hotel scapers may 2012

May 2012 HOTELSCAPES

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New Developments4 Double Tree by Hilton opens in Gurgaon

5 Sarovar opens luxury resort in Kerala

5 Radisson opens second hotel in Chennai

New Entrants6 Pullman makes India debut

One-on-One8 Sonia Singh on ibis at Delhi Airport

Interview of the Month10 Lalit Panwar on the new look of ITDC

Brand Update14 Lemon Tree forms JV with APG

Chain Analysis16 The road ahead for Sarovar Hotels20 Golden Tulip & Resorts plans for India

Trends24 Hotels’ low occupancy during summer

Forum of the Month28 The business of wedding at hotels

Social Media38 The potential of Google Hotel finder

World View40 Five options to live life king-size in Dubai

Hospitality Report44 Hotels report an increase in room rates: Hotel.com

Industry Report48 New norms on the way to ensure food safety

Corporate Social Responsibility54 Q’BA creating awareness for cleaner & greener Delhi55 Taj Khazana helps Indian artisans and craftsmen

People58 Appointments and movements across the country

Products60 New launches this season

Guest Columns39 Energy Management – IDS46 Recent Cutlery Trends – Crowne Plaza Rohini52 Secret of Ananda in the Himalayas’ success

Volume 1 Issue 4 MAY 2012

Editor: Navin S Berry Assistant Editor: Purva Bhatia Business Development: Sudhir SoodAdvertising: Saurabh Shukla Design: Ashok Saxena, Neelam Aswani

Hotelscapes is published and printed monthly by Navin Berry on behalf of Cross Section Media Pvt. Ltd.and printed at Anupam Art Printers B-52, Naraina, Phase II, New Delhi and published from IIIrd Floor,Rajendra Bhawan, 210, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New Delhi - 110002. Tel: 91-11-43784444;Fax: 91-11-41001627, 41001628. E-mail: [email protected]

This issue of Hotelscapes contains 64 pages plus 4 pages cover

EDITOR’S NOTEAt a time when the glazing sun takes a toll on all of us, it is the hospitality

industry that feels the maximum heat. Low international travel results in lowoccupancies. How do the hotels cope? In this issue, we speak to varioushoteliers in cities like Orccha, Udaipur, Khajuraho and Agra – cities thatparticularly witness a steep fall during summer months – to find out how theydeal with the harsh weather. On a brighter side, we talk about the businessof big fat Indian weddings that is bringing cheer to the hotel industry. Whilemarriages might be made in heaven, it is the hotels that are going all out tomake the wedding heavenly! On offer are custom-made packages, professionalexpertise and everything required to make it a dream wedding. Noting thisincreasing trend, we bring you the Forum of the Month that enquires fromvarious hoteliers their strategies to maximise revenues from this fast-growingpie. In the Interview of the Month, we get you an exclusive chat with LalitPanwar, chairman and managing director, ITDC talking about how the groupis poised for success going forward. He tells us how the group is creating aniche for itself with a series of initiatives like focus on public privatepartnership model, developing skills with hotel schools it runs andimplementation of the flagship programme of Ministry of Tourism – Hunar seRozgar. Also, we bring to you exclusive interactions with Anil Madhok ofSarovar Hotels and Vimal Singh of Golden Tulip Hotels where both apprise usabout the updates on their respective hotel chains. We introduce you to brandPullman, Accor’s upscale brand, which has just made a debut in the country.The group aims to expand its foothold in the MICE segment with the openingof this hotel. Hope you enjoy reading the magazine. Do write to us with yourfeedback.

CONTENTS/EDITORIAL

I fully agree with what you said “We should not disinherit our inheritance’ whenit come to our food traditions (Changing Trends in Food, April 2012). While weremain true to our roots, we also adapt easily – which explains the ever-increas-ing popularity of the Indian curry.

Roshini Jain, Mumbai

After a 12-hour non-stop flight, all I want to do is to get a good night sleep(Taking Slumber Seriously). It is great to see that the hotels are taking this(now) fundamental right with all the seriousness it truly deserves.

Amit Saxena, Via email from the UK

R E A D E R S W R I T E I N

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| HOTELSCAPES May 2012

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

snacks and wholesome meals. Asia Alive, theSouth East Asian specialty restaurant dishesout Malay, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian and In-dian cuisines paired with wine from anextensive list. At Spiritual, the gastro bar andlounge, guests can enjoy classic cocktails, anda fine selection of spirits and wines accompa-nied by Tapas platters and a range of pizzasstraight from the wood-fired oven. Once oper-ational in the second quarter of this year theCasablanca will become the first Moroccanspecialty restaurant in the city.

High flying business travellers have all theamenities at their disposal like a 24-hourbusiness centre that provides a range of es-sential services, and meeting roomsequipped with the latest audio-visual and

Keeping up with its plans for expan-sion in India, Hilton has addedsecond DoubleTree brand in thecity. Located in the outskirts of

Delhi in Gurgaon, the hotel offers a sophis-ticated, modern combination of guest services,amenities and technology coupled with wel-coming ambience.

Talking about the growth plans, MartinRinck, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton World-wide, says, “With the opening of DoubleTreeby Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR, HiltonWorldwide now operates six hotels in the Del-hi National Capital Region. We are expandingrapidly in India and anticipate increasing ourpresence to 14 hotels by the end of this year,following on from a great year of growth in2011, when we opened six hotels”.

The 184-room property is owned by theJMD Group and managed by Hilton World-wide. This hotel features 45 Executive Rooms,11 Junior Suites and two Terrace Suites. Allguestrooms and suites are equipped with wiredand wireless internet access, remote printing,LCD satellite television, electronic safe, refriger-ated private bar, in-room tea and coffeemaking service, a radio alarm clock with MP3player connection and a refreshing collectionof bath and body products. Additional ameni-ties include 24-hour in-room dining, laundry,concierge and travel desk services.

For the connoisseurs of fine taste there isan extensive selection of cuisines at the ho-tel’s four restaurants and bars. The Food Store,an all-day café and deli, serves freshly brewedcoffee and tea, healthy juices, homemadebreads and pastries and a wide selection of

communications technology. For the largergatherings there is a 9,500 sq ft (900 m2) ofexpansive conference and banqueting facil-ities at the hotel which can accommodate upto 300 persons in a variety of flexible settings.

Hilton Worldwide currently operates thefollowing hotels in India: Hilton New Delhi/Janakpuri, Hilton Mumbai InternationalAirport, Hilton Chennai, Hilton New Delhi-Noi-da-Mayur Vihar, DoubleTree by Hilton NewDelhi-Noida-Mayur Vihar, Hilton Garden InnNew Delhi/Saket, Eros Hotel-Managed by Hil-ton New Delhi/Nehru Place, Hampton byHilton Vadodara-Alkapuri besides besides re-cently operational DoubleTree by HiltonGurgaon-New Delhi NCR. ■

by TEAM HS

The launch of newproperty brings thecount of total number ofHilton Hotels in thecapital to six. The groupis optimistic aboutincreasing its footholdsubstantially by the endof this year.

DOUBLE TREE BY HILTONOPENS IN GURGAONDOUBLE TREE BY HILTONOPENS IN GURGAON


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NEW DEVELOPMENTS

Sarovar Hotels has launched Vasundhara Sarovar Premiere, a 5 star resort inVayalar, Kerala. Spread over 7 acres of

backwaters of Vayalar, the propert is a 60unit high-end resort. The hotel is Sarovar’ssecond property in the state after GokulamPark in Kochi. The company will also open a50-room Sarovar Portico in Thekkady in 2013.The company has 13 operational propertiesin South India at present in locations likeBengaluru, Hyderabad, Pondicherry, Vay-alar, Port Blair, Kakinada, and Kochi.

The company is planning to launch sevenmore hotel projects in South India. In Banga-lore, the company is planning to launch twomore properties in the current year itself. TheSarovar Portico project with 120 roomswould be commissioned at Tirupati by 2014.

In the same year, the company willlaunch its project with 170 rooms at Sri Per-

SAROVAR OPENS LUXURYRESORT IN KERALA

mbadur. Three more projects would be com-missioned at Chennai in the same year.Sarovar Hotels span business, leisure andreligious destinations.

The company manages and franchises 59

hotels and resorts across 40 cities in Indiaand overseas under Sarovar Premiere, Saro-var Portico, Hometel, Park Plaza and ParkInn brands. The brands cover 3-star to 5-starhotels. ■

Fishing deck at VasundharaSarovar Premiere

2nd RADISSON BLUBY CARLSONREZIDOR OPENS INCHENNAIThe global hospitality and travel company Carlson Rezidor

Hotel Group has recently opened Radisson Blu HotelChennai City Centre at Egmore. With the opening up of this

hotel Carlson Rezidor has 51 hotels in India.Simon C Barlow, president, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group,

Asia Pacific said, “We achieved unprecedented growth acrossAsia Pacific in 2011 and are building upon this momentum in2012 to establish a stronger presence across Asia Pacific.”

Located in the heart of the city the hotel offers 162 rooms ofluxurious accommodation and convenient services to the busi-ness and leisure traveller. The hotel offers a host of wining anddinning options some of which include The Great Kebab Facto-ry – and specialty coastal Asian Cuisine restaurant – Coast toCoast. One can also relax in a refreshing pool and relaxing spa.

Radisson Blu Hotel Chennai City Centre has 9,700 square feetof conference and meeting space that can accommodate up to800 people. The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group under its belt has127 hotels under the Park Inn brand in 33 countries. ■

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NEW ENTRANTS

When hospitality giant Accormoved its top brand Sofitelinto the luxury segment, itcreated room for ‘a new

breed’ of upscale hotels targeting businessand leisure travellers alike. It introduced thebrand itself and called it Pullman. Present in20 countries, the brand has made a debut inIndia recently with the opening of PullmanGurgaon Central Park.

The 285-rooms property features 120 supe-rior rooms, 90 deluxe rooms and 75 executivefloor rooms including 22 suites. The elementsthat define Pullman are convivial hospitality,restful tranquility and high-tech connectivity,aiming to create a ‘unique experience in busi-

ness travel’. The hotels are positioned as‘home away from home’, which is visiblethrough the open spaces, design elementsand warm hospitality.

Jean-Michel Cassé, senior vice presi-dent, operations Accor, India defines thebrand as vibrant and cosmopolitan. Accord-ing to him, Pullman Gurgaon Central Parkwill provide an extensive range of tailoredservices with access to ground-breaking tech-nologies. “We believe Pullman Hotels willenable Accor to participate in the fast pacedgrowth being experienced in the businessand MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencesand events) segment in India,” he said.

With a strong focus on MICE, the brand

PULLMAN:Accor’s Upscale Brand

Debuts in IndiaWith the opening of its upscale brand Pullman in the

NCR, Accor is eyeing a fast paced growth in thebusiness and MICE segment in India.

Highlights…☛ The hotel will introduce thefirst Mandara Spa in India.

☛ Offers a 24-hour IT solutionsmanager on site☛ Has single-point contact personscalled ‘Pullman Welcomers’ re-sponsible for welcoming andtaking care of all the guest’s needs☛ Offers full wireless and broad-band communications, chill-outzones, executive floors and loung-es, and the latest in hi-tech facilitiesfor meetings and functions.

has the concept of ‘Co-Meetings’. The hotelsoffer start-to-finish support from a dedicatedteam – led by an event manager and IT Solu-tions manager – and includes services likerelaxing and entertaining breaks, or presenta-tions by leading experts in a variety of fields.“The norm in the industry is to treat IT as abackend issue. At Pullman, however, it is notso. If you’re coming for a meeting, someonefrom the IT team will be a part of the meetingto ensure smooth operations,” said ScottDavies, general manager delegate, AccorHotel Operations Delhi & NCR.


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NEW ENTRANTS

The hotel boasts of superior technologygiving the guests the option to enjoy highspeed wi-fi in banquet halls, guest rooms andmeeting areas. All rooms too support wi-fiand an office corner with a docking systemthat allows everything from laptops and dig-ital cameras to be charged.

Pullman is a non-standardised brand. It isdifferent and has a fresh approach, which itbelieves will be a key differentiator in themarket. “While the philosophy of the brandremains the same, every hotel has its uniqueidentity with an element of localisation in allhotels. Like this property uses works of localartists through digital moving art,” saidJagan Lacsher, hotel manager.

Pullman believes in “encouraging theguests to spend more time in the hotel.”While there’s usual pool, gym, café et al,Pullman aims to offer a different experi-ence. The hotel will open the first MandaraSpa in the country. It also has a beauty par-lour, a gymnasium and an outdoor pool andadditionally you have the opportunity ofworking out in your room. In the Gurgaonhotel, you can switch on the video of a pro-fessional yoga trainer and follow it on themat kept in the cupboard; there are dumb-bells in Executive rooms. Alternatively, youcan also sit in the ‘connectivity lounge’, aquiet space where you can work in privacy.

The restaurants at the hotel will offerguests authentic international and regional

JEAN-MICHEL CASSÉSENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,

OPERATIONS ACCOR, INDIA

Pullman Gurgaon CentralPark will provide an

extensive range of tailoredservices with access to

ground breakingtechnologies. We believe

Pullman Hotels will enableAccor to participate in the

fast paced growth beingexperienced in the business

and MICE (meetings,incentives, conferences and

events) segment in India

dining experiences. The all-day diningrestaurant – Sen5es – has five show kitchenstations with a double mouth wood-firedpizza oven. La Riviera is a specialityrestaurant, which will offer Mediterraneanfood specific to Italian and French Riviera.By the end of this year, the hotel will openits rooftop restaurant, Pondichery,influenced by French and South Indiancoastal cuisines. Besides these, it has twobars – Citrique and Tiki. From a leisuresegment perspective, the hotel is built onthree acres of landscaped garden with anoutdoor swimming pool.

The hotel takes pride in its ‘multi-skilled’staff; the person who welcomes you at thedoor can also check you in or be a cashierthe next day. “We are focusing on getting theright people at Pullman. For the Gurgaon ho-tel, we are picking up people from differenthotel colleges and this constitutes almost1/3rd of the total recruitment. We will trainthem and have a young, fresh and a passion-ate team,” said Lascher.

Globally, there are 58 hotels in operationand another 90 hotels in various stages ofdevelopment. By 2015, the network is expect-ed to expand to a total of up to 100 hotels,with a significant presence across the region,including China, India, Korea, Thailand, Viet-nam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and NewZealand. ■

by PURVA BHATIA

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ONE-ON-ONE

When is the hotel likely toopen? What is its USP?The ibis Delhi airport is conve-niently located at Aerocity at

Terminal 3 IGI. The hotel will have 465 roomsand is expected to open in Q2 in 2012. TheUSP of the hotel is the location and the factthat it is the first international hotel to open atthe Delhi airport with easy access to all themicro-markets of the NCR.

The hotel will benefit from its location as itis within easy access to all the micro markets -Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, NOIDA and WestDelhi. Aerocity is slated to become a conven-tion hub. As per CAPA, Delhi Airport will see a100 million passengers arriving in 2021.

Gurgaon already has a large roominventory – both branded and non-branded. What is your outlook onthe market in terms of demand-supply match?

Gurgaon is fast becoming the corporatehub for NCR, and, generates a huge demandfor room inventory. However, due to man-date in most companies to curtail costs,

companies are forced to look at unbrandedrooms for their travel needs. However, withthe emergence of economy segment hotelswith affordable pricing and which also pro-vide the safety, security and hygiene factorsnormally not associated with the unbrandedsegment, the demand can be captured.

What are the challenges ofoperating a budget hotel in a marketlike India? Being a budget economybrand, how do you compete withnon-branded hotels that woocustomers with their pricing?The challenge of operating a hotel in theeconomy segment is very different. The devel-opment period of budget hotels is shorter, butthe number of approvals required is almostthe same as luxury hotels. The rooms accountfor 70-80 percent of the total revenue of thehotel. Restaurants are a critical factor, and,technology is the name of the game with datacontrol being lean. Multi-skilled taskforce isessential to meet the demands of the job with-out going overboard on staffing. In thissegment, efficiency and not asset ownership isthe key to business. The design has to ensureminimum wastage of space. Internationally, ano frills hotel is truly no frills – clean beds andbathrooms and a functional workspace, butthese models have to adapt to India. In theeconomy segment, our brand does tend tocompete with luxury hotels as well as nonbranded hotels. There are more takers for thenon branded hotels due to expense manage-ment by most travellers and organisations,however, these hotels are unable to providethe safety and security aspects or the qualityfactor to ensure hygiene standards in foodhandling. This is where the expertise of a pro-fessional brand such as ours comes in, andwhen you see that the price differential is notthat wide the customer can be wooed andwowed. For lady travellers especially ibiswould be a very good alternative to the nonbranded choices.

What are the targets Accor hasset for ibis for India? How many ibishotels will we see in Delhi NCR?In 2012, we are looking at one ibis property inNew Delhi, and a total of 8 in India. We al-ready have ibis in Gurgaon, Pune, MumbaiAirport and Bengaluru (tech park, Sarjapur)and plan to open in Nashik, Bengaluru (HosurRoad), Navi Mumbai and Delhi. ■

by PURVA BHATIA

Delhi’s Aerocity Update

LARGEST IBIS HOTELSET TO OPEN SOON

Accor will soon open its midscale economy hotel ibis atAerocity, IGI Airport this year. With 465 rooms, the hotel isthe largest among the ibis hotel properties in India and thethird largest hotel in the Delhi (NCR) region. We caught up

with Sonia Singh, director of marketing and sales to talk aboutthe hotel and the challenges of operating in this segment.

In 2012, we are looking atone ibis property in NewDelhi, and a total of 8 in

India. We already have ibisin Gurgaon, Pune, Mumbai

Airport and Bengaluru

SONIA SINGHDIRECTOR SALES & MARKETING, IBIS


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THE ASHOK GROUPITDC Creates a Niche

for itself, All Over Again

INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH

In its 46th year of existence,ITDC or The Ashok Group, isin the process ofrediscovering itself. In anexclusive interview withHotelscapes, Lalit Panwar,chairman & MD, talks abouthow he tells us about thefocus on the PPP model forgrowth, consolidation,innovations and the roadahead for the corporation.

In its 46th year of existence,ITDC or The Ashok Group, isin the process ofrediscovering itself. In anexclusive interview withHotelscapes, Lalit Panwar,chairman & MD, talks abouthow he tells us about thefocus on the PPP model forgrowth, consolidation,innovations and the roadahead for the corporation.


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We believe ITDC hasshown robustprofit of Rs 100crore this year.

Can you ive us the highlights ofthe financials for this year?ITDC has been the prime mover in the pro-gressive development, promotion andexpansion of tourism in the country. Estab-lished in 1966, ITDC’s bouquet of serviceshave been quite unique and remain just asmuch even today.

Our spectrum consists of accommoda-

tion, catering, transport, travel & tours, dutyfree shopping, entertainment, publicity, con-sultancy and manpower training – all underone roof. I am not aware of any other organi-zation at the national level providing thisarray of services.

The turnover of ITDC has shown an up-ward trend, from Rs 299.75 crore in 2009-10to Rs 392.36 crore in 2010-11 to Rs 422.38crore in the year 2011-12. Our losses for thelast two financial years have now been re-versed and we registered a profit of Rs 21crore for the financial year 2011-12.

The major performers have been the theHotels Division, the Travel Agency and theEvents divisions.

What is important to note is this profit hasbeen achieved ITDC after paying the 6th PayCommission arrears/revised wages amount-ing to Rs 70 crore.During the year, more than Rs.70 crore hasbeen invested in the flagship hotel, TheAshok, New Delhi and also in Hotel Samratand Janpath in improving the public areasand also renovation of the rooms which hasresulted in better occupancy and revenuegeneration for these hotels.

For the financial year 2011-12, the sale ofFood & Beverage (F&B) of The Ashok wasRs 51 crore, which is the highest in the last 45years. We believe this is because of theimproved services and quality of F&B whichis the USP of ITDC in general and The Ashokin particular.

How does it look for the next year?We are looking at a profit of Rs 50 crore. Weare a debt free company, and we have reasonto look ahead with pride and confidence.

And on what do you base thisenthusiasm?We were a monopoly when we were born in1966. Today, 45 years old in the business, youmay well call it mid-life crisis.

We have to be born again. We have torevitalise, relaunch ourselves.We have iden-tified 5 distinct verticals and there is plenty ofopportunity in each. I believe we must grace-fully withdraw from what we are not suited todo any longer, and find our own niches.

What do you feel has been themain reason for this turnaround?There has been a constant effort for the im-age makeover of ITDC properties especiallythe Delhi Hotels, as a result Hotel Janpath,

Samrat and The Ashok have a new look andthe customers have appreciated the newlook and better services.

The turnaround was achieved by theteam efforts and systematic analysis of theshortcomings. Some initiatives undertaken:● Presence on Travel portals, including lead-ing ones like Make My Trip.● Tie up with Travel Agents● Aggressive marketing● Effective guest feedback system leading tobetter customer satisfaction● More interpersonal interaction with theguests.● Product enhancement / improvement –Refurbishment of rooms and public areas● Leveraging the vacant spaces for revenuegeneration.● Addition of new facilities – Banquet halls,new cuisine restaurants etc.● ISO 22000 certification of properties – Im-proved standards● Controlled wasteful expenditure● Motivate the workforce to give better ser-


LALIT PANWARCHAIRMAN & CMD, ITDC

ITDC now envisions a morecomprehensive view of thetourism scene in India. Thecorporation has adopted anadditional mandate to enterinto non-hotel sectors likehospitality education andprovide job skills for thecountry’s unemployed

youth for the Ministry ofTourism’s Hunar Se Rozgar

initiative

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vice to customers● Promotional activities● Large international conferences● Consolidate business of existing marketsegments including Corporate/Govt, PSU &MICE● Participation in Domestic and Internation-al Trade Fairs

Can we break this performance interms of room sales, banquetingand other verticals of ITDC?The percentage contribution to turnover forfinancial year 2011-12, by Ashok Group ofHotels is 61%, Ashok Travels & Tours 22%,Ashok Events 5% and other divisions com-bined 12%.

We understand that ITDC is goingback to its original charter ofbeing a catalyst in bringing aboutchange. Where all have youundertaken this change?● ITDC now envisions a more comprehensiveview of the tourism scene in India. Thecorporation has adopted an additionalmandate to enter into non-hotel sectors likehospitality education and provide job skills forthe country’s unemployed youth for theMinistry of Tourism’s Hunar Se Rozgar initiative.● An MoU with ‘Trifed’ for marketing tribal

handicrafts at Ashok Group Hotels and anMoU with ‘Swayam’ to launch Ashok Accessto provide user-friendly services for different-ly-abled persons are the other initiatives ofbeing aware of social responsibilities andcommitments.● ITDC has joined hands with Pawan HansHelicopters Ltd. to promote tourism by con-necting various important tourist places inIndia and make efforts in promoting HeritageTourism, Eco-Tourism, Adventure Tourism,Pilgrimage Tourism.

Where do you see the future? Dowe see you getting more involvedwith state governments, forexample?ITDC Board of Directors has taken a decisionto expand through Public Private Partnership(PPP) route by joining hands with state gov-ernments in forming the joint venturecompanies for launching tourism relatedprojects like hotels and other tourism relatedinfrastructural projects like sound & lightshow, package tours, tourist facilitation ser-vices at heritage sites etc.

Presently, ITDC has eight hotels whichare as follows:(1) The Ashok, New Delhi(2) Janpath Hotel, New Delhi

(3) Hotel Samrat, New Delhi(4) Hotel Kalinga Ashok, Bhubaneswar(5) Hotel Jaipur Ashok, Jaipur(6) Hotel Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel, Mysore(7) Hotel Jammu Ashok, Jammu(8) Hotel Pataliputra Ashok, PatnaThe tender for appointment of TransactionAdvisor for Ashok-Samrat Hotel Complex hasbeen floated on 2nd May 2012 and we plan

ITDC also has 7 joint ventures which areas follows:(1) Utkal Ashok Hotel Corporation Ltd(2) Punjab Ashok Company Ltd(3) Ranchi Ashok Bihar Hotel Corporation Ltd(4) MP Ashok Hotel Corporation Ltd(5) Donyi Polo Ashok Hotel Corporation Ltd(6) Assam Ashok Hotel Corporation Ltd(7) Pondicherry Ashok Hotel Corporation Ltd

to built a State of the Art Convention Cen-tre (3000+ capacity) with world classfacilities on the vacant land of Ashok - Sam-rat Complex.

What are the kind of time lines onthis project?Behind the petrol pump, and behind Mashra-bia, we have ample space available whichwe intend to convert and build.

We have an available FAR of 40,000 sq mand the area available is around 6 acres.



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First we have given notice to the staff livingon this stretch – by June next year they willvacate and are being provided alternative gov-ernment accommodation. They have adequatenotice so that basics like school requirementscan be looked after for their families.

The building will be G+7 levels, with aparking facility of 3 to 5 levels underground.

We shall be following a rigorous andtransparent bidding pattern – the entire pro-cess should see us start the facility by 2016.

The land will be our equity, the projectwill be in PPP mode and a private develop-er will be expected to invest.

The tender for appointment of Transac-tion Advisor for hotels outside Delhi wouldalso be published shortly.

ITDC is also forming joint venture compa-nies with Government of Tripura andGovernment of Jammu & Kashmir forlaunching hotels and tourism related facili-ties by adopting joint venture and PPP route.

We have one 2-acre land identified inAgartala, and this will be developed in PPPmode. This should be 100 room property in3-star category with an expected investmentof Rs 30 crore. In J&K, we have a 2-acre prop-erty in Gulmarg, the only land pieceavailable in that area for a hotel. Between usand J&K Government, we are forming a JVwith 51:49.

We have an impressive 60-acre land bankin Pondicherry. In Punjab, at Anandpur Sa-hib, the Khalsa Heritage Complex has beenlying abandoned. We are reviving this,awarding in PPP mode to some private inves-tor on revenue share basis.

At our existing properties in Jaipur, Bhu-baneshwar, Mysore, Jammu and Patna, in allthese cities, outside of Delhi, we are in the

process of appointing an Investment Advisor.The task is to determine whether we knockdown the building, or upgrade. These willalso be developed in the PPP mode.

ITDC also has been awarded NationalAward for Hospitality Education by execut-ing flagship programme of Ministry ofTourism called Hunar-Se-Rozgar. ITDC hassigned MOU with 18 top non-governmentalorganization for imparting training and evenall 16 hotels of ITDC have been declared ashotel schools for the purpose of training un-der Hunar-Se-Rozgar Scheme.

For the year 2011-12 ITDC has trained1589 youth through its six starred hotels inthe country under the scheme and for theyear 2012-13, ITDC will be training more than5,000 youth under Hunar-Se-Rozgar for fol-lowing courses:(a) A six weeks full time course in F&B Service(b) Eight weeks full time course in Food Pro-duction(c) A six weeks full time course in House-keeping Utility(d) An eight weeks full time course in Bakeryand Patisserie(e) Six weeks full time course for acquiringdriving skills training.

ITDC would eventually try and establish aUniversity of Hospitality which will be first ofits kind for ensuring high quality educationin hospitality sector at all the levels. This pro-posed University of Hospitality would also beattempted by adopting PPP Module.

Where do you intend to built thishospitality university and withwhat kind of target date?We have identified Kosi, on the Delhi-AgraHighway for this university. Our Kosi venture

was again a catalyst when it was started. Overthe years, many private sector units havecome along the highway and we feel we areno longer required to remain in this spaceexclusively. We have 12-acres of land, ideallysuited to make a university. Incidently, a num-ber of universities have come up around thesame location and therefore, it is ideal to setup a tourism university. An advertisement in-viting PPP bidders should be released shortly.

Any more immediate plans, as thisuniversity idea will take someyears to fructify?We have initiated ‘hotel schools’ within ourhotels as a concept. As part of the Ashok In-stitute of Management, we are earmarking afixed number of rooms in our hotels to im-part onsite training to students. 50 rooms atThe Ashok in New Delhi are being designat-ed for this purpose.

We have seen your Events Divisionturn out an impressive 5 percentof your turn over?The Events Division of ITDC has emerged asone of the most reliable and trusted eventmanagement organisations of the Ministry ofTourism. An MOU between MoT and ITDChas been signed for providing services, andespecially for organizing events, on behalf ofMinistry of Tourism at all international tour-ism events like World Travel Mart at London,ITB at Berlin etc.

ITDC has also initiated discussions withPort Authorities of Kolkata, Mumbai, Diu andAndaman & Nicobar Islands for starting cruisetourism in a systematic and planned way as anew sector for expansion of tourist services.

We have adopted Qutab Minar Complex atDelhi for a pilot project under Campaign CleanIndia and based on the success of this pilotproject, the remaining 28 UNESCO Heritagesites maintained by ASI may be outsourced tous for providing services such as:(a) Pay and use toilets(b) Fair priced cafeteria(c) A fair priced souvenir shop(d) Sound & Light Show(e) Audio guides and visitors facilitation sig-nage and counters.

We believe there is a huge untapped op-portunity in each of these areas. For instance,we believe atleast 50 sound and light showsare needed through out the country. Wealone have the expertise to mount them.■

by NAVIN S BERRY

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Cashing in on the mid-marketboom, Lemon Tree Hotels is setto increase its foothold in the seg-ment. The group has entered into

a strategic partnership with the Dutch pen-sion fund asset manager APG to develop aportfolio of mid-market hotels in India. APGhas also taken a six percent stake in the

Under the partnership, the venture will develop aportfolio of 35 mid-market hotels in four years. Themove will make Lemon Tree one of the dominant

players in mid-market hotel segment.

group to set up a hotel development cumowning joint venture company Fleur Hotels.

Fleur Hotels will invest over Rs 2,000crores to develop and own 4,500 rooms byend of 2016. All the proposed hotels in thisjoint venture will be branded as Lemon TreeHotels, Lemon Tree Premier or Red Fox Ho-tels. These will be full service hotels and will

offer 24x7 services, a range of food and bev-erage outlets including a coffee shop,recreational bar, specialty restaurants, busi-ness facilities including WiFi, meeting roomsand recreational facilities including fitnesscentre, swimming pool and health spas.

APG’s combined investment in the jointventure and Lemon Tree Hotels is Rs 650 Crore.

Patu Keswani, chairman and managingdirector, Lemon Tree Hotels said: “LemonTree Hotels is the pioneer in the mid-markethotel segment and is already the 4th largesthotel owning company in India, with 2,000operational rooms and another 1,600 under

BRAND UPDATE

LEMON TREE HOTELSForms JV to Invest

Rs 2,000 cr to build 35 hotels


| 15

development. We are delighted to partnerwith APG in this endeavour to significantlyincrease the supply of mid-market rooms inIndia, which has huge unmet demand forthis category of hotels. On completion ofthese proposed hotels by 2016-17, LemonTree Hotels will co-own and operate over8,000 rooms, making it one of the largesthotel owners in India and the dominantplayer in the mid-market hotel segment.APG is recognized globally for its strongemphasis on investing with partners with asolid track record of corporate governance,sustainability and ethical business practicesand I am personally very happy to engagewith them to better meet the needs of theunderserved domestic consumer of hotelrooms in India.”

Optimistic about growth in this market,Daan Van Aert, head of Non-listed Real Es-tate Asia for APG, said: “Asia is a region ofsignificant expansion for us and we seek

BRAND UPDATE

PATU KESWANICHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR,

LEMON TREE HOTELS

We are delighted to partnerwith APG in this endeavourto significantly increase thesupply of mid-market rooms

in India, which has hugeunmet demand for thiscategory of hotels. Oncompletion of these

proposed hotels by 2016-17,Lemon Tree Hotels will

co-own and operate over8,000 rooms, making it one of

the largest hotel ownersin India…

strong, like-minded partners to access thisregion’s real estate transformation across allsectors. We view China and India as the ma-jor growth engines of the global economyand will expand our footprint further in thesemarkets. India’s consumption-led economyprovides incremental diversification benefitsto our portfolio.”

Sachin Doshi, senior portfolio managerfor APG said: “We see significant room forgrowth in the supply constrained mid-scalehotel segment in India and are delighted topartner with Lemon Tree Hotels and PatuKeswani in this endeavour. With one of theworld’s fastest growing economies, strongdomestic consumption, rapid urbanizationand young demographics, India presents anattractive long term investment opportunityfor us.”

Lemon Tree Hotels, started by PatuKeswani, currently owns and manages 18hotels under Lemon Tree Premier, Lemon

Tree and Red Fox brands with an inventoryof 2,000 rooms while APG manages pensionassets totalling about 299 billion euros onbehalf of Dutch pension funds.

The other large shareholders in LemonTree Hotels are its founder Patu Keswani andglobal private equity group Warburg Pincus,which has a 25 percent shareholding in thecompany, but Keswani said Warburg willremain invested in the company.

Hoteliers are increasingly turning theirattention to the mid-market segment, whichis seeing a tremendous boom at present. Ac-cording to HVS, the investment opportunitycurrently is higher in this segment as thecost per asset is lower. These hotels aremore efficient and profitable than high-endhotels. The net income margins for luxuryhotels today are between 30–40 percentwhile those for mid-market and budget ho-tels are between 40–55 percent. ■

by PURVA BHATIA

16


SAROVARBrings Hotels in the Luxury Segment

CHAIN ANALYSIS

Facade of the hotel with amphitheatre in front-Vasundhra Sarovar Premiere


| 17

CHAIN ANALYSIS

How do you rateSarovar’s growth in thecountry? What isaverage market share

that Sarovar has?Sarovar has had a very satisfactory growth. In16 years, the company has over 60 operatinghotels and a large number of hotels underdevelopment which makes Sarovar a leadingmid-market hotel chain. We tend to reviewaverage market share by comparing marketshare with other hotels in the same city. Sa-rovar has enjoyed high market share in allthe markets where we operate.

With over 60 operational hotels under its various brands across 40 cities,Sarovar Hotels & Resorts is a key player in the mid-market hotel segment. Thegroup recently announced that it will launch 25 new properties in the next two

years across India. It recently opened a luxury resort in Kerala. Anil Madhok, MD,Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, who saw the tremendous potential for hotels in mid-

market segment, found the group in 1994. We spoke to him toget updated on the group’s plans for the market.

ANIL MADHOKMD, SAROVAR HOTELS & RESORTS

Sarovar has had a verysatisfactory growth. In 16years, the company hasover 60 operating hotels

and a large number ofhotels under development

which makes Sarovar aleading mid-market hotel

chain. Sarovar has enjoyedhigh market share in all themarkets where we operate.

18


What is the USP of Sarovar Hotels?Sarovar hotels operate in 3, 4 & 5 starcategories and in all categories the mainthrust is that we must provide value formoney. Pricing at all levels is very closelymonitored to ensure that value for moneyprinciple is not ignored.

You were earlier the exclusivemaster franchise for Park Plazaand Park Inn brands. Could youthrow some light on the reasonsfor change in agreement?Yes, we had exclusive master franchise forPark Plaza and Park Inn brands but then lat-er we launched our own brands SarovarPremiere, Sarovar Portico and Hometel sothat it would enable us to manage propertiesoverseas for which we did not have a right toPark Plaza and Park Inn.

Since we had launched our own brandsand Park Plaza wanted to directly franchisetheir brands we mutually agreed to separatethough we are still developing some hotelsunder their brands.

How does the group plan to tapthe growing MICE segment?We are very much aware of the potentialof the MICE market. We have a separateset up at the corporate office dealing onlywith MICE market. In all our planning andrenovation, requirements of MICE seg-

ment are of paramount importance.

How many hotels does Sarovarcurrently have in its portfolio?What is the vision of the group forthe next five years? How muchinvestment is the group planning?Sarovar currently has over 60 operating ho-tels and a pipeline of 25-30 hotels whichwould all go operational in the next 5 years.We will be opening hotels in several partsacross the country including Jalandhar,Ajmer, Chennai, Zirakpur, Delhi, Kerala, andBangalore among other cities. We are cur-rently only looking at investing in one hotelthat we are building and the investmentwould be approximately 90 crores.

Mid-market is seeing tremendousboom. What according to you arethe reasons?Mid-market was always underserved in India.There were no branded hotels hence peoplewere reluctant to try any branding promise.Mid-market is always much larger than theluxury and with the boom of branded hotelsmid-market is now getting its fair share.

What’s your take on growth inluxury segment? Does Sarovarplan hotels in luxury segment?There is huge scope in luxury segment as In-dia is a fast growing economy and even inluxury segment our hotel rooms are not toomany. With regard to Sarovar, we will lookat it in the future. The group has announced

the opening of a luxury resort, VasundharaSarovar Premiere, at Vayalar in Alappuzha.

What is your take on the currenthospitality scenario? Do you see ademand-supply mismatch speciallyin the mid-market segment?The market is doing reasonably well. There isa slowdown in the economy but we do feelthat things will turn around soon. Demand-sup-ply mismatch will only happen if the supplyslows down due to current market scenario. ■

by PURVA BHATIA

Mid-market was always underserved in India. There wereno branded hotels hence people were reluctant to try anybranding promise.

Park Plaza, Jodhpur

CHAIN ANALYSIS


| 19

Sarovar Premiere: Upscale full service, 4-5 star hotelsand abound in city and leisure locations. They are character-ized by contemporary architecture and interiors. These offerinnovative, fresh and up-to-date food & beverage concepts andhave a strong cosmopolitan feel. At present Sarovar Hotels op-erates 10 Sarovar Premieres across prime cities like Bengaluru,Gangtok, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pondicherry, Siliguriand Kerala.

Sarovar Portico: Sarovar Portico is a full service interna-tional quality 3-star hotel with the accent clearly on a very highlevel of functionality. The hotels comprise a 24-hour multi-cui-sine eatery and a modern resto-bar, in addition to meetingsand banquet facilities of moderate capacity. The USP lies in su-perior standards of manpower training, with peoplecompetencies vastly superior to competition hotels. Currently,26 Sarovar Portico hotels are operational in cities like Agra,Ahmedabad, Baddi, Badrinath, Faridabad, Goa, Haridwar,Hosur. Recent additions to the portfolio include Sarovar Por-tico, Jaipur, Paradigm Sarovar Portico, Kakinada (AndhraPradesh), Sarovar Portico, Rajkot and Sarovar Portico Vaisha-li, Ghaziabad (Delhi NCR).

Hometel: Sarovar’s economy hotel brand focuses entirelyon offering the discerning business traveller with modern facil-ities, at competitive pricing. The brand is for the budgetconscious traveller, uncompromising on quality of accommo-dation and services. Hometel hotels bring fresh designs,concepts and ideas in a vibrant and cheerful environment, of-fering very basic features and services at a greater value.Sarovar Hotels’ first Hometel was launched in Bengaluru, fol-lowed by Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chandigarh, New Delhi, Puneand Roorkee. Hometel Chandigarh is Sarovar’s first owned andmanaged Hometel in India with unmatched extensive ban-queting facilities.

Park Plaza: Park Plaza hotels are located in downtownand airport locations of primary and secondary cities. Theseare full-service, 5-star hotels with rooms, suites, meeting facil-ities, catering, restaurants, and room service with outstandingservice standards, excellent value, and a range of businessfacilities. Sarovar Hotels operate Park Plaza in India under afranchise agreement with Carlson Hotels Worldwide. 9 ParkPlaza operate across Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Faridabad, Gur-gaon, Jodhpur, Ludhiana, Mussoorie and Noida, Park PlazaChandigarh and Park Plaza Shahdara will be launched soon.

Park Inn: Park Inn serves a range of guests in suburbanand leisure destinations. These full service 3 - 4 star hotels of-fer clean, comfortable rooms, friendly, helpful staff and specialamenities and services for business and leisure travellers. ParkInn presently has presence in Goa, Jaipur and Gurgaon.

SAROVAR HOTEL BRANDS

CHAIN ANALYSIS

Lazylagoon Sarovar Portico Suites, Goa

Park Plaza Sylverton, Mussoorie

Hometel ChandigarhHometel Chandigarh

Park Inn, Jaipur

Deluxe Room at Vasundhara Sarovar PremiereDeluxe Room at Vasundhara Sarovar Premiere

20


GOLDEN TULIPPromises Inspiring Guest

Experiences Based onIntense Localisation

CHAIN ANALYSIS


| 21

In India, Golden Tulip Hospitality grouprecently launched a hotel in Kolkata,where it has partnered with city-basedShiraj Hotels to develop the property in

Kolkata. Total investment in the property isabout 50 crore. It manages properties inAmritsar, Delhi, Jaipur, Panchkula, Bhilai,Lucknow, Mandwa (Rajasthan), Ranchi andHyderabad. It plans to manage a secondproperty in Jaipur, apart from Navi Mumbai,Kufri (Himachal Pradesh), Bengaluru, Kha-juraho (Madhya Pradesh), Mussourie,Ahmedabad and Vadodara in the next oneyear. The group plans to introduce its otherbudget and economic brands, such as ‘Cam-panile’ and ‘Premiere Class’ in India soon.

Hotelscapes spoke to Vimal Singh, man-aging director of Louvre Hotels and GoldenTulip South Asia about the group, its plansfor India and his outlook for the industry.

How is Golden Tulip positioned inIndia? What is the business model?What is the target audience?Golden Tulip that currently operates ten hotelsin India, will add another eight to ten moreby the end of this year. It is all set to establishat least 50 hotels across India by the end ofyear 2015. These hotels would either be en-tirely owned by the firm or would be set upthrough the franchisee & managed route. Weare focused on meeting the growing demandof India travellers either for leisure or busi-ness purpose.

What is the USP of Golden Tulip?‘International standards, local flavours’: Eachhotel is embodiment of the Golden Tulipapproach to hospitality, excellent accommo-dation in a setting that is always unique &different, but never foreign.

What are the expansion plans of thegroup? How much does the groupplan to invest in the country?Golden Tulip which is now a part of Louvre

CHAIN ANALYSIS

Golden Tulip Hospitality Group forayed into India in 2007 with its Golden Tulip brandof hotels. It entered into a joint venture with the US-based Leyland Group and set up

Golden Tulip Southern Asia. In 2009, US-based Starwood Capital Group (SCG),already the owner of Louvre Hotels, bought 240 hotels owned by Dutch operatorGolden Tulip. Today, the chain operates three well-known brands: Tulip Inn, Golden

Tulip and Royal Tulip with a total of over 200 hotels in 40 countries.

Golden Tulip Chhattarpur

22


Hotels Group following a merger betweenGolden Tulip & Louvre Hotels is planning toinvest close to $100 million (roughly Rs 500crore) over the next two years. Golden Tulipcurrently operates properties in 3-star and 4-star categories. We will be introducing ourluxury brand Royal Tulip in India with theopening of Royal Tulip Navi Mumbai in acouple of months. In addition, we will investin budget segment Campanile and PremiereClasse hotels with at least a dozen hotels inthe next four-five years. By 2015, we are tar-geting 50 hotels with an inventory of 10,000rooms, up from the modest 600 rooms it hasat present.

Which are the categories and citiesyou are looking to expand in?Our focus is on budget & mid-market segment.Golden Tulip/Louvre Hotel has an excellentmarket presence in these segments globally.India is a vast country. There are 7 tier-1 cities inIndia and another 30 cities that have popula-

Golden Tulip Panchkula

tion of over 1 million. Besides that there are nu-merous tourists, religious and businessdestinations and fifty of the other potential des-tination for hospitality industry.

How much does India contribute tothe group’s overall revenues? Howdo you see the contributionincreasing? What is the group’svision in the long term for India?India is the group’s’priority country looking atthe growth potential of the country. Currently,India contributes about 1% of total portfolio ofthe group. We would like to see this contribu-tion at 4 to 5% in the years to come.

Who are the immediate competitorsfor Golden Tulip? What is thecompetitive advantage you haveover them?We are competing with most of large interna-tional and domestic brands. Globally, we are

one of the largest hotel groups with over 1200hotels. That gives us tremendous advantageto provide business to our hotels – greaterdistribution and presence. All our hotelshave a very unique feel to it and that is ourUSP: International quality but local flavours.That means you will get all the bells andwhistles of an international hotel companybut with localisation. Our flexibility in brand-ing and offering a range of options is ourgreatest strength.

How do Golden Tulip hotels acrossthe world differ from the hotels inIndia? Is there an element oflocalisation?As stated earlier, our USP is localisation.Each Golden Tulip property is a living mix ofthe group’s commitment to high internation-al standards combined with the uniquepersonality of the local area & market. Wedraw our energy from the infinite fusion of

CHAIN ANALYSIS

Golden TulipBrands in India:

Royal Tulip Luxury HotelsFull-service luxury accommodation:Situated in extraordinary locations,these 5-star properties provide luxuri-ous facilities, highly personalisedservices, ultra-modern amenities and adeluxe level of comfort.

Golden TulipUpscale comfort with local flair: Fromfull-service hotels to long-stay suites, re-laxing resorts to state-of-the art meetingfacilities, Golden Tulip 4-star propertiescater to business and leisure travellerswho demand international standardsbut seek authentic hospitality and localflair.

Tulip InnUncomplicated and convenient: Thesehotels are value for money. These arehallmarks of Tulip Inn hotels andsuites. Conveniently located in citycentres and business districts, they fo-cus on providing the essence of greatstay: unfussy, friendly and functionalaccommodation.


| 23

CHAIN ANALYSIS

Our USP is localisation.Each Golden Tulip

property is a living mix ofthe group’s commitment

to high internationalstandards combined withthe unique personality ofthe local area & market.

We draw our energy fromthe infinite fusion of

people, cultures and ideas.The guests at our hotelenjoy inspiring stays.

VIMAL SINGHMANAGING DIRECTOR OF LOUVRE HOTELS

AND GOLDEN TULIP SOUTH ASIA

people, cultures and ideas. The guests at ourhotel enjoy inspiring stays. Our diversity pow-ers our success.

Are there plans of introducing somemore brands from the global portfolio?We will be introducing our luxury brandRoyal Tulip in India with the opening of Roy-al Tulip Navi Mumbai in a couple of months.In addition, we will be introducing budgetsegment brands Campanile and PremiereClasse hotels shortly. We are negotiating toopen hotels under these brands in Delhi NCRand Bangalore to start with. These will belaunched during the second half of 2013.

Mid-market segment is where thefocus seems to be. Do you think thedemand will match the kind ofsupply that is being added?The group has a portfolio of clearly identifiedbrands ranging from 1 star to 5 stars,from budget to luxury; we can fit in according tothe demand of the area. Currently, the supply isnot adequate to satisfy. As we see the economygrowing over the coming years this gap is ex-pected to remain and even widen. Thus, this isan excellent investment opportunity.

How do you see the growth insmall towns? Golden Tulip managesproperties in cities like Amritsar,Bhilai and Mandwa. How are townslike these progressing in terms ofinfrastructure as well as demand?Interestingly, the smaller cities are where thecountry’s growth lies. The cities have richhouseholds earning between Rs 10 lakh to Rs20 lakh annually. Not surprisingly, developersacross the country are now heading to smallertowns. And the results are already very good interms of development of infrastructure.

Shortage of trained manpower isa big challenge the industry isdealing with. How does the groupaddress the issue?The availability of skilled and trained man-power is a challenge in long-termdevelopment and sustainability due to highlevel of competition and increasing payscales. We are able to retain our staff withrewards and recognition of their good work.We have necessary HR policies to retain ourstaff and provide in-house training to improvetheir skills and take care of their growth. ■

by PURVA BHATIAGolden Tulip Chhattarpur

24


TRENDS

HOTEL OCCUPANCIES:SUMMER OF DESPAIR

Summers play spoil sport for the otherwise vibrant hospitality industry. Themost affected are the tourist destinations located in tier 2–3 cities such as

Orchha, Agra, Udaipur and Khajuraho not due to their locations orinfrastructure as such but more due to the harsh weather. How does

the industry tackle the situation? Is there any way out?Some pointers from within the industry.


| 25

It’s that time of the year when the mercu-ry tends to soar high in India. Summertakes’a toll on the tourism and hospitality industry, mostly in places like Orch-

ha, Agra, Udaipur and Khajuraho to name afew. The business takes a back seat and thereseems to be a lull in the otherwise bustlingsector.

Occupancy LevelsThough there may be a slack in occupancylevels on this year’s inbound travel, hospitali-ty industry experts say that as compared to thesituation in Europe and US, economic activi-ty in India has not decreased drastically.

Talking about the difference in the occu-pancy level during summers, KalyaniDagar, general manager (sales & CRS), The

Orchha Resort in Orchha, says, “Usually dur-ing summers, we experience low occupancyby around 15–18 percent as compared to thepeak season wherein the occupancy shootsup by 75–80 percent. However, this year, theseason looks very promising, in fact, evenbetter than last year, as Orchha is a knowndestination in the International market, nowit is also picking up in the corporate as wellas the domestic market.”

Varun Sahani, general manager, The La-lit Laxmi Vilas Palace Udaipur echoes similarsentiments when he says, “Average occupan-cy in summers is 25 percent but we arehoping for a 40 percent occupancy this sum-mer. According to previous year’s occupancytrend it’s a ratio of 20 percent average occu-pancy in summers against 80 percent in

TRENDS

Overall tourist flow inwinters are much higher ascompared to summers with

the better room rate.Fortunately we have somegood marriages this yearwhich are in the summersgiving us good business

VARUN SAHANIGENERAL MANAGER,

THE LALIT LAXMI VILAS PALACE UDAIPUR

Usually during summers,we experience low

occupancy by around15–18 percent as comparedto the peak season wherein

the occupancy shootsup by 75–80 percent

KALYANI DAGARGENERAL MANAGER (SALES & CRS),

THE ORCHHA RESORT, ORCHHA

26


The summer rates are ofcourse very less thanthat of the season, butit’s an ideal time whenwe pamper the guestswith offers and special

summer packages

SUMANTA MAITYGENERAL MANAGER,

RAMADA KHAJURAHO

winters. Overall tourist flow in winters aremuch higher as compared to summers withthe better room rate. Fortunately we havesome good marriages this year which are inthe summers giving us good business.”

Despite being announced as a World Her-itage Site by UNESCO, Khajuraho fails todraw in tourists’ at least during the summer,laments Sumanta Maity, general manager,Ramada Khajuraho. “The occupancy dropsin the summers 25–35 percent whereas inthe season it never goes down below 75–85percent,” says Maity.

Abhijeet Umathe, senior manager (Hos-pitality & Leisure), Knight Frank (India) inMumbai, says, “The overall market does ex-perience low occupancies during summer.The peak months for us are October toMarch. However, business destinations likeMumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru experiencecomparatively lower seasonal fluctuationsthan Agra and Udaipur.”

Further, explaining the reason behind thelow occupancy, Umathe adds, “The reasonis, during summers, domestic travel sector isdominated by families on vacation. The im-portant considerations are a good climate,recreation and a lot of activities to do. Unfor-tunately, the marvel of The Taj Mahal in Agrahas limited appeal for children. In fact, walk-ing bare feet around the monument is not atall pleasant under the scorching sun. Also,there is not much else to do around Agra asits very hot outside. Agra sees the best occu-pancies between October and March.”

Tourist flow depends on theinfrastructure. If getting to

the holiday destinations canbe made easier and cheaperby way of better roads, moreconnections by train and air,

it will naturally have apositive impact

ABHIJIT UMATHESENIOR MANAGER (HOSPITALITY & LEISURE),

KNIGHT FRANK (INDIA)

Airfares may Shoot UpAs per recent news reports, travelling by airmay be most expensive this summer. The air-lines will add another 4.94 percent servicetax because of a government decision to in-crease service tax on economy class tickets,according to an Air India circular.

However, the increase in fares combinedwith rising taxes may discourage travellersfrom flying, bringing down occupancy levels.

Wooing with OffersSo do hoteliers offer special offers to woocustomers during the slack period? “Yes, weoffer a lot of promotional offers for the do-mestic and corporate markets duringsummer. While for travel agents, we providelow rates on several packages at this time ofthe year,” adds Dagar.

No different is Sahani when he says, “Allthe comparative hotels introduce the specialtariff & packages to attract the domesticguest. We also offer the summer package fortwo nights & three days. Since guests canbook the room directly through internet fromvarious channels, we have given full atten-tion to that as well by providing the veryspecial rate with attractive benefits & offerslike on the third paid night 50 percent dis-count on the Best Available Rate.”

Hefty discounts and attractive packagesfail to arrest low summer turnout. “The sum-mer rates are of course very less than that ofthe season, but it’s an ideal time when wepamper the guests with offers and special

TRENDS

The Orchha Resort, Orchha


| 27

From April onwards, wehave started offering up to20–30 percent discounts,

depending on the volume ofclients. Between May andJune we mainly focus on

weddings, residentialconferences and banquet.

NITENDRA SINGHRATHORE

DIRECTOR OF AMAR MAHAL IN ORCHHA

summer packages,” opines Maity.“Several packages are offered by hoteliers

during summer and rainy season to boost oc-cupancy level. The hotels generally focus onvolumes or occupancies therefore the rates arelower except at hill stations where summer isthe premium season as people head to the hillsto beat the heat,” says Umathe.

Talking about the attractive offers by ho-teliers in Orchha, Nitendra Singh Rathore,director of Amar Mahal in Orchha (MP),says, “From April onward, we start offeringupto 20–30 percent discounts, depending onthe volume of clients. Between May and Junewe mainly focus on weddings, residentialconferences and banquet.”

Maintenance TimeSummer is also a time for maintenance. Usu-ally, hoteliers utilise this time to refurbishtheir hotels and may also close down somesection of the hotels due to low occupancies.“Refurbishment and regular maintenancetakes place every year, we close our Deluxetents section during summers,” says Dagar.

Maity agrees when he says, “We do themajor jobs of preventive maintenance duringthis time and run the hotel as per the besteconomic strategies keeping our internation-al standards intact. We conduct trainings asthis is the best time for it. We are coming upwith huge convention centre also which issupposed to be done in this summer.”

However Sahani differs, “We don’t closeany outlets or any room section in the hotel

during the lean season; however we do theroom blocking according to the business onday to day basis. The other measures for theeffective cost controlling are part of the ho-tel operating process which is followedthroughout the year keeping in mind thecustomer comfort.”

“Depending on the location, every hotelfollows different strategies, but yes, the leanseason is ideal for heavy repairs and mainte-nance,” says Umathe.

Scope for ImprovementBut then, is there a possible way to improvetourist flow and occupancies during summer?Sharing his suggestion, Umathe says, “Touristflow eventually depends on the infrastructure.If getting to the holiday destinations be madeeasier and cheaper by way of better roads,more connections by train and air, it will nat-urally have a positive impact. The hotels attheir end have to come with attractive prod-ucts and packages, like for example an entireholiday experience rather that focusing onjust three-nights-four-days packages. Usually, afamily on holiday seeks varied experiencesand wants to create memories to share andcherish for a life time. Hotels with smart pack-aging can offer superior experience, bettervalue and in the process improve occupan-cies, F&B sale and of course profits.”

Udaipur which is often called the “Veniceof the East” can be developed as a popularglobal destination for MICE business provid-ed the government steps in, opines Sahani.

“Udaipur can be developed in the globe asa prominent destination for MICE businessthrough organising international level semi-nars. Better support from the government byreducing the taxes, providing better connectiv-ity to Udaipur from various other cities. We alsoneed the government to develop ways to makethe tourist to spend one extra night in the city– like making a wild life sanctuary, or a themepark or a science park, where kids also go andenjoy and stay here in Udaipur for a minimumof three nights. This has the potential to gen-erate a lot of revenue for the city.”

Better roads and railway connectivityhelps which is evident when Maity says, “Bet-ter quality surface connectivity will surelyhelp and the flow has increased remarkablyby the Increase in traffic at airport and newtrains joining Jaipur, Udaipur, Agra, Delhi ,Gwalior and Jhansi directly.”

Agrees Dagar. “I believe that a lot can bedone to improve occupancy levels duringsummer. As far as promoting Orchha is con-cerned, I think the hospitality industry needsto be more vigorous in tapping the domesticmarket as Indians know less about Orchhathan foreigners,” she explains. ■

by VASUJIT KALIA

TRENDS

Lalit Laxmi Vilas Palace, UdaipurLalit Laxmi Vilas Palace, Udaipur

28


FORUM OF THE MONTH

THE BUSINESS OF BIG FATINDIAN WEDDINGS


| 29

The big fat Indian wedding is getting bigger and fatterwith the market estimated to be growing annually at30%. Cashing in on this boom are hoteliers offeringspecial packages, in-house wedding planners and

everything else to make the D-day grander. We spoketo different hotels from all over the country to find out

how much weddings contribute to the overallrevenues, what are the latest trends and

how is the segment set to grow…

FORUM OF THE MONTH

The Gateway Hotels &Resorts, JodhpurPK Mohankumar, chief operatingofficer, Taj Gateway Hotels

Weddings in India are a family event, treatedas a once-in-a-lifetime occasion involvingcareful planning, choice of venue, food andall other arrangements that go with it tomake it a memorable function. Upscale ho-tels, over the years have become the firstchoice primarily due to the word-of-mouthfrom families who had the functions earlierbesides the excellent infrastructure facilitiesavailable. Revenue generated from the wed-ding segment is substantial enough to treatthis segment as a critical source of businessfor 5-star hotels. Weddings are an extravagantaffair reflective of Indian culture having thepotential for multiple channels of revenue.At Jodhpur, in Rajasthan, for instance, ourstate-of-the-art large banquet hall at the Gate-way Hotel, Jodhpur very aptly named, SirGuman Court has been one of the popularvenue for weddings with spacious lawnsopening out to open air catering. The hallhas a total area of 7,500 sq ft that can easilyaccommodate up to 1,000 guests. This ban-quet hall has now become very popular andconsidered auspicious and lucky for wed-dings, ceremonies and functions.

The Gateway Hotels specialise in menuofferings that appeal to all the communitiesin 21 different locations currently and grow-ing rapidly to other tier 1, tier 2 and leisure& pilgrimage locations. The infrastructure in5 Star hotels fulfil both the basic as well asspecial requirements to conduct a weddingvery successfully, be it on basics like 24x7air-conditioned hall, parking facilities, inter-national standards of hygiene andprofessional levels of food production andservice, easy availability of comfortable

guest rooms, spa and salon facilities be-sides safety and security standards. Weensure that our hotel becomes the one-stopshop offering everything from catering andaccommodation to bridal salon, floral dé-cor, resources for conducting theceremonies, global quality printers for invi-tation cards, music and entertainmentagencies, car rentals etc.

Our focus is on developing the conceptcalled homemakers home food at Gatewaykitchens. We, at the Gateway, have pio-neered an original idea of discovering thehome foods of India through working withhomemakers at our various locations con-tracted to make home food for our guestswhich include even weddings.

Grand Hyatt, MumbaiDavid Mansfield, general managerThe wedding segment is extremely importantto us as it contributes approximately 30% ofthe banquet revenue. In fact, Grand HyattMumbai has a strong positioning as the mostpreferred wedding venue.

Most weddings are from the local/domes-tic market however, the inbound leisuremarket contributes less than 5% of the wed-ding business. We would look at an annualgrowth of approximately 10% in this seg-ment. However, the business of weddings inIndia is extremely dependent on the numberof auspicious dates in a year.

Farm houses do not compete with cityhotels as they are located in resort-like loca-tions and do not offer services and productsin line with what hotels have on offer for ex-ample large inventory of guestrooms tosupport a wedding group, multiple venueoptions, restaurants, security, catering etc

We offer one of the largest ballrooms withsupport from smaller rooms to hold variousceremonies under one roof. We offer consis-

The Grand Hyatt, Mumbaihas a dedicated team that

offers a full scale ofservices for wedding

ceremonies that isintensely personal, andhandled with flawlessprofessional expertise

DAVID MANSFIELDGENERAL MANAGER,

GRAND HYATT, MUMBAI

We, at the Gateway, havepioneered an original ideaof discovering the homefoods of India through

working with homemakersat our various locations

contracted to make homefood for our guests which

include even weddings

PK MOHANKUMARCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, THE GATEWAY

HOTELS & RESORTS

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FORUM OF THE MONTH

tent food quality with a variety of cuisines.The food and beverage presentation is inno-vative and the emphasis is on live stationsand fresh ingredients. The hotel has a largeroom inventory to support large groups.

There is a dedicated team that offers a fullscale of services for wedding ceremoniesthat is intensely personal, and handled withflawless professional expertise. The team as-sists in wedding planning, customising andsupervising every event from start to finish.The events at Grand Hyatt Mumbai are con-ducted with unparalleled style, elegance andattention to detail.

Grand Hyatt Mumbai is a contemporarylifestyle destination with over 30,000 sq ft ofindoor banqueting space for weddings andgala dinners in addition to outdoor spaceslike the Courtyard, Gardens and an Exhibi-tion land with 30,000 sq ft of usable area.The 11,600 sq ft pillarless Grand Ballroomwith a high ceiling (24.4 feet/7.4 metres)can be partitioned into three sound proofsections. The seven additional banquetrooms range in size to accommodate from30 to 400 persons and are ideal for smallerfunctions. The decor is further enhancedwith a stage, coordinated overlays, chaircovers and elegant table pieces. Other facil-

ities like the spa, beauty salon and boutiquestores in the hotel complete the grand expe-rience of a dream wedding at Grand HyattMumbai.

Novotel, Mumbai,Juhu BeachXavier Cappelut, general manager

Wedding business contributes significant-ly to our overall business. The segmentcontributes to approximately a total of 40%of the total banquet revenue.

The key levers for business generationhere are:

● Optimum revenue per square foot

● Tailor-made food & beverage solutionsleading to more revenues

● Increased room bookings on account ofweddings

● Opportunity to showcase the property forcontinuity of business.

● Innovative themes to enhance revenues.

Nestled on the shores of Arabian Sea,Novotel, Mumbai, Juhu Beach is one of themost preferred destinations for wedding andsocial events. Also with the location beingright in the heart of Mumbai, still being se-

We have tailor-madepackages specific to every

wedding. Being able toprovide whatever the guestdesires is the key. We host

theme weddings whichis a growing trend in

the market

XAVIER CAPPELUTGENERAL MANAGER,

NOVOTEL, MUMBAI, JUHU BEACH


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FORUM OF THE MONTH

cluded from the city’s busy conjunction, It isan ideal place for a destination wedding.You could choose between halls facing thebeautiful sea with gorgeous terraces attachedfor the outdoor feel or the sprawling poolsidewith sea-facing lawns which is an experiencein its own, be it anytime of the day.

Our wedding business is morecommunity-based and referral. We takeutmost care in providing the mostmemorable experience for the couple andthe family. We host theme weddings whichis a growing trend in the market. We havetailor-made packages specific to everywedding. Being able to provide whateverthe guest desires is the key.

We target major wedding shows and col-laborate with wedding planners, weddingportals, event management companies, air-lines, hi-end jewellery and apparel brands.Our focus is to provide an extremely memo-rable experience which comes with ourgorgeous venues. Revenues follow suit.

The Leela Palace, ChennaiPascal Dupuis, general managerThe Leela Palace Chennai offers both palatialspaces, one of the largest in Chennai as wellas private, intimate settings for wedding cel-

ebrations. The Leela Group is already re-nowned for providing uniquely specialservice to our guests making their associationa dream experience. The property is sea-fac-ing and we have large contemporarybanqueting facilities with our Grand Ball-room of 16,000 sq ft and Royal Ballroom of9,000 sq ft which come with the traditionalwarmth of The Leela hospitality which weare known for. Moving forward, we foresee ahuge potential in the wedding segment witha special emphasis on theme and destinationweddings. The Big Fat Indian Wedding asthey are rightly called is about grandeur,unique offerings and making the celebra-tions an unforgettable one.

At The Leela Group, our motto is to “nev-er compromise”. Be it with respect to serviceor amenities or the space we provide, weplace great emphasis on finest aspects andbelieve in offering our guests an experienceof world-class luxury. Authenticity anduniqueness are the two key factors whileplanning the décor. The architecture is in-spired by the royal opulence of the Chettinaddynasty and has been done by the world re-nowned architect John Gerondelis fromSRSS (Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, StewartAssociates).

At The Leela Group, ourmotto is to “never

compromise”. Be it withrespect to service or

amenities or the space weprovide, we place great

emphasis on finest aspectsand believe in offering our

guests an experience ofworld-class luxury

PASCAL DUPUISGENERAL MANAGER,

THE LEELA PALACE, CHENNAI

32


We are very positive and estimate themarket to be vastly expanding, there is ahuge potential in the wedding segment andwe foresee a substantial contribution ofabout 5% of the total revenue and a substan-tial growth rate moving forward.

Our banquet spaces give us an addedadvantage, with the Grand Ballroom beingluxuriously spread over 1430 sq m and ourRoyal Ballroom across 784 sq m We alreadyhave an established reputation as a groupknown for redefining standards of luxury inthe world of hospitality. We have always fol-lowed a simple philosophy of “Atithi DevoBhava – the Guest is God” expressed in ourunforgettable hospitality that truly reflects theessence of India.

Chennai is a global Auto, IT and Pharma-ceutical hub and a gateway to largecorporates. It is also one of the biggest mar-kets as far as the film fraternity (known asKollywood) is concerned. The Leela PalaceChennai will have much to offer to the diverseresidents of the city. Overall, our visiting guestswould comprise the sophisticated and dis-cerning travellers – both national andinternational who are looking for truly authen-tic and personally enriching experiences witha deep sense of high-end luxury.

Courtyard by Marriott,MumbaiGautam Bhandari, general managerAs Indian weddings get bigger, destinationweddings have become an aspiration forthe new generation of young and workingexecutives in the country. Though anemerging segment, the high returns areleading international tourism boards, air-lines and hotels to concentrate on targetingthis niche market.

For an industry that is estimated to beworth nearly Rs 2,00,000 crore and growing,Indian weddings is a rising market segmentthat has been spurred by the spending pow-ers of HNI’s. As Indian weddings get bigger,the aspiration values also reach a highpoint.Considered as a high-end tourism product,international tourism boards, airlines andhotels are proactively wooing this segmentto get a large share of the pie. Currently,weddings and socials contribute to 7-8% ofour total revenue generation. Weddings, so-cials, sangeet ceremonies, mehendi andcocktail events that are originally referred toas pre, during and post wedding events con-tribute to 8-10% when compared with theinbound leisure market scenario. With this

FORUM OF THE MONTH

The hotel recentlyorganised a one-stop

wedding fair this year,designed and dedicated tomaking the most importantday in a couple’s life seemeffortless and radiant. Thein-house Wedding Planning

Event team coverseverything

GAUTAM BHANDARIGENERAL MANAGER,

COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT, MUMBAI


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year’s projections in mind, we expect wed-dings to contribute to 1/3rd of our totalrevenues for the year 2012.

The hotel recently organised a one-stopwedding fair this year, designed and dedicat-ed to making the most important day in acouple’s life seem effortless and radiant. Thein-house Wedding Planning Event team cov-ered even the slightest details from exquisiteinvitations to sumptuous cuisine, stunningtable decors and banquets to creative bou-quets. Expert make-up artists, executivechefs, mixologists, and even wedding dress-es were available under one roof. The lavishevent welcomed around 200 couples lookingto discover the infinite possibilities for theirspecial day, be it a traditional ballroom set-ting or outdoor pool events.

JW Marriott, ChandigarhDeepak Manocha, general managerWeddings are a big business. While not anindustry in itself yet, the wedding business isa key revenue contributor for the hotel. Atypical wedding has a direct and indirect im-pact on more than 100 industries. Thewedding market remains a sizable $47.2 bil-lion sector.

We are located in the hub of North India

where weddings are a big business and it be-comes extremely important for us to attractand cater to this segment. Weddings contrib-ute 24% of rooms and catering business andabout 17% for the total hotel revenues.

A themed wedding is easier to executein hotels as the infrastructure already existsin comparison to a farmhouse. In a farm-house, everything needs to be brought inlike lighting, power, tables, chairs, linen,and kitchen setups etc which already pre-exist in hotels. It’s more cost effective to doa themed wedding in hotels. Hotel staff hasundergone professional training for hostingand organising these events because ofwhich execution and service is par excel-lence which is difficult to match. We havein-house wedding specialists and eventmanagers who see to the fact that the eventmatches up to the highest expectations ofour guests.

At JW Marriott Chandigarh, we have dedi-cated wedding specialists, 16,500 sq ft ofbanqueting spaces for wedding and relatedevents, customised menus and much more.The events become grander as the hotel’s ex-pert team offers a complete range of servicesto design the wedding day as the most glori-ous event. We have hosted a lot of weddings

Known for its greathospitality and

friendliness, Marriott isknown to be a perfectwedding hotel where

certified wedding plannerscreate a day that’s all

about the bride & groomfor the big day

DEEPAK MANOCHAGENERAL MANAGER

JW MARRIOTT, CHANDIGARH

FORUM OF THE MONTH

34


already in our first year of operations. Wehave catered to an average size of a weddingbetween 250 to 500 people, though we havegone up to hosting around 750 people at atime as well.

Known for its great hospitality and friend-liness, Marriott is known to be a perfectwedding hotel where certified wedding plan-ners create a day that’s all about the bride &groom. The hotel handles the finest of detailsand offering those exquisite touches thatmake the wedding an unforgettable affair.The hotel has a dedicated sales resource tap-ing the wedding market. We personaliseevery menu for the event; we are one stop-shop for all their needs starting fromdecoration, DJ, wedding cakes etc.

As regards to the banquets and functionareas, JW Marriott Chandigarh offers opulentspaces, customised rooms, and ballrooms, tohelp you design an event that suits the styles.These ballrooms and versatile event spacecan accommodate receptions, ceremoniesand other events.

Jaipur MarriottAnimesh Barat, director, F&B

The wedding segment is critical not onlyfor Jaipur Marriott but also for entire Asia

Pacific. In fact, wedding business is now dis-cussed as important for the hotel as much asany large convention, corporate group orany other MICE group.

The segment contributes to hotel cateringrevenue and also to hotel room, spa and res-taurants revenue. Weddings in JaipurMarriott can range from 500 – 1,500 peopleand also contribute to rooms from 50 – 200rooms for a large residential wedding group.Weddings contribute almost 25% of the cater-ing revenue of the hotel while as comparedto inbound leisure business it contributes al-most 20 – 30%. For Jaipur Marriott, residentialweddings contribute almost 15% of the hotelrooms’ revenue.

A wedding is a matter of pride and pres-tige. In India, people save most of their livesfor money for weddings in their families.Apart from the prestige value, organising awedding in a hotel is more hassle-free thandoing the same in a free standing weddinglawn or a farm house. Hotel facility takescare of requirements that including valetparking, air conditioning of the venue, lights,fire and life safety, furniture, fixtures. Farmhouses still do not remain as a one-stop shopfor weddings and guests need to organise forall these facilities. Competition with other

FORUM OF THE MONTH

Menus should becustomised, deciding on a

wedding menu is anextremely emotional affairand often many people inthe family get involved.

Being able to convince, selland offer the best food and

beverage offering isextremely important

ANIMESH BARATDIRECTOR, F&B, JAIPUR MARRIOTT


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We have a special write-upand images on our websitefor our wedding business.

Also, we are in contactwith the wedding

planners and onlinewedding destination

companies to promote ourproperties

VINIT CHHABRAGENERAL MANAGER,RANBANKA PALACE

hotels still remains a challenge as that leadsto price war. However, clients mostly look forreputation of the hotel in the market. Key de-ciding factors are infrastructure of the hotel,quality of food and beverage offerings, ser-vice, and flexibility of the hotel to dobusiness with.

Quality of food and beverage should behigh in order to get a good reputation in themarket. Chefs play a very important role inthis entire process. Menus should be custom-ised, deciding on a wedding menu is anextremely emotional affair and often manypeople in the family get involved. Being ableto convince, sell and offer the best food andbeverage offering is extremely important.

For the year 2012, there is a strong chanceof growing this revenue by another 10%. Ded-icated sales force, focused and consistentdelivery of basics in food and beverage offer-ings, flexibility in doing business will createmore awareness in the market. Weddings sellwell through word of mouth, and having agood reputation is equally important.

Ranbanka PalaceVinit Chhabra, general manager

Weddings are a good contributor to ourrevenues. We have done around 15

weddings ranging from 25 to 50 rooms perday. They have contributed almost 15% toour overall revenues. An average weddingcost ranges from 15 lacs to 75 lacs dependingon the ceremonies being planned in theproperty.

F&B plays the most crucial role in anywedding. Attention needs to be paid on ev-erything from the table layout to venuedecoration, entertainment quotient, andseating plan, various themes and varied cui-sines to cater to ever-evolving palette. Weoffer a very professional turnkey approachto the overall celebrations in our property.With our flexible, prompt and one-to-oneapproach, we make the overall experienceof having a wedding at Ranbanka Palacepleasurable and hassle-free. We have a spe-cial write-up and images on our website forthe same. Also, we are in contact with thewedding planners and online wedding des-tination companies to promote ourproperties.

This is one of the fastest growing seg-ments. Despite a continuing recession ininternational markets, it is growing at a rateof 15 – 20% and we are hoping to increaseour revenues in this segment by 5 – 10% thisyear as well.

FORUM OF THE MONTH

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Devi Resorts, RajasthanNeeta Gupta, head of global sales andmarketingThe wedding business is good revenue generat-ing business and is at the same time extremelystressful, demanding and competitive. The seg-ment contributes roughly 20 – 25% to our overallrevenues which varies year-on-year.

However, to develop this segment, whichdepends a lot on word-of-mouth publicity,you need to have a highly organised anddedicated team for offering personalised ser-vices and attention to details. Weddingsbeing extremely emotional events, it is veryimportant that the hotel is able to handle anysituation that will arise since you are not onlydealing with the bride and groom -to-be buteveryone else in their families and friendscircle. It is important to understand thebride's psychology – her anxiety and stress tobe able to work with her. It is also importantto have good networks, having good contactwith reliable wedding service providers in-cluding photographers, florists, jewellers,pundits, priest, DJs etc.

It is an excellent revenue generating seg-ment and it helps in the overall revenue ofthe hotel from rooms to the food and bever-age revenues and other revenues such as

FORUM OF THE MONTH

decoration, entertainment etc.Destination weddings are typically more

intimate affairs with fewer guests and aremuch more stylish and personalised whencompared to farm houses. Our hotels inRajasthan namely Devi Garh in Udaipur andDevi Ratn in Jaipur are very unique in terms oftheir design, décor and the experience thatwe create for our guests. We are flexible incustomising the requirements of the coupleand each wedding is different in its own wayas no two couples are the same and as a resultno two weddings are ever the same and wespecialise in creating a different experienceeach time. The advantage is that we offer youour hotels as your own private palace andallow the couple to be as creative and fulfilltheir requirements with our gamut ofspecialised and personalised services. Weoffer much more than a hotel.

While wedding segment earns good reve-nues, the inbound leisure market stilldominates. Both the segments have equalimportance and cannot replace one another.

Having said that, this segment will onlygrow in the future but I do foresee hugecompetition with the number of growinghotels and wedding planners. ■

by PURVA BHATIA

Weddings being extremelyemotional events, it is veryimportant that the hotel is

able to handle any situationthat will arise since you are

not only dealing with thebride and groom -to-be but

everyone else in theirfamilies and friends circle

NEETA GUPTAHEAD OF GLOBAL SALES AND MARKETING,

DEVI RESORTS


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38


SOCIAL MEDIA

Will Google Hotel Finderbe an Eye Opener for Hotels?

pie online. The prepaid listing giants andtravel ports like Expedia, Hotel.com andTripAdvisor may not have sounded the alarmbut the online community is abuzz withrumours and assumptions with Googlestepping up its operations in travel industry.

So, just how does it impact the hotelmarketers? If we take into account Google’sshare of the search volume, the impact ismonumental. Sooner than later travellers willrely on Google for hotel search as much asthey rely on it for searches of any other kind.With simplified interface and the world ofinformation at your disposal, Hotel Finder iseasy to understand and helpful. It is stilldebated how Hotel Finder decides on therankings of the hotels on the search engineresult page (SERP) but hotels with optimisedGoogle Places profile and a strong presenceon local listing sites seems to be topping thecharts. Judging by this, one thing is crystalclear that Online Reputation Management(ORM) will cease to be optional for thehospitality industry. As the profile data of a

T he power of ‘social’ and itsrepercussions and the subsequentopportunities are topics of hotdebates across the globe. By going

through a few articles on the major stimuliwhich are changing the hospitality industry,we realise that almost every stimulusultimately boils down to Google and itsfeatures. Right from organic searches to paidcampaigns, the reliance on Google isoverwhelming. The case in point is Google’sHotel Finder which has become a success inthe US and has been launched as a betaversion in India recently.

With the feature of Hotel Finder, Googlelets users look for accommodation options ina city of their choice and have filter optionsincluding duration of the stay, price range,star rating, rating by guests through reviewsto further refine the search. Being still in thetesting phase, the beta version launched inIndia is not an epiphany yet but it is just amatter of time before Google chalks out asignificant share of the travel and hospitality

hotel is picked up from various channelsacross the web, users on Hotel Finder nowhave access to almost every single wordwritten about you on the internet. With scoresof options available in terms ofaccommodation to the travellers, it is pivotalthat not only you rank among the top resultsbut also have an undisputed positivereputation in the online community.

Indian industries are notorious forwaking up late to innovations and it is notsurprising that the hospitality industry didnot react to the news of Google’s entry intothe battlefield. The general apathy towardsopportunities thrown up by the Internet hashurt Indian corporate many a times and yetwe let opportunities just pass us by. Nowthat the cat is out of the bag, instead ofrunning away from maintaining a strongonline reputation lets acknowledge,welcome and embrace it. ■

The author is the main online marketingadvisor at digital marketing company –

Internet Moguls

Google recently launched a beta version of Hotel Finder that allowsusers to find staying options in a particular city. Avijit Arya

talks about its impact on hotel marketers


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SHOULD YOUR HOTEL HAVE ENERGYMANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS?Even as commercial costs of energy continue to increase, the

hospitality industry is faced with the challenge of ensuring high levelof guest comfort while keeping energy bills in check. Solomon James

advises on the right kind of solutions for your hotel.

nergy’ takes on added significance ina country like India, which is constant-ly grappling with an energy shortfalland thus industries, including hospi-

tality are searching for ways and means to en-hance their energy efficiency.

As part of their green initiatives, hospitalityproperties across the country encourage guests tobe energy conscious not just for the benefit of thehotel but the environment as well, but if you arelooking for a far more long term and sure solu-tion, the answer lies in a smart energymanagement solution.

Numerous hotels who have, or are aspiring fora Leadership in Energy and Environment Design(LEED) certification already have a solution inplace, but if one would do a cost-benefit analysis,an energy management solution can actuallybenefit any hotel property as it results in a costsaving of anywhere from 20-30% to a hotel.

How does an energy managementsolution work?An energy management solution can be seam-lessly installed into your guest rooms, conferenceroom, restaurant and other areas just like electri-cal fitting. Infrared occupancy sensing withlogic-control software is configured to respond iftemperature or lighting increase or drop beyondpredetermined parameters. This means the airconditioners, TV, room lighting, electric kettlesand heaters in the guest room are configured toswitch off, without your hotel staff invading yourguest’s privacy, when the room is vacant. This isa significant advantage as studies show a room istypically occupied for 50-55% of the time andstays unoccupied for 44-49%.

How does an energy managementsolution benefit a hotel?Whether you are a resort, independent hotel or

“An energymanagement

solution can beseamlessly installed

into your guestrooms, conferenceroom, restaurant

and other areas justlike electrical

fitting.”

GUEST COLUMN

chain, or a serviced apartment, a smart energymanagement system can help your property:● Reduce energy consumption and wastage inempty rooms● Regulate room temperature according to guestpreference● Provide instant access to real-time occupancydata for review by managers and owners from anywireless connection● Streamline housekeeping efficiency and reduceguest disturbance● Heighten security including unreported occu-pancy detection● Easy integration with existing heating, ventilationand air conditioning (HVAC) system withoutbuilding a new network● Increase evacuation efficiency in case of emer-gency● Access business intelligence through report gen-eration of energy consumption● Optimise use of hotel staff

To extract maximum advantage from your en-ergy management solution, it should have aninterface with your property management solutionor hotel ERP. This helps your hotel access reportsabout your energy usage and saving. This businessintelligence also enables you to understand con-sumption patterns and better prepare for them; italso helps locate consumption hotspots and try tointroduce efficiency methods. ■

The author is VP, IDS NEXT Networks Group

Energy Management Solution● Energy Saving● Enhanced Guest Experience● Optimised Use of Manpower● Fraud Protection● Enhanced Security

‘E

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WORLD VIEW

DUBAIOpulence Redefined


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WORLD VIEW

real 24-carat gold fittings and embellish-ments. Exquisite designer elements in everyform dictate the unhindered luxury that com-pels you to drink in the decadence crafted tobe only the best in the world. The Burj AlArab reflects the respected fondness for co-lour in all its unpretentious incarnations as acontrast to the dry, brown sun burnt vastnessof the harsh desertscapes around.

With a 24x7 butler pampering our everywhim to exotic Arabian sweets and bespokeHermes full range amenities and personalisedbusiness desk and broadband, we took in thesuperlatives laced with gold leaf caressedblueberry chocolate flakes, California straw-berries and clove dipped Spanish Sherry.

Technology and art synergise here to cre-ate hospitality concepts that go beyondembroidered prose. The ‘Arabian Sails' single-side facade is cutting-edge technology withgraceful aesthetics, while basics like wind ve-locity factor, soaring humid temperatures andweather-proof temperature control architec-tural elements create an oasis of techno-eco-artistry equalled by none in the world.

A walk-in gilt-cased library leading to asumptuous snooker lounge, their evocativerooftop 300 degree views spanning the spec-tacular fine dining address ‘Al Muntaha’ withit's own feather smooth, sea-facing all glassexpress elevator, are just a few golden nug-gets we discovered. To top the Burj Al Arabcutting edge, the world-class, much awardedlive aquarium-graced seafood landmark ‘AlMahara’ and the adjascent Juna CigarLounge steal the accolades.

The fascinating, calibrated cascade water-fall with advanced fibre optics in symphoniedperfection is music to the senses as the world'stallest atrium perfected into ultra-futuristiccontemporary design. To cap up the platinumedge experience, a helicopter from atop thegrand hotel circular helipad sweeps you offacross the megapolis, back to the swank air-port. You murmur ‘Alhamdulillah’!

Armani Hotel DubaiBespoke DesignerDynamismAt the ravishing new address in DowntownDubai, competition-defying spectral state-

Uncompromising world-class standards of excellence command the dazzling,iconic luxury hospitality properties of Dubai. We bring you a first-hand

experience of the incomparable design and comfort features.

The best part of a visit to Dubai is thatthere are absolutely no compari-sons. Not the sheer scale, the size,the mind-boggling dimensions, the

starry opulence and the irreplaceable gran-deur that score years ahead of touted global‘competition’. Pioneering and trailblazing itsfrenetic, futuristic dash into the next century,Dubai is unstoppable in its look-ahead pro-gressive enthusiasm to be the first amongfirsts, and only in firsts. This starkly bewil-dering yet very real-life phenomenon ishappening all around in the vast expanses ofthe sweeping sands and you need more thana fair taste of the right spectacular experienc-es of the elegant, high-end, uppercrust lifestylehighlighted in its world-class super luxury hos-pitality havens to ingest these truths.

Dubai’s ever metamorphosing and emerg-ing skyline is proof enough. We sized up themegamoths of hospitality icons that dazzle intheir own might and right, the finest of themall radiating warmth and spatial flair, thrilling-ly their very own.

The city’s incomparable, cutting-edge hospi-tality legends set the premier example forothers in India and the world to be inspired by,engaging the globe’s most talented resourcesand minds to create nextgen masterpieces.

Burj Al Arab

24-carat LuxuryWithout CompareCelebrated and acknowledged as the mostluxurious hotel in the world, this iconic, glo-bally renowned, tallest all-suites seven starcolossus on it’s own eco-designed man-madeisland has redefined hospitality excellenceway ahead of conviction. From their bespokeRolls-Royce limousine pick up from the air-port to the traditional Arabian welcome withcardamom coffee, dates and flowers to thegrand luxury en-suite check-in to exclusiveevening champagne and caviar to spectacularocean views of The Palm and the glitteringDubai skyline, platinum elegance and luxurywrapped us with singular distinction.

Pure, expressively bold and pristinelybright natural tones radiate customisedwarmth in every living area of the lavishlyappointed hotel, redolent with it’s leit-motifBurj Al Arab

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WORLD VIEW

ments spiral to tizzying height. We are talkingabout the tallest and most awesomely engi-neered and designed architectural icon inthe world – the Burj Khalifa and it's fabulousboutique signature Armani hotel within. Atit's footsteps across pleasing water bodies isthe sprawling, mind teasing designer DubaiMall – the world’s biggest.

As we sailed into the steel-and-glass multi-linear flourish of the dedicated entrance ofbespoke Armani Hotel Dubai, a quietly un-derstated aura ushered us within it's avantgarde environs laid out with minimalisticflair. This designer hotel conceived and creat-ed by world renowned designer GiorgioArmani bears his legendary stamp in all its de-sign features and structural accomplishments.

Located within the stunning Burj Khalifa,this super deluxe luxury haven occupies lev-els concourse to eight, thirty eight and thirtynine commanding breathtaking views of thecity. The oval reception and lounge extendslanguorously, ensconced in steel-arched vi-sual columns, an exhilarating calm exudedby matt metallic tones interspersed withshades of bright furnishings and crisp floralblooms all canopied within tall, floor-to-ceil-ing beige cascade drapes. Expansive andquietly sophisticated, the environs envelop

your calm pace into elevators opening out todeisgner glass and glow suite lobbies in dif-fused, carefully calibrated ambience.

In our Fountain Suite we explored the fu-turistic features…kiss-touch single pointremote controls for wide ceiling-to-floorwindows opening out to jaw dropping viewsof the fantastic man-made Dubai Fountain,the Downtown and the swish city scapesopening out with theatrical oomph. Moodlighting, security check and access, broad-band TV internet and bespoke Armaniaccessories and designer linen add to theultimate decadence and comfort. By night,on the latest water feature below the BurjKhalifa, we stood speechless and bewil-dered with the seamlessly gracefulpyrotechnics displayed on sashaying waltz-ing musical fountain waves against the steel-and-mirrored backdrops of this magnificentnew architectural icon.

The Armani Hotel Dubai blends state-of-the-century technology and flawlessconvenience features with gracious high-endlifestyle and grandeur that's understated yetenormously opulent. An example of mea-sured interior design credo packed withpractical next-century architecture dynamics,an inspiration for India's rapidly evolving

hospitality industry in dire need of indige-nous, globally-focused, environmentsensitive credo with unplagiarising creativityas its foundation.

Dar Al Masyaf – Madinat Jumeirah

Arabian Grandeur onthe LagoonsThe traditional Abra glides gently across thelagoons fringed with graceful date palms,‘Barjeels’ or eco-designed Arabian wind tow-ers overlooking naturally landscaped gardens,lush turfed acres and the glorious Arabianseafront. In the grand luxury environs of Ma-dinat Jumeirah, Dubai’s Arabian-styledretreat, the Dar Al Masyaf is personalised,premium lifestyle with a difference. The tra-ditional courtyard-graced summer houses ofold Arabia are the inspiration for the expan-sively designed stand-alone, two-storeyhouses. All the villas are on the waterway’sedge, idyllic, shady paths winding their waythrough the richly landscaped gardens withample profusion of all-season colorfulblooms and calming green alcoves.

The Dar Al Masyaf Gulf summer housesopen out to the white sandy beach and en-sconce within them liberally designed one to

Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel


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WORLD VIEW

three guest rooms. Traditional hand-plas-tered, weather-sensitive interiors withcontemporary flair blend with soft earthy ter-ra tones and Arabian objects of art. As yourbutler looks after all your needs, you reclinein the lounge, stirring up your fine diningsojourn with a crisp aperitif.

As the shadows lengthen across the azurewaves beyond, cheery lights and spots liveup the romance of the night, the villas regal-ing in mood-lit soft glows, the sounds of theRabab and Darbouka wafting in the breeze.Energy-saving lighting all over the land-scaped lagoons and villas ensure easynegotiation of walking paths, cheerfully rope-lit Arabian tents with lavish loungingupholstery add romance around the islandsand landing steps, structured with custom-ised natural stone. The feel-at-hometranquility is total and invigorating.

Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel DubaiCross-continentalJourney in LuxuryWe followed the footsteps of the great travel-ler Ibn Battuta, scaling the heights of thisultra-luxurious 396-rooms five star landmarkwith it's iconic leit motif 60 meter higharched gate, adjacent to the world famousthemed Ibn Battuta Mall. Intricately craftedgiant Moroccan chandeliers light up the spa-cious Bahou atrium as traditional Moroccandécor and interiors with calming water foun-tains offer instant tranquility. TraditionalArabian cardamom coffee and dates com-plete the introduction for us.

Swiss global hospitality excellence ofMoevenpick Hotels reflect in the chic, con-temporary design in themed living areas andpublic spaces, handcrafted artistry waltzingwith modern co-ordinates in profusion. IbnBattuta’s cross continental travels and expe-riences are opulently frozen in fascinatingtheme suites inspired by Andalusia to Moroc-co to India, China, Russia, Tanzania, Persia,Turkey, Egypt and Thailand.

All Ibn Battuta theme suites radiate unhin-dered affluence in design, collectibles,furnishings, space, tones, undulatingly lus-cious comfort in velvet and calf leatherupholstery, linens, private spaces, baths andamenities. In the Moroccan-themed Execu-tive Lounge choicest cocktails, world winesand hors d’oeuvres usher in a fabulous finedining selection. ‘Shanghai Chic’ celebratesChinese fine dining with Oriental pomp,

‘Chor Bazaar’ rates numero uno in Dubai’sIndian fine dining excellence. ‘Sicilia’ offersunforgettable home-made fare in Osteria-styled earthy, siena and rust-toned alluringdécor complete with seasoned wine barrelsand vintage magnums. A living journey intouniquely evocative thematic design and ar-chitectural accomplishment.

Jumeirah Emirates Towers

Towering TriangularTriumphOne of Dubai’s most recognisable, iconiclandmarks on the sprawling, hyper-stylishSheikh Zayed Road, is the Jumeirah EmiratesTowers with it’s triangular pinnacle – home toultra-modern, equilateral shaped, cutting-edgearchitecture and avant garde interior designwithin all glass and matt steel flourish. Risingmajestically to 51 floors above the Dubai sky-line and financial hub, this leit motif edifice

celebrates uber chic European design in it’sinteriors, dynamic linear layout and furniture,grand views of the lush green financial districtand an interesting art gallery.

We were shown around the exclusive, pri-vate ‘ladies only’ Chopard Floor on level 40for executive women, serviced only by wom-en with bespoke interiors and furnishings andamenities. With premium dining outlets andan effervescing lounge bar, the icing on thecake of this luxury business hotel is it’s level50 fine wining and dining restaurant – VU’sfamed for French finesse with global flavors.The views obviously left us continuously awestruck. Minimalism is not overrated here, in-stead excitement prevails in color on theentrance water cascades with changing fluo-rescent strobe lights, the lobby with opensunshine brilliance and floral arrangementsand suave polished teakwood features thatadd zing to sophistication. ■

by KISHORE AND SMITA IYENGAR

Jumeirah Emirates Towers

44


The latest Hotel Price Index report byHotels.com indicates a clear pricerise in hotels in popular destinationsacross the country. The report says

one key reason for the price rise could be theincrease in domestic travel because the Ru-pee has struggled against foreign currencies.Indians have become more cost consciousand are possibly making trips to destinationswithin India.

“The depreciating value of the rupeeagainst most of the other currencies could bea key reason for the upswing in domestic trav-el. This has also resulted in hotel room ratesrising at popular destinations like Jaipur, Goaand Manali as per the current HPI report. Cit-ies like New Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbaialso show a hike in room rates because theyare preferred halt destinations for travellers asthey are business and cultural hubs. They arealso well-connected to other tourist destina-tions,” says Rajiv Malhotra, head ofmarketing, South East Asia, Hotels.com.

Major cities such as New Delhi, Bengalu-ru, Chennai, Ahmedabad have shown a hikein room rates. Average room price in NewDelhi has seen a 9% increase toRs 5,914 and prices in Mumbai are up by 3%to Rs 6,539. Bengaluru, the Garden City hasalso seen a 5% rise to Rs 4,595 in hotel roomrates. Chennai experienced only a marginalprice rise of 1% to Rs 4,707.

Popular tourist hotspots in India have seendouble digit growth in hotel room rates. Mysorehas shown the highest rise of 19% with averageroom rates at Rs 3,111. Jaipur, also has showna whopping 13% rise in hotel room rates to takethe average room rates to Rs 3,854 while thecity of Agra known for its magnificent Taj Ma-hal, has witnessed a 16% rise to Rs 4,418. Goa,the most favourite beach destination, is not farbehind with a 12% increase in hotel room rates.Manali, one of the favourite hill stations for citydwellers in the north, has shown a significantrise of 8% to Rs 2,428.

The report also highlights that this is a

HOSPITALITY REPORT

good time for Indians to travel abroad asroom rates in countries like Germany, SouthAfrica, Canada and Japan have seen a signif-icant fall. The survey which claims to haveinputs from 1.42 lakh properties in more than19,800 global locations also shed light onone of the key expenses in tourism.

The HPI survey is conducted across 142,000properties in more than 19,800 global locations.

Average hotel prices in 2011 compared to 2010

Destination 2011 2010 % changeMumbai 6,539 6,376 3%New Delhi 5,914 5,404 9%Chennai 4,707 4,660 1%Bengaluru 4,595 4,356 5%Agra 4,418 3,805 16%Goa 4,224 3,777 12%Jaipur 3,854 3,410 13%Manali 2,428 2,250 8%

(prices in INR)

Note: The HPI is based on bookings made onHotels.com and prices shown are those actually paidby customers (rather than advertised rates) in 2011. ■

A recent survey by Hotels.com indicates that there has been an increase in roomrates in India. In New Delhi, hotel room rates show a whopping 9% rise in the

second half of 2011 against the corresponding period the previous year.

Rising Demand Driving Up Indian Hotel Prices:

HOTEL PRICE INDEX REPORT


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46


RECENT CUTLERY TRENDSIN THE INDUSTRY

The F&B industry in the country is experiencinginnovations and changes. Nitin Sharma highlights

some of the changes for us

One of the most sought after items inthe hospitality industry is the cutlery.Nowadays, manufacturers are dedi-cated to delivering new and

innovative trends to the hotels/restaurants for oth-ers to envy or to follow. Modern flatware optionsare increasingly widening and are influenced bymany factors at large. The ever increasing dynam-ics might sound too many to elaborate, howeverI would like to highlight a few important ones.

Restaurant Positioning or Concept – It is ofa very prime importance that all the equipmentsand fixtures planned for a particular establish-ment, reflect an aura accordingly. It has beennoticed that high end establishments prefer to useestablished brands like Christofle. Choice of flat-ware is also affected by the style of interiors,colour scheme, crockery pattern and design.

Menu Pricing and Quality of products of-fered – An intelligent pairing of exclusivedelicacies with outstanding tableware is also aprized possession for the food lovers globally. Afood item like the rarest caviar paired with a vin-tage wine is naturally supposed to have a pricetag to it which would match the product worth.Thus, the stature of the associated ambience,décor, seating, crockery and silverware has tomatch the worth equally.

“The immenseinnovation in F&B

has mandateddynamism in

flatware design andit is understood that

the cutlery mustseek harmony in

opposing forces.”

GUEST COLUMN

Type of cuisine and Menu Items - Recallingthe gastronomic pattern which we have observedover the past couple of years, focus has tremen-dously moved from a single main component ofmeal plus accompaniments to a bouquet of fla-vours and textures, shapes and forms. Designs ofthe tableware also get influenced by the style ofcuisine offered e.g. Asian, European etc. Heaviertextured items like steaks would require a heavierblade and thus goes the silver. Nowadays, we cansee a plethora of products emanating like chop-stick styled forks, marrow spoons for nalli etc. Theimmense innovation in terms of the cuisines andrecipes has also mandated dynamism in flatwaredesign and it is understood that the cutlery mustseek harmony in opposing forces, softness withstructure along with strength and lightness.

Ambience and Utility – Swanky establish-ments, hip places and concept venues oftendemand something unique like coloured, lit upcutleries, polycarbonate for pool side and schools.There is a very interesting variety of flatware avail-able that needs to be paired wisely and efficiently.

Hygiene and Safety – In an era where medi-cal technology is advancing day by day, by leapsand bounds, so is the knowledge about healthy liv-ing. Food grade materials, stainless silver etc. arepredominant while we see EPNS trend fadingaway.

Preferred grade is 18/10 (18% Steel and 10%Nickel mix) in the cutlery. The thickness startsfrom 3 mm (lightest) to 9 mm (heaviest). Most ofthe all day dining restaurants prefer to use thelighter cutlery and specialty restaurants opt forheavier ones. Some recommended productbrands are Sambonnet – Italy, WMF – Germany,Forpessa – Sola – Netherlands and Bara from Thai-land, Guy Degrenne from France and Christoflefrom France.

The author isdirector – Food & Beverage

Crowne Plaza New Delhi Rohini


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Food spoilage and contamination isone of the major challenges in frontof the hotel and restaurant industryin India. With regard to the rules

and regulations laid out under FSSAI Act,Federation of Hotel & RestaurantAssociations of India has framed a list ofsuggestions with more hotel industry specificrules, standards and penalties – consideringthe cultural diversity as well socio economicsituation prevalent across all regions – so asto ensure that a progressive law isimplemented in a cordial manner.

With regard to the fact that the hotelindustry was never consulted as a separateindustry within the food industry, FHRAI hassuggested that Food Safety and StandardsAct (FSSA) should constitute a High PowerCommittee (HPC) comprising hotel industryexperts and Food Safety and StandardsAuthority of India (FSSAI) representatives todraft the proposed standards, guidance ortraining modalities.

According to the association, the currentstandards are not very supportive to thefarming community. The association believesthat both the farmer and Food BusinessOperators (FBO’s) must be protected and wellguided with reasonable changes made to thisnew act.

Food ChecklistWith regard to the rules and regulations

Even as Food Safety &Security Authority of India

(FSSAI) plansimplementation of FoodSafety Act 2011, FHRAIhas come up with a list of

suggestions andrecommendations toimprove and properlyimplement the act.

INDUSTRY REPORT

framed in the FSSAI Act, FHRAI has come upwith an exhaustive list of suggestions. Hereare the excerpts:☛ For fresh license a well equipped lab isdemanded:FHRAI recommends that labs that followestablished test procedure and are identifiedby the Federation or accepted by theindustry as reliable agencies may beaccepted by FSSAI, because the associationmembers need better access and acceptmore practical solution in this regard.☛ Preconditions for license Annexure-3point no 4 demands certain qualification ascompulsory:According to FHRAI, many hoteliers andrestaurant owners are reasonably educated,qualified, possess enough knowledge tomaintain hygiene and take care ofproduction process as they have been doingit for generations. They may not have a foodtech, bio tech, hotel management or cateringdiploma/degree but may have donecommerce or management courses. Thecriteria will make business expansion verydifficult. Most of these appointed graduateskeep switching jobs. At one hand we areactively told to encourage and employ whohave short term certificates from nationalskill development courses, etc. Also, theindustry is facing severe manpower crisis andsuch conditions will make it even moreworse.

☛ Many restaurants have central kitchenwith many outlets so also the bakery/confectionary units. Do such FBO’s apply forone license? Greater clarity is called for:If it be separate license for many units/outletswithin one city supplied from one productioncentre then the fee is prohibitive. We strong-ly recommend that a single license be given

FHRAI SUGGESTS NORMSFOR FOOD SAFETY

FHRAI SUGGESTS NORMSFOR FOOD SAFETY


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schedule 4 says 60ºC, now in your checklistit is mentioned as 70ºC. We have time andagain validated this process and it is 65ºC forall food stuff other than chicken where thecore temp must be 70ºC.☛ Transportation of food in vehicles withtemperature control:Is unnecessary as in many cases restaurants,hoteliers and caterers do not normally carryprepared food for locations beyond twohours of travel for serving, then why wouldwe need it? Cold food is taken in ice packboxes or a pilfer proof; closed vehicle is finebut not this precondition. Hence thiscondition should not be mandatory.☛ About 150 insecticide residues are given:The association will have to test for itsabsence or limit in say 100’s of items it willcost more than annual turnover of anindividual FBO.☛ In food additive standards andregulation 3.1.2 (6) states that syntheticcolours may be permitted only in savouries(dalmoth, mongia, phululab, sago papad,dal biji only):In a nation as big and varied as ours whysavouries across the nation have not beenincluded, most of the items like ice cream,soft drinks, confectioneries, biscuitsconsumed by children (who are moresusceptible to health hazards) are allowed tohave colours. Similarly, milk products likeice cream, flavored milk, yoghurts & sweetsare allowed to have colours where as it is notpermitted in shrikhand, however, it is a sweetand milk product too. This policy is notuniform and hence the purpose appears tobe irrational. Therefore, it is suggested thatnecessary relaxation in the said issue beconsidered taking due consideration of thelocal culture, recipes, demographics etc. Thehoteliers, restaurants and caterers have notbeen well consulted before.☛ Cooked oil not to be reused:This is difficult but should go by thedefinition like rancidity or pH values,because the auditors who are unexposed tothe industry may be unaware of our industryrequirements.☛ Should not mention that FBO must havewater purifier:The Government supplies/provides potablewater through local administration whichshould be accepted as the same is welltreated. This condition could be imposedonly in the event the supply from localadministration is absent.

INDUSTRY REPORT

Amendments RequiredWhile the following suggestions need to beamended in the requirement conditions forlicense● Chilling of food is broadly classified and itis mentioned as less than 5ºC:Industrial practice for uncooked but cut,peeled, mixed, soaked vegetarian items hasto be 3 – 7ºC not exceeding 24 hours● Chutney storage is to be stored either infood grade plastic material or glasscontainers:This has to read as food grade material only● It is mentioned as all fruits and vegetableswhich are to be served uncooked must bewashed in 50ppm chlorine:This must read as those which are washed,must be done in an appropriate mannerwith an acceptable sanitizing liquid likechlorine for example and not beyond50ppm. The same must be validated for itsefficacy by the operators’ quality assuranceteam from time to time● Food kept in display must be disposed is avery vague expression:Cooked food with gravy or completelyprepared salad in buffet, prepared chutneysor such accompaniments as deemed unfit forreuse or rework as normally acknowledged incatering practice, may be discarded● Recommendation on food transportfrom say a central kitchen to the point ofsale and transport from point of sale topoint of catering:In both cases temperatures mentioned arevery general. It is an accepted industrialpractice in catering, that it is ensured thatproduction is planned, keeping in mindmaximum window period of 31/2 hrs – hotfood stays hot and cold food stays cold.There are quite a few items that cannot bekept beyond 60ºC temperature as they maylose their quality and wholesomeness.It would be better to state this range isrecommended and in specific dishessuch temperature range which is validated.For prepared food in both cold foodprocess and hot food process, a clearmicrobiological criterion is required. FSSAIshould declare that for food and waterrelated matters as far as restaurant andhotels are concerned, No other agencyshould demand another license or test etc.other than for Effluents Pollution ControlBoard. ■

by TEAM HOTELSCAPES

in such cases where only conditions of hy-giene may be insisted on every point of sale.☛ Clarity on transfer of license.In restaurants cross branding and switchingfrom one culinary style chain to another isvery common and frequent, while there isclarity on transfer in case of death the issueof normal transfers has to be well spelt out.The association believes that this willencourage trade and as such transfer isallowed in other licenses also.☛ Cooking temperature for hot food is 65ºC:The hygiene requirement under part V of

FHRAI believes thatboth the farmer andFood BusinessOperators (FBO’s) mustbe protected and wellguided with reasonablechanges made to thisnew act

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PLEASE DON’T MIND THEBARKING DEER…

INNOVATION

The concept of art cafes is not exactly alien to the average Delhiite; there are many malls with cozy littleboutique cafes where art and mocha go hand-in-hand. But if you are looking for a slice of Nature to greet

you as you come out of a screening of ‘The Bicycle Thief’’orcheck out handicrafts made by gifted local craftsmen amid ver-dant surroundings then place your order at the Bodhi Tree Café.This art café is in Bhagsunag, two kilometres from Dharamsala,more popular for its waterfalls and a Shiva Temple. A large chunkof domestic traffic to Dharamsala is headed towards this touristylittle place – a quick getaway preferred by families from nearbyDelhi and other places to mix picnic with pilgrimage.

Walk into the café and you are greeted with different facetsof art – be it world cinema, sculpture, installation or locallysourced handicraft. And if the trek – only moderately difficult –from Dharamsala has your appetite going north, the menupromises a delectable spread: Indian, Italian, Continental andorganic ‘soul food’. Wash these down with an array of energy-rich milk shakes, herbal teas or coffee blends. The café also hason offer different meditational and recreational activities includ-ing the usual fare like trekking and hiking. You can even opt for

an exhilarating tour of the area guided by courteous locals. Ifyou are up to it, we suggest you do the overnight trek to Triund.Now, why we suggest this one is because one, it is an overnighttrek. And a close second is because once you reach Triund,you are at the mercy of Nature – you have to hire tents from thelocal dhaba and sleep under the open sky! And pretty muchworth the panting effort as you will be in the nearest snowlinein the whole Himalayan range.

Back to Bodhi Café, enjoy the frequent live musical perfor-mances by visiting artistes as well as exhibitions and filmscreenings. The café is the fruition of a long-cherished dreamof photographer Anand Seth and Roy Dipankar who was A&Rwith a music label. Their illustrious stints in respective careersare evident in the art collection and décor – a classic white-beige-khaki with white textured brick walls. Whether youchose to immerse yourself in that hardbound or indulge innothing, this is where you should be.

And while you are at it, you might be joined by a barkingdeer or a friendly langur: the Dhauladhar Ridge in upperDharamsala is their home and you are in their backyard. ■

by THOMMEN JOSE

…or the chattering langur, for that matter. Because the Bodhi Tree Caféis in Bhagsunag, in the lush green foothills of the Himalayan Dhauladhar

Ridge, upper Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh


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52


THE SECRET OF ANANDA’S SUCCESSAnanda in the Himalayas is the last word when it comes to spa inIndia. The spa has not only won accolades for itself but has also

put India on the global map for best destinations. Luis Molina, thespa manager tells us what makes Ananda different from others...

The rising costs of commodities and anincrease in the standard of living inIndia – both have added to the woesand worries of the citizens of the

country. Be it working professionals, students, orhomemakers stress has become synonymous withthe daily lives of people; and to bust the myth,stress is not just a momentary feeling of tension.It has a long lasting impact on health – fatigue,lack of interest and motivation, feeling depressed,headaches, loss of sleep and muscular tension.

Ask anyone who has been able to come out ofthis stressful state and you will be astonished atthe similarities in how they all approached it. Amajority will confess that they focussed on takingtime out for themselves, reached out toprofessionals for discipline and support, andcreated a healthy mind and body balance. Formany who have taken that first step, the secondand third steps are then left in the able hands ofprofessionals like Ananda in the Himalayas, ratedamongst the leading destination spas in theworld.

From the very first step towards Ananda, stresslevels start to fall away; you don’t worry aboutwhat to pack or whether you will look your bestas you do on any other normal break. All our

“Our stressmanagement

treatments use achoice of

grounding,detoxifying and

invigoratingproducts. ”

GUEST COLUMN

guests get into the pristine white hand wovensignature Ananda kurta pyjamas and this becomesstandard wear throughout their stay. The firsttreatment at the spa is the next moment of truth.The very act of surrendering to the professionaltouch of the holistic therapists reduces stresslevels. Physical touch, which we tend to lose outon in our daily city lives, instantly relieves tensionand blood pressure.

Our stress management treatments use achoice of grounding, detoxifying and invigoratingproducts. Grounding, which is the ultimate instress reduction, uses a combination of pureessential oils of Sandalwood – which nourishes–the mind, body and soul, Rose – which balances,and Vetiver (khus – India’s indigenous Oil ofTranquility) which cools and grounds, to createthe signature Ananda solution. Hydrotherapytreatment which uses high pressure jets of warmwater infused with essential oils of Vetiver andLemon is extremely effective in grounding andcleansing the system. Creating the right cuisine isalso important. In consultation with our Chefs, adiet low in fatty foods is created, as these requiremore energy to burn. Drinking plenty of water andeating five portions of fruit and vegetables per dayhelps hydrate the body as well as remove toxins.

The Ananda Stress Management programmefocuses primarily on assisting you to experienceand implement various mind and bodytechniques based on the concepts andphilosophies of Yoga, Meditation, Pranayamaand Ayurveda, for creating positive changes,reducing and managing stress and enhancingsynergy in your life through a balancedapproach.

A large percentage of our guests who sign onfor Stress Management, Detox, or Rejuvenationprogrammes are business leaders or seniormanagers who have decided that they need tomake this effort in order to contribute better bothat work and at home. Many write back tomention how the experience made a reallypositive impact and how they view it as anecessary part of their lifestyle going forward. ■


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54


CSR

One of the most recognizablelounge bars in Connaught Placeis QBA. It has been and stillstands out as a hotspot for

many. But there is another side of QBA andthat is of a generous contributor to compas-sionate issues. Although, they have not beeninvolved with any CSR activities in a big wayearlier, but they have tried to support groupslike People for Animals by trying to donatesome money out of every billing done intheir restaurant.

Moving forward, QBA has extended itsCSR activities to another area now and that isGreen and Clean Delhi campaign. QBA hastried to generated awareness in the cityabout the importance of a cleaner and agreener environment. According to RachitKapoor, media and marketing manager, WGHospitality, “It is not something which peo-

ple do now know about, but it is just that it istaken so casually and for granted that wethought it is important to generate awarenessregarding this important issue.”

The CSR activity by QBA saw the restaurantemployees walking through entire ConnaughtPlace picking up garbage. Symbolically, theemployees wore a green jersey which had agraphic message about a clean and green cityand environment. Wearing a disposable gloveand carrying a garbage bag, the employeespicked up garbage from the roads and tried toremind people about their duty to the environ-ment. An additional highlight of the campaignwas the participation of Mr. Khosla who is 92years old and passionately took part in theclean walk. The activity happens once everymonth and QBA plans to move it to other areasas well, where there are other QBA outlets.

On being asked, what was different about

Generating awareness and trying to spread themessage of cleaner and greener environment that isthe latest CSR activity that QBA has planned. For themit is about getting different people together for causeand trying to make a big change.

Q’BA: Marching theStreets of CP for a Cause

QBA’s environment related CSR activity, ascompared to other environment CSR relatedactivities, Kapoor said, “We believe, every bigchange starts with a small effort and we havechosen environment because it is definitelythe most deterring factor today, in India. ”

Along with CSR being the way to giveback to the society, Rachit has a very interest-ing perspective on why CSR is important forQBA. “Other than that it is our moral duty, todo something for the society, it is not abouthow different we are from other, it is ratherabout getting different people together andtrying to make a change.” said Kapoor.

The activity started in mid-march with ateam of 50 people in Connaught Place at 8:30in the morning and lasted approximately forover an hour. Delhi Diary and the RotaryClub also partnered QBA in the event. ■

by APRAJITA SHISHOO


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CSR

Taj Hotels and Resorts changed the way of life for theBanarasi sari weavers through their CSR initiative.From being exploited, the weavers went on toshowcase their hand made stuff at the in-houseTaj lifestyle store, Taj Khazana.

Banarasi Sari Weavers Geta New Lease of Life

ey lenders and were not getting their due. Theexploitation was so deep that they had to takeextreme steps like selling their blood at bloodbanks to survive and selling their looms forfirewood.” said Mrs. Krishna Kumar.

They contacted an NGO, identifiedaround three villages and decided to workwith 25 master-weavers. Initially the weaverswere a bit skeptical in accepting the compa-ny but gradually when it supplied the basicslike food, shelter, water pumps and solarlights that is when the weavers developedsome confidence.

The first Banarasi sari woven was for theTaj Palace Mumbai front office staff in 2007.“The hand-woven Banarasi sari is a classicexample of revival which can take twoweeks to make,” says Sarita Hegde Roy, chiefoperating officer, Taj Khazana (Taj’s in-houselifestyle store). Since then there have been

Taj Hotels and Resorts have alwaysbeen committed to giving back tothe community in which they oper-ate. For several years now, Taj has

been trying to help the traditional artisansand craftsmen in the country. In fact, the TajCorporate Social Responsibility has alwaysrevolved around the “Paramparik Karigar”wherein they have always tried to help andsupport these craftsmen. One of the mostsplendid ideas was using handloom saris asuniforms across all the Taj luxury properties.

The idea came to Mrs. Krishna Kumar, wifeof Mr. R.K. Krishna Kumar, vice chairman, In-dian Hotels Company Ltd., when she saw adocumentary on the Benaras weavers. “Wewere so moved with the plight of the weaversthat we decided to use the saris by theseweavers for the uniforms. The weavers werebeing exploited by the middlemen and mon-

many saris that the staff at the Taj Hotels andResorts have been wearing that have beenwoven by these artisans. Other than these in-itiatives, Taj has helped change the lives ofthese weavers in many ways. Weavers’ chil-dren were educated, provided with meals andgiven books. A medical camp was initiatedfor these artisans and an eye camp was con-ducted where those weavers who neededspectacles were provided with those. Educa-tion for the children of these weavers wasinitiated with the help of Krishnamurthy Foun-dation and they were also taught weaving asa subject at school; in fact looms were set upat schools for the children to understand thecraft of weaving. Over and above this, if anyweaver fell sick, he was provided with a basicmeal so that he could sustain himself.

The weavers are in a better position thanever before and there is change in the villagefor better. The weavers don’t have to spenda penny on buying the yarn, card cutting oranything else, every raw material is providedto them by the Taj Group, they just have toweave it and are paid accordingly. There areno mediators involved.

Other than saris, the weavers have alsomade cotton silk saris, cushion covers, geor-gettes, special gifts, home collection,napkins, dress materials. All these materialsare showcased at the Taj Khazana store at Tajproperties. ■

by APRAJITA SHISHOO

56


Chefs and Restaurateurs Awardedat Eros Hotel, Nehru Place

EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

The Eros Hilton, Nehru Place played host to the Food and NightlifeAwards – Gourmet Gurus 2012 – in May. The awards were hosted bythe celebrity chef Kunal Kapoor and emcee Sonali Gupta. The Gourmet Gurus 2012 was the second edition of Food and Nightlife awards

– a night to felicitate and recognise people from the industry, who have contrib-uted and excelled immensely in the food industry. The highlight of the eventwas the launch of the May 12th issue of Food and Nightlife by the Bollywood starJimmy Shergill with him on the cover.

The evening also witnessed top chefs, restaurateurs, F&B journalists and ce-lebrities grace the event. Among others, those who were present were Taz (StereoNation), Chef Shaun Kenworthy, Food & Travel writer Rupali Dean, Ramola Bach-chan and Jatin Kochhar.

The evening was kept alive by the wonderful cooking demos given by Mas-ter chefs Ajay Chopra and Shaun Kenworthy. Other performances included alive sufi act by Nizami Bandhu of ‘Rockstar’ fame. And because the event wasto celebrate food, adding spice was the vada pav and Jhaal moodi which werespecially flown in from Mumbai and Kolkata respectively.And the winners are:Gourmet Gurus: Award Categories for Best Chefs in different categoriesNorth Indian Food – Vinod Saini, Master Chef Indian Cuisine, The Leela PalaceDelhiCoastal Food – Saneesh Varghese, Amaranta, The Oberoi GurgaonModern Indian – Manish Mehrotra, IHCBakery & Confectionary – Thomas Blanchard, L’OperaItalian Cuisine – Alessandro Sandrolini, Hyatt Regency DelhiInternational Cuisine – Sabyasachi Gorai, Olive, DelhiPan Asian Cuisine – Veena Arora, The Imperial HotelFood Styling – Yutaka Saito, Japanese chef de cuisine, The Leela Palace DelhiInnovations – Bakshish DeanEntrepreneur – Ritu DalmiaFusion – Mickey Bhoite, Le Cirque The Leela Palace, New Delhi ■

Thomas Blanchard with his award

Chef Sabyasachi Gorai receiving the award from KC Chautani of Dabur

Chef Kunal Kapoor


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AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

MEGU New York became the first ever Japanese hospitality firm

to receive the coveted Interna-tional Six-Star Diamond Awardby American Academy of Hospi-tality Sciences (AAHS) at aglittering ceremony held recent-ly in New York City.

The award ceremony was at-tended by Donald Trump Jr,Miss USA, Tomaczek Bednarek,Anne Hathaway, Adam Shul-man, Tony Lo Bianco and RitaCosby among many other distin-guished guests.

The International Star Dia-

mond Award is reserved only forthe industry’s creme de la creme.

The award was given to MEGUin recognition of its food presen-tations, the distinctly authenticyet modern interiors, custom-made dishes and cutlery and theexclusive dining experience.

Joseph Cinque, presidentand CEO of the American Acad-emy of Hospitality Sciences said,“No doubt, the core aspects ofMEGU’s service, cuisine and therestaurant itself are daring, pol-ished and superb, but it’s theincarnation of what’s incredible,even unbelievable, that’s immor-

talising MEGU. We’re thrilled torecognise all the artistic integrity,conscientious efforts and imagi-native talent that have shapedthis exquisite, highly differentiat-ed fine-dining experience. TheInternational Six Star DiamondAward is a well-deserved ‘toast’to the taste and texture of whatdefines MEGU.”

Koichi Yokoyama, president,MEGU was understandably elat-ed. He said, “Receiving this awardis an honor within our industry. Itdemonstrates our ability toachieve extraordinary excellenceat all our restaurants worldwide

Japanese Restaurant Chain MEGU Wins thePrestigious International Six-Star Diamond Award

It was a clean sweep by Taj InnerCircle,the frequent guest programme of the TajHotels Resorts and Palaces at the Freddie

Awards which were recently held in the NewYork City.

Taj InnerCircle was voted for the best ho-tel programme of the year, best redemption

and inspires us to remember thesuccess we are capable of achiev-ing.”

MEGU which means “bless-ing” in Japanese serves authenticJapanese cuisine with an avant-garde flair. MEGU New York wasestablished in 2004 and is theflagship restaurant to four addi-tional MEGU restaurants at thefollowing international locations– Midtown (New York); the LotteHotel in Moscow; The Pearl inDoha; The Leela Palace in NewDelhi; and The Alpina Gstaad inGstaad, Switzerland, opening De-cember 2012.

Taj InnerCircle Wins Three MajorCategories at the Freddie Awards

ability and best customer service for the Mid-dle East, Asia and Oceania regions.

Deepa Misra Harris, sr. vice president –sales & marketing, Indian Hotels CompanyLimited, said, “We are extremely delightedand proud to have been voted as one of thebest hotel programmes in three categories by

our guests and to be benchmarked with theworld’s best. This recognition from our es-teemed patrons reiterates our commitmentto deliver consistent value and experiencesto Taj InnerCircle members.”

Under The Taj InnerCircle programme amember can earn points for frequently stay-ing or eating out at various Taj properties.

The members can redeem these points forattractive rewards and enjoy member-exclu-sive benefits like price-offs on Taj Holidays,special offers on room tariffs, restaurants, pri-vate jets and spas across all their brands – Taj,Vivanta by Taj, Gateway Hotels and Ginger.

Voters from three global regions: Ameri-cas, Middle East/ Asia/ Oceania and Europe/Africa vote for the best frequent travel pro-grames in seven categories like Programmeof the Year, Best Promotion for Earning, BestPromotion for Redemption, Best RedemptionAbility, Best Customer Service, Best Elite Pro-gram and Best Loyalty Credit Card.

Freddie Awards honours excellence infrequent travel programmes and were intro-duced in the year 1988.


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58


People…JW Marriott MumbaiGagandeep Singh has been appoint-ed director of operations of JWMarriott Mumbai. In his new role, hewill be responsible for activitiesranging from analysing companyoperations to identifying opportuni-ties and areas in need ofmodification or elimination. He willalso prepare budgets and marketingstrategies, will set targets for the ho-tel and manage staff.

Gagandeep brings with him an experience of over 13 years. Hestarted his career with the Marriott and has been associated withPune Marriott Convention Centre Hotel, Goa Marriott, JW MarriottHotel Mumbai, Renaissance Mumbai Hotel and Convention Centreand Lake Side Chalet, Marriott Executive Apartments, Mumbai

Le Meridien KochiChandan Thakur has been appoint-ed director, Food and Beverage ofLe Meridien Kochi. In his new role,he will be responsible for the F&Boutlets of the hotels along with con-ference and banqueting facilities.

Prior to this, Chandan wasworking with The Westin Pune asthe F&B Manager. He has also beenassociated with hotel brands likeRajvilas, Jaipur, Le Royal Meridien

Mumbai and Grand Hyatt Mumbai. Over the last 13 years in thehospitality industry, he has held many positions but his expertise liesin F&B.

Crowne Plaza TodayGurgaonShuvendu Banerjee has been ap-pointed director of sales andmarketing of Crowne Plaza TodayGurgaon. He will be responsible forthe sales and marketing initiativesfor the hotel.

Shuvendu has been with IHG ho-tels for over five years. Hesuccessfully launched Crowne PlazaRohini. He has also been associated

with various brands including Radisson, Welcom Group and JaypeeHotels. He is also a Certified Crowne Meetings Director from E-Cor-nell University.

The Claridges, Surajkund,Delhi, GNCRChandrayi Basuthakur has beenappointed director of sales of TheClaridges, Surajkund, Delhi, NCR.She will be responsible for businessexpansion while ensuring superiorclient service. She will also managethe core sales operations and willfocus on developing marketingstrategies.

Chandrayi brings on board a richexperience of over 15 years in the hospitality sector. She has beenassociated with premium hotels like Hyatt South Asia, The ShangriLa' Eros Hotel New Delhi, Taj Group of Hotels and the OberoiHotels.

Le Meridien, JaipurRajan Malhotra has been appointeddirector sales & marketing of Le Me-ridien, Jaipur. In his new role, he willbe responsible for organising and di-recting all sales and marketing effortsfor the resort while focusing on creat-ing and developing new markets andbusiness associations.

Rajan has a vast experience ofover a decade in the hospitality in-dustry and he has been associatedwith various premium hospitality brands in India and abroad.

The Westin PuneKoregaon ParkSonale Zagade has been appointeddirector – guest services & operation-al excellence. She joined the hotellast year and soon became an impor-tant contributor to the hotel’sfunctioning.

She has also been a part of LeRoyal Meridien, Mumbai and hasmade major contributions in thehotel winning the 5 Star DiamondAward for 2006, 2007, 2008 and2009 conferred by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.Sonale has also been the Quality Audit Champion for the hoteland was officially nominated as Operational ExcellenceChampion.


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People…Premier Inn, South AsiaVikram Malhotra has been appoint-ed vice president – development forSouth Asia (India, Sri Lanka andMaldives) of Premier Inn, SouthAsia. His primary role will be to de-velop and execute a strategicdevelopment plan for the expansionof the Premier Inn brand in SouthAsia.

He has an experience of nearly15 years in the hospitality industry

and has been associated with hotel brands including Radisson Ho-tels and Resorts and ITC Hotels and Resorts. He has also worked withKPMG, UAE as associate director – transaction services.

The Galaxy Hotel,Shopping and Spa,GurgaonPradipta Narayan Biswas has beenappointed general manager, HotelOperations of the Galaxy Hotel, Shop-ping and Spa, Gurgaon. In the spanof 18 years in the hospitality industry,he has been associated with brandssuch as the Orchid Mumbai, NovotelHyderabad, Grand Hyatt Delhi, Inter-continental Mumbai Sahar, ITC

Hotels, Leela Kempenski and Park Plaza Royal Palms Mumbai.Prior to joining, Pradipta was with the Orchid Mumbai and he

played an important role in opening of the New Wing of 120 rooms.Some of his strengths are revenue management, pricing, cost controland brand building.

The Metropolitan Hotel &SpaSanzeev Bhatia has been promotedas general manager of The Metropol-itan Hotel & Spa. In his new role, hewill be responsible for overall oper-ations, profitability, growth anddevelopment of the Metropolitanteam.

He has been associated with thehotel since 2005. A science graduatewith a diploma in Hotel Manage-

ment from India’s leading Institute of Hotel Management, he has anexperience of over 28 years in the industry.

The Claridges Hotels &ResortsOliver C. Martin has been appointedgeneral manager of The Claridges,New Delhi and regional general man-ager of The Claridges Hotels &Resorts. He will be responsible for thesuccessful running of The Claridges,New Delhi. He will also handle thecorporate operational responsibilitiesthat include The Claridges, Sura-jkund, The Claridges NabhaResidence, Mussoorie and The Atrium Delhi, NCR.

Oliver brings on board an experience of over 23 years in the hos-pitality industry. He has been associated with properties like One &Only in Maldives, Aman Palm Reef Resort, Leela Kempinski Mumbai,Part Hyatt Hamburg and Four Seasons in New York.???

Crowne Plaza NewDelhi RohiniRanjan Banerjee has been appointedgeneral manager of the Crowne PlazaNew Delhi Rohini. To assume his newrole, he moved from Crowne PlazaToday Gurgaon as Resident Manager.He will oversee hotel operations andguide the departments with effectivestrategies to achieve set targets.

Ranjan has an experience of over17 years in the hospitality industry. He has been associated withbrands like InterContinental Park Royal New Delhi, InterContinentalThe Grand, Mumbai, Crowne Plaza Resort Salalah Oman and CrownePlaza Saoltee Kathmandu.

Ista HyderabadMadhumita Mohanta has been ap-pointed executive chef of IstaHyderabad. In her new role, she willoversee the culinary operations at thehotel.

Prior to joining Ista Hyderabad,Madhumita was working at The Clar-idges Hotel, Delhi as the ExecutiveSous Chef. She is one of the very fewlady Executive Chefs to have beenassociated with the Indian hospitalityindustry for almost 15 years. She has been associated with premiumhospitality brands like The Park Kolkaya, Ritz-Carlton, Four Point bySheraton and The Claridges.

60


Products…World Bazaar Brings Swing

Chairs from PhilippinesWorld Bazaar introduces indoor and outdoor Swing Chairs from Philippines. The

swing chairs have been crafted with synthetic wicker and are moisture and UV raystolerant. The chairs require very little maintenance. They have been specially de-signed to beautify outdoor as well as indoor space. The design of the swing chairsmakes them ideal for reading, watching TV, web browsing or even taking a short nap.They are easy to clean and the cushions are made with water repellent fabric. Theypermit a maximum load weight of 120 Kg. The price range is Rs. 27,000 toRs. 55,000. For more information, call (011)-26502902

Loom Crafts has launched a brand newrange of all weather outdoor teak furniturefor the first time in India. It presents a widevariety of contemporary and traditional de-signs combined with ergonomicperformance to create furniture that can tru-ly transform the look of the outdoor setting.The range includes armchairs, seats, diningtables, sun loungers, coffee tables, chairs,bar stools & tables and sofas. Giving priorityto comfort and beauty, Loom Crafts usesonly the highest grade materials of earth-friendly teak of unparalleled value.For more information, visitwww.loomcrafts.com orcall +91-120-4561647

Loom Crafts PresentsOutdoor Teak FurnitureLoom Crafts Presents

Outdoor Teak Furniture

IDUS LaunchesDesigner Sideboards

by Cattelan ItaliaIDUS recently launched the finest collection of multi-

utility designer sideboards by the high-end brandCattelan Italia. The designs in this collection are all highlyutilitarian and engaging, both in dimension and style;they have been inspired by classic Italian designs andhave drawn the best out of trends and innovations. Thecollection has been designed to reflect elegance, innova-tion, beauty and utility. The price of the collection rangesfrom Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 2 lakh. For more information, call(011)-45888000


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Products…

Blackberry Overseas has introduced a brand new range of wooden framedmirrors. Apart from the purpose of personal grooming, mirrors can really addaesthetic and decorative elements to a room. The wooden framed mirrors col-lection of designer wall mirrors comes in various designs and shapes to suitvarying tastes. These mirrors are available in cherry wood, oak wood, wengewood and white fur wood. This range is available at the Pitam Pura, New Del-hi store of Blackberry Overseas and starts at Rs. 50,000. For more information,call (011)-47050973

Wooden Framed Mirrors byBlackberry Overseas

Maspar introduces its brand new collectioncalled Reconnect - an eclectic mix of naturalbrowns reconnecting you to the cultural rootsof India. It's a new range of casual andinformal bed linen in home fashion.Reconnect includes bed covers, duvet covers,pillow cases, cushion covers, curtains, sheetsand quilt collection in clove brown, moleskin,vanilla and oyster grey colours. You will findrhythmic stripes, grid chenille and culturedprints in this new collection. It is available atall the exclusive stores of Maspar. The priceranges from Rs 450 to Rs 7,495.For more information, visitwww.maspar.co.in.

Reconnect byMaspar

Chill Beer Faster with the NewHeineken Arctic Glass

Heineken® the iconic global beer brand hasintroduced a unique bar accessory, the Heineken®Arctic Glass, a double walled glass that chills beerwithin minutes. The way it works is simple: store thearctic glass in the freezer (-15oC to -25oC) for at least anhour; remove from freezer and pour room temperaturebeer into the glass; in minutes the Arctic Glass will chill

the beer to a perfect drinking temperature of around0°C to 2°C. This limited edition Arctic Glass areavailable in select premium retail outlets in Mumbai,Delhi, Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata from May 18, 2012.The Arctic Glasses are part of a marketing promotionand will be available on purchase of Heineken 24 pint(330 ml) cases and 12 quart (650 ml) cases

62


NEWS SNIPPETS

HYATT ANNOUNCES TWO MORE PROPERTIESUNDER DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA

Hyatt Hotels has announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into an agree-ment with Piccadily Hotels Private Limited for two new Hyatt Regency

hotels (Gurgaon and Ludhiana) in India. This will bring the total number ofHyatt branded hotels under development in India to 55.

“India continues to be a core focus for Hyatt, and we are proud to be work-ing with Piccadily Hotels,” said Ratnesh Verma, senior vice president of realestate and development for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Asia Pacific. “The HyattRegency brand is a perfect fit for the Gurgaon and Ludhiana markets becausethey are both emerging destinations for business travellers.”

“We are delighted that Hyatt Regency Gurgaon and Hyatt Regency Ludhianaare expected to open later this year,” said Peter Fulton, managing director forHyatt International, South West Asia. “Hyatt Regency was the first brand fromour portfolio to enter India thirty years ago with the hotel in Delhi. As India con-tinues to grow and develop, we believe there will be significant opportunity inthis market to expand representation in urban, suburban, airport, convention,and vacation destinations to meet the needs of the increasing number of busi-ness and leisure travellers.”

Hospitality giant Accor is on a recruitment drive to meet theneeds of its growing network of hotels in India. It will add 1,100

employees to its existing staff of 3,600 employees for the 11 hotelsopening this year. Commenting on its recruitment plans, AshwinShirali, regional director, HR, Accor India, said: “We have success-fully added efficient employees till today and with the introductionof new brands and opening of hotels by Accor in India, we expectto create significant job opportunities across all segments. Employeesare the most important ambassadors of the hotel, and therefore, hir-ing the best is crucial for operations.”

With five new hotels opened in April alone and a further six toopen before the end of 2012, Accor will operate 23 hotels (4,572rooms) in India and remain on track to achieve its development am-bition of 90 hotels by 2015. As a part of Accor’s recruitment initiatives,almost all ibis hotels in India have women HR Managers.

ACCOR TO HIRE OVER 1,100 EMPLOYEES IN INDIABY END OF 2012

Luxury hotel chain, GHM Hotels is doling out complimen-

tary nights to travel agentpartners at all seven of its proper-ties including The Nam Hai HoiAn in Vietnam; The Setai SouthBeach in Miami, USA; The ChediChiang Mai in Thailand; and TheStrand Yangon in Myanmar.

Any of GHM’s travel agent

partners can call on any of theGHM properties for a single,complimentary night’s stay fromnow until the end of the year.This special travel agent offerwill also include a menu of spe-cially priced stays in GHM suitesand villas for additional nights.

Travel agents who take GHMup on its offer and who submit a

written account of their on-site ex-perience are eligible to win anadditional two nights on the houseat any GHM property. GHM willaward the prize to one accountevery two months throughout2012. And to one lucky agent,GHM is handing over a map and a20-day free pass to any of its bou-tique properties worldwide. The

winner can use the free nights inany combination of stays at any ofthe GHM properties within thespace of 20 months. Stays will belimited to five nights at any oneproperty, and three at The Setai.

Travel agents can book thisexclusive anniversary special bycontacting any of GHM’s world-wide sales offices.

GHM OFFERS FREE NIGHTS TO TRAVEL AGENT PARTNERS


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NEWS SNIPPETS

Internationally reputed hotel chain Grand Hyatt Dubai has baggedthird place among the most environment friendly five-star hotels in

Dubai at Dubai Green Tourism Award organised by the Dubai’s De-partment of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) recently.

Dubai Green Tourism Awards are designed to encourage the hos-pitality sector adopt environment-friendly measures to protect nature.Nineteen winners were selected after evaluating about 1,000 initia-tives within the 104 applications received from two- to five-starshotels, as well as hotel apartments. The ceremony was attended bymore than 300 who’s who of the hotel industry.

Dubai Green Tourism Award was launched in 2009 and aims toreduce hotel carbon emissions by 20 per cent.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL & GALAXY GROUPJOIN HANDS TO BUILT TWO HOTELS

AMARI HUA HIN TOBE OPERATIONAL

BY JUNEThe 223-room Amari Hua Hin resort is all set to be

operational by June 2012 in Thailand. The resort willhave family-sized sharing baguettes at Reef Deli, therewill be Thai street food and international favourites atAqua Pool Bar. For the connoisseurs of winning anddinning there will be signature XL cocktails or a per-sonal BBQ grill station at Shoreline Beach Club.

For the business travellers the resort has confer-ence facilities which include a 450 sq mt ballroom.The fitness freaks can pump up the iron at fitnesscentre whereas for the kids there is kids club and kidspool, an oversized 38 meter outdoor pool and BreezeSpa and Salon.

Marriott International andGalaxy Entertainment

Group will construct more than1,300 rooms, suites and floatingvillas at two landmark luxury ho-tels in Macau: The Ritz-Carlton,Macau and the JW Marriott HotelMacau.

Galaxy Group has establisheditself as the key leisure and resortdestination in Macau offeringthree world-class hotels and more

than 55 restaurants, cafes, barsand lounges in phase 1 of theirMacau development. The addi-tion of the first all-suiteRitz-Carlton hotel and what willbe the world’s largest JW Marriotthotel when it opens in phase 2 ofGalaxy Group, will establish astrong presence for Marriott Inter-national in this key destination.The construction of the hotels isexpected to comment by 2015.

“We are very excited tolaunch our brands in Macau,”said Simon Cooper, presidentand managing director MarriottInternational, Asia. “Macau is acompelling and dynamic marketand we have invested a greatdeal of time identifying the rightpartner and property for TheRitz-Carlton and JW Marriott ho-tels. GEG and the Lui family arebold innovators who understand

the market and their customersintrinsically; for us they are theperfect partners,” he said.

Dr Chewoo Lui, Chairman ofGEG, said, “Marriott International'score values and The Ritz-Carltonhallmark Gold Standards under-pinned by a strong understandingof the tastes and preferences of theAsian customers, perfectly com-plements Galaxy’s ‘World Class,Asian Heart’ service philosophy.”

GRAND HYATT DUBAI, BAGS AWARDAT DUBAI GREEN TOURISM AWARD

64


The current revenues generated bythe Indian restaurant industry areRs 43,000 crore annually and aregrowing at the rate of 5 – 6 per cent

annually in both the organised and unorga-nised sector. The organised segment isestimated at between Rs 7,000 – Rs 8,500crore or 16 – 20 per cent of the total industry.Restaurants in the organised segment, that is40 per cent of the restaurant business, areclassified as fine dining, casual dining, barsand lounges, quick service restaurants, foodcourts, cafes and kiosks.

Two major factors impacting the restaurantindustry are the changing lifestyles of the localcommunity and the increase in spendingpower by a growing percentage of the popu-lation. Local communities and corporates arethe biggest users of restaurants and the pres-ence of chain restaurants, whether inmetropolitan cities or pan-India, offering avaried choice of cuisines has added to thepopularity of the restaurant industry.

In India a number of chain restaurantsserving multicuisine fare have started opera-tions and they need to include the creationof central kitchens in their future plans.These central kitchens would be the placewhere they will pre-fabricate the food. A pre-fabricating unit is for the purpose of doing

LAST PAGE

LESSONS FROM THEFAST FOOD INDUSTRY

pre-preparation (mis-en-plas), that is organis-ing and arranging the ingredients such asmutton, fish and poultry, sauces, vegetables,fruit, par-cooked items, spices and othercomponents that a cook will require for prep-aration of dishes on the menu.

In a hotel having a number of restaurantsthis work is assigned to the commissary kitch-en where foods are processed from raw toready-to-eat or semi-cooked and would in-clude areas such as garde manger, butchery,seafood preparation, poultry preparation andvegetable preparation, etc.

Creation of central kitchens/pre-fabricat-ing units would result in the following:

Reduction in Lease RentalsReal estate prices are increasing day by day.Generally a chain restaurant is located in high-end areas such as a shopping mall or a majormarketplace where lease rentals are high.Owners could save on the restaurants’ rentalcosts by creation of central kitchens in areaswith lower rentals. Chain restaurants withoutcentral kitchens have to do their mis-en-plas ateach individual restaurant presently therebyincreasing lease costs.

Benefits of Bulk BuyingThe bulk purchase of vegetables and fruit

would give the chain restaurant the advan-tage of better pricing due to the volume offood items bought and the logistics involved.

Better Inventory ManagementThe daily requirements of each chain restau-rant or service point can be pinpointedthereby leading to efficiency in supplies.

Standardisation and PortionControlThe food processing areas will prepare thebasic sauces, gravies and curries whichwould result in the standardisation of thequality of the food as well as guaranteed por-tion control. Processing of the food items asper the menu requirement of the restaurantsor service points at a centralised unit wouldalso ensure standardisation of all the rawmaterials bought from the marketplace.

Waste ReductionThe level of wastage would be kept undercontrol as the food production unit will beresponsible for yields.

Reduced Staff and EnergyCostsLowering of staff costs and energy expendi-ture which are presently very high can beensured by purchasing the latest energy-effi-cient equipment for peeling, cutting andportioning of the raw materials.

Central kitchens relieve heavy on-sitepreparation which enables the main kitchento concentrate on the actual cooking, pre-sentation and service. There is no need toduplicate facilities which can be performedbetter and cheaper through the modernmethods of bulk buying and production.

In future a combination of advanced tech-niques of work combined with automation maybe introduced to do the mis-en-plas. The humanelement and personal touch in the kitchen, how-ever, cannot be replaced or replicated.

Presently quick service restaurants suchas McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC, Haldiramsand Nirulas have centralised kitchens/pre-fabricating units. In future the fine diningrestaurant chains will have to think aboutsetting up similar units. For example, theCarlson Group, which has 27 hotels as wellas other hotel groups with a large volume offood business in the National Capital Region,can think of creating a centralised kitchenfor all their hotels and as a result be morecompetitive. ■

by ANIL BHANDARI, Chairman AB Smart Concepts

hotel scapers may 2012

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