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EDITOR’S NOTE
Style and Substance
A
s societies evolve so do tastes. The shift from general to the specific, from ordinary to special, gets evident with time. The desire to experience a product that is out of the ordinary comes to the fore and for the well informed globally travelled individual the aspiration to experience a unique product gains prominence. This demand to live in an ambience that is special, stately or savvy is fittingly met across the world as there are hotels that offer guests an experience of a lifetime. From living in cave hotels to underwater hotels, from desert hot springs properties to ice hotels, the list can be intriguing and captivating. From Sweden to Sydney from Tanzania to Turkey, theme based unique hotels give a destination a reasonable fillip. Design hotels and art hotels too are grabbing eyeballs for their style element which is subtle and refined. Writing this edit in the lobby of Mamilla Hotel, a unique lifestyle property in the heart of Jerusalem, Israel itself is an experience. From architecture to the lightings, the decor to furniture placement, every aspect of the hotel has a story to narrate. Art hotels and design hotels are like poetry to the
HEAD OFFICE Food & Hospitality World MUMBAI: Rajan Nair, Dattaram Kandalkar, Manish S. Global Fairs & Media Pvt. Ltd 2nd Floor, Express Towers Nariman Point, Mumbai-400021. India Tel: 6744 0000 / 22022627 Fax: 022-22885831 E-mail: rajan.nair@fhwexpo.in; datta.kandalkar@fhwexpo.in manish.shringarpure@fhwexpo.in Branch Offices : NEW DELHI: Pranshu Puri, The Indian Express Ltd, Express Building (Basement) 9 & 10, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi - 110 002 Tel : 011- 23465670 Fax : 011 - 23702141 E-mail: pranshu.puri@fhwexpo.in Our Associate: Dinesh Sharma Mobile: 09810264368 E-mail: 4pdesigno@gmail.com
6 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
CHENNAI: A K Shukla, The Indian Express Ltd, New No.37/C (Old No.16/C), 2nd Floor,Whites Road, Royapettah, Chennai - 600 014 Tel: Board: 28543031/28543032/ 28543033/28543034 Fax: 28543035 Mobile : 09849297724 E-mail: ashwanikumar.shukla@fhwexpo.in BENGALURU: Sreejith Radhakrishnan, The Indian Express Ltd, 502 Devatha Plaza, 5th Floor, 131 Residency Road Bengaluru - 560025 Ph 080-22231923/24 Fax: 22231925. E-mail: sreejith.radhakrishnan@fhwexpo.in HYDERABAD: A K Shukla, The Indian Express Ltd, 6-3-885/7/B, Ground floor V.V. Mansion, Somaji Guda, Hyderabad - 500 082
“Today the hotel business is witnessing some interesting times and hotels are much more than just a place to check in and check out”
architects. Back home, the Hyatt Regency Chennai too displays some special art and design giving the property its unique sense of individuality. The hotel has some special art work related to the lifecycle of bees and carefully narrates the vital aspect of pollination. Our cover story this issue highlights this very aspect of hospitality - unique hotels and beyond. Today the hotel business is witnessing some interesting times and hotels are much more than just a place to check in and check out. Unique hotels offer guests an experiential stay, living in style in an environment that is away from the ordinary. Though style and structure is essential, a hotel's uniqueness is also reflected in its finer aspects. Boutique hotels have their own unique charm and reflections, which are in most cases very local, personal and warm. These hotels seamlessly reflect the character of the region, from the staff mannerism to the architecture. The Ballynahinch Castle Hotel in Ireland has a unique story to tell and so do our very own Neemrana hotels. REEMA LOKESH Editor
Tel: 040-23418673/23418674/ 23418675 (Tele-fax)/66631457 Fax: 040-23418678 E-mail: ashwanikumar.shukla@fhwexpo.in
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CONTENTS Vol 2 No.6 DECEMBER 1-15 2013
SPA & WELLNESS
Chairman of the Board
Viveck Goenka Editor
Reema Lokesh* Assistant Editor
Steena Joy Associate Editor
Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai
19
Kahini Chakraborty Rituparna Chatterjee Niharika Shukla Kolkata
Joy Roy Choudhury DESIGN
A PALACE OF WELLNESS BADRUTT'S PALACE HOTEL IN ST MORITZ SWITZERLAND IS A TRUE WELLNESS OASIS
National Art Director
Bivash Barua
INTERIORS & DESIGN
Deputy Art Director
Surajit Patro Chief Designer
Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designer
Rushikesh Konka Layout
Ratilal Ladani Kiran Parker Scheduling & Coordination
Rohan Thakkar Photo Editor
Sandeep Patil MARKETING General Manager
Sachin Shenoy Marketing Team
Dattaram Kandalkar Rajan Nair Manish Shringarpure Ashwani Kumar Shukla Sreejith Radhakrishnan Pranshu Puri Yoginder Singh Ajanta Sengupta NATIONAL FOOD & BEVERAGE SALES
UNUSUALLY UNIQUE From underground resorts to tree house lodges,unique hotels In India are slowly gaining popularityand are catering to a niche segment of travellers.However, this concept still has manychallenges to overcome and has a long wayto go
(24) P16: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Crowne Plaza Greater Noida
P18: PRODUCT TRACKER
INTERNATIONAL FOOD &
P35: LIFE
Soumodip Ghosh Rahul Bisht Marketing Coordination
Darshana Chauhan
MARKETS
08
Kurlon
Green vision
11
P36: MOVEMENTS
12
General Manager Manager
Bhadresh Valia
P51: WEEKEND Scene and heard by Marcellus Baptista
28
SIKKIM GOVT EXTENDS SUPPORT TO HOSPITALITY INVESTORS
HAKKASAN LOOKS AT ORGANIC GROWTH FOR YAUATCHA BRAND IN INDIA
Courtyard by Marriott Ahmedabad PRODUCTION
B R Tipnis
'HOTELS THESE DAYS ARE USING COLOURS TO DEFINE DIFFERENT SPACES' INTERVIEW WITH MANISH BHATIA, GENERAL MANAGER, MARKETING, DECORATIVE PAINTS, AKZONOBEL INDIA
MANAGEMENT
Chandra Shekhar Sasi Kumar G Keshav Barnwal
HOSPITALITY SALES
21
BEST FOODS FORAYS INTO READY-TO-EAT MARKET
IN THE PINK OF CONDITION THE MID AND LUXURY SEGMENT OF HOTELS IN JAIPUR CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THEIR SHARE OF THE MARKET
EDGE
33
'THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR KNOWS THAT THEY ARE SITTING ON A MINE OF DATA' INTERVIEW WITH SRIKANT SASTRI, FOUNDER, CRAYON DATA
Food & Hospitality World Published for the proprietors, Global Fairs & Media Private Limited, by Vaidehi Thakar at Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021, and printed by her at Indian Express Press, Plot EL-208, TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai. Editor : Reema Lokesh* (*responsible for selection of news under PRB Act). @ 2012 Global Fairs & Media Private Limited. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in whole or part without the Publisher's permission is prohibited.
MARKETS
Sikkim govt extends support to hospitality investors Joy Roy Choudhury Pelling THE RECENT inauguration function of Chumbi Mountain Retreat Resort & Spa in Pelling, saw Pawan Kumar Chamling, chief minister of Sikkim promise cooperation and support to investors in the state, including those for hospitality and tourism projects. Chamling said, “Over the last two decades, Sikkim has been able to establish itself as a premiere eco-tourism destination of the country. We have achieved this through formulation of some dedicated programmes and creation of certain innovative tourism concepts.” Present on the occasion were PD Rai, the lone
Sikkim has been able to establish itself as a premiere eco-tourism destination and hosts over 10 lakh tourists annually. The greenfield airport in Pakyong will be operational by next year Pawan Kumar Chamling
Lok Sabha member from the state, Hishey Lachungpa, Rajya Sabha member from Sikkim, several other ministers, MLAs and government officials.
Chumbi Mountain Retreat Resort & Spa is the very first five-star luxury resort in West Sikkim. Ugen Chopel, managing director, Chumbi Group of Hotels, said,“This
new property has been opened to provide the best service to the guests as well as tourists from different parts of the globe. West Sikkim being the main attrac-
tion of tourists needed such a five star facility. The natural beauty and scenic environment of the region attracts large number of tourists from inside and outside the country. Thus, this property has been built equipped with the latest amenities to provide quality services to customers.” The group owns another property in Gangtok, Sikkim. At present the state is hosting over 10 lakh tourists annually. The new infrastructure projects will go a long way in strengthening the tourism sector in Sikkim. The greenfield airport is under construction in Pakyong and will be operational by next year.
India's first branded luxury villa hotel to come up in Goa Sudipta Dev Mumbai SCAPES REALTY India has formed a partnership with EPI[K]UREAN hospitality to launch India's first high-end villa hotel or Villotel in Siolim, Goa. The JV will be called EPI[K]UREAN Amala. “We want to start a Villotel branded chain. We will be managing the property like a five-star hotel. Guests can book a spacious villa with bedrooms, each on a separate floor,” said Sameer Mutreja, director, Scapes Realty. Talking about the JV with EPI[K]UREAN hospitality, he added, “We wanted to partner
8 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
with a chain who had the expertise to manage boutique properties, we needed a specialist.” After Goa the company is looking at Shimla, Mysore, Alwar and later also Kerala. Another project in Goa is a holistic wellness resort in a villa complex. Renting a villa for holidays is very popular in Europe, Florida and California. The company aims to change the way Indians holiday through its chain of Villotels. “The reason why people do not hire villas in India is because it is not branded. When we go on a holiday to Koh Samui or Phuket, we get different options. In India it is either a
Sameer Mutreja
five- star hotel or a three-star/ two-star property. There is nothing else branded in the country. The problem in that
space is that you pay `20,000 in a holiday village and you get a 400 sq feet space, that is the only private area. The rest are all common areas,” stated Mutreja. A guest who hires a villa gets a private pool, private spa and of course a private butler. Every villa comes with a private elevator. You can also choose a chef of your choice. Each villa will have racks of wine, branded crockery, etc. There will also be a wellness cafe in the complex. The cafe will serve detox juices, fruits, dishes made with organic vegetables, etc. “We are planning to do many wellness retreats. It is going
to run like a proper resort but around the main concept will be wellness,” informed Mutreja. To be completed in 2015, the first project in Goa includes 14 villas, total number of keys is 43. Every guest has to rent a villa, which are of different sizes. “It is a win-win for everyone. The buyer of a villa now owns a part of the hotel and gets 50 per cent of the gross operating profit. The person who rents it gets an exclusive place,” pointed out Mutreja. The buyers instead of using their own villas can enjoy a holiday in EPI[K]UREAN villas in Koh Samui or Vietnam.
MARKETS
Now customers can bid for best hotel deals in India Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai NEW DELHI - based Findmystay.com has launched a unique model ''Find My Stay @ My Price' where customers decide what they want to pay for their stay. With a current inventory of over 10,000 hotels in India, this model allows the company to offer greater discounts to customers which can vary between 20-60 per cent over and above the best available price online. Speaking to
Every B2B technology outfit is also a marketing outfit. We have already begun with our digital marketing on social search and display media Food and Hospitality World, Simran Sial, co- founder, Findmystay.com said, “It’s a disruptive proposition which breaks the old conventional ways of booking. We have partnered with hotels for our unique model which allows us to offer greater discounts. Customer is the king, along with destination, location, dates, and star category of the hotel. Within 60 minutes they get hotel options in their email with complete details of the hotel and a price which can be 20-60 per cent lower than online average price of that category of hotel.” With an aim to make the portal a preferred hotel booking site, the company will be expanding its services in future by introducing additional innovative ways to find and book hotels in India across cate-
9 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
gories. “We've re-thought the hotel booking experience online, and are building some useful features to help people find the best hotel for their stay. Soon we will be launching our
mobile site and application and will also add international inventory. These are the immediate expansion plans that the company will be targeting in the near future,” he added. For
greater visibility in the market, the company has aggressive marketing plans, to which he mentioned, “Every B2B technology outfit is also a marketing outfit. We have already be-
gun with our digital marketing on social search and display media. In sometime we will also start advertising on OOH Media, TV and print in select key regions.”
MARKETS
Dr.Oetker introduces new categories of products Kahini Chakraborty Mumbai DR. OETKER is looking at aggressively expanding within its existing categories of products and grow in new categories of products as well. The company has launched a new category of street food dips- samosa dip, kebab dip, momo dip and tartare dip. Besides this, it is also launching a sweet spreadchocolate fudge spread and choco lava cake mix. Talking ex-
clusively to Food and Hospitality World, Oliver Mirza, managing director, Dr. Oetker India said, “These three products are the most recent examples of how we grow the categories whether by supporting our local pillars of mayo, sauces, spreads or by launching products from international heritage like choco lava. After acquiring Fun Foods, the company's sales have tripled. This year the company grew stronger than the compound annual growth rate
Oliver Mirza
(CAGR) over the last five years. This growth is derived from re-
tail and food service business. We are looking to match and better our CAGR of the past five years in 2014.” The company is present in modern trade as well as traditional trade on pan India basis. “We are covering more cities than the largest QSR chain currently operates in. And we are consistently strengthening the distribution network,” added Mirza. When asked about the ratio of sales between institutional and re-
tail, he added, “In the past the overweight was on food service but due to the aggressive retail growth, retail now takes up the bigger share. We are happy with this ratio and do not wish to change it. Many of our clients assumed that we were exiting food service business in 2012 because we discontinued the ketchup business. However, the opposite is true. In 2011 we globally declared food service a priority too.”
Deltin Group to open casino hotels in Daman and Sikkim Looking to tap international markets like Nepal and Sri Lanka Akshay Kumar Mumbai DELTIN GROUP, India’s first integrated gaming and hospitality brand by Delta Corp, is launching its first property in Daman, The Deltin Hotel. This property is Daman's first integrated five star resort and casino. Also, the Deltin Group is aggressively looking to enter the
eastern market by launching a property in Sikkim, but this is still at a nascent stage. In India, the licenses and permission for live gaming is only encouraged by Goa, Daman and Sikkim. Jaydev Mody, chairman, Delta Corp said, “Our primary focus has always been on providing premium experiences as we stand for luxury and glamour at each of our properties
Celebration in solitude
Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales celebrated his 65th birthday at Kumarakom Lake Resort, Kerala
10 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
and the Deltin brand is an accurate reflection of that. The Deltin Hotel in Daman is our new property which would be launched in the first quarter of 2014. Daman is near Mumbai, so we expect a good number of people coming to our hotel.” “We are looking to tap the Sikkim market as well, this is a new market and has a good potential to attract customers. Apart from the domestic market, we are also looking to tap some international markets like Nepal and Sri Lanka,” he added. Deltin Daman will be a five star deluxe hotel with more than 35,000 sq ft space for a large casino facility with bars and restaurants. This 168 rooms and suites property will have facilities like an all day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, a bar and pool bar, pastry shop, spa with eight treatment rooms, equipped gym, swimming pool with separated kid's pool and kids play area, entertainment zone and eight retail shops. For conferences and events, they have a grand ballroom and four small function rooms with total space of 16,000 sq ft and parking space for over 250 cars. Speaking exclusively to Food & Hospitality World, about the
In Las Vegas you go to a hotel, it has 6000 rooms and the casino is 150,000 sq ft status of live casino gaming market in India, Mody said, “In terms of experience and rules we are the same as the international market. It is only the scale
which is not there in our country. In Las Vegas you go to a hotel, it has 6000 rooms and the casino is 150,000 sq ft, but our casino is only 50,000 sq ft. All rooms put together we have only 400 rooms, so the scale is not there. But we have been operating for only four five years, so it would eventually develop.” Currently, DeltinGroup holds three of the five licenses for live casinos in Goa. Deltin Group owns two offshore casinos Deltin Casino Royale and Deltin Jaqk apart from two hotels in Goa, Deltin Palms and Deltin suits.
MARKETS
Hakkasan looks at organic growth for Yauatcha brand in India Sudipta Dev Mumbai THE HAKKASAN GROUP has expanded its brand presence in India with the opening of Yauatcha Bengaluru in September and Yauatcha New Delhi in November. Yauatcha, the Michelinstarred restaurant from London that had debuted in India with Yauatcha Mumbai, will be rolled out in other Indian cities as well. “We are growing organically and carefully. Following the opening of the restaurant in Delhi, the company is looking at Kolkata also. There is a lot of potential in India, and we learn as we grow. It took us a long time to understand the market,” stated Didier Souil-
Didier Souillat
lat, executive VP, Hakkasan. Talking about his perception of the India market and evolution of global dining scenario here, Souillat mentioned, “There are many Indian restaurants in
London with Michelin stars. Indian travellers have been coming to the UK for gastronomical visits. A lot of our customers in London are Indian nationals. Coming to Mumbai was a natu-
ral choice as we were very well received. We have been overwhelmed by the response here.” The pertinent question is - is the group planning to bring any of its other brands to India apart
from the already existing Hakkasan (in Mumbai) and Yauatcha restaurants? The current focus, according to Souillat, is to take Yauatcha to different cities in India. In the UK the company has another well known brand called Sake no Hana offering modern authentic Japanese dining. In December 2012, the group had launched HKK, inspired by Chinese banqueting traditions. The London-based group has announced the plans for its first luxury resort on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah island. About opening hotels in India, Souillat stated, “We never say no, we just have to open one and be successful.” The company has one night club – in Las Vegas.
MARKETS
'The MICE sector will witness exceptional growth in the near term' What makes Aamby Valley such a unique MICE destination? Located in the lap of nature, Aamby Valley City offers stateof-the-art conferencing facilities that enable successful meetings, incentives, conferences and events for corporate India. The Lifestyle City, with a dedicated airport and world class infrastructure, comes complete with eclectic Club class conveniences including an Equestrian course, Aquatic Bay for water sports, Adventure Zone 19º North, fine dining, entertainment and leisure hubs along with the world’s tallest multimedia fountain show. The crowning centerpiece is the 18-hole floodlit championship golf course, awarded best international golf course at international property awards in London. Aamby Valley City was recently awarded the Most Admired Brand of the year at Asian Brand & Leadership Summit in Dubai. How many different venues do you have for corporate events? At Aamby Valley City, corporates can choose from 28 different venues to host events. The
As many as 28 venues for hosting corporate events, makes Aamby Valley City a unique destination for MICE. Vivek Kumar, CEO, Aamby Valley City and Hotel Sahara Star talks about setting high benchmarks in hosting corporate events. By Sudipta Dev
conference venues are ideal for hosting events for each between 15 and 3000 pax. Complete with feature-packed, high-tech stateof-the-art AV facilities, makes it an excellent choice for lectures, seminars, annual meets, presentations, dinners. The city seamlessly integrates all support systems and processes to help put together a memorable conclave for corporates amidst natural and peaceful
surroundings. For incentives, there are world class conference facilities and a host of leisure, recreation, sporting, events and entertainment options and dining places. For team building Aamby Valley offers unique activities such as trekking, camping, zorbing, etc at the adventure park. The natural lakes and surroundings also provide an ideal set up for water sports at Wetlands.
What are the accommodation options for MICE groups ? Aamby Valley City has residential options ranging from the timber chalets to modern cottages. Each of these residences is superbly crafted and well-appointed with eclectic pick of new-age fixtures, accessories and comforts surrounded with lush nature. Each accommodation is in midst of beautiful nature and mountain offering re-
laxation to the body and soul. What has been your focus on organising special events for corporates ? Aamby Valley City has set high benchmark in customising each event and conference with luxury and efficient processes to ensure the entire experience is smoothly facilitated. Our inhouse events team, meticulously plan every aspect of the conference, events or corporate meetings to ensure smooth execution. The international quality standards are maintained to assure delicious meals accompany each event to tempt the customers. Future plans? At Aamby Valley City we are constantly upgrading our facilities including refurbishing our restaurants 'Mabruk' and 'Namak' to ensure high quality standards in our accommodations, banquet and conferencing facilities. Aamby Valley City also includes the world’s tallest multimedia fountain that burst 100 ft into the air. The aquatic extravaganza dances to lively music amidst a display of lights and laser images.
Best Foods forays into ready-to-eat market Kahini ChakrabortyMumbai BEST FOODS, an integrated player of rice, health and wellness products, has ventured into the convenience segment with ready-to-eat and readyto-cook foods in India. The company is focusing on making the products available across the country. Presently, it has 17 products and may look at expanding the range in the near future. Speaking ex-
12 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
clusively to Food and Hospitality World, Dr Aayushman Gupta, CEO, Best Foods said, “We expect our ready-to-eat vertical to grow significantly in the coming years and contribute around 15 per cent to the total turnover in the next five years. Our focus is to have a full scale distribution network so that the products are widely available. We will also focus on various marketing initiatives to engage with our consumers and build a strong
Aayushman Gupta
brand connect.” The company had a turnover of `2,000 crore
in the last fiscal and is targeting 30 per cent growth this year. When asked about the changing trends in the rice consumption pattern among customers, Gupta informed, “India has over 4000 varieties of rice and there are localised varieties in some states. Needless to say, rice consumption is on the rise across cities. This is primarily due to the shift in the consumer preference towards packaged
foods with the prevalence of a hectic lifestyle and an upsurge in migration to other cities for job and education. There is an increased off-take of packaged 'branded' varieties due to consumer confidence in consistent quality. Also besides wheat, rice is the staple grain in India. However, amongst all the rice varieties, basmati is gaining more popularity in both brand acceptance and the look and feel of cooked products.”
MARKETS
Godrej launches affordable chicken product To come up with more new products by year end Rituparna Chatterjee – Mumbai GODREJ TYSON FOODS, a joint venture between Godrej Agrovet and Tyson Foods, has launched Real Good Chicken 400 gm pack priced at `48. The Real Good Chicken 400 gm pack has been launched to offer a high protein diet at an
Arabind Das
affordable price to the lower middle class and middle class segment of the Indian consumer. The product would also be available to the QSR segment, restaurants and hotels. Speaking about the decision to launch this product, Arabind Das, chief operating officer, Godrej Tyson Foods said, “The lower middle class and middle class are going towards processed foods. This is where the organised sector is selling more chicken now. It is growing but at a slower pace.” Godrej Tyson Foods is a poultry and vegetarian products manufacturer and marketer. Real Good Chicken and Real Good Yummiez are two brands that fall under Godrej Tyson Foods. Speaking about other products that the company plans to offer in future, Das revealed, “There are a lot of products on line, exciting ones in Indian flavours and also in global cuisines which are healthier. It is not about delivering new products, we are
13 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
looking at how we are going to make it more affordable and nutritious and we are looking
at what is missing in the Indian diet to put that into the product. The USP is to make
protein affordable.” The new products will be launched within this year. When asked
about the new products that are expected to be launched, Das declined to comment.
MARKETS
Rotana Hotels conducts first India sales mission Niharika ShuklaNew Delhi ROTANA HOTEL Management Corporation conducted its first India sales mission in New Delhi recently wherein it revealed its plans for the India market. The company aims to open 20 properties within the next 10 years in India. The company is looking at potential asset owners across tier one and tier two cities in India. Focusing on 25 cities at the moment, the company plans to announce its first project within the next six months. With an aim to achieve 14-15 per cent business growth from India, it is planning to invest US$ three-five million over the next few years. Andy Nightingale, director, international sales, Rotana Hotel Management Corporation
said, “Being the highest revenue generating market, India is the most appropriate market for us. Tourism boards of Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been cooperative with us and we are here to further promote our brands in India. We have observed 40 per cent traffic growth from the country since our sales presence here in India from the last three years. Middle East is quite popular as a tourist market today and we receive not only leisure but also business travellers and then there are families who want a longer stay which our brand Arjaan Hotel Apartments provides.” The group has a portfolio of 85 properties under its name located around Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Eastern Europe. Rotana Hotels has four brands under its name –
Middle East is quite popular as a tourist market today and we receive not only leisure but also business travellers and families who want a longer stay Rotana Hotels and Resorts, Centro Hotels by Rotana, Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts and Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana. The brand will be coming up with two five-star properties shortly, one being Salalah Rotana Resort in Oman and another one being Saadiyat Rotana Resort to be opened in 2015. Some of the general man-
agers present at the sales mission included Mrad El Khoury, Towers Rotana, Dubai; Rabih Melhem, Media Rotana, Dubai; Karim Nahas, Rose Rayhaan, Dubai; Hussein Hachem, Al Bustan & Al Murooj Rotana, Dubai; Jorg A Hauri, Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi; Mark Deere, Yas Island Rotana & Centro Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and Pierre Zayoun, Al Man-
shar Rotana, Kuwait. “We are looking at India as a potential market wherein we can invest in terms of setting up of outbound sales operation. We currently operate under four brand names and we have plans to launch our properties in India soon. Increasing our MICE share is one of our main objectives. This is our first roadshow in India and we are expecting a positive response from the Indian market. Media Rotana in Dubai is one of the finest hotels providing 441 rooms and suites, 14 meeting rooms, five dining venues and a fitness and health club. The location of the hotel also allows one to access the nearby golf course, beaches and shopping malls,” said Melhem, general manager, Media Rotana, Dubai.
Marriott launches JWMarriott New-Delhi Aerocity To have six to eight more openings next year Niharika Shukla – New Delhi MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL has opened JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity. The property has been built with an investment of `900 crore.Located within close proximity of the business hub in Gurgaon and New Delhi, the property offers large meeting and conference facilities to cater to the MICE segment. The hotel comprises of 523 rooms and suites, Oval bar, JW Lounge, Delhi Baking Company, Akira Back, a Japanese restaurant and K3, an all day dining restaurant with three live kitchens offering Tuscan, Cantonese and North Indian cuisines. The ho-
14 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
tel has eight meeting rooms and a built-in audio visual technology. The hotel has focussed on environmental preservation by offering green meeting packages, recycling techniques and linen free materials. Speaking about the property, Balan Paravantavida, general manager, JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity said, “This is the largest Marriott property in India with a stylish and contemporary outlook. We have focused on making this a hotel of choice for business conferences through the kind of business facilities we are providing. The hotel offers some unique facilities such as Quan Spa, JW Fitness and Health Club along with distin-
guished cuisines at our restaurants such as Akira Back, the Japanese restaurant which has been named after Las Vegas'
famous Chef Akira Back.” With seven brands under its name, Marriott International has 23 operating prop-
erties in the country. Besides,18 Courtyard by Marriott properties and 12 Fairfield by Marriott properties are currently under construction. “We are looking at every opportunity that comes our way. This property at Aerocity has a strategic location which focuses on business and MICE travellers. The company will be opening six to eight properties by next year and another 10-12 properties by 2015 in Jaisalmer, Agra, Kolkata and Bilaspur. We will also be coming up with another property at Mumbai international airport by the end of next year,” said Rajeev Menon, area vice-president South-Asia, Marriott International.
MARKETS
Yahoo launches Vikas@Home Niharika Shukla - New Delhi LAUNCHING an exclusive cuisine series called Vikas@Home with Chef Vikas Khanna,Yahoo has come up with a unique 52 week online show showcasing Indian recipes. The exclusive series will be a four-five minute video where the chef will be preparing some of the most simple yet distinguished recipes which will enable the audience to watch and cook. Each recipe prepared by Chef Khanna will be
showcased every Wednesday along with a blog, article and images. This will also enable new blogs to be showcased every week. Being a part of the Yahoo Lifestyle, Vikas@Home is a concept which will make it more interactive with the users. A provision of chatting with the chef through Yahoo Messenger has also been made. The show is available not only on television but also on computers, tablets and smartphones. “I have developed the recipes keeping in mind the concept that anyone can cook. I will be showcasing the recipes in a manner which will enable one to cook a simple yet unique dish as minimum techniques will be used in the cooking. I am happy with the project which we have come up with. All of my recipes have a story and an inspiration behind it which will be revealed as I cook each of the recipes. Many recipes are a result of my interaction with people when I travelled and got to know about the dishes they create. There were
15 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
so many recipes which I wanted to include but we were falling short of time. But I aim to make anyone a great Indian cook with these recipes in 52 weeks,” said
Chef Khanna. Rajiv Singh Sawhney, head APAC, content partnership and business development, Yahoo said, “The content of
Vikas@Home will be available across all gadgets making the use comfortable. Along with new recipes every Wednesday, new blogs and articles will also be put
up. The show will be made available on Yahoo Lifestyle which will also have the chef sharing the tips and techniques of Indian cooking.”
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Crowne Plaza Greater Noida INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP has announced the opening of Crowne Plaza Greater Noida in Delhi (NCR) region. Crowne Plaza Greater Noida boasts of 332 rooms, 49 service apartments and 17 suites. Its indoor and outdoor venues can accommodate up to 1500 guests. The hotel offers an array of dining experiences which include: Mosaic, the all-day dining restaurant with an open kitchen; Chao Bella, an Italian and Chinese specialty restaurant; Spice Art, a contemporary North-Western frontier cuisine restaurant and ConneXions, a bar with a wine cellar and malt collection. Guests can also indulge at Mosaic Pastry Lounge or unwind at Belgian Beer Café, a specialty beer bar. The hotel offers Sohum Spa with five sunlit indoor treatment rooms and outdoor options that specialise in European and Asian therapies, a wellequipped gymnasium and an outdoor pool with individual whirlpools.
Shervani New Delhi
The Westin Singapore has opened which marks a significant milestone for the brand’s expansion in Singapore. The Westin Singapore occupies levels 32 to 46 of the new Asia Square Tower 2 commercial development in Marina Bay. The hotel is located on the 32nd floor, the highest lobby in Singapore featuring 11 metre tall floor-to-ceiling windows with expansive views of Marina Bay. The hotel has 305 guestrooms and suites, including Executive Club rooms, Sea View Suites, Harbor View Suites and a Presidential Suite.
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SHERVANI New Delhi is Delhi's designer business hotel. This boutique hotel is located in South Delhi. It is close to business centres like Connaught Place and Nehru Place, and is also close to New Delhi Railway station, and is within walking distance from Pragati Maidan. Shervani New Delhi has been upgraded with contemporary and modern in-room facilities like LCD flat screen TV mood lighting, direct dial telephone, mini-bar, electronic safe, music and Wi-Fi. The hotel also boasts of a café that serves both Indian and continental dishes for business travellers and tourists.
Holiday Inn Amritsar Ranjit Avenue
The Westin Singapore INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP has opened Holiday Inn Amritsar Ranjit Avenue in Amritsar. The 145-room hotel offers a range of facilities and amenities to guests, including an outdoor pool and fitness centre and in its contemporary rooms, 32 inch plasma screens, high-speed internet, Wi-Fi and a multimedia hub for easy connectivity. Guests at the hotel can choose from a variety of dining options including: Ziva, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant; Bella Italian Trattoria, an Italian restaurant; and The Lounge, a lounge bar serving a selection of gourmet tea, coffee and cocktails. The hotel’s Grand Ballroom can hold 450 people and can cater to a range of events, from weddings to corporate events and conferences.
MARKETS
'The spring mattress market can grow25-30% per year' Raha Poly Products in Hyderabad, a manufacturer, exporter and supplier of mattresses, bedding and soft furnishings, has been offering mattresses that combine comfort and health benefits states V K Vijayaraghavan, head operations India, Raha Poly Products. By Rituparna Chatterjee What types of mattresses does your company manufacture and what are its features? We manufacture spring mattresses. There are two types of spring mattresses Bonnell Spring Mattress and Pocketed Spring Mattress. The basic feature of our spring mattress is that it gives the best comfort and support which is essential for a comfortable sleep. All our mattresses are not only designed to give a good sleep but also takes the shape of the body thus providing a healthy back with absolute comfort. We use best quality raw material inputs for our mattresses with finely tempered high carbon steel springs to give the right support. It is then upholstered with deep layers of foam, felt and coir to give the de-
sired comfort level. We also have ortho spring mattress using layers of high density foam block to give a firm sleep surface while simultaneously offering the comfort of spring mattresses.
Which segment of hotels do you cater to? We predominately cater to high-end and upper mid segment hotels. Besides, we also educate the low end segment about the benefit and cost- value preposition of spring mattresses and
motivate them for purchase. What research and development procedures do you undertake? We have a continuous product upgradation programme and make new innovations in material construction and design. We have a research and product development team in Poly Products LLC, Oman-our parent company from whom we get regular inputs. What potential growth do you anticipate in this particular segment? The spring mattress market can grow in the range of 25-30 per cent per year.
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PRODUCT TRACKER
Beam
KURLON KURLON has introduced its new product 'Legacy' which is made with numerous high tensile Bonnell springs to eliminate pressure on the body. The mattress is made with high density PU foam, which gives comfort at the edges of the mattress to maximise total sleeping surface. The Latest No-Turn technology has been used so that the
BEAM has launched Teacher’s Highland Cream limited edition celebration pack and Teacher’s Origin limited edition gift packs. Teacher’s Origin has 65 per cent malt content. The limited edition comes with gold hues and high gloss black design.
Gaia GAIA has introduced two new products to their line of green teas - Gaia Green Tea + Jasmine and Gaia Camomile Infusion. Gaia Green Tea + Jasmine is a blend of green tea with aroma and flavour of jasmine blossoms and is priced at `175. While Gaia Camomile Infusion is made with chamomile flowers and is caffeine free which is priced at`200.
mattress does not sag or lose shape from continuous usage. The mattress is priced at` 20,236 for queen size. Kurlon has also launched its new bonded foam mattress Fombed Plus. The product is a fine blend of bonded foam and rubberised coir which gives optimal body support and comfort. Fombed Plus is priced at ` 16,026 for queen size.
Moët Hennessy India MOËT HENNESSY INDIA has launched Chandon Brut and Chandon Brut Rosé. Chandon Brut is made from Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Chandon Brut Rosé is made from Shiraz and Pinot Noir. Chandon Brut is priced at ` 1200 and Chandon Brut Rosé costs `1400.
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uMist by OSIM India OSIM India has unveiled uMist - The Ultrasonic Humidifier that uses ultrasonic technology to generate cool, fine mist to replenish and maintain a balanced hydrated indoor environment. The Ultrasonic Humidifier uses ultrasonic sound wave energy vibrating at high frequency to break up water into fine mist to humidify a room upto 200 sq ft. The OSIM uMist comes equipped with a LED indicator that prompts for a refill when the water level is low. The product is priced at `7500.
SPA & WELLNESS
A palace of wellness After several years of substantial renovations, Badrutt's Palace Hotel in St Moritz Switzerland has completely remodeled its Palace Wellness into a true wellness oasis. BY STEENA JOY
I
NSPIRED by the natural beauty and grace of the Engadin Alps, a retreat has been created which incorporates the natural surroundings into the holistic approach. Through the use of local cembran pine wood, granite from the San Bernardino Pass and with the expertise of local trades and businesses, Badrutt's Palace Hotel where tennis legend Boris Becker held his wedding reception in 2009, accentuates its affinity to the picturesque and unique surroundings that has made this luxurious mountain hotel in the heart of Switzerland so famous.
A lifting experience Palace Wellness, the spa at the hotel is at the highest
point in St Moritz at 1,800 metres. Martha Wiedemann, wellness advisor, Badrutt's Palace Hotel says, “The 159 room hotel which is operational only seven months in a year, is a landmark in the re-
gion and most of the events in St Moritz happens at our doorstep. We have a lot of events especially during winter, like for example cricket on ice. There is a vibrant nightlife too. Badrutt's Palace has six
restaurants including a 300 year old farmhouse that has been restored into a restaurant.” Palace Wellness has 10 treatment rooms including two spa suites. The two spa suites - Veronica and Iris – and a beauty room called Rose - have all been named after Engadin Alpine flowers. The Alpine Garden in the centre can be used throughout the year and the connection between man and nature is quite palpable, as the seasons change in the Engadin’s Alpine climate. The love for detail is visible in every treatment room and wood carvings of the Alpine flowers can be seen in the ceilings of local cembran pine. “We also have a hair spa (we treat from head to toe) and a green line of hair
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SPA & WELLNESS
products for pregnant women and little children. Wellness is all about ingredients. It is not just the hands that work on a person; the ingredients and setting is also important. The accent is on natural and organic ingredients in wellness products to protect the skin from unnecessary irritation,” adds Wiedemann. The spa uses products that are organic or non toxic like extracts from seeds of fruits. Most of the spa products that the hotel sources internationally are not mass produced but small scale. The heart of the spa is the Engadin fountain. In addition to the separate sauna for women, there are steam baths in the mixed area, a Finnish sauna as well as several relaxation areas and treatment rooms. Here too love for detail is found in every corner – classic local sgraffito painting and colourful stained glass window represent the extraordinary handicrafts of local artists.
The architecture of the wellness zone is also connected to the outdoors with lot of natural light. So the wellness area is not exposed to artificial elements Tailor made wellness Palace Wellness employs 10 therapists who are trained in a wide range of therapies Thai massages, Western treatment – result oriented treatments. The spa also has authentic ayurveda therapists who are sent to India for training. “Alternative medicine is also important. Healthcare industry should recognise both as important,” feels Wiedemann. She claims, “Even our receptionists are trained as therapists so they can help clients in choosing the right treatments. We are all about
tailor made. The architecture of the wellness zone is also connected to the outdoors with lot of natural light. So the wellness area is not exposed to artificial elements.” Wiedemann was in India recently to attend the Global Wellness Spa Summit in Delhi. “It was an inspirational summit. Dalai Lama gave his take on wellness. He believes in participation of the self in any treatment,” she states. What is the secret of the spa's success? Wiedemann reveals, “Always evolve. Find out what is innovative. Being in this industry for 30 years
has shown me that we need to stay abreast of new developments and listen to what the customer wants.” Commenting on the need for certification in the spa industry, she states, “ It is very difficult to regulate the industry globally. Though I agree that there should be strong regulation. Switzerland is strict on standards. But this varies from country to country.” As for future plans, Wiedemann informs that the company is looking at opening summer resorts in Europe but is being cautious about choosing a partner.
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November 1-15, 2013
INTERIORS & DESIGN
'Hotels these days are using colours to define different spaces' With the Indian décor market slowly witnessing a shift in consumer preference, Manish Bhatia, general manager, marketing, decorative paints, AkzoNobel India talks about the company's colour trend research for this year and its latest 'Celebrations' collection. By Kahini Chakraborty Interior designers are getting more adventurous in their concepts, how is Dulux adapting to these changing trends and mind-set of the people? AkzoNobel, the largest global paints and coatings company and the maker of Dulux paints in India, has been instrumental in predicting colour trends for the year. Every year the company unveils 'Colour Futures' - an annual colour trend research that forecasts colour trends and insights globally and provides international style and design trends for interiors and exteriors, which are further, translated into trendy colour palettes for consumers. Colour Futures is created by a set of global colour experts from the fields of design, architecture and fashion who draw on a variety of cultural sources and influences, from fine art to technology and from nature to pop culture to create a comprehensive guide on colour. This year’s trends are based on the theme ‘Connections’; symbolising a year for reflection on the bond between communities across borders, different countries, diverse cultures, varied lifestyles, coming together to embrace possibilities and forming connections. What is the inspiration behind the colours chosen for the newly launched 'Celebrations' collection? Dulux Velvet Touch’s signature wall décor collection, ‘Celebrations’ designed by Manish
taste, preference of colour, identity, colour appreciation, perception/experience, colour trends, effect location, space, size, light and shadow, material, texture, textile and the function of colours.
Manish Bhatia
Malhotra is a designer ensemble of lively festive colours, embroidery work and Indian textiles for walls. The collection is inspired from Malhotra's successful works in fashion and the Indian cinema. What are the latest colour trends in the market? The Indian décor market is slowly witnessing a shift in consumer preference. Home owners today are looking for products that not only help them express their thoughts creatively and paint walls in their colours, but also help them maintain a fashionable stylish quotient. What colour schemes are used these days in different areas (living room, bedroom)? What are the colour scheme opted by hotels? There are many factors to be considered when choosing colours for interiors, including
Hotels which prefer to give a traditional touch to their ambience prefer to use mild and lighter colours such as dull gold, pastels such as cream, beige, light blue, etc. Hotels with a modern décor prefer to use darker colours such as red, yellow, etc. Hotels these days are using colours to define different spaces. The amount of natural light in that particular room also determines the colour scheme. Bedroom: There are certain factors that consumers need to keep in mind while selecting the perfect colour combinations for the walls of their bedrooms, including location and size of the room, light and shadow, texture of the wall among others. The most popular hues for bedroom spaces range from powdery pinks, deep purples, blues and lavenders. Living Room: Living room is a place that should be relaxed, where you should enjoy being surrounded by objects and colours in tune with you. It is also a place where you can welcome and entertain friends and family. Vibrant hues against the backdrop of yellow and purple add an energetic
flair to the living room. For more dramatic results, one may opt for a harmonious colour scheme. Kitchen: A kitchen should be a warm and nurturing place. Analogous colours such as yellow and green or blue and violet and a neutral colour bring a more relaxed and casual feel to the kitchen. Bathroom: An all-white bathroom is cold and draining, it is good to introduce colours to accessorise the private
space. Monochromatic or tonal colour schemes, that use variations of a single colour family, look clean and elegant and create a balance in the bathroom. The relaxing and calm atmosphere created by hotels is achieved by creating a balanced colour scheme used on walls, furnishing and other décor elements. Selecting the right wall colour is fundamental since the effect of that colour on the room’s décor can completely transform it.
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INTERIORS & DESIGN
Less than an hour’s drive from the cultural landmarks of Reykjavik and set against a backdrop of majestic mountainous lava fields, a luxury adventure hotel is a design marvel providing an unforgettable experience
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LUXURY AMID LAVA S ANTA MONICA based design studio Minarc, took up an abandoned building in Nesjavellir, Iceland and turned it into this unique hotel. Ion Hotel has been built with prefabpanel construction and makes use of the nearby hot springs for geothermal heating, also taking care to incorporate sustainable materials. The hotel’s location relative to the 'Golden Circle' route makes Ion Hotel the perfect base from which to explore Iceland’s rich heritage, diverse flora and fauna, and opportuni-
ties for extreme adventure like a challenging trek across an ancient glacier or a day of flyfishing world renowned, plentiful icy rivers. Adjacent to Þingvellir National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Thingvallavatn (the largest lake in Iceland), Ion Hotel provides easy access to all the essential attractions in “the land of fire and ice”. Guests can enjoy Hengill volcanic area, Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Station, the river Öxará, Gullfoss waterfall, the hot springs area of Geysir, the Kerið crater. For guests seeking a quiet,
soulful soak under the Northern Lights, the hotel's Lava Spa has a 10 metre outdoor hot pool with great views of the surrounding lava fields. There are 45 rooms at the hotel, 21 standard rooms and 24 deluxe. Every room is designed with the environment and location of the hotel in mind to create a unique mood away from all the pollution and crowd of the city.
Ion Hotel makes use of the nearby hot springs for geothermal heating Each Ion private room boasts fair-trade organic linens and incredible views. Each private bath is environmentally responsible with water saving shower systems. The beds are also hypo allergenic and supremely comfortable. Every single room offers an astonishing mountain view over the volcano Mount Hengill or towards Ăžingvellir Lake and the lava fields as far as the eye can see.
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cover ) From underground resorts to tree house lodges, unique hotels In India are slowly gaining popularity and are catering to a niche segment of Indian travellers. However, this concept still has many challenges to overcome and has a long way to go
Unusually BY RITUPARNA CHATTERJEE
H
otels that are built around a unique concept or theme with a distinctive architecture have been popular in many countries around the world. From the ICEHOTEL in Sweden to the futuristic Silken Puerta America Madrid hotel in Spain, these properties have been attracting travellers interested in staying in an unusual ambience, often with a subtle theme of fantasy. The concept of unique hotels is at a nascent stage in India, but is slowly picking up and catering to a niche segment of Indian travellers. “Indians who are travelling for the first time want to put themselves up in internationally branded hotels. But those who travel frequently want to enjoy a different experience in the country and abroad. This new experience is offered by unique hotels. From tree houses to bungalows in tea
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Le Sutra Prakriti room
“Hotel owners today are more concerned about economies of scale rather than economies of scope” Rahul Bajaj Director, Le Sutra Hospitality
estates, these properties offer out-of-the ordinary experiences,” states Upal Sarkar, operations manager, Floatel an eco-friendly hotel in Kolkata. Floatel, which is believed to be the only floating hotel in India is designed, constructed and built by Manab Pal, managing director, Manor Floatel. The hotel has been connected to the shore by a specially designed gangway
which gets adjusted to the change in water level at high and low tides. The model followed for Floatel is based on conceptual design of 'Coastal Vessels' which are moored in various cities of Europe. The Foatel is moored in Hooghly river. “Floatel is based on ‘off-shore accommodation system technology’ developed in Sweden to support the off-shore oil and gas drilling programmes
around the world. The founder spotted an unique techno-economic viability to introduce the concept in the city centre of Kolkata in the form of a floating hotel,” opines Sarkar taking pride in the fact that Floatel is the only floating hotel in India and entire Asia, also being fourth Floatel hotel in the world after Prague, Moscow and Amsterdam.
Apart from their willingness to try something different, another reason for Indian travellers to opt for unique hotels in India is their exposure to the same across international locations. “Lot of Indians are now travelling abroad so they have either seen or stayed at such unique properties there or have information about them. This trend is catching up in India. In-
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Unique There is much more awareness about sustainability in South, along with more resources being available, low labour cost, more local support and encouragement from the government vestors in India are slowly trying to get into this segment and are realising the importance of having such unique properties. People’s awareness of holidaying in such environments has contributed to the growth of these unique properties,” opines Mathew Joseph, director - marketing, Le Green Hotels & Resorts. Le Green Hotels & Resorts are a chain of environmentally-friendly hotels, resorts and home stays in India. The company currently has 22 properties across different locations in India, out of which Hampi Boulders Resort, in Hampi, Karnataka draws special attention because of its structural uniqueness. As the name suggests, the exterior is constructed out of boulders and boasts of modern interiors. The resort is spread across 24
acres of land and consists of 14 cottages, a miniature forest, indoor games, multicuisine restaurant, bar, conference facilities, bonfire area, jogging path, tents, swimming pool and indoor games. The construction of uniquely designed eco-properties in India has been mainly influenced by the offerings of the location and the surrounding environment. Kerala is seen to host a number of eco-friendly properties because of its diverse greenery and awareness of sustainability. “There is a lot of green area within the states of Kerala and Karnataka. In Kerala you have places like Wayanad and Munnar which are green belts, in Karnataka you have Chikkamangalur and Coorg and the rubber belts in Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu. These
places have the natural ambiance to setup eco-friendly resorts. In addition, there is much more awareness about sustainability in South, along with more resource being available, low labour cost, more local support, media support and encouragement from the government in the form of subsidies and publicities,” adds Joseph. For instance, the availability of boulders in Hampi was one of the primary reasons for constructing Hampi Boulders Resort. “A lot of big boulders are available in Hampi which can be easily carved into a nice structure. So we thought of using the available resources of the local region. The second reason was that Hampi is one of the hottest regions in Karnataka and the boulders would
offer a cooling effect,” explains Joseph. However there are exceptions. For instance, Guhantara, an eco-friendly resort of Rashi Eco Tourism, claimed to be India’s first manmade underground cave resort in Bengaluru, was constructed underground because of less availability of land. “The area was only three acres so if I had constructed anything on the land then I would have been left with less surface area. Hence I went for a cave style underground resort - I excavated the earth and used concrete pillars inside,” explains S N Ramesh, managing director, Rashi Eco Tourism. Apart from Guhantara, Rashi Eco Tourism has three more eco-friendly properties down South – Jhari, Shilhandara and Giri.
“The area was only three acres so I went for a cave style underground resort” S N Ramesh Managing Director, Rashi Eco Tourism
“One reason why not many unique properties are coming up is because it is very difficult to maintain such properties” Mathew Joseph Director - marketing, Le Green Hotels & Resorts
“Our target clientele is mainly the weekend spenders” Noorbasha Shaikh Resident Manager, The Corinthians Resort & Club Pune
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cover ) “We believe that once the Indian traveller gets even more mature they will opt for such holidays” Karan Anand Head - relationships, Cox & Kings
“Our customers have opted for caves in Turkey, ice hotels in Europe, and even a lighthouse in Scotland” Shibani Phadkar Sr VP and Head - leisure travel (outbound) products, contracting, operations and tour management, Thomas Cook India
“The desire to do something different has led to emergence of unconventional hotels” Vishal Suri CEO - tour operating, Kuoni India
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A niche product These unique hotels in India have been attracting a niche segment of international and national travellers rather than the average Indian crowd. “Our target clientele encompasses everyone who wants to experience Indian mythology like organisations in the art, media, fashion and entertainment industry nationally and internationally, national and international corporate travellers and international leisure tourists looking to experience Indian history,” states Rahul Bajaj, director, Le Sutra Hospitality. Le Sutra, believed to be India’s first art hotel in Mumbai, is a three storey hotel portraying three universal ‘Gunas’, a form of energy which connotes the character, complexion and constitution of mind and matter. The 14 rooms of the hotel are based on either ‘characters’ (Ravana, Ashoka, Buddha) or ‘characteristics’ (sensuality, love, purification) inspired by Indian mythology. Likewise, Floatel also has its set of clientele which mainly consist of foreigners. “Mostly foreigners and particularly Britishers prefer staying in the floating hotel because of the unique ambiance of water flowing around Floatel. We also get a lot of executives, individual travellers and tourist groups from domestic and international markets,” reveals Sarkar. Likewise, the Hampi Boulders Resort has been attracting a lot of FITs. “We mostly have FITs and less of MICE, we also get scriptwriters, researchers, filmmakers. From October to March we get a lot of inbound travellers and from April to July, which is the lean season, we have a mix of Indian and foreign crowds,” opines Joseph. The eco-properties of Rashi Eco Tourism have been catering to its select group of clientele which consists of the MICE segment, locals and foreigners. Likewise, The Corinthians Resort & Club Pune, which is a combination of a club and a resort, and boasts of Moroccan architecture and a micro-brewery,
Floatel
Le Sutra facade
has its own clientele list which mainly comprise of FITs and the wedding segment. “People staying in the resort use the club facilities and the club members use the resort facilities. Our target clientele is mainly the weekend spenders, people who travel to Lonavla, Mahabaleshwar, Alibag. This being a destination wedding property, we have the wedding segment coming in and we also cater to corporates,” states Noorbasha Shaikh, resident manager, The Corinthians Resort & Club Pune. Growth despite challenges Despite the growing demand among Indian travellers for unique hotels in India, very few investors are reluctant to invest in such properties because of high investment cost, limited room inventory, low occupancy rate to name a few. “We think that the growth of concept hotels in India is very slow. Hotel owners today are more concerned about economies of scale
“Those who travel frequently want to enjoy a different experience in the country and abroad. This new experience is offered by unique hotels” Upal Sarkar Operations Manager, Floatel an eco-friendly hotel
rather than economies of scope. They are looking at more rooms, better RevPAR and negotiable rates sold in lieu of higher num-
ber of room nights. Price wars are an evident fact of our hospitality industry today,” rues Bajaj. Adding to this Joseph states, “One reason why not many unique properties are coming up is because it is very difficult to maintain such properties because the maintenance cost is much high, the initial investment in much more than a regular hotel and an average Indian crowd doesn’t want to stay at an isolated place.” Though the growth is slow, it is expected to increase with time. “There is a lot of curiosity among international travellers about India, and they are looking at experiencing its local flavours. The market is slowly maturing and hotels with unique concepts are operating and are also coming up in various corners of India. There are also a lot of local promoters who are operating these unique hotels and in the future too more such properties would be coming up. Today not only inbound travel is increasing in India, but also Indians are travelling more frequently all over the globe. All are eager to experiment and look for some unique experience. There is scope of growth in this segment,” reasons Sarkar. The experience of staying at a unique hotel will also help in fueling this growth. “People are looking to stay in hotels where everything is not cookie-cutter. What large hotels up to a four star lack are charming spaces. Hoteliers have not bothered to spend much on art, sculpture, murals and such investments. Today the trend has begun where there are over 2000 designer hotels in the world and over 30 art hotels in the world. Even hotels like Renaissance Zurich Tower Hotel in Switzerland have invested large amounts of money on the backdrop of beds and luggage racks. Our sister company that conceived Le Sutra is working today for international brands for doing their resort projects in South India. We believe that by end of this decade, cookie-cutter hotels will have to sell at lower rates than those that appeal to the
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aesthetics of the client,” predicts Bajaj. The outbound scenario When it comes to travelling abroad, a lot of Indian travellers are expressing their preference to stay at unique hotels there as well. “Destinations with fascinating cultures and traditions are gaining popularity with Indian travellers. Young Indian travellers are leaning towards identifying eco-friendly ways to explore the world without compromising on comfort and style. Exotic holidays in Ireland, Switzerland and Greece have received phenomenal response from luxury travellers. Luxurious and one of a kind hotels in Finland and Switzerland allow travellers to experience a range of purpose-built spaces from glass igloos to luxury suites. The desire to do something different and to tread a lesser known path
Hampi Boulders Resort
has led to emergence of unconventional destinations and hotels as preferred travel experiences for luxury tourism,” opines Vishal Suri , chief executive officer - tour operating, Kuoni India. Like India, these unique properties abroad attract a niche segment of Indian travellers. “It attracts niche trav-
The Corinthians Resort & Club Pune
ellers. honeymoon couples, those willing to pay for some adventure and finally for that unique experience. This niche segment keeps growing and we believe that once the Indian traveller gets even more mature they will opt for such holidays,” opines Karan Anand, head relationships, Cox & Kings.
From caves to camps, the niche Indian traveller is willing to stay at different unique properties. “Some unique options that our customers have opted for are the caves in Turkey, ice hotels in Europe, castles in Ireland, farm stays in Sicily, windmills in England, tree houses, and even a lighthouse in Scot-
land,” reveals Shibani Phadkar, senior vice president and head leisure travel (outbound) products, contracting, operations and tour management, Thomas Cook India. “Then there is the TreeHouse Point in Washington and finally the Desert Nights Camp on the Wahabi sands in Oman,” concludes Anand.
CITY WATCH The recent infrastructural developments in Jaipur have led to an influx of hotel rooms, higher than the demand leading to a temporary war on ARRs. However, the mid and luxury segment of hotels in the Pink City continue to maintain their share of the market By Rituparna Chatterjee
In the pink of condition J
aipur, an important city in the tourist circuit of the Golden Triangle, has been one of India's primary leisure destinations. The city has some of the country's oldest and renowned hotels catering to a number of domestic and international travellers. The improved connectivity to Jaipur from Gurgaon and NCR, has given rise to a number of MICE travellers visiting the city in the recent past. Thus Jaipur is not only an ideal leisure and a wedding destination but is also an emerging MICE location. According to HVS Indian Hotel Survey 2011-2012, Jaipur has witnessed a fairly large increase in the number of rooms. Approximately 500 new hotel rooms were added to the market in 2011/12 as compared to 82 in 2010/11. Furthermore, approximately 1,000 more hotel rooms are expected to enter the market by 2014/15. “There has been an increase in supply in the market over the past two years. What is interesting is that the occupancy
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levels aren't really picking up. So the increase in supply has absorbed the increase in demand. The good thing is that the market is very stable and there is a projection of growth as well,” states Aditya Shamsher Malla, general manager, Four Points By Sheraton Jaipur, City Square. Continuous growth This continuous growth in the hospitality sector of Jaipur has been a result of its recent infrastructure and connectivity developments. Since the official announcement of Jaipur as a Counter-Magnet area in July of this year to ease the population pressure from New Delhi to Jaipur, the state government has made several proposals, including industrial developments. The Delhi-Jaipur Expressway project, which is part of this developmental plan, is at the working stage at present and is expected to cut travel time between the two cities by two hours. This will bring in more travellers from the capital city to
Currently Jaipur has surplus inventory which will continue over the next two years but business will also increase proportionately
Jaipur. “Continuous growth has been happening for the last two years and it will continue for another two years because of the realisation of the fact that in years to come Jaipur will become another NCR. The DelhiMumbai corridor that is being developed by the government will bring a lot of business to Jaipur. Another fact that we have not been able to realise is that perhaps in a couple of years to come, Delhi airport will become saturated and Jaipur airport will become fully operational as an international airport. Currently Jaipur has surplus inventory which will continue over the next two years but business will also increase proportionately and hotels will get their share of business. Also Jaipur will be another corporate hub in the next four to five years,” explains Avneesh K Mathur, general manager, Country Inn & Suites by Carlson, Jaipur. Though the wedding and leisure segment form an integral
part of Jaipur tourism, the MICE business is also showing potential growth. The recently launched Hotel ibis Jaipur, a mid market business hotel from the Accor brand is in response to this growing demand. “80 per cent of growth that is seen in the last two years has been from the MICE segment. Jaipur which was not able to hold large congresses and conventions for want of rooms, now has large number of rooms, halls available. The seating capacity has been expanded. In addition, this growth has been fueled by domestic travellers,” opines Sunil Gupta, general manager, ITC Rajputana, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Jaipur. Currently, more of domestic tourists than international tourists are seen visiting the city. The international travellers visit the city during the winter months while business travellers come in during the offseason. The leisure segment are seen coming throughout the year. “In 2007, there were 70 per cent foreign travellers and 30 per cent domestic travellers visiting Jaipur. In 2013, there has been 40 per cent foreign travelllers and 60 per cent domestic travellers,” adds Gupta. The large number of domestic traveller are mainly coming from surrounding states and cities like Gujarat, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. Fighting competition This increase in the supply of hotel rooms has led to a temporary war on ARRs. “The entire market is a supply surplus market and the supply over the last two years has completely outpaced the demand and hotels are really happy about their occupancies which is about 55 to 60 per cent. The ARRs have also dropped to certain levels, the RevPAR will stagnate over the next two years before we see an upward trend. And there is still some more inventory that will open in the next two years,” reveals Manish Kakkar, manager, Hotel ibis Jaipur. “In the last two years we have seen depleting ARRs. There is so much competition that we are not keeping in
mind the expenses, the cost of managing the hotel. Some hotels will see no GOPs. It is essential for us to keep in mind the operating cost, the human resource cost, the F&B cost, etc. There has to be a balance between room tariffs and volume. The key to success is if we maintain and improve our services and the property. Also training will play an important role because we will see a lot of attrition. The GOPs will come through RevPAR. In today's scenario, we need to have better RevPAR and focus less on ARR. Simultaneously while focusing on RevPAR, we should not ignore the bottomline. Continuous sales efforts and innovative marketing campaign will help maintain the business of the hotel,” iterates Mathur. Despite the war rates, both the mid-segment and luxury hotels are having their own share of guests. The mid-segment hotels are getting a large share of middle to upper segment travellers because of their reasonable pricing and the availability of more rooms as compared to luxury hotels. Luxury hotels are more open to guests who want to have an experiential holiday. However, the days in a luxury hotel are limited to an average of one or two nights as compared to mid-segment hotels where the average stay is somewhere between three to six nights. “The mid-segment is robust and strong. Luxury hotels have a bit of a challenge in sustaining room rates but I don't think volume has been a problem there. There might be many palace hotels, but their inventory is limited. The footfalls are much higher in Jaipur. Hotels like us have their select patronage while palace hotels also have their own charm,” explains Malla. Gupta agrees, “Demand for luxury hotels will definitely grow. Rajasthan is based on royalty. Anybody who comes wants to see the royalty. As far as the midsegment is concerned, the volumes will continue to grow there. Luxury hotels are definitely here to stay for those who want to have an experiential holiday.”
Avneesh K Mathur
Manish Kakkar
Sunil Gupta
Aditya Shamsher Malla
29 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
GM SPEAK
RETREATFOR REJUVENATION Detail to service should be of prime importance says Andreas Kraemer, general manager, Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa as he believes that there is more room for refined services to be offered by hotels. He further tells us what makes this property unique and his vision for the brand. By Kahini Chakraborty
S
et across over 320 acres within a 3,500 acre private estate, the Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa near Pawana Nagar Taluka Maval, Pune, is a place to be for travellers who are looking for complete seclusion and serenity away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Lifestyle and spa components have been positioned as the property's unique selling point. The design for the retreat began in 1997 with a vision to create a world-class development that will preserve the areas of the Western Ghats. This 99 villa retreat on a 70 acre area offers spa facilities including 17 treatment rooms, a meditation cave,
30 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
three consultation rooms and a relaxation centre. For Andreas Kraemer, general manager, Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa, “It is very difficult to put on one page what we really are. But lifestyle and spa component is our USP. As detail to service is imperative for us, the spa concept at Hilton Shillim is inspired by the oldest healing system of Ayurveda and Yoga and also incorporates strong Reiki, Acupressure, Aromatherapy and Naturopathy traditions.” Since the opening of the property in January this year, the weekend stays have been increasing. In addition, the spa pool villas and presidential pool villas include private gar-
dens and swimming pools. Each villa at the retreat also offers exclusive butler services, a private treatment space for guests. The air-conditioned villas, range in size from 100 to 550 square metres and feature between one and three bedrooms. The resort offers a variety of experiences including Pranic Healing, Chakra Cleansing, Hydro Therapy, Tai Chi and Watsu. More opportunities With an experience of over 10 years in the hospitality industry, Kraemer has held various positions with Infinity, Lifestyle Destination & Spa, Six Senses Hideaway & Spa, Koh Samui and White Sands Resort & Spa, Maldives. Ask him about how different is the India market and Shillim as a new destination, he opines, “It is not fair to compare your hotel with the others. As India is an emerging market, I think what the other hotels are doing so far with their services, a lot more can be done in that area. There is room for more refined services to be offered. It is attention to detail that really makes you stand out.” Talking about Shillim, he continues, “Shillim is a new destination waiting to be explored. Since our opening, we have been re-
Andreas Kraemer
ceiving a lot of expats from Mumbai and Pune. We also see a lot of families opting for spa therapies. About 30 per cent of the hotel's revenue is from our spa facilities and the remaining from F&B options. We are working on our key markets UK, Germany and the Middle East. We are aiming for more inbound travellers, high networth individuals.” In order to engage guests to explore Shillim as a destination, the property also offers guests to participate in classes at the cooking school and the dance, music and pottery studios. Besides this, they can also explore the surroundings of the estate on nature walks and treks, do mountain biking or horse riding or fishing at Pavna Lake.
Being responsible As part of its corporate social responsibility programme, the property is trying to engage the locals by contributing to their labour in the hotel. “We are trying to mould people who are interested in making a career in the hospitality space, hence we are giving them the product and the training,” he adds. When asked about his view on the younger generation these days who are in the hospitality segment, he replies, “I think people who are working with us are quite dynamic and in general youngsters are quickly grasping ways to work.” But he emphasis while saying, “It is very difficult to find a good spa therapist. There needs to be more education on the spa sector as the term has been misused. Hence we are trying to connect with an international spa association to get their label to start our own university to cater to spa education soon.” For him, hospitality is a great sector to integrate all nationalities. “The biggest challenge is that when you travel and explore a new destination and its culture and values, you become more patient and humble to understand what drives the other person,” he opines.
STRATEGY
Connecting in Chandigarh Keeping in mind the needs of the tourism and hospitality industry, consumer expectations and interest of various stakeholders, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Northern Region is all set to host the first ever CII Tourism Fest 2013 in Chandigarh – a three day international event bringing all sectors of the industry together to discuss various issues and boost tourism. By Niharika Shukla
W
ith an aim to meet the challenges of the tourism and hospitality sector, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Northern Region in partnership with all the northern state governments is organising the CII Tourism Fest 2013 to increase and attract tourism and investment to make a greater contribution towards the country's GDP. The CII Tourism Fest 2013 is being held from December 5 – 7, 2013. According to Arjun Sharma, chairman, CII Tourism Fest 2013 and managing director, Le Passage to India, in 2012 the tourism sector contributed US$ 6.6 trillion to the world economy, creating 300 million jobs and US$ 800 billion investments. India accounts for 0.06 per cent of the world’s tourism share which speaks volume on the scope for business. There is a continuous need for
innovation, sustainable growth and tourism policies to be developed in this sector,” he said. The three day fest will include international food festival, golf tournament, international dance festival and international chef's meet apart from a Chief Minister's Forum, conferences,
sessions and expositions. In the Chief Minister's Forum, the chief minister of northern states and the minister of tourism, government of India will be discussing issues such as synergisation between Central and State government; inter state tourism infrastructure development; issues
related to finance and taxation; future road map; and other important issues. The forum will then be followed by the inaugural session. The major focus and objective of the conference will be to create an ideal platform for the tourism and hospitality fraternity to explore business opportunities and develop bilateral relationship between domestic stakeholders and foreign counterparts; to attract investments and create jobs in the tourism and hospitality sector; to organise focused sessions by the state government highlighting initiatives; to discuss investment policies announced by the participating states; to give an opportunity to the investors to raise their concerns with the tourism minister/secretaries of the participating states; to enable the holidaying population of the region to reach out to new destinations around the world;
to engage the people of the region towards overall development of the industry; and to promote rural tourism, natural tourism, wedding tourism, agriculture and organic tourism. The event is expected to host 5000 attendees which will include participants from international countries like Philippines, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Canada and Turkey. Within India the participating states will be Punjab, Gujarat, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The visitors profile would include domestic travel agents and tour operators; Central and state government tourist officials; delegates from IATA, PATA, ADTOI, ATTOI, TAAI, ETAA, IATO, UNWTO, FHRAI and HRANI; industry experts from the hospitality and tourism
31 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
CONVENTION SPECIAL
sector; and international business delegates of various tourism boards and embassies. The key highlights of the fest would include a paper on Seamless Tourism presented by KPMG; CII Golf Tourism Cup to be held at Forest Hill Resort, Mohali; international dance festival on Global Peace, Harmony and Connect to be held with the theme ‘Dance your way to God’; CII Chef's Meet at Parade Ground and the Chief Minister's Forum. One on one business meetings and post event tours will be organised for the delegation from countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Germany, Finland, Philippines and China to give them an idea of the region with a major focus on eco, rural and winter tourism. Talking about the CII Tourism fest 2013, Guldeep Singh Sahni, president, OTOAI (Outobund Tour Operators Association of India) said, “One of the key reasons for organising the event in Chandigarh was because currently most of the customers travelling abroad are not only coming from metros but also from tier II and tier III cities. With this kind of a development it seemed important to highlight such cities by organising such events. Also Chandigarh being one of the cities located in the heart of the
32 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
Arjun Sharma
northern region of the country is easily accessible with good infrastructure suited for all categories. Even though today inbound tourism and domestic tourism have a lot of scope, outbound tourism will be the one facing maximum growth. Challenges such as visa issues, price variations and confusion of taxes needs major attention due to lack of clear government policies. The tourism industry needs to find out solutions to these issues.” Chandigarh has attracted an average of 8,29,093 domestic tourists and 33,629 foreign tourists during 2008-09. This has created an immense opportunity for the hospitality and tourism industry to witness a continuous growth since then.
STEPS UNDERTAKEN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY ■ Upgradation of Chandigarh airport to international standards is under implementation with the first step of transfering 8.5 acres land to AAI ■ Nehru Centre for Performing Arts is being set up in Sector 34. Chandigarh will also have the facility of an international convention centre and theatres ■ Rejuvenation of the City Centre, Sector 17 is being undertaken through multi level parking, relaying of the floors of main plaza, creating provision of tourist information centres etc ■ A Botanical Garden is being developed on 178 acres of land in Sarangpur, which will consist of 15 botanical sections and other features to promote eco tourism. ■ Three lakes, two along Patiala ki Rao and one along Sukhna Choe are being undertaken, as a part of environmental related initiatives ■ Completion of Sub City Centre in Sector 34 will further boost the commercial activity of the city ■ A state of the art Entrepreneurs Development Centre is coming up on a 1.5 acre plot at a cost of `16 crore, which will have plug and play facilities for upcoming entrepreneurs
TECH TALK
'The hospitality sector knows that they are sitting on a mine of data' Analysis of the vast quantity of customer information can give deeper insights into unrevealed patterns that can enhance the competitive edge of hotel companies. Srikant Sastri, founder, Crayon Data on how Big data analytics can benefit the hospitality industry. By Sudipta Dev
How can analytics and business intelligence products help hotel companies make informed decisions? Big data analysis is a much talked about topic across business sectors especially the hospitality industry which has been seen to adopt big data solutions quite widely. With the amount of readily available data of customer information, the hospitality sector knows that they are sitting on a mine of data that potentially could be analysed to gain insights that in turn could help them better their offerings/services thereby giving them a competitive edge and achieve better financial performance. With the help of big data analytics and business intelligence, hotels can improve their: â—?Revenue management and investment decisions: Today, the revenue management has become a challenge for the hospitality business since the market is so dynamic. To be competent enough, everyday hotels come up with enormous numbers of forecast and assump-
tions. And what Big Data helps them do is, simplify these assumptions so they can produce accurate results in lesser time to make accurate investments â—? Guest experience by personalised customer service: Hotels hold vast amount of data on customer behaviour, their preferences and choices. The insights from the business analytics can help the hotels implement better marketing and customer services leading to more footfalls and a higher number of customer retention. How does this attribute in customer acquisition and retention? Customer service is the most important element for success in any hotel business. Getting customers is important, but keeping and satisfying customers is even more important. Today, companies are changing and improving their products/services to get more customers and retain existing customers. Big data solutions help the hotels capture valuable consumer insights that drive
improvements in the area of personalised customer products and services, the programmes, promotions and offerings. For instance, Crayon Data’s taste graph engine provides simple data on specific requirements of consumers to marketing teams, giving them more knowledge to provide specific services to their guests. What is the impact of data analytics on revenues? Deploying big data analytics in the hospitality industry helps in understanding the diverse
Srikant Sastri
and rapidly changing scenario. Hospitality industry works on referrals of customers and the insights from the data analytics help businesses understand their target audience better and change the game based on the expectations. By applying the information received from data analytics, hotel companies are enhancing their strategic planning impacting various aspects of the business, from improving the guest experience, personalising marketing campaigns and boosting productivity; which in the long run helps increasing sales and cash flow. Are hotels in India aware of these advantages? In India the use of big data analytics in hospitality industry is still at a nascent stage. Though India is a host to multiple luxury and star hotels many are struggling to reach the profit margins. With recent economic uncertainties, hospitality industry is under pressure of providing maximum value for the money they receive from the customers.
Awareness of the potential of applying data analytics is low but hotels are learning from the case studies of chains abroad and gradually discovering the benefits of taking the help of big data analytics to change the way they functions and to give hotels an edge over another by helping them understand customers better through analysis of data collected. What are your product offerings for the sector? Crayon has three offerings: Personal Concierge, Channel Optimiser and Pricing Optimiser. Personal Concierge increases TRevPar, guest satisfaction and repeat business, by providing ultra-personalised travel experiences to guests. Channel optimisation improves net value derived from channel network (higher value bookings at lower cost/booking) and reduces cost of acquisition. Pricing Optimiser improves yield on each property and price realisation per guest by optimising pricing strategies for each guest, channel and room.
33 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
TECH BYTES To enable guests to feel even more at home, Hotel Technologies is unveiling new in-room audio solutions that use NFC to stream music from guests' Bluetooth-enabled devices
My music stays with me T
RAVELLERS aren't just bringing mobile devices to your hotel, they are packing Bluetooth-enabled smartphones and tablets with the ability to stream their music wirelessly for more personalised in-room entertainment. Hotel Technologies has just introduced two stylish iHome audio solutions that enable hotel guests to feel a little more like home: the iHome HBN20 FM Stereo Alarm Clock Radio with NFC Bluetooth and usb charging, and the iBN26 NFC Bluetooth Stereo Speaker System with Speakerphone and usb charging. "Bluetooth technology is a worldwide wireless standard that will be around for many, many years," says Ely Ashkenazi, Hotel Technologies national sales manager. "It's affordable and fully automated, with low interference and low power consumption technology that consumers find easy-to-use and convenient. That's why Hotel Technologies has unveiled two new iHome products that leverage the best of NFC and Bluetooth capabilities. These products will enable guests to
34 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
stream music up to 30 feet and enjoy true stereo sound through both units' Reson8 speaker chambers, designed for superior sound quality, clarity, depth and power. Even guests' phone conversations come across crisp and clear using the iBN26 Speakerphone.� "Hotel Technologies is known for bringing the 'Science of Feeling at Home to travellers, and today we are using the world's coolest technology to create hot in-room products that command attention.The HBN20 and iBN26 both give guests a reason to want to stay in their rooms and enjoy the remarkable in-room audio experience,� he adds. Streamlined design The HBN20 FM stereo alarm clock radio with NFC Bluetooth and usb charging uses NFC technology to make touch-to-connect with Bluetooth super quick and easy. Guests can wake to Bluetooth audio, FM radio, or select
Bluetooth technology is a worldwide wireless standard that will be around for many, many years. It's affordable and fully automated, with low interference and low power consumption technology that consumers find easy-to-use from four alarm tones. The HBN20 offers a Gentle Wake feature that peacefully awakens guests with gently ascending alarm vol-
ume. The unit's single day alarm feature prevents unwanted alarms from sounding, while its sure alarm battery backup maintains clock settings and ensures alarm wake time in case of power failures. Instructions for both alarm setting and Bluetooth connectivity is printed on the cabinet. Smooth sounds The iBN26 NFC Bluetooth stereo speaker system with speakerphone is the perfect spacesaving, wireless au-
dio solution for desks and conference rooms. Like the HBN20, guests may wirelessly stream their music through the NFC Bluetooth connection. In addition to Reson8 speaker chamber technology, the iBN26 adds SRS TruBass for superior sound. A built-in microphone, ATI SoundClear voice echo cancellation and answer-and-end controls make using the speakerphone a breeze. A USB port on both devices makes charging and playing any mobile devices a snap. Affiliated with SDI Technologies, a 57-year-old consumer audio electronics company, Hotel Technologies designs, develops, engineers and manufactures state-of-the-art intelligent electronic products and patented technologies for hotels and resorts.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
Green vision From a campus-recruited management trainee to a general manager with few decades of experience behind him, every new employee with Concept Hospitality has to imbibe the organisation's culture of sustainable hospitality. By Sudipta Dev
C
ONCEPT HOSPITALITY that has the fastest growing number of environmentally sensitive hotels in the country under its brand The Fern Hotels & Resorts, is strongly focused on developing a workforce that is able to carry out the organisation's green vision in everyday operations. “Our core competency is green operations and the openness in the organisation where even junior employee can come up with ideas which is incorporated,” says Tajinder Narang, leadership coach - head HR & training, Concept Hospitality. Campus recruits are put through rigorous assessment. In the technical interview it is checked whether they have an interest in caring for the environment. Once the new joinees go through the induction they are part of the Green Team. The management training programme is divided into two segments training for two years is followed by two years on the job F&B, front office and housekeeping, etc. “Post induction they are put as understudy to the heads of different departments where they see through the eyes of the managers. The programme is very structured with assessment every three months, apart from the annual appraisal. We are very selective about recruiting managers, the kind of talent we need is very specific, in which environment plays an important role,” states Narang. There are five areas of
FIVE GLOBE METHODOLOGY ■ Environment Commitment: Green Team in all hotels, innovative guest amenities, environment clause in purchase orders, 3 R Policy – reduce, reuse and recycle ■ Employee Education & Community Involvement: Week-long induction with environment sessions every day, regular training sessions, internal/external events for environment, eco discussions with educational institutes ■ Waste Management: Solid waste management strategy that generates less solid waste, reuses and recycles resources, diverting waste from landfill ■ Energy Management: Efficient energy management strategy that reduces use of fossil fuels, air pollution, and green house gases and encourages usage of renewable energy ■ Water Management: Reduction of fresh water use by technology and practices, recycling water
green operation - employee commitment, employee education and community involvement, solid waste management, energy and water conservation. These are embedded in all the departments, in all SOPs. “Called the Five Globes methodology, it is like the DNA. All employees are groomed for it. For first six months every team member, other than the management trainee, has to go through a test on environment,” mentions Narang.
The organisation has won many awards for its green operations, and according to Narang, one of the ways that differentiates them is that while all hotels have measurement in terms of how much money is saved (the financial aspect of it), Concept Hospitality also measures energy consumption to the finest level. “We save 32 per cent of our operating costs, these are the skills that we inculcate in the management trainees,” asserts Narang.
For every general manager, one of the KRAs is environment. The Green Team is headed by the general manager, followed by the environment officer, and from each department there are at least two representatives. There is a Green Team meeting once a week and an audit once a month.“It is measured in terms of activities that they have done. The Green Team runs the whole process of Ecotel and green operations. There are also measurement of activities, for instance the Green Button that measures guest participation,” explains Narang. Every executive joining the company goes through a three-day workshop which focuses on performance and people. It is called the Leadership Grid. This is an Organisational Development programme. “They get to know the culture of the organisation and reduces the people blocks. Even the general manager goes through it. The general manager also does a ten day induction and training with the corporate team. The general manager is the most important ambassador in terms of the culture and he or she has to be groomed into it,”
In the technical interview it is checked whether they have an interest in caring for the environment. Once the new joinees go through the induction, they are part of the Green Team
Tajinder Narang
states Narang. For lateral recruits there is a Career Development Centre (CDC) for managing talent. “Every team member goes through the CDC. Team level employees will be developed, retained and they will grow in the organisation as per their career plan,” states Narang. The focus of the group being driven by growth in tier II and tier III towns, the emphasis is on getting the HR and people skills correct so that these could be replicated in all the properties in far-flung nonmetro towns. Narang points out that in smaller towns recruitment of the general manager is the most important factor. Before the hotel opens, a team goes to set up the processes. Many of the new general managers have also come from within the ranks.
35 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
MOVEMENTS Courtyard by Marriott Ahmedabad GAURAV SINGH has been appointed as general manager at Courtyard by Marriott Ahmedabad. In this capacity, he is the
to joining Imperial Heights, he worked in Wipro, Integral PR, Mileage Communications and Perfect Relations. In his present capacity, he will take care of marketing the property through various innovative tools, look after the administration of the resort as well as media relations.
The Leela Palace New Delhi
strategic business and operations head for the hotel. With an experience of over fourteen years, Singh started his career in 1999 as a management trainee at ITC Hotels, Delhi. Prior to joining Courtyard by Marriott Ahmedabad, he served as resident manager of The Leela Mumbai since 2011, leading the hotel team to develop and implement operations strategy and ensuring the implementation of brand service standards.
The Leela Palaces Hotels Resorts has appointed LOUIS SAILER as general manager of The Leela Palace New Delhi. Earlier in his career, Sailer has helmed and worked in many top hotels like The Fullerton Hotel Singapore; Raffles Singapore and Raffles Resort Canouan Island; St Vincent & The Grenadines,
Imperial Heights, Almora SIDDHARTHA SEN has joined Imperial Heights in Almora as general manager marketing and administra-
Hilton and Conrad International in Japan and Singapore; Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel in California, and many more. Prior to joining The Leela Palace New Delhi, Sailer led the pre-opening and opening of London’s new luxury hotel, Café Royal.
Hyatt International
tion. Sen has more than 14 years of experience in public relations and marketing. Prior
36 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
SUNJAE SHARMA, general manager, Hyatt Regency Chennai has been appointed as the area director of Bengaluru, Chennai, Hampi, Kathmandu, Kolkata for Hyatt International. He has been associated with the hospitality industry for over 24 years and possesses a diversified
experience spanning across several hotel brands. Sharma has been associated with Hyatt International for over a decade and has handled multiple roles at Hyatt’s iconic properties across the country. In his new role, Sharma will be responsible for the Hyatt hotels in these destinations along with his current role as general manager, Hyatt Regency Chennai. ASEEM KAPOOR has been appointed as general manager at Hyatt Regency Delhi. He began his hospitality career in 1989 as a management trainee with Holiday Inn Mumbai and in 1990 joined The Oberoi Mumbai as catering sales executive. Kapoor joined Hyatt in 1995 as assistant director of food and beverage at Hyatt Regency Delhi and was subsequently promoted to director of food and beverage in 1997.
Starwood Bali Resorts Collection
Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels
Starwood Bali Resorts Collection has appointed LILLIAN TAN as cluster director of sales & marketing and MARLIEKE JANSSEN as cluster digital marketing manager for the newly opened Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort and Le Meridien Bali Jimbaran. Tan will also oversee the opening of two new Starwood properties in the coming years – The Westin Ubud Resort & Spa and The Sarasvati, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa.
ALAN PHILIP CLARK has been appointed executive director and chief financial officer of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels. In his new capacity, he will be overseeing the group's corporate finances and will play an integral role in HSH's expansion and development plans.
Swiss-Belhotel International GORDON COUTTS has joined Swiss-Belhotel International as group operations director/operations assistant to the president working from the company's corporate head office in Hong Kong. Coutts, with 30 years of senior hospitality management experience in China, Australia and Thailand, will manage operations and development in New Zealand, including the company's expansion into Australia, as well as in Vietnam, Malaysia and the Middle East. In China, JOSEF WOELFLE joins as VP - operations China/Group F&B director, who will be representing the company on the mainland as SwissBehotel International expand their presence in the country.
Indigo Pearl Resort, Phuket CHRISTOPHER OAKES has been appointed as the new GM for Indigo Pearl resort in Phuket, Thailand. Oakes joins Indigo Pearl with an impressive background in luxury hospitality and resort management as well as extensive international experience in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Thailand and the Maldives.
Coco Collection and Sunland Hotels Sunland Hotels & Resorts and its luxury subsidiary Coco Collection have appointed NICK SIMMONDS as chief operating officer. Simmonds will oversee all operational and strategic practices for both brands in the Maldives. He has a wealth of experience, gained through an extensive career specialising in launching and operating some of the most well renowned hotels and resorts in the world.
Oakwood Oakwood, a global provider of corporate housing and serviced apartments, has promoted Martin Fluck to director of operations for the Oakwood-branded serviced apartments in North Asia. Fluck will manage operations in China, Japan and South Korea and will strategically manage operational excellence for 15 of Oakwood-branded serviced apartment properties.
Dusit Fudu Hotels & Resorts Dusit Fudu Hotels and Resorts has appointed CATHERINE LEE to the position of VP - sales and marketing, China. Lee’s major responsibilities will focus on building and fostering relationships with key clients and partners and strengthening the Dusit brand in China. She will also play a pivotal role in driving performance and will work alongside the development team.
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FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD
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BUSINESS AVENUES
Ideal for Hotels, Restaurants, Bakeries and Fast Food Restaurant
From the popular Marcato Pasta and Noodle Machines Introducing the Biscuit Maker
2-A2 Court Chambers, 35,New Marine Lines, Mumbai 400 020, INDIA. Phone: +91 (0) 22-22 00 64 77, +91(0) 22-66 34 68 16. Fax:+91(0) 22 22 00 65 56. E-mail: indiaeatspasta@gmail.com, Website: www.indiaeatspasta.com
JAIVANTI COSMETICS HOSPiTALiTY REDEFinED SOAP SHAMPOO MOISTURISER SHOWER GEL DENTAL KIT SHAVING KIT COASTERS SHOWER CAP LAUNDRY BAG COMB PEN / PENCILS CHEF CAP
Manufacturer & Supplier of:
GUEST CARE AMENITIES
& many more
GUEST CARE PRODUCTS
HOTEL iT e MS
HYGiENE CAR E PRODUCTS
Regd Off : 14, Ganesh Chandra Avenue, Kolkata - 700 013 Ph : 033 - 22374811, 22159400, Telefax : 033 - 40017327 E-mail : jayantshah65@gmail.com 42 December 1-15, 2013
Website : www.jaivanti.com
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BUSINESS AVENUES
FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD
"Irenes Coffee Company Pvt. Ltd. is spreading the aroma of fine coffee across India. With more than 10 years of experience , Irenes has been bringing in technology and innovation to create unmatched coffee drinking pleasure . The Group has a strategic alliance with SAECO Group of Italy. Irenes caters to a wide spectrum of customers with a full range of the coffee machines from HORECA Industry , High Footfall Public Places to Corporate Sectors etc. Irenes is adopting the best global practices and providing customized solutions to its clients. The company pioneered the concept of fresh milk based coffee with its Italian machines which transformed the way people drink coffee. Irenes offers coffee machines of the highest quality , created through innovation and passion to delight every coffee lover. It brings you a range of high - tech machines which deliver that perfect cuppa. Quality First - Irenes fully automatic coffee vending machines operate on advanced Italian technology ; this is backed by superior quality standards. Coffee In A Jiffy - The heavy duty machines are designed to dispense at least 200 cups / hour - each cup in a minimum of 20 seconds after pressing the button , with a consistent up-time of 99.5%. The customized setting enable people to choose their favourite blend. Easy To Clean - The machines allow cleaning - in - place, which also helps to maintain better hygiene and quality of the machines". The Italian fully automatic and state of the art machines come with unique features to suit specific requirements of the most demanding professionals from the coffee service industry.
Aulika Cappuccino
Phedra Cappuccino
Idea Cappuccino
Royal Cappuccino
IRENES COFFEE COMPANY PVT. LTD Head Office: J-82,Paryavaran Complex,Neb Sarai,New Delhi-110068 T: +91 11 29536220/29536221, F: +91 11 29356022, M: +91 8826300223,E: service@irenes.co.in Pune Office: Flat No.-3,Building No.-B3,Amba Vatika,CO/OPSOC ,NIBM Road,KONDHWA, Pune 411048, Mobile:+91 9167247422
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BUSINESS AVENUES
FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD
BUSINESS AVENUES
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FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD
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FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD
BUSINESS AVENUES
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December 1-15, 2013 47
FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD
BUSINESS AVENUES Feel the Hot & Cold of Maxell® STAINLESS STEEL- Puf Insulated
MAXELL New Collections Baleno
Trendy CLICK LOCK CASSELROL Available sizes: 0.5 to 40 ltrs
COROLLA 250. 350. 550. 750 1000. 1500. 2000ML
OPEL
CATERER’S HOT POT
1000. 1500. 2000ML
2500 ml(1x4). 3500 ml(1x4) 500 ml(1x4), 1000 ml(1x3)
GLASIER WATER JUG Size: 8.0 &12 Ltr
S. S. LUNCH BOX
CHEF HOT CASSEROLE
Size: 2, 3, 4 Container
Size:1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.5, 5.0 Ltr
KINGFISHER BAR SET Size:2.5,3.5, 5.0 Ltr
MAXELL-PLAST (INDIA) line n to: On For e log o ast. s pl a ch xell Pur w.ma ia.com ww deind tra
Website : www.maxellplastindia.com www.
48 December 1-15, 2013
G
#3, Woodwarf, 5th Lane Walltax Road, Chennai- 600 079, Phone:+91-44-2529 3322, Telefax:+91-44-2539 0673 Mumbai Showroom : #G-90, Sarovadaya Nagar, 1st Panjarpole Lane, Mumbai – 400004. Ph : +91- 22 -2242 7778, Telefax: +91-22-2242 2442. Cell : + 91-9892721331. Email : maxellplastmum@rediffmail.com. Delhi Showroom : #4781/26, Deputy Gunj, Sadar Bazar, Delhi – 110006. Phone : +91-11-2352 4455 + 91-96506 06424. Email : maxellplastindiadel@hotmail.com
maxellplast.tradeindia.com
G
maxellplastindia@hotmail.com
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To Advertise in
Business Avenues Please Contact: ■
Mumbai: Rajan Nair - 09821076065 ■
■
■
Delhi: Pranshu - 09810841431
Delhi Associate : Dinesh - 09810264368
Chennai & Hyderabad : Shukla : 09849297724 ■
Bangalore: Sreejit : 08867574257
■
Kolkata: Ajanta - 09831182580
12
an a rr
m
w
h ont
ty
COFFEE POT
AIR POT
WIDE MOUTH
R AJCO
R
HIGH NICKLE S. S. VACUUM FLASKS
2500/3000/3500/4000 ml. 500/750 ml.
400/600/1000 ml.
WIDE MOUTH WITH HANDLE
COFFEE POT 1300/1600/1900/2200 ml.
800/1200 ml.
New COFFEE POT
BULLET
WIDE MOUTH
350/500/1000 ml.
1200/1500 ml.
New BULLET
2500/3000/3500/4000 ml.
COLA BOTTLE
(Twist & Pour) 250/350/500/1000 ml.
WATER BOTTLE 250/350/500/1000/1500/1800/2500 ml.
For Online Purchase log on to: www.maxellplast.tradeindia.com
400/600 ml.
Marketed by:
MAXELL-PLAST (INDIA) #3, Woodwarf, 5th Lane Walltax Road, Chennai- 600 079, Phone:+91-44-2529 3322, Telefax:+91-44-2539 0673, Mumbai Showroom : #G-90, Sarovadaya Nagar, 1st Panjarpole Lane, Mumbai – 400004. Ph : +91- 22 -2242 7778, Telefax: +91-22-2242 2442. Cell : + 91-9892721331. Email : maxellplastmum@rediffmail.com. Delhi Showroom : #4781/26, Deputy Gunj, Sadar Bazar, Delhi – 110006. Phone : +91-11-2352 4455 + 91-96506 06424. Email : maxellplastindiadel@hotmail.com
Website : www.maxellplastindia.com www. maxellplast.tradeindia.com maxellplastindia@hotmail.com FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD
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BUSINESS AVENUES
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weekend
Scene and heard
With Marcellus Baptista
Turkish delight
Reema Rathod, Rocky S and Evelyn Sharma at the India Resortwear Fashion Week party at Olive
Trendy times YOU GOT a taste of trendy times to come if you were at Olive Bar & Kitchen for the India Resortwear Fashion Week (IRFW) and India Glamour and Fashion Awards (IGFA) party. Premium drinks and delectable hors d’oeuvres put you in the mood along with designers Rocky S, Babita Malkani, Sounia Gohil, Sai Suman and Shikhar Vaidya and other guests like Amrita Arora Ladak, Evelyn Sharma, Pia Trivedi, Shama Sikander and Kushal Punjabi. And holding forth about the event, coming up at Taj Lands End, was Reema Rathod, spokesperson, E-Sense Entertainment, who spoke about two new properties, India Resortwear Fashion Calendar and India Glamour and Fashion Awards. You also learnt that on the charts was the launch of Chronicle, a highend beach bar and restaurant in Goa.
THE 90TH NATIONAL Day celebration of the Republic of Turkey at the Taj turned out to be a gala affair. Consul General of Turkey Ceylan Ozen Erisen and husband Ender Erisen were there to welcome many guests like Suresh Shetty, Sumit Mullick, Shobhaa and Dilip De, Farah Khan Ali, Zarine and Sanjay Khan, Chhaya Momaya, Malti Jain, Rouble Nagi, Samina and Azeem Khan. After the Indian and Turkish national anthems, it was time for Ceylan Erisen to address the audience, expressing her thoughts on how both India and Turkey are seeing an influx of trade, culture and tourism from one another. Guest speaker Shobhaa De commented that Ceylan Erisen has captured the hearts of the city of Mumbai.
Ceylan Ozen Erisen at the Turkish National Day party at the Taj
Sonam Kapoor and Mark Fast at the Signature International Fashion Weekend at Mehboob Studio
Signature style MAKING A SPIRITED impression was the Signature International Fashion Weekend 2013 at Mehboob Studio. Canadian ready-to-wear luxury designer Mark Fast started it all with a superb show that featured showstopper Sonam Kapoor, brand ambassador of SIFW, in a textured tasselled gown. Other showstoppers at this three-day event included Diana Penty for Drashta, Nargis Fakhri for Nachiket Barve, Sarah Jane Dias for Adam Saaks, Irina Shayk for Cute Circuit, Kangna Ranaut for Bora Aksu, Sahar Baniaz for Swapnil Shinde and the grand finale by Falguni and Shane Peacock with Srishti Rana, Miss Asia Pacific World 2013 and Sahar Baniaz, Miss Universe Canada 2012, along with Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez. And the cheer continued with Signature cocktails at the bar.
Czech cheer THE MOOD was mellow with soft music by the Spork Quartet at the Trident rooftop as Rashmi Jolly, Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic and her husband Arvind Jolly along with Miloslav Stasek, Czech Ambassador to India, marked the Czech Republic National Day. Czech Trade Commissioner Ivan Kamenik was present along with guests Nadir Godrej, Niranjan Hiranandani and Randhir Kapoor among many more. Guests enjoyed the Czech wine, beer and liqueurs, along with Indian and Czech cuisine. The talk was on the exciting events ahead in the field of fashion, art, culture, music and film. You heard that 2014 has been declared as the Indo-Czech year of film and culture with the launch of the Czech Film Festival at the Kala Academy in Goa with Academy award-winning Czech filmmaker Jiri Menzel. Rashmi Jolly, Nadir Godrej, Miloslav Stasek and Ivan Kamenik at the Czech National Day party at Trident
51 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
weekend
E V E N T S
A HERITAGE TRIP Concierge Association of India – Western Region organised a FAM trip to The Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Mumbai for 19 of their members from different hotels across the city
NEW BEGINNING L-R: Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president, Department of Civil Aviation, CEO and chairman, The Emirates Group and chairman, Dubai World; P R S Oberoi, executive chairman, The Oberoi Group; and Sheikh Adel Aujan, chairman, Aujan Group Holding at the inaugural ceremony of The Oberoi, Dubai
WARM WELCOME L-R: Cyrus Pallonji Mistry, chairman, Tata Sons; Ratan Tata, ex-chaiman, Tata Sons; Raymond Bickson, MD and CEO, Indian Hotels; Camilla Rosemary, Duchess of Cornwall; Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales and Gaurav Pokhariyal, general manager, The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai at the greeting ceremony of the prince and dutchess at the hotel
THANKING PARTNERS L-R: Mohsin Sayed and Navin Khiantani, business heads, Travel Patio along with Bharat Dudhmande, market manager, Expedia Partner Services Group at a party organised by Hotel Meluha The Fern to celebrate the hotel's partnerships with its online travel agency partners
GARNERING APPRECIATION Chris Oakes, general manager, Indigo Pearl Resort in Phuket received the 'Best Luxury Suite Hotel' and 'Exceptional Host Property' award at the 2013 World Luxury Hotel Awards
COLOURFUL CELEBRATION A flash mob performed at Amanora Town Centre to celebrate the launch of Premier Inn at Kharadi, Pune
52 FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD December 1-15, 2013
REGD.WITH RNI NO.MAHENG/2012/42381, REGD.NO.MH/MR/SOUTH-383/2013-15,PUBLISHED ON 2ND & 17TH EVERY FORTNIGHT, POSTED ON 2, 3, 4 & 17,18,19 OF EVERY FORTNIGHT POSTED AT MUMBAI PATRIKA CHANNEL SORTING OFFICE.