Express Hospitality November 1-15, 2012

I N D I A’ S F O R E M O S T H O S P I TA L I T Y P U B L I C AT I O N November 1-15, 2012 ` 40

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FORTNIGHTLY INSIGHT FOR THE HOSPITALITY TRADE

VOL 8 | NO. 2 | PAGES 48

Contents November 1-15, 2012

Vol 8 No.2 November 1-15, 2012

Chairman of the Board Viveck Goenka Editor Reema Lokesh* Assistant Editor Steena Joy Associate Editor Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai Sayoni Bhaduri, Kahini Chakraborty New Delhi Heena Mahajan Kolkata Joy Roy Choudhury Editorial Associates Marcellus Baptista, H A Mishra, Harpal Singh Sokhi, P S Sundar, M S Ram Advisory Board Anil Madhok, Rajeev Chopra, Santosh Shidhaye, Homi Aibara, Param Kannampilly, K V Simon, Jiggs Kalra, Jose Dominic, Raju Shahani, N S Bhuie, Nirmal Khandelwal, Muralidharan Menon, Narendra Verma, Prakash Mankar, M Narayanan MARKETING Deputy General Manager Sachin Shenoy Chief Manager Pankaj Shende Marketing Team Dattaram Kandalkar, Rajan Nair Marketing Coordination Darshana Chauhan Asst.Manager - Scheduling & Coordination Arvind Mane

MANAGEMENT

MARKET

Indian hotels show increasing interest in LGBT segment .............................................05 Country Club India earmarks ` 3 50 crore for its expansion plans ..................................................06 Sofitel sees Delhi as priority market for hotel development ..................................................07 Ginger Hotels to launch 80 hotels by 2015.....................09 NIPS School of Hotel Mgmt partners with ITDC for 'Hunar Se Rozgar' programme ......................................11 ‘India can expect to generate even more business from WTM 2012’ ............................................13

A contemporary lifestyle destination ........................20 Gastronomical indulgence ........................................22 EDGE

SPA & WELLNESS

Revitalising senses .................14 Angsana Spa debuts in Hyderabad .............................15

CIRCULATION Mohan Varadakar PRODUCTION General Manager B R Tipnis Production Manager Bhadresh Valia Layout Ratilal Ladani, Kiran Parker Asst. Art Director Surajit Patro Chief Designer Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designer Rushikesh Konka Photo Editor Sandeep Patil

INTERIORS & DESIGNS

Tech influence ..........................................................24 Shopping cart for hotel bookings ..............................25 LIFE

'Employee satisfaction is our top most priority' ............26

Express Hospitality Reg.No.MH/MR/SOUTH-44/2010-12 RNI Regn. No.MAHENG/2005/21391.

Published by Vaidehi Thakar on behalf of the Proprietor The Indian Express Limited from Express Towers, 2nd floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 and Printed by her at the Indian Express Press, at Plot No.EL-208,TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai 400 710 (Editorial & Administrative :The Indian Express Ltd, 1st floor, Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai-400021).

Editor Reema Lokesh* (* Responsible for selection of matter under PRB Act) Copyright @ 2011

The Indian Express Ltd. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner, electronic or otherwise, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited.

November 1-15, 2012

Indigenous artistry .......................................................16

Road map for Indian hospitality education ..............27

REGULARS

Editor’s Note ..................................................................................................................................................................4 New Kids ......................................................................................................................................................................8 Products ......................................................................................................................................................................10 Movements ..................................................................................................................................................................28 Weekend ......................................................................................................................................................................45

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Personal connect lace yourself in a situation wherein you are in a new destination, where the region’s language and culture are reasonably unfamiliar. No doubt, there is Google and also the friendly old travel guide and map, but having said that by the end of it all, we as human beings need someone of our very own species to interact with at the other end. The hospitality industry plays host to this very familiar and real-time, guide and aid who is famously known as the concierge, who one can easily depend upon especially during times when you are in distress or just disoriented in a foreign land or even on home turf. They are men and women who function as a one-stop-shop for all guest queries.

P “The role of the concierge is irreplaceable in the hospitality industry and over the years their role has only gotten wider. Today the department is in a space of its own with its unique and distinct identity and role that cannot be equated to any department”

The role of the concierge is irreplaceable in the hospitality industry and over the years their role has only gotten wider. Today the department is in a space of its own with its unique and distinct identity and role that cannot be equated to any department. No doubt the role of technology has had made strong inroads in the working and functioning of most departments and systems in the industry, with the concierge division being no exception, but there are few limitations with technology and it is here when the real-time guide ‘the concierge’ steps out to answer your questions that technology fails to provide.

From movie tickets to catering to medical emergencies, they are trained and equipped to deal and tackle with issues that range from frivolous to serious. Our cover story in this issue highlights this very role of the concierge, the changing nature of their role, the influence of technology and emergence of the virtual concierge and finally how virtual may not be able to replace the real.

Offering focused and specialised services are key differentiators for a hotel if it wants to attract and retain clients in a highly competitive market space, in particular those who are high networth individuals and have great spending powers. It is well known that the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community is one of the most affluent travellers in the world and the fact that leading hoteliers in India are keen to attract this segment is yet another affirmation that the Indian hospitality industry is evolving with the changing needs of the times.

Reema Lokesh Editor editorial.eh@expressindia.com

E-mail: 4pdesigno@gmail.com

CHENNAI: Vijay Kulkarni, FORTNIGHTLY INSIGHT FOR THE HOSPITALITY TRADE

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November 1-15, 2012

Market

T H E B U S I N E S S O F H O S P I TA L I T Y

LEAD STORY

Indian hotels show increasing interest in LGBT segment Many leading properties join World Rainbow Hotels that helps locate LGBT-friendly hotels worldwide SUDIPTA DEV - Mumbai

orld Rainbow Hotels (WRH), that caters to the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) segment and had recently launched an online booking platform for travel agents, has a significant focus on the India market. “India is becoming increasingly interested in the LGBT market and each year we have more and more hotels applying to join our programme,” said Nicolas Wijnants, brand director, World Rainbow Hotels. While currently there are only five hotels in India that are displayed on the World Rainbow Hotels website, Wijnants informs that as many as 30 more hotels have joined in the last few months, and will be live on the website by January 1, 2013.

The hotels currently listed on the website are top ranking properties like The Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur, Park Hyatt Goa Resort And Spa, Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort in Greater Noida, etc. The 30 new joining the list include a large number of Taj Group properties. To name a few, the Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai; Taj Lands End Mumbai; Rambagh Palace, Jaipur; The Gateway Hotel -

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November 1-15, 2012

Ganges, Varanasi; Vivanta By Taj - Kovalam, Kerala; Fort Aguada Beach Resort Goa, and more. Some of the other properties joining the list include Ananda In The Himalayas; Tree of Life Resort & Spa, Jaipur; The Lalit Ashok Bangalore; The Lalit New Delhi and others.

WRH has a focused strategy for reaching out to hotels in emerging markets like India.

“We are partnering with Global RFP Distribution systems used by many hotels and chains in Asia - Lanyon and Nexus. We are also doing press releases and work actively with many other international trade organisations specialised in gay travel, such as IGLTA, Out Now Consulting and Community Marketing to name but a few,” stated Wijnants, adding that WRH has hired a Global Sales Agent in India - Discover the World, to help the organisation penetrate the market and be more visible in India. “Discover the World also visit travel agencies locally and help us promote our global portfolio to Indian travel agents,” pointed out Wijnants. WRH is also developing many affiliation programmes with Indian and Asian websites and OTAs, offering them to feature WRH booking engine on their page.

To engage travels agents

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Nicolas Wijnants

WRH is working on specific packages and promotions to promote Asia in general and India in particular. “We will work with the member hotels themselves to create these promotions and then segment them to agencies. We are also looking to affiliate ourselves with local operators to set up those packages,” mentioned Wijnants.

There is a very strict selection process for hotels based on five criteria. First is the hotel's location. “We accept only hotels in countries where homosexuality has been decriminalised. We look at the

hotel’s location within a city (preferably in the areas popular to gay and lesbian consumers,” said Wijnants. The next criteria is the hotel’s characteristics and category – it should be minimum three-star and be either a boutique, design or luxury property. The other important factors are the hotel’s knowledge of local gayscene, current involvement with the LGBT community, and compliance with non-discrimination policies and same sex benefits to their staff.

“Hotels have to fill out some 150 questions when they submit the RFP, which helps us to determine if a hotel is serious and totally committed to this segment,” stated Wijnants. He mentioned that once approved in the programme, the hotels have to create an Out & About guide, which provides WRH clients with useful information about the local gay and lesbian scene (including restaurants, bars, cultural events and other information that is useful to visitors). “Out & About will help hotels provide outstanding service to their LGBT clients, whilst also giving support and training to the front desk and concierge staff,” he informed.

In fact the Out & About is a programme requirement (hotels that do not deliver it, are not accepted).

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M|A|R|K|E|T NEWSTRACK

Country Club India earmarks ` 350 crore for its expansion plans KAHINI CHAKRABORTY - Mumbai

ountry Club India, a leisure and entertainment conglomerate, is expanding and diversifying its product and services portfolio by tapping on the twin concept of fitness and vacations. With an overall investment of ` 350 crore earmarked for its expansion plans, the company aims at developing 100 fitness centres across India and abroad in four years. Out of the total nine locations, it already has launched three centres in Ahmedabad, Chandigarh and Kolkata and Mumbai. The remaining will be opened after every ten days- Thane, Jaipur, Nagpur, Delhi and Abu Dhabi. The company is investing `3.5-5 crore in each

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fitness centre whose size would broadly range between 4,000-10,000 sq ft.

On the vacation resorts offerings, the company recently opened its property in Bandipur, Karnataka and has its next property opening soon in Kolad, Maharashtra which will be a 36 rooms property.

Talking to Express Hospitality on the company's strategy to survive in the competitive market, Varun Reddy, COO, Country Club India said, “The fitness centre facilities add value to our product offerings. With a membership in Country Club which varies starting from ` one lakh onwards, members can avail the facilities in any of our centres while on vacations. Each fitness centre will

have a dedicated booking desk for members to plan their vacations. We would be offering holiday packages for every one week every year for up to 30 years. We are looking at focusing on targeting touch-points and use the investment to take the brand forward.”

In the first phase, Country Club intends to focus on multiple locations in major metros. Thereafter, the company will foray into tier II cities with an aim to establish pan India network.

Currently, the company has operations in the Middle East, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The company has established 205 properties of which over 55 are owned and 175 are franchised properties, and is a global gate-

Sarovar plans to launch six properties in Punjab and HP HEENA MAHAJAN - New Delhi

arovar Hotels & Resorts will set up six new properties in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh - Golden Sarovar Portico in Amritsar, Sarovar Portico and Park Plaza in Jalandhar, Park Plaza in Zirakpur and Sarovar Premiere in Derra Bassi. Sarovar Premiere/Park Plaza are the brand's upscale four - five star hotels; whereas Sarovar Portico/Park Inn are the mid market three - four star hotels.

Speaking on the expansion in the areas, Anil Madhok, managing director, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts said, “Each destination holds unique features -- it could be for business or leisure travellers or it could be a MICE destination. For instance, Golden Sarovar Portico Amritsar will cater to the growing number of tourists and pilgrims whereas Zirakpur being the wedding capital of region, a Park Plaza there will cater to the wedding market. Similarly Sarovar Portico and Park Plaza in Jalandhar will accommodate business and MICE travellers from around the world.”

Madhok also informed that the company aspires to achieve the100hotel target by 2020. “It is no doubt that increasing demand for quality accommodation in tier II-III cities along with growing domestic tourism will be paying the dividends. In 2012 Sarovar Hotels launched four hotels

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way via Country Vacations and RCI affiliation of 4000 resorts. It has over three lakh members.

According to Y Rajeev Reddy, CMD, Country Club India, “This concept is definitely going to be the game changer for the company.

The fitness centre is an extension of the company's philosophy in terms of its offerings to its members. We are working on our marketing strategy and are sure that this concept will appeal to the youth. With higher disposable income and increasing emphasis on health and fitness, this industry is expected to grow.

The company aims to capitalise on this growing industry which is worth ` 2500 crore.”

Accor sells 60% stake in 15 Formule 1 projects across India EH STAFF – New Delhi

rench hotel chain Accor, has announced that it has sold a 60 per cent stake in 15 wholly-owned Formule 1 hotel projects in India, to private equity firm, SAMHI. This decision has been taken in line with the Group’s 'asset-light' strategy.

Following the deal, Accor will maintain a 40 per cent stake in the hotels and will continue to operate them under long-term operating agreements. Accor will retain the rights to own and/or develop further Formule 1 projects in India.

Today, Accor has 15 whollyowned and leased developments under the Formule 1 brand of hotels in India. Of these, the first two hotels have opened – in Greater Noida and Ahmedabad – with a further hotel opening in Pune Hinjewadi by the end of this year. SAMHI is an Indian hotel investment and development firm focusing on ownership of branded hotels across key cities in the Indian sub-continent, specifically in the 'value-formoney' mid-scale and economy segments.

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Anil Madhok in Chandigarh; Vayalar, Kerala; Koramangala, Bengaluru; and Nairana, New Delhi. In addition, by year end two more properties will be added — The Heron Portico, Nairobi, Kenya in November and in Shahdara, New Delhi in December. By year 2013, Sarovar will have properties operational in Shantiniketan, Jaisalmer, Solapur, Thekkady, Chiwadi, Jalandhar and Manali,” he added.

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M|A|R|K|E|T NEWSTRACK

Sofitel sees Delhi as priority market for hotel development KAHINI CHAKRABORTY- Mumbai

ith an aim to ensure that Sofitel Luxury Hotels is well positioned among wholesale distributors and are readily bookable, the company recently held its first 'Sofitel Sales Mission 2012' presentation workshop at Sofitel Mumbai BKC. The primary objective of the mission was to showcase their hotel offerings to the travel trade in India. For the same, sales representatives from Sofitel Sukhmvit, Sofitel Krabi, Sofitel So Bangkok, Sofitel Dubai Jumeriah Beach, Sofitel Mauritius and Sofitel Cambodia were present.

Talking to Express Hospitality on the sidelines of the mission about

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the company's expansion plans for the India market, Anthony Slewka-Armfelt, regional director of sales, Sofitel South East Asia and India, director of sales and marketing, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhmvit said, “We are definitely looking at expanding the brand in India. Our basic strategy is to ensure that we have a Sofitel in all primary cities in Asia-Pacific. In India, for example, this would mean New Delhi, which would be a logical priority as would be some additional locations. From a sales perspective we see India as a very important and strategic growth market – with such a young population and such a diverse growth economy we are certain that the sales footprint needs to grow.” As part of its

company is looking at increased PR activities and direct sales events.

When asked about how is the company looking at working closely with the travel trade, Armfelt added, “We look at a three pronged approach. The first is to make sure we are well positioned with the wholesale distributors and are readily bookable. The second is to ensure that we are in key markets for the Indian traveller, and that we have solid relationships with the key inbound operators who service the Indian client, and thirdly and most importantly we need to visit the retail trade in India on a more frequent basis – the travel agents – in order to develop synergy to push bookings into our hotels.”

Anthony Slewka-Armfelt planned marketing strategies to further promote the brand in the country, the

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M|A|R|K|E|T QUICK BYTES

New kids on the block Angsana Spa, Hyderabad

choose from, that run the valley facing length of three primary floors. The restaurants include: The Hills Edge Restaurant (serving an array of global cuisine that ranges from continental to Thai and from Italian to Chinese); Sixteen 69 - The Lounge Bar; and Open Garden Terrace Restaurant. The hotel also features a regally sized 5,000 square feet banqueting facility titled the ‘Viceregal Banquet Hall’ for special occasions.

Keys Resort, Goa Keys Hotels, the mid market hotel chain, establishes its presence in Goa by entering into a management contract with Alcon Anil Counto Enterprises, to operate ‘Keys Resort Ronil’. The resort consists of 126 well-appointed rooms catering to Indian and foreign tourists.

The resort specially known for its ambience and Goan cuisine, under the fast growing ‘Keys’ brand, will be modified to the subsequent level of hospitality. The resort has facilities catering to the needs of leisure and confer-

Angsana Spa, sister brand of Banyan Tree Spa, strengthens its presence in India with a debut at the Golkonda Resorts & Spa in Hyderabad. It will also be the first Angsana Spa to be opened in Andhra Pradesh. Situated next to Osman Sagar Lake on 12 acres of rolling greens, Angsana Spa’s tropical garden spa concept integrates nature within a contemporary setting for an indulgent spa retreat.

Hotel Marina, Shimla Pioneered by hotelier Sanjay Thakur, Hotel Marina has been launched in the historical ‘Mall’ of Shimla.

The property is home to 42 tailored rooms, each ensconcing contemporary design ethic highlights that reaffirm the ‘in demand’ standards of luxury, the world over, by the modern day globetrotter. There are three categories of rooms to

ence travellers with two outdoor swimming pools, steam and sauna, a multi – cuisine restaurant (known for its seafood), beauty parlour, recreation facilities (indoor and outdoor games), three conference halls with business facilities and Wi-Fi connectivity in the lobby and restaurant area.

INTERNATIONAL Quaich Bar @ Resorts World Sentosa

Quaich Bar has launched Quaich Bar @ Resorts World Sentosa, one of Asia’s largest whisky bar located at Resorts World Sentosa.

Spread over 8,000 square feet in a two-storey building, Quaich Bar @ Resorts World Sentosa is set to offer whisky experiences designed for novices to connoisseurs. Boasting a comprehensive selection of more than 1,000 labels with over 95 per cent from Scotland and a selection from Wales, Japan, India, America and South Africa, the choices run from artisanal distilleries such as Springbank from the almost extinct region of Campbeltown, to an impressive fine and rare selection.

Mandarin Oriental, Munich Mandarin Oriental, Munich has announced the reopening of its pop-up rooftop wooden chalet styled restaurant, The Alm. The specially designed wooden chalet will serve warming local Bavarian cuisine. A three course menu can be enjoyed at the special price of EUR 54 per person including specialties such as a traditional Bavarian platter or Vienna organic chicken and Schladerer schnapps. The Alm will be opened on October 23, 2012 until January 31, 2013. The Alm’s has a seating capacity for up to 65 people.

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November 1-15, 2012

M|A|R|K|E|T NEWSTRACK

Ginger Hotels to launch 80 hotels by 2015 KAHINI CHAKRABORTY - Mumbai

oots Corporation, a whollyowned subsidiary of Indian Hotels Company, launched its first hotel in Mumbai recently. This 116 room hotel, which will cater to business travellers, was inaugurated by Raymond Bickson, managing director and CEO, Indian Hotels Company. Prior to the hotel launch talking exclusively to Express Hospitality on the company's expansion plans, Prabhat Pani, chief executive officer, Roots Corporation said, “Currently we have 26 hotels with approximately 2,600 rooms. By 2015 we want to develop 70-80 Ginger Hotels on pan India basis which would take the room inventory to about 8,000. On the investment aspect, if we build a hotel like the Mumbai property then the per room cost would be approximately `11-13 lakh. The bigger cities in the country in our view can take multiple hotels, hence rather than building one huge hotel in a city, we think it makes sense to build hotels closer to where the demand is.”

The company is scouting for locations to further strengthen its presence in the metro cities, tier I-II

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cities in the country. “Wherever there is scope to add more hotels or launch new properties we would take this opportunity forward,” added Pani.

Giving a perspective on the demand and supply issue of room inventory in the current hospitality scenario, Pani said, “Although there is no denying on this issue, a hotel project takes up to four years for development depending on the nature of the hotel. Given the fact

that India has moved to a different growth trajectory from the past seven to eight years, it is the economy which has grown faster despite the slowdown, in turn resulting in the emergence of many cities and new industrial locations coming up. And now with people having high disposal income and wanting to engage in short travel plans, there is a definite need for more number of rooms.

Clearly the demand has grown much faster than the supply.”

Citrus Hotels & Resorts forays into North Indian market EH STAFF - Mumbai

itrus Hotels & Resorts, a part of the MIRAH Group, has announced its foray into the North Indian market with the launch of Citrus Gurgaon Central in Sector 29 of Gurgaon. The Citrus Gurgaon Central, a 46 room property, has been taken on a long lease and is now fully operational.

Kurian Varghese, general manager - Travel Trade, Citrus Hotels speaking about the launch said, “The NCR region has a total inventory of 22,900 keys of which 75 per cent is accounted by the organised sector. The organised segment in the region has 17,550 keys in the pipeline over the next five years. According to the Airport Authority of India, the highest number of air arrivals was recorded in NCR (18.2 million) with the domestic arrivals accounting for 12.7 million and foreign arrivals of 5.5 million. We are, therefore quite confident, that Citrus will do well from the first year of operation. Being a smaller inventory hotel, we have the advantage of choosing the best price business.”

The Citrus Hotels Gurgaon Central property will have trademark outlets like BISO (the coffee shop), 60 ml (the bar) and are in the process of setting up SKYLIT, a rooftop restaurant. The 46 well-appointed rooms are in the superior, deluxe, premier and suite categories. The key feature of the hotel is the meeting and conference room which is Citron 1 with the area of 1200 sq ft and Citron II with the area of 650 sq ft. Both of the conference halls are fully equipped with high speed Wi-Fi internet and LCD projector. The hotel also has a swimming pool and fitness centre.

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Citrus Hotels plans to increase its presence in North India and will look at either leasing additional properties of setting-up their own properties in other North Indian properties. www.expresshospitality.com

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Albion Secure and Albion DataSafe Albion InfoTel has launched Albion Secure [Anti Virus Personal Security - Personal Firewall] and Albion DataSafe [24X7 Cloud Backup/Disaster Recovery Solution for Home and Business].

Albion Secure is an application-level firewall with further encompasses WEB-filtering (scanning of internet traffic), unique heuristic analysis algorithms, instant understanding of current level of protection and built-in tools for contacting.

Albion DataSafe is a full incremental or differential backup option with full and selective restoration option (File extension, mailbox). It runs in the background mode, without effecting users’ work and furthermore compresses files before backup to save internet bandwidth. It encrypt data using up to 4096-bit keys, ensuring absolute privacy and maximum security.

360° panoramic cameras from Axis

Axis Communications launched 360° fixed mini dome cameras with a five mega pixel sensor that enables detailed, high-quality 360° or 180° panoramic views of wide areas. The competitively priced indoor AXIS M3007-PV and AXIS M3007P Network Cameras provide retail stores, hotels, schools and offices with cost-effective solutions to getting wide overviews that help users detect activities and track the flow of people.

AXIS M3007-PV and AXIS M3007-P have suggested retail prices of US$ 649 and US$ 599 respectively. They are expected to be available for order in quarter four of 2012.

and the aging period has also been extended.

600X1200mm tiles from Somany

Somany is set to launch its latest offering of King sized 600x1200mm tile for its patrons for the first time in India.

Considered to be the best flooring option and a better replacement to marble flooring; this is the largest sized tile in India being offered by Somany. Available in marble and wooden finishes, these large format Duragres- Glazed Vitrified Tiles will enhance the appearance of your flooring. It has been priced at `170-180 per sqft all over India, these tiles are also available in a strip size of 190X1200mm.

Spine Support from Spring Air India Spring Air India has launched Spine Support. The product has been made from the finest materials combined with orthomedically suitable mattress with ‘Visco Elastic Memory Foam’.

METRO Cash & Carry METRO Cash and Carry India has introduced a new line of food and nonfood products under its exclusive Own Brands category. During the METRO Own Brand Mela, the company is offering its business customers a vast assortment of products under METRO’s Own Brand labels, ranging from groceries and commodities, dairy, bakery and frozen products to detergents, toiletries, stationery, household products, apparel, footwear, linens, furnishings, tableware, luggage and appliances.

Grand Vintage 2004 from Moët & Chandon Moët & Chandon has introduced Grand Vintage 2004, the House’s 70th vintage.

The Grand Vintage 2004 represents an evolution in the House’s philosophy of vintage wines. Beginning with the Grand Vintage 2000 and through to Grand Vintage 2004, the choice of assemblage – the relative proportions of the three grape varietals – now relies more on the particular qualities of the fruit rather than accepted convention,

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The whole series comprises ‘Spine Support 5’, ‘Spine Support PLUS’, ‘Spine Support SUPER’, and ‘Spine Support DELUXE’. The range of Spine Support begins from ` 28,999 until ` 38,099 and are available across India.

The Chivas Brothers’ Blend Chivas Regal has launched The Chivas Brothers’ Blend. This will be a permanent part of the Chivas portfolio and will be available only to shoppers in travel retail. This is the first product launch for the brand since Chivas Regal 25 Year Old was relaunched in 2007. This unique 12 year old blend uses selected range of malt whiskies, including high proportions of Strathisla and Longmorn Speyside malts in order to recreate the extra smooth taste that made Chivas Regal’s whiskies famous.

November 1-15, 2012

M|A|R|K|E|T NEWSTRACK

NIPS School of Hotel Mgmt partners with ITDC for 'Hunar Se Rozgar' programme EH STAFF - Kolkata

n a first-of-its kind development, Kolkatabased NIPS School of Hotel Management, part of the NIPS Group, has partnered with India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), under the union ministry of tourism, Government of India, to offer free short-term training programmes to underprivileged youth, exclusively for the hospitality industry under the ‘Hunar Se Rozgar’ scheme.

The programme was flagged off in the presence of Sultan Ahmed, former union minister of state for tourism, Government of India and Rachhpal Singh, West Bengal tourism minister, in Kolkata recently. “The scheme has been well received and is one of the successful ventures of the ministry with the Institutes of Hotel Management (IHMs), Food

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Craft Institutes (FCIs) and some state governments successfully driving the scheme, meeting the targets and trainees receiving encouraging placement,” said Ahmed.

Rachhpal Singh too echoed the same sentiments and hoped that the programme will help underprivileged stu-

dents get jobs in the hospitality sector.

The programme is targeted at those who are minimum class-VIII passouts within the age group of 18 to 28 years. The aim is to create job opportunities for this segment and meet the ever increasing manpower

www.expresshospitality.com

requirement of the hospitality industry. The courses offered will be six-week fulltime programmes in Food & Beverage service along with housekeeping and an eightweek full-time course in food production. Training will be provided in batches of 25 to 30 students. Each course will

emphasise on improving the trainee’s behaviour and attitude in order to enhance their market acceptability, besides imparting basic technical skills pertaining to the trade. On completion of the training, a course test will be conducted and certificates will be issued to successful trainees.

In case the attendance of a trainee is above 90 per cent, he is eligible to a stipend of ` 1,500 per month for F&B services and ` 2,000 per month for Food Production. Uniform and tool kit will be provided free of cost to the students.

Placement support will be a big component of this project and NIPS Hotel Management School will assist the trainees in finding suitable placements. Efforts will be carried out at both national as well as regional level to ensure maximum placements for all trained candidates.

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Event Tracker Hospitality Trade Shows in 2012-13 Date

Event

Venue

November 5-8, 2012

World Travel Market

London

November 6-8, 2012

Drink Technology India

Mumbai

November 7–11, 2012

Ottawa Wine & Food Show

Ottawa (Canada)

November 8–10, 2012

Wine Card

Moscow

November 8–10, 2012

La Grande Dégustation de Montréal

Montreal

November 9-11, 2012

The Good Food & Wine Show

Brisbane

November 14-16, 2012

Interwine China

Guangzhou (China)

November 21 – 24, 2012

Bakery Indonesia

Jakarta

November 21 – 24, 2012

Food Ingredients Indonesia

Jakarta

November 22 – 25, 2012

Hotelia

Thessaloniki (Greece)

November 22–25, 2012

Gourmets & Vins – Bruxelles

Brussels (Belgium)

November 23–26, 2012

Taipei International Tea & Coffee Expo

Taiwan

November 23 – 26, 2012

Taiwan International Best Food Products & Equipment Fair

Taipei

November 23 – 26, 2012

Taipei International Wine Expo

Taipei

November 27–29, 2012

Vinitech

Bordeaux

November 2012

Tea Expo Guangzhou

Guangzhou (China)

November 2012

Enovit

Lisbon

December 3 – 5, 2012

Food & Hotel Oman

Muscat

December 4 – 6, 2012

DDTE Dubai Drink Technology Expo

Dubai

December 14 – 17, 2012 Gluten Free Expo

January 2013 Food Hospitality World

Mumbai

January 2013

Budapest

January 15–17, 2013

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Brescia (Italy)

Viticulture & Viniculture Sival

Angers (France)

June 6-15, 2013

Sweet Eurasia

Istanbul

June 25 – 28, 2013

Fispal Cafe

São Paulo (Brazil)

August 15 – 17, 2013

Hong Kong International Tea Fair

Hong Kong

September 8 – 10, 2013

Speciality Chocolate Fair

London

September 11-13, 2013

Food Ingredients Asia

Bangkok

September 17-20, 2013

Food & Hotel Malaysia 2013

Kuala Lumpur

September 20-23, 2012

Caribbean Meeting & Incentive Travel Exchange

Jamaica

September 23-24, 2013

South American Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference

Bogota (Columbia)

Sept 29-Oct 1, 2013

The Hotel Show

Dubai

October 18-22, 2013

HOST 2013

Milan

November 23-27, 2013

IGEHO 2013

Basel (Switzerland)

EXPRESS HOSPITALITY

www.expresshospitality.com

November 1-15, 2012

M|A|R|K|E|T

‘India can expect to generate even more business from WTM 2012’ Simon Press, exhibition director, World Travel Market talks about the increased presence of both public and private Indian participants in WTM 2012 that will also see for the very first time a dedicated space for the country. By Sudipta Dev Are there any important milestones for WTM in 2012 ?

WTM 2012 is a key milestone for our industry leading buyers club – the Meridian Club. At WTM 2012 Meridian Club will celebrate its 21st anniversary, having been launched in 1992 as the only club for the industry’s buyers.

WTM 2011 generated £1,653 million deals for the industry and WTM 2012 is poised to facilitate even more. 2012 has also been a milestone year for the WTM Vision Conference series with events taking place in Shanghai, Moscow, Florence, Mumbai alongside established events in London and Dubai.

Do you have a special focus on India this year ?

India has been given its own region on the exhibition

exhibitors, with the country having its own dedicated region for the first time and increased involvement from both the private and public sector India can expect to generate even more business from WTM 2012.

Simon Press floor for the first time, in previous years it has been included as part of the Asia region.

WTM 2011 generated £56 million deals for Indian

How many exhibitors are expected to participate from India this time ?

India has more than 1,000 square metres of space at this year’s event will include a number of established and new exhibitors from both private and public sectors. In total there will be more than 50 exhibitors at WTM 2012.

What is your perception of the India market ? What kind of growth has it seen in terms of participation in WTM ?

India is one of the most

important global inbound and outbound markets. This is demonstrated by its increased participation at WTM over the past few years. WTM 2011 saw India Tourism expand its stand space by 16 per cent compared to WTM 2010, which was a massive 28 per cent more than at WTM 2009. WTM launched its first WTM Vision Conference event in India this year because of the country’s growing importance in the global industry.

What are the business expectations for India this year ?

Independent research revealed WTM 2011 would lead to £1,653 million of travel industry deals between exhibitors and senior industry buyers from the WTM Meridian Club – a 16 per cent increase on the previous year.

India on its own generated `4,900 lakh (£56 million). We are expecting this to increase this year not just down to the increase in numbers of companies exhibiting at the event but also through the increase in organised networking opportunities. This year we have continued with the extremely successful speed networking event that takes place prior to the event and have also introduced a further speed networking event later. This is free for exhibitors to attend and do business with pre selected global buyers from our Meridian Club.

Will there be any special events or conferences ?

For the Indian market we have a dedicated BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) session.

Call to find out how +91 9049855857

www.rms-global.com insales@rms-global.com New Delhi November 1-15, 2012

www.expresshospitality.com

Pune

Kolkata

Cochin

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SPECIAL FEATURE IN FOCUS

Revitalising senses There has been a significant shift within the spa sector that redefines luxury as experiential and meaningful. The launch of the first Six Senses Spa in India reaffirms the factor. By Heena Mahajan

ix Senses, a resort and spa management and development company which manages resorts under the brand names Six Senses and Evason and Six Senses Spas, has been in the business for more than 15 years now. And the company has now launched its first centre at Jaypee Greens Gold & Spa Resort, Greater Noida and happens to be the largest spa in India covering an area of 90,000 square feet. The company is renowned for its designing of each of its centre which reflects the ability to adapt seamlessly to host of cultures in their surroundings which evoke relaxation and rejuvenation. Six Senses Spas offer a wide range of holistic face and body therapies, beauty and specialist treatments administered under the guid-

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ance of expert therapists. Spa products are made only from natural ingredients, in harmony with the environment.

Manju Sharma, director – operations, Jaypee Hotels said that the spa expects to attract leisure travellers, especially from the adjoining areas like Delhi, Noida, and Gurgaon.

“We will launch new packages inclusive of spa treatments now. We currently have packages for the Golf Club, Atlantis, and Buddh International F1 circuit,” she added.

The concept Designed in the style of a traditional Indian house, the spa houses inner courtyards, water features and various therapy and relaxation areas.

Locally-sourced wood and stone are used throughout the www.expresshospitality.com

spa and traditional artefacts including antique bronzed pots, vases and urns evoke a sense of place. Being one of the largest in the Six Senses Spas portfolio, the spa occupies a three-story building, and follows the company's policy on sustainability from the choice of materials and design features to the organic garden, which will provide a rich collection of herbs, fruits and flowers as ingredients for the refreshments and locallyinspired treatments and spa experiences. The active floor is located in the basement and houses a state-of-the-art fitness centre, changing rooms, a juice bar, yoga studio and aerobics pool surrounded by an indigenous herbal garden.

The spa reception, another juice bar and the Six Senses Gallery are located on the

ground floor together with consultation rooms, four single treatment rooms, changing facilities with steam, sauna, experience shower, ice fountain and private pools, a private nap room and relaxation areas. Specialist treatment rooms for Ayurveda, Thai, colonic hydrotherapy and Watsu therapy are also situated on this level. Facilities on the first floor include male and female Hammams, a meditation cave, single and double treatment rooms, a ladies club and golfer’s treatment area.

The ladies club is an ideal location for private spa parties, events or 'brides to be' and provides services such as luxurious hair spa treatments, hair styling, blow dry and colouring. Also included in the spacious women’s only beauty area is a private makeup studio for special events and personalised make-up lessons. There will also be a relaxation area for socialising, playing some board games and enjoying healthy refreshments.

The guests will be able to avail personal training sessions at the spa’s fitness centre and find the latest cardiovascular TechnoGym, strength and weight training equipment, including the innovative Kinesis apparatus. Also, visiting practitioners programme offer a combination of physical and spiritual therapies, workshops and educational talks for those who wish to achieve a better state of mind and more fulfilling life experiences.

The Ayurvedic way The spa also features prescribed Ayurvedic treatments November 1-15, 2012

S|P|A | S|P|E|C|I|A|L according to an individual’s body constitution,” feels Dr Avinash R Tiwari, Ayurvedic expert of the spa, “Today everyone is conscious of one's body type and go for the treatment that will suit him/her the best.

The industry is now on a boom and there are a lot of players coming up in the market. Here, our main focus would be on looking forward to a gentle way of relieving tension. One can experience Watsu in the spa’s dedicated Watsu pool. This therapy combines the benefits of warm water with massage, Shiatsu and stretching to improve flexibility, relax mus-

cles or bring about a general sense of well being,” he adds.

Another unique twist is the combination of the hugely beneficial rituals of hammam with specialist treatments to assist guests with stress relief or cleansing. For example, the detox massage has been used to create the slimming detox hammam therapy, and the Indian head massage and foot acupressure are part of the Golfer’s hammam journey. The selection consists of locallyinspired treatments using indigenous ingredients such as Golden Marigold, Castor, Asoka, Jasmine, Tamarind,

Thyme and Pomegranate.

“Special attention has been given to Ayurveda, an ancient Indian system of natural herbal medicine designed to help people live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives. It works on the principle of balancing one’s vital energies or doshas through an individually tailored programme of treatments, diet and exercise,” adds Tiwari.

Apart from Thai Massage, Tuina, Shiatsu, Indian Head Massage and Foot Acupressure, a selection of specialist therapies such as reflexology, reiki and Chinese cupping is on offer.

The new SelfCookingCenter® whitefficiency®

The standard for Indian and Western cuisine

Angsana Spa debuts in Hyderabad Golkonda Resorts & Spa recently announced the opening of the first Angsana Spa in Andhra Pradesh

The patented HiDensityControl® – the reinvention of cooking quality up to ngsana, the sister brand of Banyan Tree, is now debuting in Hyderabad with its first spa at Golkonda Resorts in Gandipet, offering customers premium spa services. Situated next to the picturesque Osman Sagar Lake on 12 acres of rolling greens, Angsana Spa brings a sanctuary for rejuvenation of the body, mind and soul with its tropical garden spa concept.

The premium spa boasts of luxurious rooms with an Asian touch and is well equipped with six modern indoor treatment rooms with relaxation area. It has two Single Standard rooms, three Double Standard rooms and one Double Deluxe rooms with a bathtub. The Angsana Spa also offer exclusive retail merchandise such as handcrafted ceramic oil burners, premium essential oils, aromatic incense, massage oils and relaxing spa music. Guests can re-create the contemporary Asian spa experience in the comfort of their home.

Suresh Reddy, managing director, Golkonda Resorts & Spa said, “We are delighted to be

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associated with Angsana which brings in an added element of relaxation and rejuvenation for our customers. It’s been our endeavour to provide our guests with the latest in spa luxury, renovated spaces, and unique service offerings and product lines.

We are confident that our association with Angsana will allow our guests and visitors to pamper themselves in a true spa experience with modern services and products offered to soothe the mind and body while enjoying the ambiance of our lakefront location and other resort amenities. The spa will complement the existing facilities at Golkonda Resorts & Spa and will offer spa enthusiasts contemporary and vivacious treatments to choose from.”

Angsana Spa is home to a signature range of award-winning spa treatments which highlight a fusion of wellness techniques from east and west. The spa’s blend of treatments places special emphasis on the use of natural ingredients such as flowers and fruits. These Asianinspired therapies are rooted on aromatherapy and the secrets of

time-tested health and beauty remedies passed down for generations.

The luxurious Duet spa package is a perfect choice for couples. Inspired by the rich traditions of Ayurveda, the Ayureverie package presents a refreshing twist with a 60minute Ayurvedic massage, a 30minute Indian head massage and a 30-minute cumin sesame body polish for total pampering.

The spa’s signature Angsana Massage uses palm strokes and thumb pressure on the body’s key pressure points to strengthen inner “qi” or energy. This massage uses the specially formulated Euphoria Oil to further enhance the experience. The Fusion Massage is a unique blend of Thai and Swedish massage techniques with strong palm strokes to provide maximum relief for muscle tension.

The use of Invigorating Oil helps to soothe aches and enhance flexibility.

Angsana Spa’s therapists are professionally trained according to the curriculum set by the Banyan Tree Spa Academy located in Phuket, Thailand. www.expresshospitality.com

up to up to

600 30 % 70 %

Idli in 10 minutes. more capacity* less energy consumption*

* compared to traditional kitchen without Combi-Steamer.

You can grill, bake, roast, steam and much more in just one single unit. The operation is child’s play. You get generations of cooking experience at your fingertips.

You select food, define result. That’s it!

Visit our RATIONAL CookingLive event.

Reservations under www.rational-online.in or call our office in Gurgaon +91 124 4635865.

EXPRESS HOSPITALITY

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HAUTE TALK

Indigenous artistry After completing the design project of Park Hyatt Hyderabad recently, Walter E Miller, RA, senior vice president, design director, John Portman & Associates shares his thoughts on how the company examines the overall and immediate context of a project to create a design vocabulary attuned to the community. By Kahini Chakraborty

Walter E Miller

implicity is the ultimate sophistication and architecture is a visual art, and the buildings speak for themselves. With this equation in mind, it is not difficult to understand why Walter E Miller, RA, senior vice president, design director, John Portman & Associates emphasis on the point that a design requires to take its cues from elements of the surrounding architecture to create a modern yet sensitive response. Having worked with most of the world's leading hotel brands, the company has been involved with projects in India since the mid1990s. “Our experience has taught us to appreciate many aspects of the culture: to understand ways in which a plan may be generated from an Indian point of view in the organisation of space rather than a western one; in the beauty of carefully designed Indian gardens; and the forms and colours that are indigenous to the architecture. We have deep respect for India’s

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rich heritage. We are also sensitised to designing to meet the needs of Vastu,” confesses Miller.

Taking the effort to adept at meeting, if not exceeding brand standards, he candidly says, “We examine the overall and immediate context of a project to create a design vocabulary attuned to the community, which is yet not an imitation. This was our approach for our recent design project for Park Hyatt Hyderabad.” Established in 1953, John Portman & Associates is an internationally recognised architectural and engineering firm with offices in Atlanta, Georgia and Shanghai, China. Portman has nearly 60 years of expertise in designing hotels, universities, offices, trade marts, and mixed-use urban complexes.

With a diverse team of experienced professionals, the firm provides design services in architecture, master planning, programming, structural engineering, and project management around the world. www.expresshospitality.com

Intrigued by the design concepts of the company, when asked on how the company gathers information and inspirations to create its majestic artwork, to this Miller

replies, “We take into account key site planning factors to ensure that the new design becomes an integral component of the existing environment and that it responds to the physical opportunities and constraints of the site. This strategy not only benefits the project, but also increases the aesthetic appeal of the neighbourhood and provides a catalyst for the growth of the surrounding area. In addition, our pre-design process is highly collaborative and involves the participation of all relevant parties. Our own research is valuable, but it cannot replace the insight offered by the people closest to the project, including the owner’s team and the local design consultants.”

East vs West Having worked in different areas around India, from

November 1-15, 2012

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Mumbai, to Hyderabad, to Chennai, the company has encountered diversity in the interpretation and application of local and national codes.

“In spite of the National Building Code of India (NBCI), the local jurisdictions remain dominant in some instances. Engaging strong local partners helps in navigating this situation. It is also prudent to allow ample time for approvals when building the project schedule,” he adds.

“Through our experience in India, we also learned of an important cultural difference regarding the construction of interior walls. In the United States, it is common for interior walls to be hung drywall.

In India, the preference is to use local masonry. The belief is that a wall should provide solid separation – physically, visually, and acoustically. A wall that sounds hollow when tapped on is considered cheap and inferior. Masonry walls increase the difficulty in the installation of utilities within the walls. Masonry walls also take longer to construct, but Indian owners are willing to put up with longer construction times to get the proper interior walls that they know building users will prefer,” asserts Miller.

In addition to the Park Hyatt Hyderabad, John Portman & Associates designed Taj Wellington Mews in Mumbai.

The 14-story, luxury serviced apartment tower was completed for Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces to complement the firm’s existing portfolio and fulfill the need for a high-end product to make the leisure and corporate traveller’s extended stay in Mumbai as comfortable and effortless as possible. The 88 fully-furnished apartment units cater to expatriates and busy business people with amenities that include a health club and covered outdoor pool, outdoor jogging track, business centre, day care centre, and a deli. The rooftop terrace offers panoramic views of historic Mumbai and the Arabian Sea. The unique modern landmark building is artfully set within over 2.6 acres of landscaped gardens.

He adds, “We prepared the master plan for the launch of the Indian School of Business and also designed and oversaw the construction of the Phase I buildings for the new campus, so we had an experience working in Hyderabad prior to taking on the design for the Park Hyatt Hyderabad.

We were quite familiar with the demands of designing for

In Box Vastu considerations which were incorporated into the Park Hyatt Hyderabad include: ● The northeast and northwest angle of the plots were each aligned to be at a perfect 90 degree angle. A northwest triangle subplot was used for ancillary building services and the boundary wall between the two sub-divided plots was camouflaged by landscaping. ● The main entrance for the hotel was positioned to be from the southeast sector of the plot.

Once inside, the primary entrance into the hotel faced east. No entrances or exits were allowed in the southwest or south sections. ● The southwest corner of the plot was heavily built with minimum open space, in contrast to the northeast, north and east sectors which were designed to have maximum open spaces. ● The southeast corner of the plot was reserved for 'fire elements' such as generators, etc. ● An underground sump (water tank) was located in the northeast sector of the plot.

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the region’s harsh climate. We were also aware that natural boulders are a protected part of the landscape in the Banjara Hills region, so we understood that the Park Hyatt had to be designed so as not to disturb these naturally occurring boulders. We enjoy working in India and hope exposure for our successful India-based projects which will ultimately lead to new opportunities for our firm.”

Moving on to highlighting certain interesting trends seen in the interiors and design industry in India, Miller points out, “Perhaps the biggest trend in hospitality is an increased flexibility allowed in design under a brand umbrella. Hotel brands are recognising that guests want to feel confident that when they chose a certain hotel, such as a Park Hyatt, that they will enjoy a Park Hyatt level of service, but not a 'cookie-cutter' experience. In other words, the Park Hyatt in Paris will offer a different experience than the Park Hyatt in Hyderabad. The design for the Park Hyatt Hyderabad is definitely influenced by its setting.”

Indian granite cladding, extruded aluminum sunscreens, low E insulated glass and architectural metal accents. “In order to temper the intense sunlight typical of this part of the world, the east and west façade are shaded with a modern reinterpretation of a common Indian window concept. In traditional Indian architecture, windows are often divided into three fields: A larger, almost square, centre and two vertical panels at the sides. In addition, the top part of each window is usually divided again into elements that break the sunrays: latticed screens or 'jaali' to filter direct sunlight.

The effect is not just decorative; it also helps reduce the heat and provide internal shade. The bottom part is also

Observational anecdotes After thoroughly enjoying working with the owner, Gayatri Hi-Tech Hotels, on the design for the Park Hyatt Hyderabad, Miller keenly elaborates on the intricacies of the project by saying that the inspiration was drawn from traditional Indian architecture and Vastu principles influenced how the space was organised. “The design was conceived as a microcosm focused around an interior courtyard with terraced gardens, descending into a reflecting pool highlighted by a monumental sculpture that soars two stories high.

Abundant interior plant life, the large reflecting pool, the openness of the atrium space, natural light, the color palette, the spa spaces, and air conditioning all contribute to the creation of an indoor oasis.

The atrium features a high span skylight with Kalwall (instead of glass) for maximum day lighting balanced with sun control,” he mentions.

An interesting aspect is that the exterior of the hotel is designed to mitigate the hot climate. The glazed north and south façade open respectively to the extensive valley and the main street. The façade elements include a rain screen design featuring indigenous

solid or semisolid so that the only part left for vision is the centre part of the windows.”

The large interior space was designed, in part, to accommodate the pageantry of grand Indian weddings, which were targeted as an important source of business for the hotel. The main goal of the design is to provide a place where guests and residents can stay, enjoy, and relax.

With the influence of Vastu principles the site is naturally sloped towards the north and northeast, which is considered excellent per Vastu principles. Another nod to traditional Indian architecture is the pool in the centre of the atrium as well as the way the atrium steps inward.

Although the company is in the process of designing a residential project, Miller prefers to remain silent on the developments of the same.

But generous concludes stating, “Every project has its own unique set of circumstances that influence the design and, therefore, the associated costs.”

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Management

INSIGHT INTO HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS

COVER STORY

At your service The concierge has traditionally been the face of a hotel for its guests. Have changing times brought about any difference in guest expectations and services rendered ? Heena Mahajan finds out

he concierge has traditionally been known as 'keeper of the keys', the man who has the closest relationship with the guest than any other hotel staff.

Acknowledged as the Mr/Ms Know-it-all, the concierge's role goes beyond than that of providing the location of a nearby restaurant or providing travel assistance.

“The concierges plays a role of mediator between the guest and the hotel management. He is a friend, secretary, advisor, man Friday for the guest. Never gives up easily on any guest request. Making their stay a memorable one and creating long lasting memories is the motto," says Edwin Saldanha, president Les Clefs d'Or

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India. Society of golden keys or Les Clefs d'Or India is an association of hotel concierges.

Started in Europe 65 years back, today the association has 43

independent chapter countries worldwide which include India as well.

“Concierge services were introduced in India in 1986 at The Oberoi, Mumbai with three concierges

which went on to become a huge hit with tourists and soon were introduced in all the other five star hotels in India. Today no hotel is complete without the concierge service. Golden keys on the tail coat of concierge gives so much confidence to the guest that no one bothers for a second opinion once the concierge suggests something,” states Saldanha. He believes that every concierge plays a great role in promoting tourism of the country. “He organises tours, recommends places to dine and shop, sells destinations to the guest. He represents the tourism in their hotel and promotes his hotel, city, state and country. As a president of Les Clefs d'Or, India I was fortunate to make presentations on Indian tourism in counties like Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and many European counties,” mentions Saldanha.

The association has formed independent concierge groups in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata. Every month concierges come together for their meetings and discuss various subjects which includes hotel information, city and tourist information and many more training sessions for the upcoming concierges.

“Virginia Casale, our international president, visited Mumbai and Delhi, which gave a great boost to the fraternity and encouraged lot of ladies to take up the profession,” says Saldanha.

The digital age The basic foundation of a concierge is personalised services that he / she is able to www.expresshospitality.com

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Edwin Saldanha

Sushma Khichar

Pranay Verdia

Sanjeev Shekhar

Varun Ajmani

provide to each guest. In order to cater to the new age client many hotel companies are incorporating virtual concierge services that might never replace the personal human touch, but is an extension of the services provided. A virtual concierge is an interactive application that allows a guest to utilise a digital sign in replacement of or as an enhancement to a traditional concierge or guest service representative. It gives guests the convenience of finding all of the information they are looking for through an interactive experience much like a blown up version of a smart phone.

Recently, The Plaza hotels introduced iPads that feature the virtual concierge application.

Guests will be able to use the in-room iPads to order room service, make restaurant reservations, communicate with the concierge, request wake-up calls, read New York City destination guides, order room service, make a spa appointment, and even check airline schedules and print boarding passes.

Marriott International’s Renaissance hotels recently introduced 'Navigator' that offers suggestions for dining, drinks, shopping and sightseeing.

This information, generated by Wcities, an online destination content provider, and by hotel employees, can be found on each hotel’s web page and on an iPhone application. “We, at Marriott offer every kind of possible service to our guests.

The kind of requests that we get from people ranges from umbrella repair to arranging their weddings, ordering flowers, grand welcome, particular taste November 1-15, 2012

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M|A|N|A|G|E|M|E|N|T that he/she would prefer in their meal, airport transfers, sightseeing and many more. Though virtual concierge is a one stop shop for everything you need from the hotel's end, still cannot replace the human touch that has been there for years in the the whole concept of concierge. Faceto-face concierge can never be replaced,”says Sushma Khichar, front office manager, JW Mariott Chandigarh.

Pranay Verdia, director of operations, Jaipur Mariott says, “We, at the hotel continuously strive to serve our guests with enhanced personalised services.

The virtual concierge is industry's leading web based communication tool that helps our guests request for amenities or services specific to their needs before they arrive at our hotel. They could involve ordering ahead of room service, making dinner reservations, arranging for car services, among others.

It is undoubtedly very popular as it customises all their needs ahead of their arrival. It is the need of the hour to cater to the modern travellers.”

InterContinental Hotels in 2007 began creating videos starring individual hotel concierges offering destination-specific advice.

Today, 150 of the brand’s hotels have created the videos, which are available on each hotel’s website and on YouTube and iTunes.

The chain offer live chats between them through Skype or Apple’s FaceTime.

It has also developed an iPad with destination information for guests. And guests receive an email from the chief concierge five days before arrival offering suggestions and maps.

Hyatt’s high-tech concierge service, at all of its hotels, is Twitter-based, which goes to Hyatt concierge. Customer service agents must respond to messages within 15 minutes. If requests require

more than a 140-character response, the agent will email or call.

Sanjeev Shekhar, regional director and general manager, Hotel Marine Plaza, Mumbai feels that virtual concierge only minimalises the amount of work and shares the load of the traditional concierge.

“One cannot completely rely on the technology because it can be chaotic for a customer who is unfamiliar of the technology.

Human guidance needs to be there.

Here, we are using iPads, but have a dedicated concierge team working with us 24x7,” he states.

Varun Ajmani, front office manager, DoubleTree

by Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR points out that the virtual concierge has come into the picture in the last few years and been delivering a great experience to the guests from arranging theatre tickets to arranging transfers. “In India, the concept is still picking up

and there is a long way to go. My guests still prefer interacting with our employees for even the minutest of things,” he adds.

Though the Indian travellers are still getting used to the idea of using virtual concierge services they are still reluctant to put their requests online.

Verdia feels that the age group between 25-40 are the customers who use these services quite often.

The locals are still trying to familiarise themselves with the idea of using these services. “We do have a local clientele that falls into the loyalty programme and they usually tend to make their requests online. A lot of international guests and expats are the most frequent users,” he adds.

Despite the many advantages of deploying an interactive and efficient technology, the question remains whether digital concierges can ever equal their human counterparts.

GM SPEAK

A contemporary lifestyle destination Synonymous with a place to enjoy, socialise and entertain, Grand Hyatt Mumbai positions itself as Mumbai's epicentre of business gatherings apart from being the place where art meets music, fashion meets hi-end retail and food meets it connoisseurs. David Mansfield, general manager, Grand Hyatt Mumbai elaborates on how the company ensures in providing consistent services leading to retaining strong customer loyalty. By Kahini Chakraborty n today's marketplace, where general conditions rarely remain static, it has become imperative for hotel companies to be prepared and adapt and align to the market mix accordingly.

And one such hotel group that surely stands out is the Hyatt Hotels and Resorts.

Giving a modest answer to this achievement David Mansfield, general manager, Grand Hyatt Mumbai says, “Our overall strategic direction may not change, however the manner in which we execute our tactics needs to remain dynamic which has enabled us to retain our desired share of the market.” Being a witness to the evolving market dynamics, Mansfield's professional journey, he opines, has being the most rewarding period as he was accorded with tremendous opportunity to work with a variety of cultures and demanding markets for Hyatt International in

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Australia, India, Nepal, Malaysia and Indonesia.

“My first hotel job was that of a bellman of which I worked my way through various roles in rooms division, sales and marketing and food and beverage. I first commenced working for Hyatt in 1988 and prior to joining the team here at Grand Hyatt Mumbai, I was the general manager of Grand Hyatt Melbourne, Australia,” he adds.

Ask him on the challenges and changes seen in the hospitality industry, and he quickly replies, “The rapid growth of our industry over the past ten years has lead to an increasingly competitive marketplace. Hoteliers not only need to constantly focus on improving on the value proposition for their customers but also address the needs, expectations and constraints that impact negatively on retaining and attracting like-minded employees for our industry.” www.expresshospitality.com

And getting its market dynamics correct, Grand Hyatt Mumbai positions

itself as being strategically located with easy and quick access to north, central and November 1-15, 2012

M|A|N|A|G|E|M|E|N|T destination, where art meets music, fashion meets high-end retail and food meets its connoisseurs. “To achieve this, I nurture and lead a team of highly engaged employees whose mission is to consistently deliver our brand promise to our guest,” he adds.

On the future plans, it is certain of continuing to enhance and improve its product and facilities for its

customers. “Our core focus is to nurture, encourage and retain a team of highly engaged employees to achieve their personal and professional goals. Grand Hyatt Mumbai will be known as a contemporary lifestyle destination, committed to its employees, guests and stakeholders providing authentic hospitality and an experience unparalleled in India,” he says.

David Mansfield south Mumbai, airports, city's key business, shopping and entertainment districts.

Strategic positioning being the main aspect, when asked on the other parameters for the hotels to retain its share of repeat clientele, Mansfield highlights by stating, “The hotel offers 547 luxurious guestrooms, 111 contemporary full serviced apartments, meetings facilities and spaces for events of all sizes; indoor and outdoor recreations, international shopping experience and an array of dining options; making it a one-stop destination in itself. Keeping in mind that our clientele is diverse and from various parts of the world, we aim to deliver products and services that are consistent with international Hyatt brand standards that meet and exceed our guests expectations.”

Working around its core unique selling point of that of 'Our People' making it community driven, he applauds the level of commitment of the employees who are focused on achieving the hotel's established mission. On his management mantra, Mansfield confidently says, “Everything we do begins and ends with our guests and keeping that in mind we take great pleasure to partner with Lakme and IMG Reliance to host events such as the Lakme Fashion Week. We are pleased that Grand Hyatt Mumbai has been a preferred venue and lifestyle partner past four years for India’s foremost fashion brand that is synonymous with luxury and style.” Grand Hyatt Mumbai is known as a contemporary lifestyle November 1-15, 2012

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M|A|N|A|G|E|M|E|N|T IN FOCUS

Gastronomical indulgence The idea of organising a food promotion is to showcase a culinary style that can interest people and attract more clientele, in turn giving a boost to the business. By Heena Mahajan t is a well known fact that food promotions are picking up in and around the country and provides a golden opportunity for foodies to treat their taste buds with exotic, native as well as international dishes.

“In extra sensitive markets like Jaipur, where festivals and traditions are many these festivals help us reach out to the niche segments of guests.

The festivals help provide added value to existing guests as well as help in tapping the unexplored group of audiences through offerings suited to religious sentiments as well as festivals and local trends. These promotions are the tool to bring new things in the market, to open up cross border lines and enjoy some foreign tastes. All in all it’s about the discovery of new foods,” says Willi Haueter, executive chef, The Imperial, New Delhi.

The basic concept of a food promotion is to showcase a wide range of a particular cuisine, be it Indian or international. In India the cuisines are regionally diversified and each dish signifies a particular culture.

Also, there is a liberal usage of spices and variety of vegetables in the cuisine although there is diversity in local styles of cooking. These special recipes provide a great opportunity to discover and taste the delicacies of India.

Yash Jaiswal, Rainforest Restro Bar, Mumbai feels that food promotions in the country is much better than it was a decade ago. India still has place for improvement but it has come a long way.

Looking at the downfall in the economy food promotions becomes an integral part of the business. “Organising one

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Chef Mahesh Padala

Chef Kulwinder Singh

Willi Haueter

is an effective strategy for attracting guests or foodies to your restaurant. While on one hand you can offer them food prepared by the finest chefs of your restaurant, make them appreciate the quality, and make them your customers, on the other you can extend your business and make a large number of customers,” he adds.

“Seasonality and the local market trend are the most critical followed by the hotel occupancy figures. We have an annual calendar designed for all our F&B outlets at Jaipur Marriott in consultation with the sales team and based on the local festivals, auspicious dates, media interests, etc. We ensure that during the festival along with the food offerings the guests are able to experience a noticeable change in the ambiance as well as decor of the restaurant. Minute things from uniforms to cutlery, table set-up, menu cards, table decoration are all kept in mind to align with the theme,” says Chef Mahesh Padala, Jaipur

Mariott. “The type of cuisine can be promoted based on its popularity in the market, authenticity of the food, types of props that can be used to represent the culture of the region on which the cuisine is based, uniforms, entertainment, ambiance and decor,” feels Rajneesh Kumar, manager, Food & Beverage, Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon.

Chef Jaiswal adds, “Customer feedback leads to their interests in the cuisines on the basis of which we plan.

Accordingly optimum consideration is given to the theme and menu. Another key point is the budget through which the calculations of finances reflect a profitable return on investment from the festival. In order to reach out to the customer with the concept of the food festival is a marketing plan which is yet another essential part of planning,” says Kulwinder Singh, manager, F&B, Mosaic Hotels, Noida.

menus along with access to younger consumers, and last but not the least would be simplicity and authenticity which remains a constant trend. There is a great opportunity to organise authentic flavoured food festivals. People are greatly saturated with the routine kebab, Lucknowi and Chinese festivals. They are looking for innovative ideas, The food predominantly stays the same but what changes is the entire experience and that is what helps make a mark.

Key Factors ●

Presentation

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The theme should be exciting for people across all ages and demographics to enjoy

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Not only should the food be a perfect resemblance of the theme but the ambience and décor should also complement the theme

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The chef’s expertise in that particular cuisine

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Business viability

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Creating an experience that is new to the city or region where the festival is being hosted

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Changing times Evolving times led by a new generation of festivals with new markets emerging all over the country deliver some of the most exhilarating food trends. Street food, kebabs, sushi clubbed with wine, sathvik, Vietnamese and Peruvian are a few examples of the recent trends witnessed.

Chef Haueter feels, “This not a trend on food promotions.

However, what seems to work real good is Mexican, Swiss, Mediterranean, local kulfis, sandwiches and BBQ’s, local, American or South American.

Stronger flavours and simpler www.expresshospitality.com

Challenging task Organising festivals is a challenging and time consuming task, one has to start planning way prior to ensure the availability of resources. Few of the major challenges that one often comes across are getting the specialised chef as hotels may not have one for which they have to rely on the availability of the chef from another hotel, creating the right theme takes lot of planning and time, marketing the event to the local market is also an uphill task. What might please a particular group's palate might not be liked by another and so forth. Thus while crafting a food festival it is imperative to have thorough market knowledge, edge and the best source of the same are the media fraternity. Local media provides great insights into the city trends and what the people would want to see.

It is always better to cater to majority opinion than focus a food promotion on a nice community or group.

While planning a food

festival the biggest challenge faced is cost conservation of dishes in the menu card that determines the major cost of organising such an event. The restaurants adopt the food culture of particular regions of the world as their themes for such festivals. Another huge challenge is customer retention. As long as the festival is well conceptualised and executed, it always helps to lift the image of the hotel/restaurant and position it strongly especially in the local market. It adds on to the PR value of the establishment and creates the right buzz within it and the local market.

Food festivals are primarily food driven and puts the chef in focus, there is a lot of PR built around the chef which certainly helps the chef to build a strong rapport with the guests as they are curious enough not only to try the food but also to develop their horizon on food.

These festivals provide an additional opportunity for different seasoned chefs to interact with guests and seek their opinions and feedback.

This serves a dual purpose of not only understanding guest psyche better but also enables the chefs to build a good relationship with their customers, in turn resulting in incremental revenues.

They create an opportunity for conversational discussion which helps in relationship building. It helps immensely because in most places it is tough to find authentic regional cuisine. With the right chefs and local ingredients sources from specific areas, the regional cuisine is prepared the right way and thus is loved by both international guests as well as the local masses.

Initially in the early days of food festivals people who came and experienced the food actually became the ambassadors of the food festival, so it’s important for the chef to connect with them as their word of mouth is important. The experience nowadays has become a lot more interactive which allows the cuisine to be customised accordingly.

(Inputs: Chef Anup Gupta, executive chef - The Gateway Hotel Ganges , Varanasi) November 1-15, 2012

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Edge

T E C H N O L O G Y F O R H O S P I TA L I T Y

TECH TALK

Tech influence The effectiveness of any business strategy is becoming increasingly dependent on technological innovation, says Jacob K I echnological advancements are a key force driving growth in the hospitality industry. Nearly every hotel, big or small, harnesses technology to manage its front office, point of sale, accounts receivables, telephone management, financial planning, day-to-day operational management and more. Most hospitality properties constantly try to improve the quality of their service by investing in technology as the benefits far outweigh the costs. Thus, it is arguably necessary for the hospitality industry to adopt a structured approach and develop a technology strategy which can decrease costs, increase revenue, improve employee performance and enhance guest satisfaction.

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How does a hotel determine its technology strategy?

A technology strategy is important to a hotel as it helps streamline processes, identifies new business opportunities, improves decision making and grows the business. When a property develops a technology strategy it is important to establish a set of easily understandable principles to pave the way for consistent decision making. These principles should focus on consistency, reliability and ease of maintenance. For example, if your hotel wants to ensure data consistency, the principle should be to have a single source of data. This set of principles should be short and easily understood by both the IT team (technical user) and hotel representatives (non-technical user). These principles make decision making easier for managers and when aligned with general business strategy, can produce measurable results.

nology strategy in the hospitality industry is to have a step-by-step plan. ●

Benchmark your current technology scenario This involves evaluating your organisation’s current technology status and contextualising it in light of your growth plan. This can be a long and detailed process but well worth the task as it provides a clear execution policy. It may make sense to select a committee consisting of IT and management who will work through this process and give the technology strategy more focus. ●

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How do hotels benefit from a technology strategy?

Traditionally, business strategy in the hospitality industry was formulated by analysts, and IT took decisions based on these. More recently however, technology is able to provide increasing business value and competitive advantage, and has become a crucial tool for formulating strategy.

According to Forrester, organisations that align their business strategy with their technology strategy experience better results than the traditional approach. Thus technology has an opportunity to influence business agenda in the hospitality industry. ●

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How to develop a technology strategy?

The key to developing a good tech-

Software application and systems review The software application and systems review helps the hotel audit the software in use and determine whether it is being optimally utilised or not, how to do so and if necessary begin looking for new software vendors who align with your technology strategy and business plan. It would be relevant to also determine if your staff is adequately trained to use your applications and/ or consider upgrading their skills. ●

Review the gaps between strategic goals and current operations Now that you have reviewed existing IT staff, budget, software applications and determined whether they meet the needs of your hotel, the next step is to identify the gaps between the

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current scenario and where you would like to be in terms of leveraging technology. The gap may be in manpower skill, budget or technology. Identifying the gap allows a hotel to address it through the technology strategy. ●

Short term and long term project plans After a thorough gap analysis, the next step is to develop an effective short term and long term plan with time frames, with a clear understanding of return on investment. Your strategy plan can be quarterly, half yearly and annual, with periodic reviews in between to take stock of implementation.

Now that your hotel has a clear technology strategy, ensure that it is an integral part of your business strategy and is constantly updated when there is a change in business priorities. You will undoubtedly have barriers to investing in technology, but if these are evaluated for the long-term benefits, overall business efficiency can be achieved. It is nearly impossible for any hotel or restaurant owner to ignore technology and even though alternative strategies are possible to achieve business goals for the hospitality industry, the effectiveness of any business strategy is becoming increasingly dependent on technological innovation.

The writer is vice president – Sales, Asia Pacific and Key Accounts at IDS NEXT.

November 1-15, 2012

E|D|G|E NEW TECHNOLOGY

Shopping cart for hotel bookings A booking engine has been launched by evolution technology that has a shopping cart functionality and provides multiple easy to use features for customers

volution technology by The Hotel Performance Company (http://www.evolutiondistribution.com), the hospitality e-commerce and e-distribution provider, has launched a booking engine with a shopping cart functionality for hotels. The booking engine contains a fast track mode and is fully compatible with all internet enabled devices including tablet and mobile.

The new booking engine will prove fundamental for hotels as it maximises the value of guest bookings with its upsell functionality. It gives customers the option to upgrade and add on various extras at the point in the booking process when guests are most inclined to buy. Furthermore, a ‘quick booking’ functionality is available, giving guests the option to skip the browsing stage of the booking process and quickly book a hotel’s best available rate, proving especially useful for repeat guests and corporate clients.

Corporate and promotional code access is available to facilitate negotiated rate bookings. Content rich, evolution’s booking engine incorporates social media sharing in key areas and is highly customisable to match the look and feel of hotel websites.

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November 1-15, 2012

evolution fully integrates with hotel websites to make their total package into a powerful conversion tool, catching customers at that ‘magic moment’ of the decisionmaking process in a way customers want to be engaged. Bridging the separation between hotel websites and booking engines, evolution’s booking engine combines the two to optimise engagement and provide a more satisfying user experience. evolution’s new booking engine also has significant benefits for customers: ● Integrated large calendar screen, displaying colour guides to easily identify the highest/lowest price dates, when special offers are available and when events are occurring at the property. ● The flexibility of evolution’s shopping basket functionality allows consumers to book multiple rooms and multiple occupancies with different room types, different arrival dates and alternative departure dates in a single booking. ● Added filter functionality, allowing customers to browse rates that fit their own requirements, finding their suitable room type, finding periods where the hotel

has an offer and finding the best prices for their budget, making it easier than ever before to browse all offers and make a booking.

Yunna Takeuchi, director of e-distribution at evolution comments, “We have worked on the development of this next generation booking engine for the past couple of years. We have used both the feedback from our clients as well as our own experiences of how consumers continue to shop online and I am extremely proud to say that this has led the way to a new wave of booking engine that we have produced first.”

John Kearney, director of sales and marketing, La Finca Golf and Spa Resort, the first property to go live on the new booking engine, adds, “The new booking engine is easier to use, provides better visibility for the client and gives each booking greater value due to its upsell functionality. In fact, we have already received comments from customers who have found the booking engine to be much clearer and user friendly. We are also working on a new functionality which highlights the special events taking place in the surrounding areas, which will add further scope for bookings at our property.”

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Hospitality HR TALK

Life

'Employee satisfaction is our top most priority' People is what Simon Manohar, director of Human Resources - South West Asia, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) describes as the key differentiator for IHG and all measures are taken to assure utmost work satisfaction. By Sayoni Bhaduri

Simon Manohar

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Please throw light on some of IHG's unique HR initiatives which sets you apart from others?

Ours is fundamentally a people business – they are our biggest differentiator in a crowded market place because they are our brand ambassadors, bringing our brands to life by providing guests with memorable experiences. So hiring passionate people, training them to deliver a great guest experience, engaging them in the business, and recognising everyone for their hard work and dedication is central to our employment promise.

Our employer brand is what helps us stand out from the crowd. This is all about ‘Room’ to be ‘Yourself’ so that our employees have ‘Room To Have A Great Start’, ‘Room to Grow’, ‘Room to Be Involved’ and ‘Room to be You’. Behind this, we have a series of award-winning resources used to hire, train and involve and recognise our people which all aim to ensure people love working for IHG. One of the elements we’re most proud of is Celebrate Service Week. We dedicate this week thanking and recognising each other’s contribution. This year over 4,000 hotels and corporate offices around the world took time out to host ‘thank you’ celebrations.

IHG’s Winning Ways are how we behave every day – a set of behaviour based on our values that are helping us become one of the very best companies in the world. They reflect the values that are important to us and were developed through research with our employees

across the world into how they behave at work every day – and how they want the people they work with to behave. Our ‘Winning Ways’ provide a strong sense of shared purpose, and are critical to driving our business performance forward, as well as making us a great, enjoyable place to work. They make us a high-performing organisation that helps deliver our company’s core purpose – ‘Great Hotels Guests Love’.

What has been IHG's motto when it comes to employee satisfaction?

Our motto is that employees should all have ‘Room to be yourself’. We run extensive and multi-disciplinary employee engagement programmes through the year. Employee satisfaction is our top most priority.

We carry out bi-annual employee satisfaction surveys to assess key parameters such as employee motiwww.expresshospitality.com

vation, job satisfaction and to gauge employee feedback. On the basis of this feedback we address the concerns of our employees and ensure we continue to deliver what they most value and work on the elements they feel we can improve on.

India has always been plagued with attrition, what strategies has IHG put in place to control this situation?

Around the world the hotel industry overall often has a higher attrition rate than other industries. This is where our employer brand is our strength.

Colleagues know that when they come to work for IHG they are receiving the best in start to their career, the right training and development and can make the most of the opportunities that global company can offer. This is what stands us in good stead compared to

other companies and what makes us stand out as an employer. It’s important that we ensure people have a clear career path and that they can get the development they need to grow their careers. This is what they can get at IHG and what keeps our attrition rate lower than other companies.

How does IHG ensure that all its women employees receive equal opportunities for growth?

As a people company, we provide genuine support and development programmes for all our colleagues. The hotel industry in particular is a great place for women to work - we are able to offer flexible working schedules and a variety of career options to fit in with the career that people want. We offer equal opportunities to all our employees regardless of race, gender, religion or nationality.

November 1-15, 2012

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TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Road map for Indian hospitality education As there is a strong need to develop hospitality education collaboratively with the sectoral industry, KV Simon highlights a few suggestions which are critical for evolution of the hospitality education sector aving been a student of the Indian hospitality education for the past 45 years, I am constrained by love to suggest a set of points for the consideration of industry, academia, policy makers, students and entrepreneurs in education.

Recognition and acceptance of these points are critical to the development of human capital for Indian hospitality industry.

1. Indian hospitality industry has evolved over time and is today an integral part of the overall service sectoral economic activity.

2. This means time has come for the hospitality education to broad-base itself to cater to a number of services and allied areas which are fraternal to hospitality.

3. Recognise that hospitality education forms a part of career education programmes and therefore has to be well aligned with occupational demands in terms of quality, quantity and positional profile.

4. There is a strong need to develop all hospitality programmes collaboratively with the sectoral industry, catering to all segments, sub segments as well as allied areas of hospitality services.

5. Felt need for diversity of programmes with curricu-

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KV Simon

November 1-15, 2012

lum focus in areas consisting of ● Hospitality skills ● Hospitality operations ● Hospitality business 6. Liberalise hospitality education so that the industry and entrepreneurs would be attracted to invest in education.

7. Launch accreditation of hospitality programmes at all levels so that the programmes will enjoy academic credibility in addition to industry acceptance.

8. There should be multi-

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ple/plurality of autonomous accrediting agencies which have domain based expertise and are non-governmental.

9. Programme design should offer opportunity for concentrations, specialisations, etc. through electives, and optional choices with all courses and programmes enjoying credit worthiness.

Also programmes to be built around a set of modular courses. Such a programme structure will enable multi entry exit points, mobility, etc.

10.

Introduce programmes at high school level to whet the appetite of the youth and be a feeder for long term and specialised programmes as well as for workforce development at entry levels.

11. Industry to streamline in-house learning and development programmes leading to certifications which can be accredited for credit granting.

12. Create a selection system based on interest, aptitude, attitude, profile, compatibility, etc.

13. Create awareness, interest, opportunity, etc. in career, profession, industry, etc. through publicity and community involvement.

14. Create national level hospitality educators cadre through a certification system.

15. Industry to make itself an employer of choice through contemporary and compatible HR policies and practices.

16. Knowledge creation and dissemination through research, case studies, collaborative projects.

17. Multiple channels of learning and development delivery such as campus, work based, open, online etc.

18. Encourage creativity and innovation through granting autonomy and funding.

19. Promote and foster global/ international collaborative and joint programmes with global exposures.

20. Create national level research and scholarship fund and set awards and recognition programmes.

21. Set up various professional forums and fraternities including a national level industry-academia-media forum and a hospitality portal.

The above list is not exhaustive, but only illustrative. The thought and intent here is to plan action with the future in mind.

We have lagged behind in the past, we have missed many opportunities. And we do not want to impose regrets on ourselves. Lack of timely action leads to stunted growth. Where there is no vision the people perish. Will all stakeholders in the hospitality come together to create and sustain Indian hospitality to be globally número-uno in the 21st century?

The writer is regional vice president-South & West Asia American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute.

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Movements

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Absolute Hotel Services India

ITC Maurya

Le Meridien Kochi

Le Meridien Kochi has announced the appointment of Saji Joseph as general manager of Le Méridien.

In his new role he will directly report to Dilip Puri, MD, India & regional Vice President, South Asia, Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels & Resorts. He will be responsible for directing the strategy of the hotel in Kochi with 223 rooms coupled with the renowned world class International Convention Centre.

Anil Chadha has now moved to Delhi as general manager, ITC Maurya, ITC Hotels after a successful stint as area manager, Bengaluru Hotels and general manager ITC Gardenia.

An alumni of the ITC Hospitality Management Institute, in addition to his stint at ITC Gardenia, ITC Windsor and ITC Sonar, he was instrumental in the launch of KayaKalp: The Royal Spa at ITC Mughal.

Absolute Hotel Services India has announced the appointments of Mandar Vasant Kumta as the general manager of Eastin Easy Citizen Ahmedabad and Hrishikesh Madhukar Joshi as the general manager of U Tropicana Alibaug.

Kumta has over 16 years of experience in the hospitality industry with hotels in the Middle East and India including Astoria & Ambassador Group of Hotels, Hotel Marine Plaza and Jebel Ali Hotel & Golf Resort. While Joshi has over 14 years of experience with many well known international hotel chains in India including Le Royal Meridien,Taj, Holiday Inn and Ramada. Prior to joining U Tropicana Alibaug, he was general manager of Keys Hotel Cama.

The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi and the Westin Sohna Resort and Spa

DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon - New Delhi NCR

The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi and The Westin Sohna Resort and Spa have announced the appointment of Deepak Bhatia as complex executive chef. In his new role Chef Bhatia will oversea culinary operations at the various F&B venues including PREGO, EEST, Seasonal Tastes, Daily Treats, Mix- Lounge and Bar, Splash at Gurgaon and The Living Room, Xiao Chi, Mix – Lounge and Bar and Splash at Sohna, banquets and In-room dining.

DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon New Delhi NCR has announced the appointment of Rachid Choukki as chef de cuisine of Casablanca, Moroccan specialty restaurant when it opens later this year. Chef Choukki will be responsible for food production at Casablanca and he will report to executive chef, Rajat Tuli. Chef Choukki joins DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon - New Delhi NCR from Atlantic Palace Agadir, Morocco, where he held the position of sous chef.

The Westin Mumbai Garden City Pallavi Gore has been appointed as Heavenly Spa and recreation manager for The Westin Mumbai Garden City. She completed her diploma in cosmetology from Carsten Aveda Institute, New York and diploma in esthetics from Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics, New York. She has over five years of experience and her previous appointment include spa manager at The Leela Kempinski and Taj Lake Palace,Udaipur.

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Goa Marriott Resort & Spa Asif Khan has been appointed as the instructor of the fitness transformation programme at Goa Marriott Resort & Spa. His new role at the hotel includes complete responsibility of the fitness transformation programme. Khan possesses a doctorate in alternative medicine as well as a diploma in physiotherapy and acupuncture.

Kempinski Ambience Delhi Kempinski Hotels has announced the appointment of Manish Nambiar as hotel manager for its upcoming luxury property, Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi. In his new role, Nambiar will be responsible for directing the pre-opening activities relating to finance, marketing and guest services at the upcoming Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi, and will be conceptualising restaurant themes and designs, developing vendors, and operating supplies and equipment (OS&E) identification and procurement for the first Kempinski’s hotel in India.

Kempinski Ambience Hotel Delhi has also appointed Aditya Singh as its director for sales and marketing, who will be spearheading the room sales, catering sales, marketing and revenue divisions. Prior to his current portfolio, Singh was the director of sales and marketing at JW Marriott Chandigarh.

Courtyard by Marriott, Pune Hinjewadi

Toshali Sands Ethnic Village Resort, Puri

Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa

Aniruddha Limaye has been appointed as executive chef at Courtyard by Marriott Pune Hinjewadi. Limaye started his gastronomy journey as a management trainee with Taj Mahal Mumbai and then with Taj Fort Aguada Beach Resort Goa. He is graduate from Rizvi College of Hotel Mmanagement and Catering Technology Mumbai, and specialises in western cuisines.

Toshali Sands Ethnic Village Resort at Puri has appointed Sarada Prasanna Mishra as its executive chef. In his present role, he is responsible for the entire culinary operations at Toshali Sands which includes specialty restaurant, banquets and outdoor caterings (grand marriages). Prior to joining Toshali, he worked as executive chef with Amwaj Qatar and Ramee International and as sous chef with Ramada Navi Mumbai, Hotel Ambassadors Andheri Mumbai and Hotel Royal Palm Park Plaza Mumbai.

Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa has announced the promotion of Siddhartha Savkur as executive assistant manager – Rooms. He oversees the smooth functioning of the rooms division, security, recreation and Sereno Spa. An alumnus of the Institute of Hotel Management Bangalore, Savkur has been with Hyatt since 2005. He joined as the reservations manager for India and Singapore and was subsequently promoted as director of reservations based out of Mumbai. In 2008, he was transferred as director of rooms to Hyatt Regency Kolkata.

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November 1-15, 2012

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ExpressHospitality Business Avenues

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BC-31

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Foldaway Moulton Top Banquet Table available in various sizes

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From elegant s t a c k a b l e aluminum chairs to fold away banquet tables, our premium collection of banquet furniture offers an ideal balance of s u p e r i o r i t y, functionality, and value. They are

C a r ts Our collection of 'Hotel Carts' includes an exclusive range of durable bellman carts, F&B Carts, House Keeping Carts, designed to meet hotel standards available in different

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Locker Wide range of Locker Units for Hotels, Schools & other Institutions.

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CONTRACT FURNITURE SOLUTIONS WZ- 294, First Floor, Opp. I.B.P. Petrol Pump, Jail Road, Hari Nagar, New Delhi–58 (India)

Tel: +91-011-32970033 / 25618697 Mobile : +91-9810102853

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November 1-15, 2012

W|E|E|K|E|N|D

Cocktail splash lack and white with a splash of orange was the prescribed dress code and most guests adhered to that. It was the ‘Be Cointreauversial’ Casablancathemed party at Tote, hosted by third-generation hotelier Aishwarya Nair. Guests relished the cocktails made with Cointreau, the liqueur with a perfect balance of bitter and sweet orange peels.

Seen at this soiree were Esha Deol, Bharat Takthani, Konkana Sen Sharma, Vikram Raizada and Rajeev Samant.

You learnt that with the famous ‘Be Cointreauversial’ attitude, Cointreau strives to be a liqueur loved by charismatic and confident women who are able to accept their diverse self and life without being influenced by others.

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WEEKEND SCENE AND HEARD

Marcellus Baptista

Aishwarya Nair and guests at the Cointreau party at Tote

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MUMBAI’S HOTELS? A PEEK INTO THE PARTY CIRCUIT AND EVENTS IN THE CITY...

The sing thing

Keep it short agerbay was the happy venue for the preview of Ballantine’s Salt & Pepper, a collection of 10 short plays enacted by Mandira Bedi, Kuki Grewal, Darshan Jariwala and Vikram Kochhar and directed by Vikranth Pawar. While guests sipped Ballantine’s, either in straight drinks or in cocktails with naughty names they got a taste of one of these plays with Mandira Bedi and Darshan Jariwala and heard that the theatre tour of 10 shows would comprise 10 stories of 10 minutes each, revolving around 10 lives. The chosen cities were Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Gurgaon, Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Talent focus he focus was on the conceptcelebrity F in Focus by F bar and fashion designer Narendra Kumar.

You saw mannequins dressed in couture creations inspired by ballet and showcased at the recent India Bridal Fashion Week, while a celebrity wall was unveiled by the designer and modelactor Evelyn Sharma. Guests thoroughly enjoyed the ginger and apple martini and Chivas in full flow. You heard that F in Focus has been established as a monthly property, aimed at applauding and celebrating the achievements and accomplishments of established and upcoming talent from the field of fashion, art and lifestyle and that the concept highlights a fashion designer, model, photographer, choreographer, stylist or artist.

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T

Raju Singh, Javed Jaffery, Manasi Scott and Sulaiman Merchant at the KWC finale at Canvas udges Javed Jaffrey, Manasi Scott, Raju Singh and Sulaiman Merchant had the time of their lives trying to decide on the winners of the McDowell’s No.1 Karaoke World Championship finale powered by Nokia Lumia.

Canvas, the venue, was filled with a cheerful crowd who backed all the finalists. At the end of it all Sharvari Deshpande and Faizan Khurshid bagged the prestigious KWC trophies. They will represent India at the World Championships in Finland and enjoy return flights and chalet accommodation for six days. Seen at the finale were karaoke fans like Shamita Singha, Mashoom Singha, Gavin Miguel, Siddharth Rawal, Hanif Hillai, Anchal Kumar, Candice Pinto, Sanea Shaikh, Binal Trivedi, Aki Narula and Alison Kanuga.

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Mandira Bedi at Ballentine's Salt & Pepper preview at Lagerbay November 1-15, 2012

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Narendra Kumar at the F in Focus night at F bar

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WEEKEND E V E N T S

Bon Appetite

Celebration time

Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi recently held a three day food festival based on Awadhi theme

New beginning

(L-R) Keith Vaz, founder patron, Silver Star; Amitabh Bachchan and Capt CP Krishnan Nair at the 70th birthday celebrations of Bachchan at The Leela Mumbai

Success bash

The Bangalore Chapter of Indian Housekeeper’s Club (IHC) was launched by GK Shrivastava, national president, Indian Housekeeper’s Club at The Chancery Pavilion Hotel Team AMFAH recently celebrated its successful completion of 1,000 days of operation and sale of 50,000 units of dehumidifiers / air purifiers across India at Hotel Novotel Mumbai, Juhu Beach

Shine pink

Showcasing talent

Nestle Professional Mumbai Branch conducted a Mix-O-Logy competition for cocktails and mocktails in association with Kohinoor IMI, Khandala. F&B students from hotel management institutes from Mumbai/Pune region showcased their talent

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The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA) Campaign lights up Taj Lands End, Bandra in Mumbai for its global landmarks illumination initiative to call attention to 'Early Detection in the prevention of Breast Cancer'

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November 1-15, 2012

14-15 January 2013

The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon Delhi (N.C.R.), India

Patrons

Media Partners

Hilton Worldwide Hotel Leelaventure Limited Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Asian Hotel + Catering Times DDP Publications – Trav Talk Express Hospitality Global Destinations GlobalHotelNetwork.com HA Emerging Markets Hospitality Biz Hotel Interactive, Inc. ITP Publishing India Pvt.Ltd. Perspective Magazine Sleeper Magazine TravelBiz Monitor, Saffron Media Pvt. Ltd. Traveltechie.com TTG India

Platinum Partners Accor Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group IHG JA Resorts And Hotels Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces

Gold Partners The Ascott Limited Fortune Park Hotels LTD. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Interglobe Hotels Pvt. Ltd. MGM Hospitality Premier Inn India Pvt Ltd Rotana Hotel Management Corporation Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Pte Ltd. Wyndham Hotel Group

Early Fee Available Before 30 November 2012

Supporters American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute Asian American Hotel Owners Association Hotel Association of India International Finance Corporation International Society of Hospitality Consultants International Tourism Partnership The World Bank World Travel & Tourism Council An Official Publication of BHN HOTELS’ Investment Outlook as of 3 October 2012

www.HIFI-India.com

REGD.WITH RNI NO.MAHENG/2005/21391, REGD.NO.MH/MR/SOUTH-44/2010-12,PUBLISHED ON 2ND & 17TH EVERY FORTNIGHT, POSTED ON 3,4,5 & 18,19,20 OF EVERY FORTNIGHT POSTED AT IND.EXP.PSO.