Sarovar Hotels organizes its third edition of “Sarovar Virtual Showcase”

“The virtual showcase highlighted the key USPs and value proposition of our three resorts to key tour operators from the Southern Chapter of Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI)”

In continuation to the previous two editions held of “Sarovar Virtual showcase” which were aimed at reaching out to corporate and leisure business decision makers respectively, Sarovar Hotels hosted its third edition, this time focusing on Kerala as a destination.

This edition was specifically targeted to showcase our three stunning resorts of Kerala located respectively in Poovar Island, Thekkady and Vayalar and to present the diversity that they have in their leisure portfolio in Southern market. The participating tour operators ranged from states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala.

The virtual showcase highlighted the key USPs and value proposition of our three resorts to key tour operators from the Southern Chapter of Association of Domestic  Tour Operators of India (ADTOI).  The participating resorts were Estuary Sarovar Portico, Poovar Island; Poetree Sarovar Portico, Thekkady; and Vasundhara Sarovar Premiere, Vayalar.

The key dialogues exchanged with the Tour operates were on Hotel’s USPs, safety initiatives and various attractive holiday offerings for their end customers, both Leisure and business.

The webinar was jointly flagged off by Sanjay Rai, Senior Vice president- Sales and Marketing Sarovar Hotels and P. P.  Khanna – President, ADTOI.  Additionally the following representatives were also part of the showcase; Swarup Dutta, Regional Director-South, Sarovar Hotels and Resorts ; Senthil Thangavel, General Manager - Poetree Sarovar Portico, Thekkady, Kerala ; Ayyappan Kutty, General Manager - Estuary Sarovar Portico, Poovar Island, Kerala ; Prashant Venugopal, Sales Head - Vasundhara Sarovar Premier, Vayalar, Kerala and Akshay Thusoo, Vice president-Sales, Sarovar Hotels and Resorts .

Vikram Sharma joins JW Marriott Kolkata as Director of Human Resources

“In his current stint with JW Marriott Kolkata, Sharma is employing his gamut of expertise to administer recruitment, and strategic HRM, training and development accompanied by other administrative responsibilities.”

Vikram Sharma has been appointed as the Human Resource Director at JW Marriott Kolkata. Using his vast experience and nifty managerial skills, Sharma has brought dynamic energy to JW Marriott Kolkata.

He has fostered his talents by excelling in the fields of strategic recruitment planning, Manpower Resource Deployment, Compliance and Documentation and the likes.

In his current stint with JW Marriott Kolkata, Sharma is employing his gamut of expertise to administer recruitment, and strategic HRM, training and development accompanied by other administrative responsibilities.

Furthermore, he is also responsible for Employee Relations and Retention by ascertaining trends and patterns for making recommendations to management to improve motivation, thus increasing the retention and efficiency of the employees. His proficiency in conjuring up stratagems to tackle concerns of the employees and their efficiency has brought to the table new policies to achieve business objectives.

This self-motivated and vibrant leader started his expedition in Hospitality career after graduating from The Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition and lucratively completing a prestigious degree of Masters in leadership from XLRI, Jamshedpur.

He started his career with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and later got associated with Marriott International. Before joining JW Marriott Kolkata; he has proved his mettle as the Human Resource Manager at Ritz Carlton Bangalore, then moved on to serve as a Director of Human Resources at Jaipur Marriott Hotel and The Westin Pune. During his corporate journey he was awarded the Young Human Resources Leader of India – 2017 by FHRAI – Federation of Hotels and Resorts Association of India and was awarded as Top 100 Minds in Hospitality Industry for the year 2018.

Source

Brand Marriott| Marriott International Continues Asia Pacific Growth With Nearly 100 Properties Expected to Open in 2021

75 Properties Opened Across Asia Pacific in 2020

Marriott International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR) continues to expand its portfolio, expecting to open 100 properties in Asia Pacific in 2021, bringing more brands and experiences to new destinations for guests across the region. In 2020, the company celebrated its 800th milestone hotel opening in the region with 75 properties added to its portfolio during the year, representing more than one opening per week across the region. Nearly 27,000 rooms were added to the region’s development pipeline in 2020 alone, in addition to the signing of Marriott’s largest branded residences project with close to 4,200 units.

“I am proud of the way we have continued to grow and have moved quickly to adapt to the challenges that arose from the pandemic. With the launch of new global industry hygiene standards in April 2020, innovative offerings such as work anywhere package and hyper-localized marketing and sales strategies, our nimble and forward-thinking approach will continue to lead us through the recovery,” said Craig S. Smith, Group President, International, Marriott International. “We are grateful for the continued resilience and positivity demonstrated by our associates and for the confidence, our guests, owners and franchisees continue to have in us. We remain well-positioned to meet the travel demands of our guests across Asia Pacific and the rest of the world.”

Greater China has led the global recovery to date, and the company expects to soon celebrate its 400th hotel in Greater China and its 50th hotel in Shanghai with the opening of JW Marriott Shanghai Fengxian in spring 2021. With this hotel opening, Shanghai has the distinction of reaching this important milestone for the company in Asia Pacific.

According to a joint report by consultancy Bain & Co. and Alibaba’s Tmall Luxury unit, Mainland China is on track to become the world’s largest personal luxury market by 2025 even seeing year-over-year domestic growth in 2020 despite the pandemic. To leverage this trend, Marriott International continues to strengthen its luxury portfolio with expected openings in 2021 such as W Changsha, W Xiamen, St. Regis Qingdao & The Ritz-Carlton Reserve Jiuzhaigou. With the anticipated opening of the Ritz-Carlton Reserve, China will be the first country in the Asia Pacific to house all of Marriott International’s luxury hallmarks.

Marriott’s leisure bookings in China have been particularly strong, up over 25 percent year over year in the third quarter in Mainland China, demonstrating the resiliency of demand once consumers are comfortable that the virus is under control and restrictions can safely be lifted. The company is introducing more travel experiences across its brand portfolio, including at popular leisure destinations such as Mianyang in the Sichuan province with the expected opening of Sheraton Mianyang, as well in the culturally-rich destination of Nanjing with the anticipated opening of The Westin Nanjing Resort & Spa.

Beyond Greater China, Marriott International continues to strengthen its footprint, with several expected brand debuts across Asia Pacific in 2021. In Japan, W Hotels is expected to debut with the opening of W Osaka, while The Luxury Collection is also slated to debut in Australia with the opening of The Tasman in Hobart. The iconic Ritz-Carlton brand is expected to celebrate its debut in the leading resort destination of Maldives in early summer, bringing legendary service to the picture-perfect archipelago.

Further expanding Marriott’s presence in breathtaking resort destinations, the JW Marriott brand is slated to bring its warm luxury experience to Jeju Island in South Korea with the planned opening of JW Marriott Jeju in late 2021. The company’s signature wellness brand, Westin, is also highly anticipated to debut in one of India’s top beach destinations, Goa, this summer.

To support domestic travel in Japan, the company plans to open six additional Fairfield by Marriott hotels throughout 2021 along ‘Michi-no-Eki’ roadside stations aimed at revitalizing the country’s local sightseeing spots. Japan expects to have more than 30 Fairfield by Marriott hotels by the end of 2023. Touted as one of the best cities in the world for art, culture, music and food, Australia’s Melbourne is expected to see the opening of the country’s second W Hotel with W Melbourne in spring and the opening of Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands in early 2021.

“The strength of our pipeline is testament to the long-term growth prospects in Asia Pacific,” said Paul Foskey, Chief Development Officer, Asia Pacific, Marriott International. “Despite a challenging environment in 2020, we are pleased with the signings we have achieved across the region during the year. We have full gratitude to our owners and franchisees for their belief in the resiliency of travel and the strength of Marriott’s portfolio of brands.”

Source

Brand Hilton | Calling All Art Enthusiasts: Find Inspiration for Your Next Trip with Nine Hilton Art Collections Around the World

Cultural experiences are one of the main reasons why we travel. Museums, heritage sites, landmarks and art districts are some of the most popular tourist destinations in any city, drawing crowds from all around the world. The hotel experience has also come to be considered one of the most memorable aspects of a trip, but travelers have begun expecting more from their hotel stays. The solution? Hotels featuring world-class art collections of their own. 

Hilton offers several on-property cultural attractions for unforgettable stays. These creative features include local murals that spotlight nearby area attractions, museum-worthy collections housed in hotel suites, dining establishments that transport you to an artist’s studio or literal art galleries within steps of the hotel lobby.

Whether you’re planning future trips, expanding your travel bucket list, or just looking for something to do this weekend in your own neighborhood, these hotels are worth visiting for their art alone.

Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel

Known as the Eternal City for its longevity and enduring culture and splendor, Rome is an art lover’s playground. It’s no surprise that a city teeming with its own collections of priceless artwork from some of history’s most famed artists should be the setting of the world’s most prolific hotel art collection. Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel is home to one of the greatest private art collections in the world with more than 1,000 treasures ranging from 16th-century masters to contemporary art. The collection includes Rudolf Nureyev’s ballet costumes and Émile Gallé’s glass, in addition to famed paintings, tapestries, statues & period furniture & costumes that adorn the hotel’s interior. The hotel’s 25 luxurious suites are also furnished with incredible art pieces, including original Karl Lagerfeld sofas, rare 18th-century antiques & Andy Warhol paintings. If Rome is an art lover’s playground, Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel is their paradise.

Conrad Indianapolis

Part hotel, part art gallery, Conrad Indianapolis offers four uniquely-curated suites titled the Collections Suites; with each room inspired by the Pop, Modern, Surrealist & Contemporary art movements. At the heart of each of the four uniquely different suites is a work that captures the spirit of an artistic movement. Pieces by Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, William John Kennedy & more adorn the suite walls; and even the books on the shelves relate to each room’s style. For a more exquisite art experience, The Gallery Suite is an iconic celebrity hangout and art lover’s heaven. Still haven’t gotten your art fix? Conrad Indianapolis and Long-Sharp Gallery partner to present “Art Stays Here” – a fully integrated, exceptionally curated art education and exhibition program. The dual highlights of the program are the five rotating exhibits and the “Art Ambassadors,” Team Members who are trained on the artwork and artists exhibiting in the hotel. On the hotel’s second floor is “Regional Masters,” a semi-permanent exhibit featuring artists with a unique tie to the city of Indianapolis.

HALL Arts Hotel Dallas, Curio Collection by Hilton

HALL Arts Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton is the first hotel to open in the Dallas Arts District, the largest contiguous arts district in the United States. Woven into the DNA of the property are the impactful, thought-provoking works of art from emerging talents, including specially commissioned pieces for the hotel’s common areas, suites, and meeting and event spaces. Ellie’s, the hotel’s on-site restaurant, is a gallery in its own right, with seven pieces of commissioned artwork throughout the dining and lounge areas. The hotel offers 183 guest rooms, including 19 Arts District-inspired suites. The guest rooms and hallways feature local photographs that showcase vibrant scenes of the Dallas Arts District as part of HALL Group and Dallas Arts District’s “Through the Lens” photography competition. Can’t make the trip? Check out the hotel’s YouTube channel for behind-the-scenes interviews with artists and virtual tours of the artwork.

Hilton Columbus Downtown

Boasting a collection worth more than $1 million, Hilton Columbus Downtown features original works from more than 100 Ohio-based artists, totaling just under 250 art pieces throughout the Short North hotel. In addition to the gallery, artistic touches accent the meeting rooms, common spaces and guest room ceilings – making art the first thing guests see when they open their eyes in the morning. The new hotel exterior art installation reflects the light and warmth of Hilton hospitality, with a collection of works meant to inspire and remind guests, Team Members and the local community that a brighter future lies ahead. The hotel’s High street-facing windows have been painted by six local artists to represent a diversity of styles, backgrounds and cultures mirroring Columbus as well as the hotel’s Team Members and guests. The installation will be up through February 2021.

Conrad Centennial Singapore

Hosting an impressive and diverse collection of more than 3,400 pieces of artwork throughout, Conrad Centennial Singapore is a sanctuary where art is everywhere and everything. The many art pieces displayed across the hotel public spaces, restaurants and guest rooms are united through an underlying Asian theme. Even the works of international artists include symbols, icons or motifs that reflect Eastern culture. The hotel serves as a platform for both renowned artists and young and budding art students alike, certifying the hotel’s appreciation toward fine arts, as well as its commitment to the development of the local visual art scene.

DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai M Square Hotel & Residences

Just in time for the UAE’s 49th National Day, DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai M Square Hotel & Residences opened its doors. The stylish “industrial-chic” hotel features several contemporary design elements, including the hotel’s artistic centerpiece – a unique portrait of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The more than 15-meters-long work of art welcomes guests as they enter the hotel lobby. Made of more than 29,000 reflective discs, the portrait took a team of eight artists more than three weeks to assemble.

Umbral, Curio Collection by Hilton

Part of the ambitious program to restore historical buildings in Mexico, Umbral, Curio Collection by Hilton is a restoration project from a heritage building that was constructed in 1924. Boasting a contemporary design by renowned local architect Javier Sanchez, Umbral features sleek, minimalistic furniture in neutral white, beige and brown tones, as well as natural materials such as light and dark wood features. As the city’s only hotel with an on-site gallery, Umbral features more than 100 pieces of art by respected young local artists like Jorge Montiel, Andrea Bores and Tomas Diaz.

Hilton São Paulo Morumbi – Canvas Bar & Restaurante

Designed by Argentinian architect Daniel Piana, Hilton São Paulo Morumbi’s Canvas Bar is for art enthusiasts. The entire setting replicates an art studio with hints of concrete, exposed iron throughout & high ceilings. Diners can enjoy the permanent art exhibitions displayed on the restaurant walls and seasonal exhibitions displayed above on suspended panels. Works by renowned artists such as Romero Britto, Aldemir Martins, and Antônio Peticov have been featured on the 28 panels spread across the restaurant.

Hilton Sydney – Marble Bar

Hilton Sydney’s 128-year-old underground bar and live music venue, Marble Bar, is adorned with 14 Edwardian paintings by Australian artist Julian Ashton – valued at an estimated $1.6 million. Complete with ornate marble arches, stained glass, a domed roof & a carved mahogany bar, the entire space can be considered a work of art. The bar was dismantled when the hotel was demolished in the late 1960s and later reassembled in Hilton Sydney that was built in its place.

Note worthy Hotel Openings in 2020-2021 - The ShayCulver City, CaliforniaOpening spring 2021

The ShayCulver City, CaliforniaOpening spring 2021

The community-defining 148-room boutique hotel will open in the buzzy Culver City neighborhood of Los Angeles in the spring and offer an inviting, social gathering vibe for guests and locals alike. Amenities will include a chef-led restaurant, spacious outdoor courtyard from which to work remotely & rooftop pool.

Radisson Hotel Group to add 84 new hotels

Radisson Hotel Group overcame significant global challenges in 2020 to expand its portfolio of properties in Asia Pacific, with the addition of 84 exceptional new hotels and resorts, covering eight of its distinct brands.

This rapid growth forms part of the company’s ambitious five-year strategy to triple its portfolio in the midterm. This will be achieved through a blend of organic growth in key markets, such as China, India, South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and master brand development agreements with Jin Jiang International and its subsidiaries in China, the world’s largest travel market.

Radisson Hotel Group is one of India’s largest and most reputable international hotel chains, with a comprehensive nationwide portfolio of hotels. This position was strengthened in 2020 with the signing of eight new hotels, including the 125-key Park Inn by Radisson Mashobra Resort, 115-key Park Inn by Radisson Jabalpur, 100-key Park Inn by Radisson Prayagraj, 120-key Radisson Hotel Dehradun, 103-key Radisson Resort & Spa Lonavala, 180-key Radisson Blu Hotel Jaipur Malviya Nagar, 120-key Radisson Resort Pondicherry Bay and 196-key The White Hotel, Katra, which is also the first member of Radisson Individuals in India.

In South East Asia, the signing of the 84-key Radisson Resort Phan Thiet and 309-key Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Van Phong Bay reinforce Radisson Hotel Group’s strategy of introducing its world-leading brands to Vietnam’s emerging cities and idyllic resort destinations.

In China, two landmark hotels were signed in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province. The 300-key Radisson Blu Hotel Nanjing South New Town and 151-key Radisson Collection Resort, Nanjing will serve the rising number of guests seeking international-standard upper-upscale accommodation in this important regional center.

Source

FHRAI has appointed Dr Himanshu Talwar as an Additional Director of FIHM

A philanthropist and man of multipotentialities, Dr. Himanshu Talwar, has achieved various heights throughout his career and has been diligent in counselling budding achievers, entrepreneurs, start-ups and students. He has continuously relearned and reskilled himself throughout his working life. Having acquired his Masters’ in Business Administration (MBA), he further enhanced his skills by studying Philosophy, Law and, attended Executive Management Programme (s) at Said Business School (SBS), University of Oxford, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta and Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Bangalore. He holds a Doctorate and D. Litt (H.C.) in Business Management.

Along with various degrees on his credit, he has dedicated himself to work for social causes and has been given the ‘Indian Achievers' Award 2020 for Social Service by the Indian Achievers Forum. Recipient of 11 national-level awards, Dr. Talwar has been working for international organizations and supporting Not-for-profits for more than a decade and made significant contributions in the field of transforming people’s life as a life coach, skill development, legal, advisory, consultancy, and professional education.

Source

Experience Maldivian traditions at Heritance Aarah

he delightful Heritance Aarah with its powder-white beaches, swaying palm trees and crystal-clear turquoise water is located in Raa Atoll, a 40-minute seaplane ride from Malé.

Offering the perfect combination of exclusivity and comfort, Heritance Aarah offers luxury with a touch of Maldivian tradition. Guests are greeted with a traditional Maldivian dance and one of the leading restaurants on the property offers a fusion of Maldivian and Sri Lankan cuisine. The villas are designed and built using local Maldivian and modern architectural techniques and the resort even has a replica of a Maldivian village on the property to provide guests an overview of life in the Maldives.   

The resort offers a premium all-inclusive holiday plan which is currently being offered at a 45 per cent discount and includes seaplane transfers from Male (that cost approximately $500 per person). 

Opened in December 2018, Heritance Aarah is the first resort in Maldives from the Sri Lankan luxury brand Aitken Spence Hotels and Resorts. It offers an excellent choice of dining with six restaurants and four bars and top-notch facilities including the Maldives’ first medi-spa, making it ideal for honeymooners, families and group of friends. Its range of accommodation consists of 150 villas including 26 intimate luxury duplex ocean suites, 56 sunset ocean villas and 68 land villas.

In 2019 Heritance Aarah became the first property in the Maldives to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. It is committed to sustainability and works diligently to reduce the environmental impact of the hotel. For instance, it is a plastic-free zone and even the toothbrushes in the bathroom are made of bamboo.   

What makes the Heritance Aarah stand out is its service. Each villa comes with its own personal butler who is responsible for your comfort during your stay. From driving you around the resort in a battery-powered buggy to making reservations at various restaurants to booking your excursions, your butler is your genie, with your every wish being his command.  

The restaurant staff right from the maître de to the waiting staff to the team of chefs and bartenders is exceptional, making each visit to any of the six restaurants memorable. 

Services Which May Decide If Guest Will return To Your Hotel Again by Soumyadeep Roy

We are now planning to launch 120 outlets pan India in the next 3-4 years’: Shyam Thakur, Founded, Momo King

Momo King, a ready-to-eat brand, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, aims to bring the taste of authentic Himalayan Momo to the world. The brand is the brainchild of Shyam Thakur, who founded Momo King in 2017. After marking a successful year in Malaysia, Momo King opened its first outlet in the National Capital Region of Delhi, India. The brand has ambitious plans to go big with its prime offering of frozen momos. Asmita Mukherjee spoke with Thakur to know more about his journey and plans.

Speaking about the idea behind Momo King, Thakur said that the urge to build this brand came from a simple desire, which was to bring the authentic and regional taste of Himalayan delicacies to food lovers. “We have chosen momo to be our prime offering because we have observed that everyone universally loves momos. Be it vegetarian, chicken, paneer, tandoori, or any other variety that people like. Food lovers have an abiding fondness for momos. As a QSR chain that caters to people's passion for momo, we never compromise with our food quality and hygiene standards for preparing the dishes,” he added.

Commenting on the brand’s entry into India after a successful stint in Malaysia, Thakur said, “After establishing ourselves well in Malaysia, we aspired to extend the business operations in India. Considering the number of food lovers in India, we were uncertain whether people would like our menu's exotic taste as they were accustomed to the Indianised version of the food. People here appreciate different cuisines and embrace them wholeheartedly, which has worked out very well for Momo King.

Source

Impresario Handmade Restaurants Moves Towards sustainability through Accelerator Partnership

Impresario Handmade Restaurants, which runs some of the country’s most innovative food experiences brands like Social, Smoke House Deli, Ishaara, and more - is getting serious about sustainability and environmental impact.

Organizations that heavily utilise plastic products and packaging are in dire need of interventions and solutions to address the waste they generate. Starting 2021 on a positive note, the L-Catterton-backed F&B company is partnering with AtWorks, an impact-focused entrepreneur support organisation that runs the Circular Impact Market Accelerator (CIMA). The goal of this first-of-its-kind partnership is to find entrepreneurs who can help the F&B industry adopt innovative new solutions to deal with plastic use and waste generated by their operations.

As part of this pan-India pilot covering over 20 Impresario restaurants across 3 cities (Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi), the six-month program will offer a platform to find solutions that help reduce the amount of plastic used by Impresario’s restaurants. By using alternatives and channelling plastic waste to recyclable and recoverable means, the two companies will seek to eliminate plastic waste from reaching landfills via a serious push towards plastic circularity.

Says Riyaaz Amlani, CEO & MD, Impresario Handmade Restaurants, “Sustainability is an important part of our DNA, and our philosophy of ‘minimal intervention, maximum upcycling’ has played a big role in our design process over the years. While we’ve been taking small steps here and there to run a more environmentally conscious enterprise, this partnership with AtWorks will really help us channel that vision into concrete action. Our internal teams are constantly thinking about how we can reduce our plastic usage and look to more sustainable alternatives, and this accelerator program will help us identify entrepreneurs and startups that can provide real-world solutions. At the end of the study, we hope to create a playbook of sustainable practices for the F&B industry in India, and drive adoption of the same over time.”

Marriott International launched an Limited Time Offer

Marriott International has announced the launch of a Limited Time offer, curated specially for their hotels across South Asia. Whether booking for leisure or business, guests can avail their stays from 3rd January to 31st March 2021. Making the deal all the more sweeter, as guests can avail a super saver discount of 21% for stays from now on till 31 st March 2021.

Guests can opt for any of the following offerings at the hotels in Eastern India (JW Marriott Kolkata – 21%, Courtyard by Marriott, Siliguri – 21% & Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata – 21%), coupled with the flexibility to modify their reservation at any point in time with no cancellation fee. Spend your time in luxury whether you are on a business or for a leisure trip, with Marriott you will find safe environs, first-class amenities and distinctive service.

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.

Source

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.”

Source

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.

source

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.

Source