May issue

For Private Circulation Only l Published by Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

HRANow Estd: 1951

May 2012

The official publication of Hotel & Restaurant Association (Western India)

On Cloud 9

Information Technology has changed the way hospitality works

Hospitality Food & Tourism India October - 11-13, 2012

From SG’s Desk...

Dear Members, Greetings in the 62nd Year of the Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India!

Summer time is back and many would now be looking to escape to cooler destinations along with their families during the holidays!

All of our hotelier members will be aware that Hunar Se Rozgar (HSR) Skill Development Initiative is a part of the classification criteria. It is mandatory for hotels who would like to apply for classification/reclassification of their properties to train the requisite numbers under this scheme. Operational Guidelines were emailed to our members and the same are also being printed in this issue.

In order to facilitate a better understanding for implementing the HSR – Skill Development Initiative, a two day workshop was held at the IHM, Mumbai for our hotel members, on April 12- 13, 2012. They were requested to send their HRD personnel to attend this workshop which would explain the HSR guidelines of the Ministry of Tourism and the teaching methodology to be adopted by hotel industry trainers.

During this two-day workshop they were given an overview of the orientation programme whereby they could identify and have a systematic approach with regards to the requisite training to be imparted.

Some of the topics covered and explained were the role of the trainer, giving and receiving feedback, teaching methodology, psychological growth and motivation, coaching tasks, steps, overcoming barriers to communications, evaluation and assessment, etc.

The Chairman of Seminars Committee Mr. Chetan Mehta has been busy finalizing the schedule of FSSAI workshops to be held in our Western Region, two workshops were held in Bhopal on April 16 and Indore on April 17, 2012. Also FSSAI workshops have been scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad on June 14, Mumbai on June 15 and Pune June 16, 2012. These FSSAI workshops will provide a vibrant platform for vivid discussions and interactions with leading food scientist and expert Dr V Pasupathy.

We request you to please block these dates, as we are confident that your team participating will immensely benefit in understanding the new FSSAI Act and will also help implement the same in your organization, as the new regulations lays emphasis on ensuring corrective action through self regulation.

Efforts are being made to tie up with reputed accredited labs, initially in Mumbai, to discuss and explore the best possible terms of having a long term mutually benefitting proposal for our hotel and restaurant members, for testing of their food samples as mandated under the FSSAI Act 2006 for FBOs “Food Business Operators”.

Congratulations to Mr. AN Malhotra, Partner, Gaylord Restaurant for their prestigious property being awarded the Life Time Achievement Award for its outstanding contribution of over 55 years to the hotel and restaurant industry, at the recently held Times Now Foodie Awards 2012, in Mumbai.

With Best Wishes,

Malvinder Narang Do write in with your suggestion and feed back to secgen@hrawi.com

02 | May 2012

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Early Bird Discount till 30th April 2012 BOOK NOW at Rs.6500/-psm

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Editor’s Note

Role of technology in hospitality

T

echnology has been a key driver of growth for the hospitality sector across the world and India is no exception. It’s interesting to see Indian hoteliers’ proactiveness to adopt latest technology and applications to bring in more efficiency in operations.

From entertaining guests and planning menus to monitoring employees, technology has really changed the way the India hospitality industry works today.

In the era of cut-throat completion, it’s very important to have right technology in place which not only help manage your property better but also enhance efficiency, serve guests faster, and on the whole reduce revenue leakages and increase profit margins. Though there are whole lot of technology and application which are available in the market, it’s crucial that the property chooses the right solution. Despite the fact that IT comes along with an initial cost, which is quite high in a financial sense, it gives tremendous cost savings for hotels in the long-term. However, the success will depend upon the efficiency of the IT during its crucial implementation stages.

In this issue, we have covered this important topic, focusing on how IT can maximise profit for hotels and restaurants. The story talks about various applications available in the market and how those tools can help you reduce operational costs and optimise the performance of stuff.

We also had a chance to do one-on-one interview with Dr Jagdish Patil, managing director, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). The corporation has done some remarkable work in the recent past. So let’s hear from the man-in-charge about those initiatives.

This time our region focus is on Gujarat, which is aggressively promoting tourism to attract more tourists. Though the number of travellers has been increasing, the state still faces lots of issues related to quality room supply and infrastructure. A number of hotel projects are coming up across the main cities of the state and we hope this will solve the problem.

Pulak Sen Editor-in-Chief sen.pulak@gmail.com

04 | May 2012

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Contents FROM SG’S DESK 02 EDITOR’S NOTE 04 NEWS 08 GREEN HOTEL 12

HRA Now INDIAN HOSPITALITY & TOURISM NEWS SERVICE a division of Indian Aviation News Service Pvt. Ltd. 603, Palm Beach Apartment J. P. Road, Versova, Andheri (W), Mumbai 400 061 India.

PUBLISHER HIRAK SEN Email: hirak@yahoo.com EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief PULAK SEN Email: sen.pulak@gmail.com Cell: +919920775478 Editorial Assistant BISHNUPRIYA SEN MARKETING SHARMISTHA ROYCHOUDHURY

Cell: +919967070706 Email: hranow2011@gmail.com STUDIO Senior Designer RAJESH NATARAJAN Designer RADHIKA SEN Circulation SURESH DAPHAL

COVER STORY IT—an important tool

14

F&B TRENDS 22 Desserts REGION FOCUS 26 Gujarat

EVENT REVIEW 31 Wedding bells at the Courtyard

REGISTERED OFFICE 603, Palm Beach Apartment J. P. Road, Versova, Andheri (W), Mumbai 400 061 India.

DISCLAIMER The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however, caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contains thereof me be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exception is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.

HRA Now is published, edited and printed monthly by Hirak Sen on behalf of Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) and published by Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service, a division of Indian Aviation News Service Pvt Ltd, 603, Palm Beach Apartment, J. P. Road, Versova, Andheri (W), Mumbai 400 061. India, printed at Nectar Prints Pvt. Ltd, A/127, Ghatkopar Ind. Estate, Ghatkopar (West), Mumbai - 400 086.

INTERVIEW 32 MTDC MD Jagdish Patil PRODUCTS 34

6 | May 2012

The title, HRA Now is the property of Hotel & Restuarant Assocaition (Western India).

APPOINTMENTS 36 HRA NOW

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

Operational guidelines for Hunar Se Rozgar through hotels • Advertisement for HSR trainees to be released by the nearest Institute of Hotel Management for the four trades under HSR Scheme in English/Hindi and vernacular language. (Cost of advertisement will be reimbursed to IHM by Ministry of Tourism).

• The candidates would be called for an ‘orientation program’ followed by interview at a hotel to be identified by the local hotel, restaurant association. The prospective trainees would be educated about the objectives of the HSR program and its prospects, thereafter.

The scheme is open to 10th pass unemployed youth in the age groups 18 to 28 years.

• Candidates would be Interviewed and screened for suitability.

The screening committee would have representative of local hotel association, Principal/staff of local IHM. No TA/DA would be paid to candidates for attending the interview. The list of suitable candidates would be made available to the hotel association for deployment at their member hotels.

• Hotels can conduct training for sponsored candidates from NGOs, Voluntary Organizations, Local Municipality etc. Names of such candidates must be registered with the local IHM prior to commencement of program.

• Candidates selected would join only after undergoing basic medical test and police verification.

• Hotels should take 50% more candidates than the number of seats to accommodate for drop-outs during the training period.

• From the pool of applications, those not selected by hotels will be taken up for HSR training by local IHM. • Uniforms for the different trades will be supplied by The Handicrafts & Handlooms Exports Corporation of India Ltd. (HHEC). These will be ordered as per requirement by the local IHM to be collected by hotels of the region, based on their demand. Hotels must issue only one set of uniform during the first week of training of candidates and only after ensuring their continuity, issue the second uniform to prevent misuse.

(Cost of uniform will be reimbursed to IHM by Ministry of Tourism).

Hotels, if required, can issue their own uniform during the training period.

• Tool-kits to be provided by the local IHM and issued to the hotels based on their requirement. (Cost of tool kit will be reimbursed to IHM

by Ministry of Tourism).

• Stipend of 1,500/- for Waiters/Housekeeping Utility (06 weeks duration) and 2,000/- for Cooks and Baker (08 weeks duration) will be paid by the local IHM at the end of the training (Ministry of Tourism will reimburse the amount). Candidates securing 90% attendance during the duration of the course are eligible for this stipend. Attendance will be monitored by the hotel and verified by the local IHM before release of stipend.

• Duty meals would be provided by the hotel during the training period.

• There would be an objective type multiple choice one hour trade theory examination at the end of the course to be conducted by the respective hotels to check basic learning. There would also be a practical trade test to asses skill learning covering 4/5 exercises/items. Those securing over 60% would be eligible for certificate. The tests would be conducted in the presence of one internal and one external examiner.

The external examiner must be approved by the local IHM. • Certificate at the end of training, to be signed by GM of hotel and Principal of local IHM. Certificates to be prepared by IHMs (To be reimbursed by Ministry of Tourism).

08 | May 2012

• Data base will be maintained by IHM for all successful candidates with their photograph, address and contact details. This data base will be utilized for uploading on MOT/NCHMCT website.

• Hotels have no compulsion to offer jobs to successful trainees.

However, they may assist in finding suitable placement in different operational areas in the organized and unorganized sector locally, including with vendors.

• Where hotels of different star categories, do not have training facilities, the hotel association may conduct combined training at different units.

New HRAWI members w.e.f 28th March

New HRAWI members w.e.f 28th March

HOTEL HOTELS

Name of Establishment

Hotel Great Maratha

Hotel President

CalorͲRoyal Jungle Retreat

CalorͲThe Satya Ashoka Resort

Noorya Hometel

Hotel Skylon

Hotel Nami Residency

RESTAURANTS RESTAURANTS

Name of Establishment

Thacker's Restaurant Baba Ka Dhaba

Gaylord wins Times Now Foodie Awards

City Mumbai Ghandinagar Bhopal Bhopal Pune Ahmedabad Ahmedabad

City Mumbai Nashik

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Gaylord Mumbai has won Times Now Foodie Awards 2012 held recently in Mum The new Membership forms of the Hotel & Restaurant was awarded with the Life Time in Achievement Award for its outstanding contr Association (Western India) the PDF format have years to the hotel and restaurant industry. been uploaded for all four categories viz: Hotels,

Restaurants, Associate & Affiliates on the association’s

AN website Malhotra www.hrawi.com (Partner) and for Noel (General easyD’Souza accessibility

by Manager) while rec prospective new members. acknowledged with deep gratitude the visionary Peshorilal Lamba the found Sd/amazing restaurant which opened in 1956 in South Mumbai and has received n Malvinder Narang ever since.

Secretary General Gaylord franchises dotted the globe from Japan HRAWI to USA immediately the

responsible for spreading the popularity of Indian cuisine. Today, besides the o Lambas own the equally popular Gaylord in London at Mortimer Street.

HRA NOW

NEWS

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

Applicability of service tax w.e.f. 1st April, 2012 As members are aware, in the Union Budget 2012-13, the new service tax regime has increased the rate of service tax to 12 per cent + 3 per cent cess (2 per cent education cess and 1 per cent higher education cess). It means the net rate of service tax is 12.36 per cent, which comes into effect from 1st April, 2012.

The abatement available for hotels (room) has been reduced from 50 to 40 per cent and restaurants (A/c restaurant having licence to serve the liquor) 70 to 60 per cent. It means the hotels having room tariff of Rs1000 and above has to pay the service tax on 60 per cent of room tariff @ 12.36 per cent (the net rate of service tax comes to 7.416 per cent).

For A/c restaurants (having licence to service the liquor) the service tax is now applicable on 40 per cent of the bill @ 12.36 per cent (the net rate of service tax comes to 4.944 per cent).

Members may please recall that hotels/restaurants/clubs are covered under Mandap Keepers for holding social functions such as marriage, conferences and seminars where substantial food is served. It attracts the service tax @ 12.36 per cent. The abatement has also been reduced from 40 to 30 per cent. It means the service tax is applicable on the 70 per cent of the total bill or the net rate of service tax come to 8.65 per cent.

Hotels can also claim CENVAT credit of input services.

The taxation rules have been amended, which are given below: 1. Date of payment as date of credit of amount in bank account as against normal principal of date of issuance of cheque; and 2. In case of change of rate in case the payment is not received within four days, the changed rate shall apply.

3. Place of Supply Rules, 2012 have been proposed to be introduced where two new definitions i.e. Taxable Territory and Non-taxable territory has been defined.

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4. The negative services have also been notified.

5. Service tax registration and return simplified. Assesses who have made payment of service tax of more than Rs25 lakh in previous year to file return on monthly basis. Other assesses to file quarterly return instead of half yearly return.

6. Appeal before commissioner (Appeal) to be filed within 60 days as against 90 days in the past.

7. Commissioner is empowered to appoint any CA/ICWA for conducting audit of any assesses.

8. Assesses can adjust the excess payment of service tax without any limitation. The requirement of communication to department has been dispensed with.

9. Period of demand under Section 73 increased from one year to 18 months.

Wanted Marketing Executive Hotel and Restaurant Association Western India is looking for a Lady Marketing Executive, on contractual basis who would be required to travel & increase the membership strength in Mumbai & nearby places in the Western Region. Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Please email your CV’s to Secretary General at secgen@hrawi.com

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NEWS

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

Gaylord wins Times Now Foodie Awards Hotel Hindustan enters Pune Gaylord Mumbai has won Times Now Foodie Awards 2012 held recently in Mumbai. The restaurant was awarded with the Life Time Achievement Award for its outstanding contribution for over 55 years to the hotel and restaurant industry.

AN Malhotra (Partner) and Noel D’Souza (General Manager) while receiving the award acknowledged with deep gratitude the visionary Peshorilal Lamba the founding partner of this amazing restaurant which opened in 1956 in South Mumbai and has received numerous accolades ever since.

Gaylord franchises dotted the globe from Japan to USA immediately thereafter, and were responsible for spreading the popularity of Indian cuisine. Today, besides the one at Mumbai, the Lambas own the equally popular Gaylord in London at Mortimer Street.

Located on Veer Nariman Road, Churchgate, this grand restaurant has been dishing up `tongue tickling Indian and continental cuisine, besides having one of the most popular bakeshops with variety of bread, cakes, cookies, puffs, croissants, etc.

The coffee culture which is the rage nowadays was initiated in this restaurant in the early sixties, in their garden area and even today one can share a steaming cup and a soulful conversation with a friend, blissfully cocooned from the hustle and bustle of the city’s traffic zooming by.

10 | April 2012

Kolkata-based Hotel Hindustan International (HHI) has forayed in Maharashtra with the launch of its new property in Pune. Due to open very soon, the fifth hotel from the HHI Group, HHI Pune property is designed as a contemporary business destination whilst also offering some leisure opportunities.

Located in the business hub of the cultural capital of Maharastra, the HHI Pune is a work of art by experience and expertise, imagination and innovation of the revered hospitality chain of the country - The HHI group of Hotels.

DK Jaiswal, Chairman & Managing Director, HHI Group said, “We are delighted to add Pune to HHI’s footprint and it is our first entry into Maharashtra. This property is stylish, upscale and is set to cater to India’s fast growing business travel market. Guests can look forward to HHI’s unique offerings in more cities as we continue to expand our brand presence in India.”

With its comprehensive range of leisure and business facilities, the HHI Pune will offer unrivalled convenience to its guests.

With 50 guest rooms to start with, the company said, the hotel provides a mélange of a rare kind, the coziness of home making room for the convenience of office.

To meet the needs of the discerning business travelers, HHI Pune has two banquets—Crystal I & Crystal II. The property has The Eye Club (resto bar & lounge) and El Fresco (open air restaurant). Conceptualized by an interior design firm of repute from Los Angeles, The Eye Club is a scintillating combination of a restaurant and a lounge offering choicest selection of sprits and exotic global cuisine.

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Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

NEWS

Govt sanctioned 160 tourism projects last year Ministry of Tourism recently released its annual report. Ministry of Tourism continued its efforts to develop quality tourism infrastructure at tourist destinations and circuits across the country. According to the annual report for the year 2011-12, the Ministry has sanctioned 160 tourism projects for an amount of Rs710.02 crore for tourism infrastructure augmentation to States/UTs upto 31st December, 2011.

The Ministry has given special focus on development of important destinations/circuits through sanction of mega projects. Mega tourism projects are a judicious mix of culture, heritage, spiritual and eco tourism and aim to give tourists a holistic experience. As on 29.02.2012, the Ministry has identified 53 mega tourism projects in consultation with State Governments, out of which 35 have been sanctioned.

The Ministry holds prioritization meetings with State Governments/ UT Administrations before the beginning of a financial year to identify tourism projects for Central Financial assistance in the coming financial year. For the year 2012-13, the process of prioritization meetings was started in December 2011 and upto February16th, 2012 meeting with 21 States/UTs were held. While prioritizing the projects, adequate emphasis is given on projects involving construction and upkeep of wayside amenities along highways/roads leading to tourist destinations, cleanliness at tourism sites and development of tourism in backward areas. The report says that 2.5 per cent of Ministry’s total plan outlay for 2011-12 has been earmarked for development of tourism in tribal areas. This is an addition to the 10 per cent outlay earmarked for the North-Eastern States.

Ministry of Tourism organised an All-India workshop on December 20, 2011 to evolve strategies for launching a Campaign Clean India. Based on the recommendations made in the workshop, the Ministry will shortly launch the Campaign Clean India aimed at creating collective mindsets of hygiene and cleanliness through persuasion, education, sensitization, training, demonstration and regulation.

In October 2011, Standing Operating Procedure was laid down giving timeliness for specific activities for classification/reclassification of hotels under different star categories. Further, to increase transparency in classification/reclassification activities, from January 2012 the Ministry has introduced a system for making available the status of pending applications on its website.

The outcome of the Visa on Arrival scheme introduced in January 2010 has been encouraging with 12,761 persons having availed of this facility in 2011. The Ministry is making efforts to extend this facility to nationals of more countries.

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GREEN HOTEL

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

Meluha gets Ecotel title

M

umbai’s Meluha The Fern, has recently received its certification as an ‘ECOTEL’ from HVS. Located in Powai, the property becomes the ninth hotel in India to join a global collection of ‘Eco’ hotels.

The new Ecotel certification is designed around sustainability, and built on two axis – the horizontal axis (the triple bottom line), and a vertical axis (the level of sustainability).

The five-star hotel is owned and developed

by Lake View Developers, and marketed by Concept Hospitality. “The recognition shows that we have in place a system to monitor, manage and continuously improve our environmental management system. The staffs look for ways to implement new ideas and practice them to stay at the forefront of environmental stewardship,” says the hotel’s owner Surendra Hiranandani, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Hiranandani Group.

Meluha is managed by Concept Hospitality, a management company that operates hotels, resorts and service apartments in 17 locations under it’s the fern and Fern Residency brands.

12 | May 2012

“We are happy to be awarded the Ecotel certification because it is a positive arrangement for guests, staff, owners and the environment. It is our benchmark commitment as hotel operators,” said Param Kannampilly, Chairman and Managing Director, Concept Hospitality.

Located at Hiranandani Gardens Powai, Mumbai, the hotel has 141 rooms and suites, each designed to give guests the feeling of space, comfort and luxury. All the amenities in the rooms are eco-friendly where plastic and other non-biodegradable products have been avoided as part of the eco-initiatives, the company said.

“In the new Ecotel certification, we looked at energy consumption reduction, water use reduction, water reuse, solid waste reduction through measures of prevention, reuse, and recycling,” said Ritu Primlani, Director, HVS Sustainability Services.

She said the hotel has reduced its water consumption through water conservation

devices like dual flush toilets and low flow aerators and water reuse within their facility.

“Meluha has cut its water consumption by 41 per cent, saving 15.4 million liters of water annually. Equally significant is their water reuse within their community: because of their special location and relationship with the Hiranandani Gardens Powai, almost all their wastewater is reused for irrigation at the Hiranandani residential complex – which leads to a reduction in water consumption by more than 30 million liters of water annually,” she added.

For energy conservation the hotel has employed a host of energy conservation measures like LED lighting, waste heat recovery, energy conserving behaviour practices, and various other equipment that reduce their energy consumption and related emissions.

Meluha annually saves around Rs1 crore through their Ecotel practices.

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COVER STORY

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

Make IT happen From entertaining guests and planning menus to monitoring employees, information-technology has dramatically changed the way the hospitality industry works today, says Bindu Gopal Rao

W

hen Vikram Verma, a frequent traveler from Mumbai, checked into his usual hotel on a business trip, he was in for a pleasant surprise. When he entered his room, there was a bouquet of flowers awaiting him with a note that said that his whole stay was complimentary as this was his 50th stay with the hotel chain. This gesture is something that he will never forget and further his loyalty with the hotel group.

14 | May 2012

Intriguing as it may sound what has made this possible is the fact that software systems are being increasingly employed in hospitality to enhance guest experience. Technology has been a key driver of growth for the hospitality sector over the last decade. This apart, online presence through the internet, websites and social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, help increase brand recognition and enhanced customer experience leading to higher loyalty.

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Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

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COVER STORY Solutions Today software is an integral part of any kind of business operations. Hotels use a variety of computer system to manage the operations.

Front office and housekeeping departments use property management system (PMS), to manage a guest’s check-in and checkout, cash transactions at the front desk, outlet/ancillary transactions, reservations, housekeeping, night audit and other tasks. Point of sales (POS) systems with touch screens connect to a centralize server to keep track of each sales and allow you the capability of querying your inventory and sales database in a flexible way.

Another innovation in technology for the hospitality industry is e-Menu on a wireless tablet device i.e. Apple iPAD or Android based touch screen. Many restaurants with high volume use wireless handheld e-Menu device to present as menu card and collect orders which are sent to a server. The server sends required information to the kitchen in real time. Likewise, the Complaint Management System (CMS) is used when guests complain on issues related to housekeeping, engineering and F&B. This apart, a full-fledged Human Resource Information System (HRIS) and Guest feedback System (GFS) are also used.

Traditionally, the hotel industry has been treating Voice and Online (data) operations separately. The key challenge has been to combine both the channels to provide Unified Customer Interaction Management (UCIM). Says Saurabh Bakshi, Hotel Manager, Sheraton Bangalore at Brigade Gateway, “the main role of Information Technology in Hotel industry is to improve the service quality and to enhance the productivity. Software

16 | May 2012

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

applications are an essential part of improving the business operation. They are imperative tools in reaching the guest satisfaction and meeting with their expectations. Using software applications such as PMS, POS, Key Card systems etc not only help in productivity, efficiency, cost control and less manpower but also in terms of more accuracy. IT provides low-cost business options to store and maintain information that may be important from a business or service point of view.”

Cost Factor The initial cost of Information Technology (IT) will be quite high in a financial sense but the tremendous cost savings in the long-term will depend upon the efficiency of the IT during its crucial implementation stages. “The Self Service technology (Mobile, Social Media and even Web) at Ginger Hotels will help minimize in-between operators / agency and make direct transactions easier. Thus costs associated with brokerage, commission and discounts can be eliminated. Staffing levels will also undergo changes,” says Prabhat Pani, CEO, Ginger Hotels. From automating vital functions in the organization like bookings and inventory to reducing the scope of error by eliminating human intervention, Mobile Hospitality Solutions ensure that information is transferred on time and efficiently. Unicel has developed innovative solutions that drive intelligent information transfer and also a world-class experience for the customer.

Hotels use huge amounts of energy, therefore, investments in more efficient energy use can lead to significant reductions in energy consumptions, operating costs and energy

“

Using software applications such as PMS, POS and Key Card systems not only help in productivity, efficiency, cost control and less manpower but also in terms of more accuracy

”

Saurabh Bakshi, Hotel Manager, Sheraton Bangalore

bills. Energy Management Systems could cut energy costs for hotel owners’ upto 65 Per cent. With increasing prices the cost of manpower has also increased, urging hoteliers to adopt smart solutions that will automate manual functions and maintain efficiency. Today, a growing number of hotels use ERPs that help them better manage their hospitality property, enhance efficiency, serve guests faster, and on the whole reduce revenue leakages and increase profit margins.

“In the long run, IT enables hotels to optimize staff strength, derive useful statistics based on which they can increase revenues and increase guest satisfaction. This translates into high return on investment and ultimately decreases operational costs. IT and technology help hotels in several ways by lowering operational costs, enhancing efficiency and plugging revenue leakages. For example, to help prevent pilferage, ERP systems offer inventory management that helps a hotel track use of perishables and food. Similarly, the housekeeping module enables the housekeeping manager to optimally utilize staff by planning their schedule, tracking rooms that are empty and in use, and maintaining room inventory all through an automated process. The revenue manager is also able to plan room rates, view how many rooms are booked and create offers so that

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COVER STORY

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

“

In the long run, IT enables hotels to optimize staff strength, derive useful statistics based on which they can increase revenues and increase guest satisfaction. This translates into high ROI and ultimately decreases operational costs

”

Binu Mathews, President & COO, IDS NEXT more rooms can be sold. Technology solutions give managers real time access to all aspects of operations and thus a better understanding of income and expenditure. They can also track trends, better prepare the hotel to cope with these changes, and optimize their returns when the demand for rooms is slated to be high or low,” says Binu Mathews, President & COO, IDS NEXT. Automated revenue management systems access all rate and inventory data points (both live and historical data) to analyze market and competitor activities to help hoteliers make the most informed decisions to achieve the best possible room rates. The sales and booking process has become much more unpredictable, often not knowing what will happen until a few days before; therefore instant technology is a necessity to keep a hotel producing room nights.

Automated reliable distribution systems like RateTiger can have a huge impact on the Revenue Manager’s ability to focus on strategically important issues to enhance the property’s performance and add to the bottom line. “To cite an example, reports fed in to the system by various departments in the hotel with the help of the software, is easily accessible to everyone. This allows better perusal of reports and also enables joint discussions where all participants can log on to the information. Besides, being online, there is no question of loss or misplacement of reports or information or even fudging of information.

This is a major advantage for running a business, especially when information is to be accessed across geographies. Besides open and easy access to information, the use of IT solutions increases overall efficiency of all departments, enabling better interaction and swifter correction of any anomalies or shortcomings,” says MGM Anand, Managing Director, MGM Group.

18 | May 2012

Tech Talk Many new technologies are also making their way into the Indian hospitality industry.

Internationally, these tools are already in use to improve efficiency. For instance, client server technologies (CST) offer great advantages to mid and large sized multi-property hospitality chains.

Software as a service (SaaS) or pay as-yougo services (where software such as ERP solutions are made available on demand over the Internet and users are required to pay a monthly rental based on the time and nature of use) are also another cost effective way of handling data and processes over the Internet which hotels are adopting.

Technology is increasingly being adopted by this segment to become green compliant.

Technologies which improve sustainability in areas like energy and water efficiency, waste management, recycling and rain water harvesting are also attracting a lot of interest from the hospitality segment. “As new avenues like SaaS options, social media marketing (SMM) tools and green technologies open up, it keep us ahead of old era in every aspect of hospitality services realm right from employee monitoring devices and point-of-sale management, to financial planning and day-today operational management,” says Amrendra

Gupta, Manager - Information Technology, Hotel Sahara Star, Sahara Hospitality Ltd.

The Specifics Each of the segments in the hospitality industry has vastly varying requirements.

In its 25 years of existence, IDS NEXT has designed and developed specialized solutions for independent hotels and hotel chains, restaurants and restaurant chains, resorts, clubs, lounges and others. The flagship FortuneNEXT range of hotel ERP systems is aimed at 3 star, 4 star and 5 star luxury hotels and chains. For the budget hotel category, they offer PAX Xotels.

Technology has caught up with every business either its big/international hotel chain or midsize hotel. “For the big hotels it would be impossible to operate without computerized guest reservation /accounting and more and more, small hotels find the convenience of computer systems very helpful. The bigger hotels which need to control heat and airconditioning use centralized IBMS systems whereas mid-size hotel goes for stand-alone system to save the capital cost,” opines Gupta.

“All basic applications required for operations such as PMS, POS Inventory Management which is scaled down version are right fit for mid-size or stand alone hotel IT. In case of big/ international hotels requires more advanced

versions of core applications automation, and integration with different systems which aids in decision making and forecasting business,” adds Rakesh Singh, Manager, Hyatt Regency, Pune. Business these days require a lot of planning, due to high tech organization systems on computers, planning can be done on an organized pattern, with schedule formats, grant charts etc. Huge databases can now be controlled and stored on network and backup drives.

“No matter how big or small your company is, technology brings both intangible and tangible benefits to become cost efficient and to meet

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COVER STORY

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

the growing demands and needs of customers.

Technological innovations affect corporate efficiency, culture and relationship among employees, clients, suppliers and customers. The type and quality of technology used affect the security of confidential business information. Due to the burden brought by administrative tasks, like inventory, book-keeping and records keeping, both big and small companies rely on computers to do their administrative works. The birth of Internet and online social networking sites tremendously decreased the costs of business operations,” says Ajay Gamre, Corporate IT Consultant, Alila Hotels & Resorts. According to PhoCusWright, one third of the Indian travel business comes from online, and it is the fastest growing sector. “With the plethora of online travel agencies and review sites, customers now have access to transparent rate related market information 24/7, making inwardlooking cost-plus pricing models obsolete in favor of more rigorous outward-focused knowledgebased strategies. Hotels – big or small, chain or independent, cannot ignore market intelligence – however, it would differ from property to property.

Today most technology providers understand the needs of hoteliers and offer scalable option for most solutions. Online distribution experts like RateTiger offer web-based tools for smaller hotels, and the more robust installable applications with advanced features for mid- and large-scale

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hotels and groups. Most of the technology gets customised as per hotel’s requirements leading to a perfect fit,” says Udai Singh Solanki, CTO & Managing Directior- India eRevMax International.

Making The Connection Hotels today are global and spread across counties. It is here that software plays a vital role in effective communication and data flow between different hotels. This is also important as reservations are almost always centralized.

Cloud telephony helps companies to move their client interaction onto pay-per-use model without any capital expenditure for acquiring hardware. The hotel industry can move its communication plat form to cloud telephony platform. The integration is done using basic code like Perl, PHP etc using the cloud platform located on the host servers. “Thanks to cloud computing technology, which transformed the way we operate and communicate in business these days. Cloud computing which is device and location independence, enable users to access systems using a web browser regardless of their location or what device they are using (e.g., PC, mobile phone, iPad). As infrastructure is off-site typically provided by a third-party and accessed via the Internet, users can connect from anywhere,” explains Gupta. Says Sanjay Aggarwal, CEO, Unicel Technologies,

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As new avenues like SaaS options, social media marketing tools and green technologies open up, it keep us ahead of old era in every aspect of hospitality services

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Amrendra Gupta, Manager-IT, Hotel Sahara Star

May 2012 |

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COVER STORY

SUPPLIER TALK

Baskaramoorthi D, VP, Posiflex India What products do you offer for the hospitality/ restaurants sector?

Posiflex is one of the global manufacturer pioneers in offering Point of Sale (POS) hardware solution to the hospitality segment since year 1984. Posiflex range of POS products is suitable for all kinds of hospitality formats like hotels, restaurants, quick service restaurants, food courts, cafe outlets etc.

How does IT help hotels / restaurants lower their operations-related transaction costs?

“for hospitality brand with vast geographical presence, collaboration and unified services matter most. Whether its bookings, customer relationship or branding, mobility services and software solutions greatly help a hospitality provider ensure a consistent, high-quality service that is not dependent on location, access or any other limitation.”

The advantages of hospitality software to a chain hotel that may have a presence across multiple geographies are many. “For one, it is easier to train staff on a single software solution. Should staff be transferred to different locations, they can use the software without difficulty. A single robust software is also helpful when managements need to generate high level reports and drill down to view trends and activity on a macro level.

IDS NEXT software has been installed across 40 countries and has been designed to incorporate all the statutory requirements of each country,” says Mathews. “As an example, we are having our own systems called MARSHA (Marriott Automated Reservation system For Hotel Accommodation). To access this system you have to login to Marriott. com where guest can do their online booking from any part in the world. It gives you all the information about Hotels with availability of the rooms, View of the rooms, Conference hall,

20 | May 2012

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

Posiflex Point of sale (POS) hardware are font line billing terminals which helps hotels/ restaurants to complete their transaction faster with the help of touch screen user interface. The touch screen technology today is advanced with single touch user can select an item or with two touch he can get into the detailing of product combo offering thus reduces the transaction time period to service the customers. Posiflex POS hardware are seamlessly interface with the POS billing software thus enables complete transparency and accountability on the inventory and billing gives complete management reports to decision maker at the right time. This enables less pilferage but control on business thus resulted in profitability and reduces operation cost.

What’s the time frame of ROI for your product?

With the implementation of suitable POS solution, the ROI for these products is around 18 months period. POS products are having larger product life cycle than the standard IT products thus enables the customers investment is protected for five to seven years period. For selected product range of Fanfree terminals, Posiflex offers three years warranty with on-site support to

banquet setup, restaurants, special services like Spa, etc. Mostly all the departments in the hotel need IT for their smooth operation which includes all back office operations, front office, housekeeping, human resources, engineering, sales, purchase, security, restaurants & lounges, marketing and events,” says a systems department source, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa.

Looking Ahead Cloud telephony is an interesting and innovative topic in field of informationtechnology. Hosted Telephony service where users can design and deploy their own telephony applications themselves is Cloud Telephony. “Cloud Telephony means, you do not have to deal with telephony jargons, knowledge of how telephone works as long as you know what you want your telephone to do. And most of the time, it is pretty simple for everyone to understand, make/receive (pick up) a telephone call, hang up or disconnect the call, play an audio file, transfer the call, conference the call,” says Gupta. Unlike most industries, hotels still source different software from different vendors for all their guest facing and back end internal operations. With increasing customer preferences and the various media

customers enables extended usage of these products with less operating expenditure.

How does your product help when businesses are in different geographies?

With the advancement of today’s telecommunication connectivity in India it is easy to get connected any networkable place to centralized location through our POS hardware thus ensures business reporting easy than earlier days. This opens up retailers to set up outlets across different geographies without limit on their operational boundary and reach out to mass consumers to expand their business. Many of Posiflex customers in India are using online connectivity of their outlets to their centralized office to report their business online thus enables to take business decision faster, replenish of inventory at appropriate time, and an effective supply chain solution enables customers business grow faster.

Posiflex hardware are supported in India by more than 250+ service centres. Since Hospitality is spread to the remotest location in India due to vast heritage and cultural values, it is essential for these products to be serviced across all seven days a week, thus extensive reach of service network is quite essential.

through which they interact with hotels; has made the task tougher for and expensive for hoteliers. “Let us take an example of the Reservation System. Earlier most reservations were made on phone directly by guests or travel agents. When guest calls the Reservation Desk or Call Center it is ‘The Moment of Truth’. While 60 per cent booking still happens over the phone, many customers prefer booking their rooms from the hotel website and lately even from applications on mobile phones. Major hotel chains have not only revamped their web sites but have also provided access through mobile applications. International hotel chain IHG has seen a 1000 per cent increase in room night bookings from mobile devices in the first year itself. The trend will only catch up in India. All these applications run on a Separate Network & Cabling Infrastructure.

Today solutions are available where it is possible to run all these Services on a CAT6 of Fiber Cable. Fiber to the room is now a reality. Imagine a large Resort spread over 150 acres of land. The cost of cabling the entire resort with multiple repeaters for all the services can come down by more than 65per cent by the use of such solutions,” says Subir Bhatnagar, VP & Global Head – Solutions, AGC Networks Limited.

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F&B TRENDS

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

Simply delicious Keeping a dessert platter where it can be viewed is a great way to attract customers into tasting the items, says Aruna Rathod

K

eeping a dessert platter where it can be viewed is a great way to attract customers into tasting the items. You can either bring a wellstacked tray to the customer after lunch or dinner which becomes irresistible or have a superb display counter.

Chef Mukul Sarkar Executive Chef, Kohinoor IMI School of Hospitality Management, Khandala says, “There are many kinds of desserts which are served by restaurants and hotels throughout the world - ice cream, cookies, cakes, varieties of puddings etc. Many desserts are baked some are served with whipped cream as a topping. In the food industry, generally we say, ‘all desserts are sweet but all sweets are not desserts.’ Each country in the world has its own special dessert.”

22 | May 2012

With plenty of choice on hand, each restaurant has to decide on the kind of dessert it wants to serve. A small eatery may decide to serve just two desserts or ice-creams while the fivestar restaurants offer more than 15 desserts as part of a buffet and on the a la carte menu. For a five-star restaurant, the choice of desserts completely depends on the number of covers the outlet has and the remaining buffet spread.

Harmeet Singh Nanda, Sous Chef, The Park, Navi Mumbai explains, “The variety of desserts offered in a restaurant depends a combination of factors like the cuisine being served, location of the restaurant and we have to pick and choose from the all-time favorites and also include a few picks from the latest market trends.”

Nanda is of the opinion that 10 to 12 desserts in the menu are ideal, out of which six to seven can be western desserts and three to four could be Indian. “I find that Western desserts are more becoming popular than Indian ones,” he says. Pies, Cheese Cakes, Mousse, Gateaux, Choux Pastry, Hot and cold Indian desserts, Cut fruits are a must on the dessert menu.

A French restaurant would offer mousse, while a Mediterranean one would offer Tiramisu. Illa Nicole, a German national, is the executive pastry chef at Grand Hyatt Goa. She started her career in 1988 at the Konditorei Knigge, as a Pastry cooking trainee eventually assuming the position of Pastry Cook all in a mere span of three years. Explaining about desserts offered in a buffet, German Chef Nicole – Executive

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F&B TRENDS Pastry Chef, Grand Hyatt, Goa says, “In a buffet, we decide on a popular dessert but it also depends on the theme of the restaurant.

If it is an Indian restaurant, then we have twothree Indian desserts. In case of the a la carte menu we keep the popular crème brulee or crème caramel.”

With global exposure, guests are now welltravelled with taste buds that are sensitive to authentic cuisines, leading to an evolution in bakery and confectionary products. “With the change in the diner’s taste there is no rule-of-thumb approach that if one is having continental menu the dessert invariably has to be continental. The type of clientele and the theme will determine what type of menu is prepared and the price the client is willing to bear. Generally, in a fine dining restaurant there is wide variety of desserts on the a-lacarte menu to choose from. When it comes to the buffet, the guest likes to be given a choice thereby, you would find five hot and five cold desserts. Once again there is no fixed rule,” says Sarkar.

Indian vs Western dessert Indian desserts are served at a particular temperature and the western ones to have a typical way of being served. Sarkar observes, “Socially more and more people tend to eat out today than ever before and each one has

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

their own unique taste. It has become very challenging for chefs to create the piecede-resistance. All over the world, chefs from different hotels and restaurants are trying to bring in new things to surprise their guests.

Today, the hotel’s bakery and confectionary department has undergone revolutionary changes. The guests are well travelled with taste buds that are sensitive to authentic cuisines, leading to evolution in the bakery and confectionary products.”

“Rasmalai is served at room temperature, while Gulab Jamuns are served warm, and the dishes have to be arranged accordingly.

Some western desserts too are seasonal like Indian desserts. Like strawberries are in season in Europe in from May to July, while in India the season is from November to March,” says Nicole. “During season time, we like to make special desserts with a particular type of fruit or what is seasonal.”

There are all time favourites that just cannot be refused or resisted. Tiramisu, Cheesecakes, Apple Crumble, Fresh Fruit Gateaux, Rasmalai, Gulab Jamun, Jalebi and Rabdi. What is encouraging is the constant demand for something new by diners. Nanda says, “Inspite of these all time favourites, the response to new desserts is very positive and especially for foodies it’s always a delight to see something creative and innovative.”

“

In the food industry, generally we say, ‘all desserts are sweet but all sweets are not desserts.’ Each country in the world has its own special dessert

”

Mukul Sarkar, Exe Chef, Kohinoor IMI School of Hospitality Management

Visual appeal Desserts should not only taste great but must be made to look very appealing. A play with colours and textures is a must with desserts.

A restaurateur can help the guest to make his choice, almost tempt him by placing a counter close to the entrance. So that as a client walks in he views the range, or while waiting for a table, he surveys the great choices he can make post lunch.

Another way to attract the attention of diners to dessert is to make it stand out. Each course should have a distinct way that it is presented to the guest. Not only does it make the guest more anxious to get their next dish, it makes them more aware of what others are ordering around them. Experimenting with the shape, colour, size, or the serving dish always works.

Chef Nicole observes, “On a buffet, customers go for how a desserts looks while on the a la carte they will order if they understand the ingredients and will try it.”

Storage and serving details Nanda explains, “Cold Desserts are normally stored in walk-in cooler at a temperature between 4*c to 6*C & served at same temperature. Hot desserts are also stored at same 4*C to 6*C & served at 25 to 30*C.” Most desserts are served to guests fresh and are stored at ambient temperature. Sarkar advises, “Products like cream, fruit filled pies and cakes are stored under refrigerated or frozen storage conditions to achieve a

24 | May 2012

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F&B TRENDS

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

longer shelf life. Most desserts are subjected to physical, chemical and microbiological spoilage. It is essential that their should be no strong / overpowering smelling food product in the vicinity of the storage space for the desserts as it has the affinity to attract the smell causing spoilage of the product.”

Each hotel must invest in storage space and the equipment for desserts. Nicole says, “A mousse cake requires refrigeration while baked cakes require storage space mostly at room temperature.

For desserts one needs to buy the right storage equipment so that it cannot get spoilt.”

Sugar-free choices While the world over, sugar-free desserts are a rage because of weight and health issues, India has a long way to go in this direction.

“Sugar free desserts have not caught up much in India but we can make them on specification of the customer, says Nicole.

Park’s Nanda feels that sugar-free desserts are in demand by the health-conscious guest or those who have diabetes. Otherwise they are not a preferred choice.

Sarkar feels even though most people are becoming health-conscious and consuming

“

On a buffet, customers go for how a desserts looks while on the a la carte they will order if they understand the ingredients and will try it

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Illa Nicole – Exe Pastry Chef, Grand Hyatt, Goa

sweets is considered a sin, diners simply cannot resist the wide variety of desserts that are constantly being offered. “However, for the health conscious diner chefs are coming out with a number of exotic desserts prepared from zero-calorie sweeteners. Guests nowadays prefer their cakes and desserts with yogurt instead of cream. More fruits and nut garnishes are gaining in popularity than whipped cream which was the favourite of yesteryear. Eggless cakes are these days not only patronized by the vegetarians but also by guests who want to check their weight gains but are not willing to compromise with their sweet tooth.”

In conclusion, Sarkar says, “It is no easy task to choose a dessert for a person who is satiated after having a full meal. It is a change in the palate which visually and by taste induces a person to have it. In the world of culinary art, desserts are not only considered as a course but the signature dish of a chef. Many consider desserts to be the epitome of fine dining which does not actually satisfy the hunger nor the nutritional needs but a course that is taken purely for pleasure.”

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REGION FOCUS

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

Vibrant Gujarat!

Rated among the top three unsung destinations in the world, Gujarat is surging ahead as a tourism powerhouse, finds Aruna Rathod

26 |May l 2012

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REGION FOCUS

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

G

iven the current growth outlook globally and in India, western India will play an important role in advancing the country’s growth story. The four western states, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Goa, alone contribute around 27 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and are home to over 20 per cent of the country’s population. Policymakers and economic stakeholders would therefore have to navigate with care to stimulate economic growth and development in the region.

To create an enabling environment for this growth, there should be greater thrust laid on infrastructure, policy reforms and human capital. These catalysts will help western states of India achieve its aspiration for sustainable and inclusive growth. And one of the key drivers of this growth story will be Gujarat!

Over the years, tourism has only improved in Gujarat adding to the national tourism kitty.

Vipul Mittra, IAS, Principal Secretary (Tourism, Civil Aviation & Pilgrimage), Gujarat states, “We have recorded an impressive increase in domestic, national and international tourists.

There has been an increase of 16.5 per cent in overall tourist traffic as compared to last year, and an increase of over 60 per cent from 200607. Also, the overall number of tourists is also expected to double in the next five years.”

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Gujarat is a great place and I personally did not have any problems with my licences and other formalities. Gujaratis love food, so restaurants will surely do well there

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Deepak Bassi, Founder & Managing Director, Like Village - The soul of India HRA NOW

27 | May 2012

REGION FOCUS

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

Super star Bachchan is the face of Gujarat’s superb campaign ‘Kushboo Gujarat Ki’ was concerted to showcase Gujarat in its full glory, and the campaign delivered what it was supposed to accomplish. “The scale of the campaign is testimony to the government’s vision and conviction about Gujarat and its magnificence. The Bachchan campaign is being broadcast on several international channels, as well as splashed across several international magazines and in-flight publications,” says Mittra. Apart from

While tourism has increased, the supporting infrastructure and accommodation is yet to catch up in Gujarat. Piyush Shah, Chairman-CII Gujarat State observes, “Gujarat has a long way to go in terms of hotels – be it for the domestic or foreign tourist, or the business traveller.

Though places like Ahmedabad have sufficient hotels, there is a requirement for many more in other cities that are witnessing a steady growth of tourists and business travellers.

Unfortunately, Gujarat does not have a huge inflow of tourists like the states of Kerala, Goa and Rajasthan. It will take some time before it meets the requirements of business travellers and tourist accommodation.”

Though there are certain issues that the state faces when it comes to promoting tourism, infrastructure and hotels being a major issue, the tourism department is going all out to attract visitors to Gujarat. “Gujarat has plenty of tourist destinations. A lot of awareness is required, which is why we have undertaken a massive campaign. Apart from that, another major issue is the absence of good hotels. The

“

Apart from awareness, another major issue is the absence of good hotels.

The government has ensured that there is good infrastructure in and around such destinations, but without good budget hotels, potential visitors would be wary of coming to Gujarat

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Vipul Mittra, Principal Secretary (Tourism, Civil Aviation & Pilgrimage), Gujarat

28 |May l 2012

that, Gujarat also participates in major trade shows around the world, like ITB Berlin, WTM London, etc. There are plans to advertise inz popular websites and search engines, with links which will route them to Gujarat Tourism’s website.

Shah adds that the Government is doing its bit to promote development in regions like Kutch. “Private players are doing enough and the government is providing support. The Travel Agents Association is also active. The need of the hour for Gujarat is to increase the number of hotels and conference facilities. We need more convention and exhibition centres as the state has a trade and industrial activity.”

government has ensured that there is good infrastructure in and around such destinations, but without good budget hotels, potential visitors would be wary of coming to Gujarat.

According to an estimate, Gujarat requires around 40,000 rooms in the next five years.

Setting up hotels has to be done by private players, and the tourism department is actively pursuing this case with major hotel associations across various platforms,” Mittra explains.

Sensing the need for more hotels, some chains are already hopping on to the opportunity in Gujarat. For instance, Royal Orchid hotels is on an aggressive expansion mode in Gujarat, and already have two operational hotels in Ahmedabad and Vadodara, and two more

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REGION FOCUS properties are coming up in Bharuch and Surat, which are scheduled to open by the end of the year. “This will help us to serve our corporate customers better because of our consistent service standards. Our guests will be able to experience the same standards at our Gujarat hotels, that they have come to expect in other parts of the country,” says Nepal Singh, Area General Manager, Gujarat, Royal Orchid Central.

Shah adds that once infrastructure is present, it is automatically followed by utilization. “For instance, in each state the supply should be a little more than the demand in case of hotels and other facilities.” Mittra continues that the gap between tourists and hotels has to be bridged to ensure incremental traffic in the state. “Apart from that, the Government has undertaken necessary steps develop every tourist destination from hygiene-factor point of view and also from infrastructure point of view.”

Singh believes that the state has enough hotels and restaurants in the cities but needs to improve its infrastructure in its TIER II and TIER III cities which are rapidly growing and have immense potential.

It’s not only hotel chains, but also restaurant chains are identifying the growth opportunity in Gujarat. Like Village - The soul of India, the flagship restaurant of Kambala Hospitality, already has three outlets in Gujarat. Founderand-Managing Director Deepak Bassi is happy with the way Gujarat has welcomed his outlets.

“We entered the market just three-and-a-half years ago and find that there is room for more.

There is definitely a requirement for more restaurants and the market is just opening up.

Gujarat earlier had just local brands but now national players are entering this market. KFC and McDonald’s are doing very well inspite of Gujarat being perceived as a vegetarian market so it just goes to show that markets have opened up. Gujarat is a great place and I personally did not have any problems with my licences and other formalities. Gujaratis love food, so restaurants will surely do well there,” says an optimistic Bassi.

The government is taking an active interest in the overall development of the state. Singh says, “The Government has been and is still taking lots of initiatives to promote the state, on a national and international level one by bringing in public/private partnerships, displaying all that the state has to offer vis-à-vis culture, festivals, religious places, wildlife, architecture, cuisine and heritage, through all the available mediums. The state has also invested in infrastructure in the last decade and has been organizing the Vibrant Gujarat event every alternate year so that new ventures, industries and start-ups’ can start operations. Key sectors are being invited to set base which has definitely helped the industry hotels and their growth.”

30 |May l 2012

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

“

Gujarat has a long way to go in terms of hotels – be it for the domestic or foreign tourist, or the business traveller. Though places like Ahmedabad have sufficient hotels, there is a requirement for many more in other cities that are witnessing a steady growth of tourists and business travellers

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Piyush Shah, Chairman-CII, Gujarat State

Tourism fuels growth and some of the beautiful destinations in this state attract domestic and international tourists. Mittra explains, “The beauty of Gujarat is that there is a destination for everyone. For the religious tourist, there are Somnath, Dwarka, Ambaji, Dakor, Girnar and Palitana. Then there is Saputara, Gujarat’s only hill station. For people interested in archaeology, there is Dholavira, where there are remains of the Indus Valley civilization. The famous Asiatic lions adorn the vast eco system in Gir. The Gandhi circuit tries to capture the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi in Gujarat. The Buddhist circuit tries to explore the Buddhist footprints spread across Gujarat. Gujarat is blessed with the longest coastline in India, and the beaches can be explored along with marine life. Kutch is also famous for its white sand and handicrafts.

Various archaeological and religious monuments are spread across Gujarat adding to the state’s glory. Apart from these, various festivals and events like Navratri, Kutch Utsav, International Kite festival, International Bird Watchers’ Conference, etc also bring tourists from around the globe.” Singh added that once the state successfully markets the existing destinations and upgrades facilities, it will work towards new destinations. “Lonely Planet has called Gujarat as the third best unsung destination in the world. So in a way, Gujarat is emerging as the alternative to the golden triangle and other oft-visited destinations,” Singh said.

While destinations add to the richness of the state, maintenance and beautification is something that needs to be done on a war footing. CII’s Shah adds, “We have plenty of tourist destinations but lot of beautification needs to be done in these areas. Somnath, Dwarka attract a lot of tourists but there are no leisure activities and standard hotels there.

Historical sites like these must be nurtured.”

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INTERVIEW

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

Discovering the rural beauty of Maharashtra With 80 per cent of India’s caves, 50 per cent of the country’s forts, a vast coastline and a rich wildlife, Maharashtra has much going for it in terms of attraction tourists, both locally and internationally. Jagdish Patil, Managing Director, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation spells out the strategy for the state’s tourism sector in an exclusive interview with Aruna Rathod Tell us about MTDC’s initiative to empower district collectors to become nodal tourism officers. How did this proposal come along and what will be the role of the collector?

The decision to empower state collectors to become nodal tourism officers was taken on November 19, 2011. This decision was taken so that monitoring the large areas is a much easier task. We have six regulation officers and there are 35 districts in the state. Each officer has a vast jurisdiction and it does become difficult to monitor. The collector is the administrative head and it is his responsibility to coordinate and represent the government, hence this decision was taken. Then the District Plan was created to decentralize planning and development, which was headed by the district in-charge minister.

Then the additional collector was appointed so that every district is monitored.

For instance, Sindhudurg is a large district and under the District Plan, there is a provision to plan infrastructure to facilitate tourism.

Under the Development Plan, pilgrimage

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development and tourism come under separate subheads.

How does Maharastra make optimum utilisation of its geographical variety to promote tourism?

MTDC is promoting its beaches and creating awareness in states that are land locked especially the North. Tourists from the North prefer to visit Maharashta because of its coastline. We have planned road shows in metros and are already participating in national and international trade fairs. We take part in WTM, ITB and Basel fairs to attract both domestic and international tourists, and always come back with a good response for Maharashtra.

Maharashtra is fortunate in terms of geographical variety. Eighty per cent of India’s caves are in Maharastra and 50 per cent of India’s forts are here. We are the only state that has sea forts and because of our rich flora and fauna, we have the highest number of tigers according to the census done recently. MTDC’s

role is to enter a place where the private sector is not interested in, and we promote tourism there. Our role is that of a facilitator and with so much to offer tourists, we have to just go ahead.

What is the status of the state government’s plan to set up a Tourism Promotion Council?

The plan to set up a Tourism Promotion Council is in the planning stages, and in all probability, it will be finalized during the course of this year.

What is the budget allotted to promoting tourism activities for the current year?

This year, the state-level plan has kept aside Rs 215 crore for tourism. From 2001 to 2010, tourism has grown three times. Foreign tourists have doubled during the last three years.

Last year, more than Rs 200 crore was disbursed in the Konkan region alone towards creation of new infrastructure, which in turn promotes tourism. We also get financial assistance from the Centre for tourism. While the Mega circuits May 2012 |

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INTERVIEW

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

masses and is an opportunity for urbanites to experience the rural life and culture.

What’ are MTDC’s plans to promote lesser popular tourist destinations?

get Rs 50 crore, Nanded district got Rs 48 crore as it is a large area that has the Nanded fort, Kandhar fort, ancient temples and Mahur, besides connectivity to major destinations.

A mega destination gets Rs 25 crore, while a circuit is allotted Rs 8 crore and a destination gets Rs 5 crore.

Are you planning any initiatives to promote tourism in a new segment?

This year, rural tourism is being promoted in a big way. We are likely to announce 8 to 10 villages as a cluster-based model with a budget of Rs 11 crore. Rural tourism is a great way for urbanites to see the simple village life. Especially for families that do not have anybody living in their hometowns, this is the best way to show their children the village life. Some of the activities promoted in rural tourism are how a cow is milked, how crops are grown, orchard visits, horse and bullock cart rides, river rafting, swimming in the river, etc. Rural tourism provides income to the rural

32 | May 2012

One of the programmes is the Maha Bhraman – adventure and rural sports development.

Though 10 years in existence, the Bed & Breakfast concept has become very popular only now and Konkan has the largest share. The concept gives an income to those living in the village. At Lonar, we want to make a stone observatory and initiate star gazing programmes. The popular destination of Ajanta and Ellora has a new visitor centre and it is the biggest in the world.

We are also expanding our Shirdi property, as it is the most visited property under MTDC. Once the Destination Development proposal gets an approval this year by the Government of India, there will much more to do.

For instance, Tarkarli was not a destination that many were aware about but once MTDC entered, now it has become very popular. We plan to do the same at Mithbav, a small village in the Sindhudurg district.

We have identified 22 beaches. On six beaches, we will have a cleanliness drive, shower safety, etc. and to assist this programme, we have appointed project management consultants.

The Collector has also prepared a Development Tourist plan where we have asked them to follow a policy plan asking them to call archaeologists, frequent travellers, botanists, to identify destinations. Then these destinations will be highlighted in the DP. We have

empanelled 10 agencies and by May-end, all district plans for Maharashtra will be finalized.

As a rule, MTDC keeps in mind the middle class and the lower middle class tourists, and offers a reasonable rate for accommodation.

Do you think there is scope for improving service and accommodation in hotels?

Except for star hotels, other hotels and restaurants need to deploy skilled manpower or there will be no improvement in service. There is a need to improve the standard of hygiene in the non-star and smaller hotels. Foreign tourists and highincome tourists need certain facilities that must be provided.

What is MTDC doing to promote environment awareness?

MTDC has adopted Mahabaleshwar and Matheran as eco-sensitive zones, along with the local government, as we want to give a better alternative to solid waste management.

Simultaneously, we are having a phase-wise conversion of our properties to green power.

MEDA is conducting a survey and we will soon have solar and wind power installations at our properties. We have also appointed AC NielsenORG-Marg to carry out a survey of destinations, so give us meaningful and statistical inputs for charting the future course of action.

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EVENT REVIEW

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

Wedding Bells at the Courtyard Marriages are made in heaven, but Courtyard by Marriott promises to make the most important day of your life the best possible, says Bishnupriya Sen

T

he second edition of “Unforgettable Weddings at Courtyard” was held on April 1, 2012, at the Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport premises.

And the wholesome experience was, indeed, unforgettable!

Gautam Bhandari, the newly appointed General Manager, welcomed the visitors to the wedding fair. Though Courtyard touts itself as a business hotel, Chandrashekhar Joshi, Director, Sales and Marketing, says, “We want to offer much more to the customers.” The wedding fair is a step towards this particular endeavour. Courtyard by Marriott aims at being the one-stop shop for all the couples looking to tie the knot. Around 700 people attended the wedding fair, which took six weeks to organize the entire event.

On April 1, the Amber and the Pearl banquet halls and the Pool Lawns at the Courtyard showcased all that the hotel had to offer. Each of the three venues had been decorated in three very distinct styles. The Amber, which is the biggest banquet halls in the premise, had been decorated in a very contemporary western style in hues of pink. Pearl, on the other hand, was decorated in keeping with traditional Indian norms: mostly with flower decorations and bright colours. The Pool Lawns showcased outdoor decorations at its best complete with dinner table and seating arrangements. The hotel has a panel of decorators to offer, namely, Royal Decorators, Décor and Ambrosia. The

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whole spectrum of decoration needs was on display, catering to a number of people.

Joshi said, “We want to have all the answers for a dream wedding.” To that effect, various vendors had set up stalls in order to exhibit their services. You name it and they had it. There were live stations where beauticians offered to pamper the visitors, mehendi artists adorned the hands of the women present with beautiful henna art and astrologers and tarot card readers predicted the future of the betrothed. Designer clothes and shoes were also on display so the brides-to-be could make an informed decision.

All this aside, the live station that drew the most number of women was the bangle maker. This bangle maker from Jaipur churned out bangles out of lac in a matter of minutes to the utter delight of the women.

We speak of weddings and don’t speak of food?

That is almost impossible. Food is an important aspect of the wedding. Nothing makes a larger impact that the food and the management at the Courtyard acknowledge this fact. Starting from the open bar to a satisfying buffet spread, the hotel offered a decent variety. Apart from the live chat counter, pasta station and a separate biryani counter, the buffet featured a salad bar and the most common dishes that would feature in a wedding. Award winning cuisine from Red Zen, Courtyard’s Pan Asian Restaurant was also featured. However, the dessert spread was the star of the event. With a balanced mix between sinful western desserts such as cheesecakes and chocolate cakes, and the traditional Indian fare,

including gajjar ka halwa and rabdi, wedding guests would truly be satiated.

With attractive offers and wholesome packages that the hotel had to offer, Courtyard by Marriott definitely was successful on being the one-stop shop for all wedding requirements.

Miss India Winners at the Event

Weddings are glamorous as it is, but the glamour quotient was upped a couple of notches when the winners of Pantaloons Femina Miss India (PFMI), Miss India World Vanya Mishra, Miss India Earth Prachi Mishra and Miss India International Rochelle Maria Rao graced the event. Courtyard by Marriott was the hospitality partner for the beauty pageant and the girls profusely thanked the management for their hospitality.

The winners also obliged those present by posing for photographs. The nutrition consultant for PFMI Namita Jain gave health and fitness advice to the brides-to-be.

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PRODUCTS

Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

Gadre Marine Export Gadre Marine started India’s first Surimi manufacturing plant in 1994. The quality of Gadre Marine products has stood the test of time and has found favour with connoisseurs around the world.

The current basket includes crab claws, sea sticks, lobsters and prawns and crab sticks.

The manufacture of crab claws and sticks is accomplished in a fully automated moulding line. The breading and battering are done online, in a controlled high-risk area. The entire process is temperature controlled and expertly monitored.

Gadre Marine can ensure consistent top quality across products because it sources its own raw materials. All the products of Gadre Marine are widely recognized to be of the highest quality standards.

Monginis Summer Cake Monginis offers a wide range of cakes and pastries especially this summer to satisfy every sweet tooth. Monginis Summer Cakes come in some exciting flavours like – Mango Kesar, Peach Apricot, Fig & Honey, Jelly Bean, Grape Orange all topped with fresh fruits and vibrant colour icing.

Grape and Orange Cake: This delicious cake will have an icing of Vanilla, decoration of Orange glaze chocolate garnish with fresh grapes and made up of topping cream and Orange flavoured fresh cream layer for your taste of celebration.

Mango Kesar Cake: Premium Mango flavour fresh cream cake with topping cream sponge layered Mango flavour fresh cream and decorated with Kesar glaze, chocolate garnish.

Peach Apricot Cake: This cake comprises of vanilla decoration Peach glaze with apricots and chocolate garnish and is made up of topping cream and Peach flavoured fresh cream layer for your taste of celebration.

The offerings shall be available across all Monginis outlets in Mumbai.

Akasa Conveyor Toasters This is first conveyor toaster with Indian – make. The conveyor toasters are designed to make many slices of toast and are generally used in the catering industry, being suitable for large-scale use. With 150-200 slices per hour, making conveyor toasters ideal for a self serve buffets and large restaurant that is constantly busy with growing demand.

The conveyor toasters are ideal for caterers needing to serve large quantities of toasted bread, crumpets etc, with a minimum of fuss and preparation time giving perfect food product every time. It has top and bottom heaters which enable uniform toasting on both sides of bread. The browning of bread can be controlled as per our requirement. The toaster is easy-to-load rack with front and rear discharge of toasts. It has steel outer body giving sturdy and compact look.

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Appointments GAGANDEEP SINGH, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, JW MARRIOTT MUMBAI Gagandeep Singh brings over 13 years of experience having successfully worked in different roles at various Marriott properties around the country. He joins the hotel after having executed the successful launch of Pune Marriott Convention Centre Hotel.

He will assist the General Manager in operating a guest-focused, profitable hotel with specific accountability for multiple departments. Gagan will be in charge of activities ranging from analyzing company operations to identifying opportunities and areas that need to be modified or eliminated to allocating funds and preparing budgets to marketing strategies and setting targets for the hotel to employee / staff management.

GAUTAM BHANDARI, GENERAL MANAGER, COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT, MUMBAI Gautam would be responsible for managing the personnel, financial operations, streamlining the objectives of food and beverage and the marketing activities of the hotel. With a career spanning over 14 years in the hospitality industry; he has worked with leading international brands like Marriott and InterContinental Hotels Group.

Prior to joining Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai, Gautam was working with the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre and Hotel as the Hotel Manager. He brings with him a well-rounded experience of working in different cultural settings and surroundings.

His strong analytical foresight helps him work through challenging situations successfully.

GUIDO FARINA, GENERAL MANAGER, ZURI WHITEFIELD BENGALURU Italian-born Guido has worked in five continents with over 56 different nationalities in city, beach, mountain, lake, desert, rain forest, and island hotels and resorts. A consummate experience of over twenty years in hospitality makes Guido the perfect leader to guide the hotel to its committed goals of providing world-class hospitality services of personalised and unique luxury.

Guido began his career with a starred Michelin Restaurant in Bergamo, Italy, followed by stints in UK, with The Savoy Hotel, Australia and USA. He has contributed thirteen years of his professional life to the Le Meridien and Jumeirah Group in Dubai. Three years in Asia with two resorts The Datai Langkawi and The Nam Hai in Vietnam.

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Indian Hospitality & Tourism News Service

ROBERT KUNKLER, SVP HOTEL OPERATIONS, MINOR HOTEL GROUP Kunkler, who is from Freiburg, Germany, will be responsible for the performance of all operating Anantara properties across all geographies, and for the successful opening of those which are already in or join the future openings pipeline.

He joins MHG from Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts where he held the position of Regional Vice President for Operations in Dubai.

A veteran of the hospitality industry, Kunkler worked in Germany, the UK, Singapore, the Philippines, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates before joining Jumeirah in 1999 as a member of the pre-opening team for the iconic Burj Al Arab.

PHILIP LOGAN, VICE PRESIDENT, MULE 1 HOTELS, ACCOR INDIA In his present position, Philip is based in New Delhi and is responsible for the launch of Formule 1 brand in India. His role presents him with the opportunity to successfully establish Accor’s innovative budget hotel brand, Formule 1 in the country.

Philip led the successful opening and launch of the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) in Hyderabad, as pre-opening General Manager in 2005. In 2007, he was made the General Manager Delegate for both the Novotel Hyderabad as well as the HICC. Philip also actively assisted in establishing and launching the Grand Mercure Bangalore in 2009 and the Mercure Lavasa and Lavasa International Convention Centre in 2010.

FLORIAN KOHLI, GENERAL MANAGER, FORMULE 1 GREATER NOIDA With over six years of experience in various roles in the hospitality industry, Florian is well aware of the challenges in managing properties in varied market situations.

His association with Accor started in 2007 when he joined the Novotel Hyderabad International Convention Center as part of the Sales & Marketing Team.

He moved to Novotel Hyderabad Airport in the pre opening phase in the Sales division.

In 2009, Florian joined the Integrated IMHI Cornell Program in Paris which was followed with a two year Masters in Business Administration, while he was also working with one of the biggest ibis hotel in operations management - ibis Berthier Porte de Clichy Paris.

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