FHRAI urges GOI to promote domestic tourism through Dekho Apna Desh Pledge campaign

The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has appealed to the Government of India to aggressively promote domestic tourism in the New Year. The apex Hospitality Association has pressed on the need to encourage local tourism under the Ministry of Tourism’s Dekho Apna Desh Pledge campaign while the country remains closed to international tourists. India’s Tourism and Hospitality sectors have incurred the largest collateral damage of the COVID19 pandemic and every small or big step to revive the sector will be crucial in the long-term health of both the sector and the country’s economy. The FHRAI has recommended incentivizing domestic tourism by offering tax exemption under 80C of up to INR 50000/- to Indians which will encourage them to travel.

“The Hon’ble PM has always spoken about how important Indian Tourism is to the country. We believe that with the right kind of messaging and support from the Government, India’s domestic tourism could flourish. Make in India or Vocal for Local initiatives are on the same line as Dekho Apna Desh and there couldn’t be a more opportune time to push the throttle on promoting domestic tourism. The Government could allow valid GST hotel bills of any State other than the home State of the Individual assessee exempt under section 80C for an additional amount of INR 50,000/-. The potential additional tax saving will encourage citizens to travel within India and will give impetus to hotels as well as ancillary industries,” says, Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, Vice President, FHRAI.

The hospitality and Tourism sector accounts roughly for 10 percent of India’s GDP and employs nearly 9 per cent of India’s working population. With zero foreign exchange earnings and less than 25 per cent of pre-pandemic revenues, the sector is facing an existential crisis. The total loan outstanding to the Hospitality industry is approximately INR 55,000 Cr and the value at risk for the hospitality and tourism sector is at approximately INR 10 lakh Cr. If favourable initiatives and policies are not drawn for survival of the Hospitality sector then at least 40 to 50 per cent restaurants and 30 to 40 per cent hotels in the country will shut down, resulting into millions of job losses.

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Chef Kaviraj Khialani is now Dr Kaviraj Khialani

From an 11 months old model to a celebrity chef! his real-life story will be in a self-narrated documentary as a source of inspiration for all those who want to achieve and excel in the field of food and hospitality is on its way soon, says celebrity master chef Kaviraj Khialani had recently been awarded his doctorate as well besides being a global icon for excellence In the field of culinary arts and hospitality!

With over 21 years plus of dedicated service to hotels, airlines, educational institutions, print, and visual media, authoring books, being a food designer, consultant to the hospitality industry has made him win accolades in the last few years for his quality par excellence!

Chef Kaviraj is a master chef in over 33 international cuisines, loves doing global fusion concepts, experiments with health food, and also conducts workshops and training sessions, food talk chat shows on a global level for foodies!

Besides being featured on a number of food shows on star plus and colours television, he has been a food columnist and has written a number of articles as well for over 25 international publications around the world.

He has recently also been titled as “The Ambassador of the United World & Prince of Food Porn by The Explore Magazine in January 2021.

He was recently awarded the global icon excellence award by the global digital academy for his outstanding achievements to his chosen field of interest for over 2 decades now.

The Hope International World Record & Foundation also conferred upon celebrity chef Kaviraj an honorary doctorate for his untiring efforts to deliver the best possible to his profession and create a name for himself and is an iconic figure in the world of the food & hospitality industry.

He has written some of the best selling cookery books like Arabic cookery, Filipino foods, 100 ways with fusion cooking and latest being 251 ways of lockdown cooking, and the most awaited one is titled “ Life of a hotel management student” a real overview of the hotel industry for those who wish to aspire and be a part of this competitive and challenging industry.

Dr Kaviraj Khialani, is a renowned name in Academics and a personality who is a people’s person, loves to connect with young talent and offer his advice and expertise to all those who ever wanted to achieve success, he is a mentor, coach, and guide to thousands of students across the globe who wish to or are chefs and want to excel further in this field.

We wish him all the very best in all his future endeavours and look forward to seeing him achieve more success in the days to come!  

W Goa appoints Supratik Roy Chaudhuri as Director of Finance

W Hotels appoints Supratik Roy Chaudhuri as the Director of Finance for W Goa– a luxury lifestyle hotel. He boasts of 16+ years of experience in the field of Finance & Accounting, having previously served as Director of Finance at reputed hotel chains such as Renaissance (Dhaka, Bangladesh), The Westin Mumbai and Courtyard by Marriott (Gurugram).

Speaking of his new role, Supratik Roy Chaudhuri shares, “I am thrilled to be a part of the Dream Team at W Goa that works hard so that our guests can party hard. The infectious energy at W Goa has injected vibrancy to the world of Finance, allowing me to apply my skills and experiences in a youthful ecosystem.”

Chaudhuri's role entails driving performance by enabling leadership in making effective business decisions, maintaining an effective controls environment and achieving a strong and healthy balance sheet.

Interestingly enough, Chaudhuri started his career in professional acting, and still enjoys the occasional on-stage performances. His diverse interests and fun-loving nature makes him the perfect addition to the team at W Goa.

Novotel Hyderabad Airport organises Harvest Food Festival for Makar Sankranti

Novotel Hyderabad Airport is organising a four day long Harvest Food Festival to celebrate Makar Sankranti in a unique style. The festival Makar Sankranti is celebrated across the country. To rejoice the harvest season and celebrate the pride of Land, Novotel Hyderabad Airport relishes the unique synthesis of the North Indian and South Indian delicacies from across the country for its guests.

All the guests can fill their pallet & experience the sweet blend of aromas and tastes from Punjab to Pondicherry. This four-day culinary extravaganza will be available from 14 to 17  January, 2021

Speaking on the occasion Rubin Cherian, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Airport said, “We at Novotel Hyderabad Airport wish to celebrate the amalgamation of both North Indian & South Indian cuisines with our guests. The delectable menu curated by our talented Executive Chef Varun is not one to be missed. To rejoice in the spirit of Makar Sankranti, we invite all of our guests to join us in this unique fusion food festival.”

Novotel Hyderabad Airport has a beautiful horticultural space called ‘Patch’ that grows a mix of herbs, ornamentals, fruits, flowers and vegetable plants. The hotel’s Executive Chef Varun M. B has used the produce from the patch and curated the menu.  The Menu includes few specialities like Makki ki Roti with Saag, Pindi Chole with Bhature, Kalagaya Koora, Ulava Charu Pulao, Royyala Iguru, Bhatti Ka Ghost and many more.

St. Regis Hotels Heralds a New Beacon of Luxury on the Nile with the Opening of the St. Regis Cairo

“An Epitome of Modern Egyptian Glamour, the hotel brings Exquisite Design and Signature Butler Service to the Bustling Metropolis”

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, today announced the highly-anticipated opening of St. Regis Cairo. Rising tall on the banks of the River Nile, St. Regis Cairo is an illustrious icon weaving a powerful story of luxury in the region. Located at the North end of the Corniche, in the heart of Egypt’s bustling metropolis, the 39-story hotel offers easy access to the magnificent monuments of a city steeped in history.

“Egypt has historically been one of our key markets and strategically significant to our growth in the region,” said Satya Anand, President for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. “Cairo is a storied destination that has long mesmerized the global traveler with its incredible energy offering a vibrant mix of history, culture, tradition, and glamour. St. Regis Cairo is an exciting addition to our fast-growing brand portfolio and is set to elevate Cairo’s luxury hospitality landscape with its remarkable design, uncompromising service, and exceptional culinary venues.”

Eng. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah, CEO of Qatari Diar commented, “We are delighted to strengthen our global portfolio of hospitality developments with the opening St. Regis Cairo. This luxury landmark will introduce higher standards of hospitality to this beautiful destination with its unparalleled levels of luxury and exceptional service – both of which the iconic St. Regis brand is renowned for.”

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Lemon Tree to open 20 new hotels without fresh hiring for 2 years

The hospitality sector could perhaps top the list of sectors affected by the pandemic. The revenue and profits destruction in the sector is irreparable, and the hotel companies are now trying to find new ways to control their costs, and look out for inefficiencies. Take Lemon Tree Hotels, for instance, which has about 5 per cent market share in the branded hotels segment. The hotel chain had a revenue projection of Rs 1,200 crore for FY21, but due to lower demand, and weak room rates, the company is expecting to clock just Rs 400 crore.

"Our occupancy today on full operations inventory is 50 per cent. Normally, Lemon Tree does 80 per cent. So it is 40 per cent down, but prices are about 40 per cent down too. On a combined basis, our revenue is 36 per cent on room basis of what it should be," says Patu Keswani, Chairman and Managing Director at Lemon Tree Hotels at a Business Today panel discussion recently.

Keswani also says that the hotel chain's staff-to-room ratio was one. It had 8,000 rooms, and about 8,000 staff broadly. Post-COVID, the company realised that it can operate at a staff-to-room ratio of 0.7 which means that 30 per cent of the staff is excess in the system. Though the company is not laying off people because of that, it has a bunch of hotels opening up in the next two years (about 20), and so it would not need to hire new staff for those hotels.

"The productivity improvement is a part of them (staff) because people are multi-skilling. The culture-building of multi-tasking is going to play an enormous role for us going forward," says Keswani.

Just like the entire hospitality sector, the initial few days after lockdown were highly uncertain. Shortly after the lockdown, Keswani says, his company started thinking of steps that it would take for different levels of revenue destruction. Then, the other issue was debt. Unlike most large hotel companies like Marriott, Hilton or Hyatt, 70 per cent of the Lemon Tree Hotels are owned by the company, so it has a large amount of debt on books.

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Lords Hotels and Resorts bags 14 awards at Tourism Gujarat event

Lords Hotels and Resorts, a leading mid-market Hotel chain with presence in 40 cities 11 states and 2 countries has been awarded as Gujarat’s best Hotel Chain at the recently concluded Tourism Gujarat Awards held at Ahmedabad on 11th Jan 2021. The Chief Guest for the function was VijayBhai Rupani, Chief Minister of Gujarat with Guest of Honour Jawaharbhai Chavda, Tourism Minister of Gujarat - Cabinet; Ganpatbhai Vasava, Forest Minister of Gujarat - Cabinet; Vasanbhai Aahir, State Tourism Minister of Gujarat.

The premium mid-market hotel chain has also been bestowed with 14 awards , which includes best hotel and resort in the cities of Surat , Vadodara , Gir , Bhavnagar and Jamnagar . The group also won awards in the best restaurant category and MICE Venue . Best Tourism Management Institute Surat award was also bagged by the group .

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Enters Nepal with Ramada Encore in Central Kathmandu

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts continues to expand its global footprint with its entry into Nepal via the newly opened 90-room, Ramada Encore by Wyndham Kathmandu-Thamel.

Located in the center of Kathmandu, the capital and largest city in Nepal, the newly built hotel opened earlier this week and is part of a vibrant rejuvenation project of the city’s commercial centre, close to top attractions and cultural wonders such as the base camp for Mount Everest, the Garden of Dreams, Ason Bazaar at Kathmandu Durbar Square and other popular destinations in the city.

This latest opening builds on Wyndham’s continued commitment to growth for the sub-Indian continent. With more than 50 properties currently in the Indian sub-continent, the opening of Ramada Encore by Wyndham Kathmandu-Thamel is another welcome footstep towards the Company’s continued expansion plans.

Nikhil Sharma, Regional Director, Eurasia, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts said, “We are thrilled to be expanding Wyndham’s portfolio in this exciting new destination. Nepal is a beautiful country with huge potential and we are pleased to be making our footprint as part of our strategy to further expand our EMEA reach across the Indian sub-continent. With a growing portfolio of more than 50 operational hotels in the region and plans to develop around 30 additional properties across India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Pakistan by 2025, the debut of the Ramada Encore by Wyndham brand brings us one step closer to our mission of making hotel travel possible for all in the Indian sub-continent and beyond.”

Ramada Encore by Wyndham Kathmandu-Thamel features contemporary rooms designed with comfort and accessibility in mind. The hotel offers guests various on-site food and beverage outlets, including the Pateo restaurant and bar, the outdoor El Beso Caro offering scenic views of the city, as well as Chocos N Subs, serving light meals and coffee. Other amenities include a rooftop plunge pool, a spa and salon for rejuvenation and relaxation, as well as a fitness centre. The hotel also features a versatile meeting room to accommodate up to 60 conference attendees or 80 banquet guests.

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The Masala Story set to open new cloud kitchen outlets amidst the pandemic

Times have never been tougher for the restaurant business than it is today. Despite that, The Masala Story, a delivery kitchen that serves authentic North Indian cuisine has opened four new outlets in India during the pandemic. The unpredictable times have urged The Masala Story to innovate and thrive in the business, leading them to the concept of delivery kitchen.

As consumers shift their dining behaviors increasingly to delivery, The Masala Story gears up to open three new ‘cloud kitchens’ outlets that are delivery kitchens, ready for home delivery and take away only. The Masala Story offers premium and authentic north Indian cuisine including freshly cooked dum biryani, kebab, phirni and more at its Haryana and Delhi outlets.

What sets The Masala Story apart is its traditional style of cooking authentic north Indian style food in personalized earthen pots and then carefully placing them in their specially curated boxes. This helps every individual to enjoy delicious food without any mess. The packaging also serves as a sustainable approach to the environment.

Catering to hygiene and safety guidelines, The Masala Story didn’t fold and had to sacrifice some of the energy and character that had defined them in order to operate safely during the ongoing pandemic. The delivery kitchen adds additional sanitary and social distancing requirements like checking temperature, sanitising the kitchen etc.

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Noteworthy Hotel Openings in 2021 | RAKxa Wellness & Medical RetreatBangkok, Thailand

RAKxa Wellness & Medical RetreatBangkok, ThailandOpening early 2021

Tucked in Bangkok’s undiscovered ‘Green Lung’ island on the Chao Phraya River, the RAKxa Integrative Wellness & Medical Retreat is set to deliver tailored wellness programs incorporating both advanced medical treatments and holistic therapies. This groundbreaking wellness retreat will feature 60 private villas, providing guests a fully transformative experience through personalized three-to-fourteen-day programs based on the retreat’s next level wellness testing technology.

opportunities-for-women-in-tourism-increasing-across-middle-east

Fewer than one in 10 tourism workers in the Middle East are women though this proportion is steadily increasing, new research has found. The Regional Report on Women in Tourism in the Middle East, released today by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, highlights the progress that has been made, as well as opportunities to further advance gender equality in the sector.

The new publication, which complements the Global Report on Women in Tourism, Second Edition, was compiled within the framework of the Saudi Arabia G20 2020 Presidency. It highlights the positive steps that have been taken at a policy level in recent years while demonstrating the work still needed to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 in the Middle East, particularly when compared with other world regions.

The key findings of the report show that:

• 8% of people employed in tourism in the region are women, compared to 16% in the overall economy of the region. At a global level 54% of people employed in tourism are women compared to 39% in the broader global economy

• Women are well-educated but not entering the tourism workforce.
  Women have higher rates of tertiary education than men in general yet remain considerably underrepresented in employment.

• The public sector is leading the way for women in leadership roles.

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Srinivasan Raman appointed as F&B Director at Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel and Residences

Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel and Residences, has announced the appointment of Srini Raman as Director Food and Beverage. Raman started his career 20 years ago as a Food and Beverage Assistant with the Oberoi Group. Over the years he had worked in different capacities with One & Only and the Shangri La Group before joining Hyatt in 2008 at the Grand Hyatt Muscat, Oman.

His journey of over 10 years with Hyatt has spanned multiple continents in diverse roles and he also worked at the Park Hyatt Goa and the Hyatt Regency Riyadh. His last assignment before joining Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel and Residences was with The Ritz-Carlton Bangalore as Director of Food and Beverage.

Speaking on his appointment Raman said, “I am honored to be joining this iconic property and happy to be back with the Hyatt Family. Inquisitiveness to learn and passion towards hotels is the only motivation someone requires to excel.”

With 20 plus years of enriching experience in the hospitality industry, his endeavor is to utilize his immense food and beverage experience in strengthening the Iconic Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel and Residences Food and Beverage strategies, guest experiences whilst driving operational efficiency.

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Ginger signs its milestone 75th Hotel, Ginger Aurangabad

Ginger has announced the milestone of its 75th hotel with the signing of the brand’s second hotel in Aurangabad, in the state of Maharashtra. This signing is in line with Ginger’s growth strategy of increasing the brand’s presence in key commercial hubs and state capitals of India. The hotel will be designed around the brand’s lean luxe philosophy of offering a vibrant, contemporary and seamless hospitality experience to its guests.

Commenting on the signing, Deepika Rao, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Ginger Hotels, said, “This is a proud moment for us. Our guests and the investor community have shown great confidence in the new lean luxe offering, which has helped us achieve this key milestone. The journey of the brand has been very exciting. We are very happy to partner with the Aasawa Brothers Group for the onboarding of this landmark 75th hotel in Aurangabad.”

Ginger Aurangabad will be located near Jalgaon Road, in the central business district of the city, and a short drive from the airport. The hotel will feature 64 rooms, an all-day diner, a meeting room and a fitness centre. This will be a fully fitted lease with the Aasawa Brothers Group.

Aurangabad is a popular tourist hub with UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Ajanta and Ellora caves. This city is also a major silk and cotton textile producer for the country.

With the addition of this hotel, Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) will have 31 hotels in the state of Maharashtra.

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Hilton Introduces Hilton EventReady Hybrid Solutions for Meetings and Events

As we emerge from a year of uncertainties, one business reality seems crystal clear: Hybrid meetings and events will be critical in the near-term. To address this dramatic shift in how people meet and celebrate, Hilton is introducing a set of Hilton EventReady Hybrid Solutions. The new suite of offerings, which will continue to evolve, directs event planners to Hilton’s hybrid-ready hotels while also providing them with planning resources – including an expanded Hilton EventReady Playbook and flexible customer offers.

With each meeting and event experience delivered by dedicated team members, as part of the Hilton EventReady Hybrid Solutions, participating hotels will have access to comprehensive team member training resources to build and strengthen their knowledge in hybrid events.

“Hilton has remained a leader in the meetings and events industry for more than 100 years by listening intently and innovating quickly to changing customer needs,” said Martin Rinck, executive vice president and chief brand officer, Hilton. “Hilton EventReady Hybrid Solutions were born out of our continued commitment to excellence – from accessing the capabilities of our global portfolio to rolling out a suite of extensive event planner resources and introducing team member training to ensure we can deliver the optimum overall event experience.” 

The Hilton EventReady Hybrid Solutions will begin rolling out globally this month. Additionally, the expanded Hybrid Events chapter of the Hilton EventReady Playbook – which will include detailed case studies, pro-tips, a glossary of hybrid event terms and more – will also be available in English this month and accessible to customers working with any hotel within the Hilton global portfolio.

The portfolio of hybrid-ready hotels will spotlight the baseline requirements that customers should expect when hosting a small hybrid event, which include:

• IT Readiness: Each hotel will have undergone an evaluation to assess the available IT bandwidth and infrastructure of the hotel to meet the requirements of small hybrid events. To be deemed “hybrid-ready”, hotels are required to have a minimum amount of incremental and available bandwidth that is above and beyond the hotel’s average circuit utilization level. This requirement allows for seamless communication and connectivity to optimize the hybrid experience within the hotel while providing easy access for virtual attendees.

• Multi-Site Offering and Express Agreements: These incentives enable customers to book the in-person portion of their event at multiple hybrid-ready Hilton locations as well as create a more seamless contract experience.

• Expanded Playbook: While the EventReady Playbook is available to customers globally, those looking for in-depth information on planning and executing small hybrid events can access the expanded Hybrid Events chapter, which will continue to evolve alongside customer needs.

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The St. Regis Cairo St. Regis Cairo, Egypt Now Open

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, today announced the highly-anticipated opening of The St. Regis Cairo. Rising tall on the banks of the River Nile, The St. Regis Cairo is an illustrious icon weaving a powerful story of luxury in the region. Located at the North end of the Corniche, in the heart of Egypt's bustling metropolis, the 39-story hotel offers easy access to the magnificent monuments of a city steeped in history.

Modern Egyptian Grandeur

With its striking architecture, created by renowned architect Michael Graves, The St. Regis Cairo firmly establishes itself as a pivotal landmark in the city and beyond, carefully balancing opulence with refinement and elegance to evoke a profound sense of grandeur. Uncompromising in its decadence, the hotel is an exquisite reflection of a passionate vision that conscientiously draws on the city's influential and storied past while confidently introducing its vibrant future.

Graceful geometric lines flow throughout the interiors, creating a repeated structural motif that quietly references the heritage of the region. Dark wood and rich textures combine with intricate embroidery, bejeweled paneling, bronze and wood carvings embellished with flashes of shimmering gold, mother of pearl inlays and imposing crystal chandeliers creating a dramatic Egyptian aesthetic with modern execution. A striking mural entitled "The Pink Sun" graces The St. Regis Bar. Staunchly modern in its execution, the mural references ancient Egypt and the birth of a modern civilization.

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John Hazard Appointed General Manager At The Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands

The Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos, is pleased to announce that John Hazard has been appointed General Manager of the highly anticipated resort, slated to debut in Summer 2021. John is a passionate global hotelier with over 19 years of hotel management experience across the United Kingdom, Middle East and the Caribbean. An industry expert, John will be responsible for all aspects of operations, bringing the legendary Ritz-Carlton service to this world-renowned beach destination.

In his most recent role as General Manager of the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, the hotel developed one of the most innovative restaurant concepts in the region and reimagined and launched a new Spa & Retail operation. Under his leadership, John led the team to several years of consecutive great success and growth.

Born and raised in Bath, west of England, John has served as General Manager across various brands in Marriott International's portfolio including, Courtyard by Marriott, Renaissance Hotels, and Marriott Hotels & Resorts. His career with Marriott International in United Kingdom marked many successes including being recognized as Renaissance Hotels international GM of the Year in 2006, overseeing a full hotel renovation, partnering with a Michelin star restaurant, and navigating the London Olympics as a 'tier 1 sponsor hotel'.

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Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels unveils new brand, Zone Connect

Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited launches Zone Connect, a limited service brand under its Zone by The Park portfolio. Zone Connect channels its inimitable spirit and design ethos of Zone by The Park. The brand has been launched with 4 Zone Connect hotels, all under management contract, in Coimbatore, Goa and Port Blair. The hotels are slated to open in the first half of 2021.

Zone Connect Coimbatore will have 55 contemporary designed rooms, an all-day dining, bar and a banquet which makes it an ideal business hotel. This is the group’s second hotel in the city, after Zone by The Park Coimbatore, which was launched in 2014.

Zone Connect Goa in located in bustling Bandez (north of Goa) and will house 49 rooms with an all-day dining, a bar, banquets, a pool, a spa and a salon. It is expected to open in the first quarter 2021.

Zone Connect Port Blair will consist of 25 rooms, a restaurant, a bar, a banquet, a spa, and a pool.

Zone Connect Tirupati with 88 rooms, all day dining and banquets.

Vijay Dewan, Managing Director, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited said, “We are delighted to launch Zone Connect under our social-catalyst brand, Zone by The Park. It borrows from the ethos of Zone by The Park in being interactive, creative and contemporary. We are excited to have signed three hotels so early on. Zone Connect will bridge the gap for quality accommodation in Tier II and Tier III cities and will give the hotel owners opportunity to grow their business with a reliable and thriving brand.”

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Pride Group of Hotels wins Indian Affairs Best Managed & Most Valuable Hotel Chains 2020

Pride Group of Hotels awarded with the ‘Indian Affairs Best Managed & Most Valuable Hotel Chains 2020’ Award at the 11th Annual India Leadership Conclave & Indian Affairs Business Leadership Awards 2020 on 26th December.

Winners and finalists were announced at the 2020 ceremony held virtually on 26th December at 6:00 PM. Many stalwarts from the hospitality industry attended the event. The event was designed to applaud the success & achievement of the hospitality fraternity.

The Chambers launches Rendezvous at The Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai

The Chambers, India's very first exclusive business club, today launched Rendezvous - a collection of intimate, immersive and indulgent events, tastefully curated for discerning guests at IHCLs landmark hotels across the country. Designed to engage and entertain, these evenings focus on creating bespoke experiences that are unique and niche for a select few.

The first of a series of events, the launch saw Global Actor, Anupam Kher, unveil his latest book ‘Your Best Day Is Today’, in conversation with Philanthropist, Neerja, Birla; Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Indian Hotels Company Limited; along with Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group. The discussion covered a compendium of experiences, lessons and positive takeaways, which will help people deal with dark times, an extremely relevant conversation in today’s day and age.

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Chef Dayashankar Sharma bags Chef Of the Year Award Greater London 2020

The Asian Food and Restaurant Awards (AFRA) paid homage to Asian hospitality, services and supplier sectors through an online event recently. Born & brought up in a small village- Bhojpura Kalan (Rajasthan, India), Michelin Plate Winner Chef Dayashankar Sharma was awarded as the Chef of the Year Award Greater London 2020 by the fraternity.

AFRA recognized the achievements made by industries leading figures from “South Asians across the UK”. Continuing its winning ways, Michelin Plate Winner Chef Dayashankar Sharma being declared Chef of The Year for Greater London continuously second time. Known for pairing classic flavours with sumptuous new ideas, Chef Sharma’s new vegan dishes including Lotus root & asparagus with red peppers, cooked with cumin, turmeric & dry ground mango, and Stem broccoli with crushed black pepper, roasted cumin & lime juice gained lot of traction earlier last year among customers.

Trained from honing an impeccable reputation right from the beginning across 32 years of culinary experience, Chef Dayashankar Sharma has become recognized for pairing time-honored tradition with contemporary ideas and creating his food with full commitment and passion for every occasion. Chef Sharma also holds classes on Heritage recipes of India for Foreign Hospitality students in London.