under its ambit, which are spread across three brands; The Park, The Park Collection, and the Zone by The Park. Besides seven hotels under The Park brand, the group now also has two hotels under The Park Collection brand, and one recently launched hotel under Zone by The Park brand. The two The Park Collection hotels are The Park Pod Hotel Chennai and The Park Calangute, Goa. However, it would be incomplete to access Priya’s immense contribution only to the vertical growth or the growth in the size and occupancy (in 1988, when she started working with The Park, New Delhi, the hotel was having an occupancy of just 10 percent) of the hotel chain. In my modest opinion, her more radical contributions to the Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels or rather to the Indian hospitality industry are more lateral in character, where she changed the positioning of her hotels into the boutique category.

Over the years, she has been instrumental in making The Park Hotels’ properties more fun, hip, edgy and personalised places to stay for business and leisure than they were before the ‘90s. She introduced lounge bars, discos, innovative restaurants, innovative food presentations (for example dinning under the table at The Park, New Delhi) and sponsored fashion and art shows in her hotel premises, which perhaps inspired changes in the Indian hospitality industry too towards a more personalised and less formal direction.

In fact, to her should go the credit for initiating the trend of making five-star properties in India less formal with the proverbial stiff upper lip character and infusing them with more funky and funfilled traits. Moreover, an industry which makes a big noise about standardisastion, she broke new grounds by ensuring that no two properties of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels are carbon copies of each other. “In our hotels design plays an extremely crucial role and our properties are not cookie-cutter hotels. We believe in leadership through differentiation, and each of our properties reflects its individualistic design and style,” said Priya.

One of the numerous examples of her understated sense of style is reflected in The Park, Bangalore, which can be easily regarded as one of the first boutique hotels in Bangalore. The boutique hotel, which made into the Tatler Magazine’s list of best 101 hotels in the world, has music played at its restaurants complementing the mood, decor and food to ensure a complete experience to sate the senses.

Inspired by Design Priya also introduced contemporary design sense to her hospitality properties.“All our hotels lay a very strong emphasis on contemporary design in their private and public spaces. Style and luxury enhances everything, from the paintings, furniture and accessories to the award-winning dining and entertainment concepts,” affirmed the graceful lady, who happens to be an avid art collector along with having a keen design sense. In fact, her hiring of the celebrated UK-based designer Terence Conran to design the Bangalore property of The Park Hotel chain about a decade back (the hotel was opened in 2001) gives testimony to Priya’s emphasis on the design elements of the hotel. The internationally renowned designer went on to design three more properties of The Park Hotels.

Similarly, designed by Conran & Partners, UK, the stylishly designed The Park, New Delhi is inspired by the five elements of nature (water, fire, air, earth and space) from the Hindu science

Sp a Profile of Vastu Shastra. Here the spaces are fashioned to stimulate the senses of colour, texture and form. Lined with handpicked contemporary art throughout the public and private spaces, the Delhi hotel of the Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels provides an elevated standard of style, design and decor.

Then take the case of The Park, Chennai.

This elegant 214-room hotel stands on the historic premises of the erstwhile Gemini Film Studios. The hotel’s décor is spruced with old cinema posters in each of its room and lobby. At a first glance, a film aficionado while strolling into the lobby may mistake The Park, Chennai to be an ultra luxurious theater.

Also take the case of The Park, Hyderabad. A breathtaking creation, designed by Skidmore Owings Merrill (New York), Conran & Partners (UK), Chadha Siembeda (Australia) and Blacksheep (UK), this five-star luxury boutique hotel, which can also be construed as a modern palace, do come across as an amalgamation of great art and architecture. To call this 270-room property as one of the finest luxury hotels in Hyderabad is an understatement of sorts.

The hotel’s contemporary design derives inspiration from Hyderabad’s traditional lineage as a historical nerve centre and a modern day capital of design and production of precious stones and rich textiles. The aluminium composite façade draws inspiration from the jewellery settings and metal work from the Nizam’s jewellery collection, which is regarded as one of the most valuable jewellery collections in the world, creating a dappled shaded effect. The unique perforated metal exterior has been inspired by the jalis of old Indian palaces, while the naturally illuminated, indulgently luxurious interiors do carve a niche of exclusivity at this hotel in Hyderabad.

Besides the inputs of the above-mentioned international team of designers, to complement and contrast the exteriors of this Hyderabad property, Priya commissioned a number of renowned designers to develop the interiors, which included Tarun Tahilni, Rohit Bal, Manish Arora, Bharti Kher, Jean Francois Lesage, Subodh Gupta and Rajiv Saini. Throughout the property, unique custom designed pieces were also commissioned, which included chandeliers, textile installations, furniture and tableware, which together celebrated and showcased Indian design trends.

The Park, Hyderabad is also an ecofriendly property, which is certified as a green

HOTEL Business Review

of India conferred on her the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2000.

She was also awarded ‘Excellence in Design Innovation 2011’ by Condé Nast Traveller India, for seamlessly combining her passion for boutique hotels and her love of contemporary art and high-function design.

The former President of Hotel Association of India was also conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri by the Government of India, in 2012. In 2014, the dynamic and pioneering lady was conferred with the prestigious Insignia of Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite (National Order of Merit) an Order of State, granted by the President of the French Republic.

The Future Vision building having achieved a LEED GOLD certification. “At The Park, Hyderabad, we have successfully managed to fuse local culture with international design to create a truly post-modern expression in hospitality,” averred the entrepreneur with an ultra sharp designing sense.

Though the reserved lady (at least to me she seemed so) prefers not to talk much about herself but she also admitted that though she had worked with high quality architects and designers, but the individualistic designs of her hotels do bear her own aesthetic imprint and her obsessive sense of detailing in some latent, unobtrusive way.

Wellness by Aura She is also one of the first few hoteliers of India who understood the integration of wellness and hospitality very well, which was manifested when The Park Hotels came up with its own spa brand named ‘Aura.’ The first Aura was opened at The Park, Chennai, followed by a day spa each embodying the Aura brand at The Park properties of New Delhi, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad.

“The spa and well-being concept at Aura outlets embraces high quality indigenous spa treatments using fresh local ingredients, as well as traditional Ayurvedic treatments,” articulated the visionary lady.

Attracting Awards Over the years, numerous coveted awards have been bestowed on her. The Federation of Hotels and Restaurants Association

I asked the enterprising entrepreneur who was already showing signs of hurry to rush off to another meeting about her future expansion strategy for the Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels. “We are envisaging to add three more The Park Collection properties within the ambit of our portfolio in 2015,” informed Priya. In the recent past, the Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels has also unveiled its plans to enter the mid-market segment with its third brand – Zone by the Park.

The hospitality group has recently launched (on 22nd December of this year) a 56-room Zone by The Park property in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. “Zone by The Park will target tier II and tier III cities of the country. These properties will not be owned by our group but will be run by the Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels on a management contract basis,” affirmed Priya. According to her, “Over the next five years, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels has been envisaging to add 1600-2000 rooms to its Zone by the Park brand.” Under Priya’s leadership, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels is expected to introduce four properties under Zone by The Park brand in 2015, which will be located in Jaipur, Chennai, Mahabalipuram and Raipur.

Without wavering by the sluggish trends in the Indian hospitality industry, Priya is poised for great growth for her group.

However, she rightly feels that if only the high rates of taxation and real estate prices were brought into control through proactive government intervention, the growth of her and as well as of the hospitality industry of India in general would be much more quick as well as smooth. n

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P ro d uct Previ ew

HOTEL Business Review

ROOM SAFES

OZONE, one of the most trusted and leading Security Solutions provider, offers its high-tech digital Hotelin-room Safes for the hotels to provide convenience and greater level of security experience to their guests by ensuring top-grade security of all their valuables.

These safes can be operated by using 4-6 digit user code set by the user and also features an audit trail function that records the last operation details for enhanced security.

During any kind of physical tempering or four wrong inputs, consecutively, puts the Digital Safe into a secure mode. In case of any emergency, the Digital Safe can be opened using a master code or Key. Ozone offers these robust & user-friendly hotel Safes in a wide variety of sizes to suit diverse requirements, thus enabling hotels to reinforce their commitment of providing an outstanding hospitality experience.

Ozone Digital Safes ozone@ozonesafes.com

HOSPITALITY SUPPLIES

Chanya Enterprises is one of the leading names in the hospitality supplies, offering best quality products at most competitive price. Chanya Enterprises partners right from the conception of the venture along with upgradation and renovation of existing hospitality property.

The company offers range of products including: Building Material - Sanitary fittings, Bathroom fittings, Tiles, Wooden Flooring etc, Furniture - Room Furniture, Banquet Furniture, Outdoor Furniture, Lobby Furniture, Mattress etc., Lightings - Indoor and outdoor Lightings, Room products - Absorption Minibar, Door Lock, Safe, Kettle with tray, Hair Dryer, Ironing Board, Textiles - For Room, Washroom, Restaurant, Banquet.

The compny has its physical presence in Hong Kong and China with an extensive network of more than 100 suppliers and factories based in China. It offers products to hotels, motels, resorts, restaurants and other such projects.

Chanya Enterprises sales@chanyaenterprises.com

HOSPITALITY LINEN

Home Comfort Texo Fab is a leading manufacturer and supplier of Bed and Bath Linens to Hotels and Hospitality Industry in india.

The company has made its presence felt in this market with its quality furnishing items. In sequence to constant expanding wings, the company entered into manufacturing and marketing quality Bed and Bath Linens under its brand name Home Linen. It has been catering to the ever-growing demands of the Home Textiles and Bed Linen, in the domestic markets (Retail & Institutional segments). The skilled and semiskilled work force under watch full guidance of management with experience well over 20 years, are constantly working hard to maintain the quality of product to be supplied to their esteemed clients across the country. The company range of product includes from Quilted Duvet, Pillows, Cushions, Duvet and Pillow Covers, Mattress protectors are to name a few.

Home Comfort Texo Fab sandeep@homelinen.co.in

FOOD PANS & LIDS

Utopia based in Chesterfield, UK, provides for glass, ceramic and cutlery products to meet the requirement of its global customers.

Be it cutting edge design or practical and cost effective solutions, Utopia’s collection provides for outstanding customer satisfaction.

Utopia has newly introduced Food Pans & Lids suitable for use in food bars and steam tables.

There are two types of Pans: Polycarbonate pans – withstand tough use, resist food acids and oils, and can handle temperatures of -22°C to 100°C. High heat pans - excel in high temperature applications (-22°C to 190°C).

“Easy Lift Spoon Notches” are located at each end of the food pan for easy removal from steam tables and recessed counters because they reduce direct hand-to-food contact for greater food safety. The food pans meet specifications for use in food bars and steam tables, can be stacked for easy storage, are dishwasher safe, and NSF listed.

Soft Sensations Pvt. Ltd. raman@softsensations.net

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

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Intervi ew

HOTEL Business Review

The Seasoned Player

By Sharmila Chand Alex Koshy, General Manager, Radisson Blu Hotel Ahmedabad, has invested over 17 years in the hospitality industry. Over the last 17 years, Koshy has been involved in many international and national pre-openings.

Koshy took charge as the General Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel Ahmedabad, in November 2013. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the hotel including every aspect of generating business for the hotel.

Prior to joining Radisson Blu Hotel Ahmedabad he was the General Manager at the award winning The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa, Gulmarg, Kashmir.

The excerpts of the interview follow: What are the USPs of your property?

The strategically located Radisson Blu Hotel Ahmedabad is at the central business district of Ahmedabad, which is at the heart of the city. Radisson Blu Hotel Ahmedabad delivers vibrant, contemporary and engaging hospitality that is characterised by its Yes I Can! service philosophy and its service concepts like free Internet, 100 percent guest satisfaction guarantee, late check-out till 6 pm to name a few.

Our biggest strength is the brand combined with our highly qualified and enthusiastic people, backed by our core service concept which transpires into an ideal address for any guest.

Succinctly, our strong brand, our unique locational advantage, our guest friendly service concepts and above all our dedicated, trained and committed team with the Yes I Can! attitude differentiate us from our competitors.

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

Our strong global and local sales force, our distribution teams and our distinctive loyalty program — Club Carlson — contribute to the hotel’s bottom-line.

We are successful in using social media to engage Gen Y travellers and also use effective traditional strategies to woo business travellers. Prominent guest engagement activities like unique food festivals and CSR activites keep us in limelight locally.

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

Food & beverage is an integral part of any hotel business. However, with changing market trends & various business models coming up for hotels, hospitality companies now decide upon F&B while keeping in mind their hotel business model.

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I strongly feel that F&B in hotels should be designed while keeping in line with the business model of the hotel concerned.

In this regard, I would talk briefly about our hotel’s specialty restaurant, The Great Kabab Factory, which serves grilled dishes from across the Indian subcontinent, as well as a selection of other favourites with a different menu every day.

What would you say is the differentiating factor of your F&B outlets?

Quality of our food and technically correct personalised service make all the difference. In addition, at our outlets, it is all about providing personalised service to each and every guest & acknowledging her/his personal preferences.

Flexibility, Yes I Can! service philosophy and striving for 100 percent guest satisfaction is our mantra for success in the realm of F&B. Could you reflect on the future plans and new initiatives you wish to undertake for your property?

Soon we will be entering into an expansion mode where we will be adding another 60 rooms with a dedicated pillar less banqueting suite. We also intend to extend our F&B offerings by adding a signature restaurant and a deli. An infinity pool and roof top dining option are also on the cards.

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

Attrition and getting quality skilled staff are according to me the most crucial issues to tackle in the Indian hospitality industry, these days.

Compared to other industries, the entry level remuneration is low in the hospitality industry and kids these days don’t have the patience to wait. That is another challenge which we have to contend with. Sooner or

later we will also experience casual dining more since soon silver service will be outdated owing to the paucity of service personnel in the Indian hospitality industry.

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

The best thing about our industry is no day is similar. We get plenty of surprises each day and while relishing the pleasant ones, we also adapt to the not so pleasant ones. That in itself is a big satisfier.

Catering to the individual needs of guests, while ensuring that I meet my targets financially and otherwise along with a team I have been able to look after, motivate and lead, is what I enjoy the most.

What is your strength, professionally?

I have been blessed to work in various destinations including a 12 year stint in Europe.

Within India, I have the experience of working in Kerala and Kashmir. The introduction to all these various cultures and people has helped in understanding people and their needs more.

I have also been involved in pre-openings in all these destinations, which gave a deeper insight into the whole hotel operations along with the technical expertise.

I believe the above two exposures are my biggest strengths. Understanding people and their needs, along with the technical knowledge is my strength.

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

I believe that let results drive you, not reasons or excuses. This has been my mantra and my guiding philosophy at work throughout my career.

Anything else you would like to say?

Live and let live! Count your blessings and do good.

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