NEWS | Anantara Hotels to welcome fully vaccinated guests from 63 low-risk countries
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Anantara Hotels to welcome fully vaccinated guests from 63 low-risk countries
International travel to Thailand is back and Anantara Hotels Resorts and Spas is ready to welcome fully vaccinated guests with no quarantine requirements from 63 low-risk countries.
From Chiang Mai in the north, to the brand’s luxury properties in the capital of Bangkok, down to the islands of Phuket and Koh Samui in the south, Anantara guests are now welcome to visit any part of the country after meeting the governments health and safety requirements under the new ‘Test & Go’ scheme.
These requirements, amongst others, include proof of guests being fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine at least 14 days prior to arrival and producing a negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued within 72 hours before travelling. Upon touch-down in Thailand, a final COVID-19 test is conducted at the airport. Guests then spend one night in an Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration Plus (SHA+) certified hotel while waiting for their test result. Guests staying at an Anantara property in Bangkok will have their tests done in their room upon arrival for added convenience.
All Anantara properties that have been certified SHA+ have ensured a concerted effort to fully vaccinate all their employees and have reinforced the governments health and hygiene measures. Anantara has also implemented the “Stay with Peace of Mind” programme ensuring a series of rigid brand health and safety guidelines are met and surpassed.
This information is subjected to change at short notice. Anantara recommends that guests confirm all requirements with the relevant authorities before proceeding with any travel arrangements. For more information and FAQ’s please go to: https://www.anantara.com/en/thailand/travel-information
Current Approved countries/territories as of November 1st, 2021: Approved countries/territories: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mongolia, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam.
Visit Maldives | MALDIVES KICKS OFF CAMPAIGN WITH YATRA AND GO FIRST TO INCREASE MALDIVES’ POPULARITY IN THE INDIAN MARKET
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Visit Maldives launches a campaign with India’s Online Travel Agency, Yatra and Go First airline. The campaign will be held for a period of 3 months from 8th November onwards. This campaign is aligned with the India market strategy and would help to further boost arrivals from the Indian market and reach pre-pandemic targets. The campaign aims at creating buzz and destination awareness for potential travelers from India to Maldives.
Speaking about the campaign, Managing Director of Visit Maldives, Thoyyib Mohamed stated that India is an important source market for Maldives, which contributes significantly to the expansion of our tourism sector.
“India is already one of our top markets. This new campaign with Yatra and Go First will help in creating more momentum for the Maldives’ brand within the Indian market, which would of course result in increased bookings and future arrival numbers. We have stringent measures in place, for the safety of visitors, at all our resorts, hotels, guesthouses and liveaboards. The unique geographical formations of our islands also makes us one of the safest destinations. Visit Maldives guarantees a memorable, safe, secure and private stay for all visitors. We look forward to welcoming more Indian travelers to the sunny side of life in the months ahead.”
Senior Vice President and Business Head - Holidays at Yatra Mayur Oberoi also spoke about the importance of marketing the Maldives to Indian travelers following the border opening.
"The Maldives is one of the most important markets as far as Indian tourists are concerned. While footfall to the Maldives has always been high, at this hour, when the destination has re-opened for Indian travelers, it is very important to market the destination and revive interest in the Maldives. We are happy to join hands with Maldives Tourism Board and conduct this joint marketing campaign to promote tourism into the Maldives. We will be using all our communication channels to create buzz around the Maldives."
During the campaign, Maldives will be promoted as a top of the mind destination targeting the Indian market. Ads will be placed in Yatra and Go First’s online platforms to promote Maldives as a safe and leading destination highlighting the stringent safety measures and the unique geographical formation of the islands which naturally allow tourists to social distance and unwind in peace and tranquility.
Through the campaign Visit the Maldives will work to leverage the follower base of Yatra and Go First to create destination awareness, generate leads and create conversions and increase arrivals from India.
This campaign is estimated to make 5,891,750 impressions through the ads. It will possibly assist in securing 7,383 bookings through the Indian market through various forms of advertising content posted on physical and virtual spaces of Yatra as well as Go First.
Yatra, based in Gurugram, India is one of the leading corporate travel services providers. They have 800 corporate customers and is one of India’s leading online travel companies and operate the website yatra.com.
As of 31st October 2021, Maldives has welcomed a total of 1,011,122 travelers of which 228,297 travelers arrived from the Indian market making it the top source market.
Want to Work in the Maldives
Appointment | BookingJini ropes in Srinivasan V on the Board of directors to develop global strategies
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Bookingjini, a hospitality-focused SaaS platform, has appointed Srinivasan V as part of its Board of directors to step up its presence in the international tourism market. With the travel sector booming once again, and international borders opening up, industries across the world are functioning in full capacity and making strides to innovate their services and offerings. Under Srinivasan’s aegis and with the help of his extensive experience, BookingJini plans on leveraging the market boom to build its presence in the international travel forum.
As an IIT-Chennai and IIM-A alumnus, a seasoned investor and the former CEO of several multinationals, Srinivasan, brings in the trifecta of education, experience and implementation, which will be key to BookingJini’s global expansion. He will play a vital role in developing global strategies, overseeing international operations and taking key decisions to fortify the company’s presence across the world.
Srinivasan V, stated, “Hotels today know how to attract guests, but with a seamless interface, BookingJini ensures that they convert them into a loyal clientele. This is a simple yet unique approach to digitizing hotel booking and taking it to international frontiers will be an exciting journey.”
Appointment | Hilton Mumbai appoints Deepak Kumar as General Manager
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HILTON MUMBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: announces the appointment of Deepak Kumar as General Manager with effect from October 18, 2021.
Deepak brings with him over 20 years of experience and has extensive operational knowledge across multiple hotels and brands. His last assignment was as General Manager, Holiday Inn Cochin. Since the time Deepak has been the General Manager at Holiday Inn, the hotel has performed exceedingly well across all parameters including guest experiences, commercial performance and operational performance.
Prior to wokring at the Holiday Inn property in Cochin, Deepak worked with Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport and Holiday Inn New Delhi International Airport, completing nearly a decade with IHG.
As a hotel and marketing management graduate, Deepak has also undergone Six Sigma Certification and Strategic Management Certification at IIMA. During his career, he has continuously been a high achiever, driving change and growth with innovative strategies to expand revenue streams and manage expenses, develop talent in his teams and strengthen relationship with owners.
In this new role, Deepak will report to Rohit Dar, Regional Director, Operations – India (South).
NEWS | Ushering in the new era of Indian weddings with IHG Hotels & Resorts
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IHG Hotels & Resorts is here to make “beautiful wedding” dreams come true with a special offer bundle to help couples make the most of this momentous occasion in their lives when they are ready to say “I do”
Elaborate events have long been a cornerstone of the wedding industry in India, guests and wedding planners alike have worked hard to up the wow factor with extravagant decorations, sumptuous menus and long guest lists. Under the current circumstances and with health and safety in mind, guests have been taking a less traditional approach. Families and couples are now looking at organising more intimate weddings and special occasions in accordance with the local government guidelines.
Select IHG® Hotels & Resorts venues across brands including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn hotels in India, Nepal and Bangladesh have been adapted to create bespoke experiences, making them a perfect match for couples looking to host intimate and beautiful wedding events. IHG’s team of professional event specialists have customised their venues and services to cater to smaller yet glamourous or one-of-a-kind events with a relentless focus on health and safety so guests can leave every worry behind.
IHG Hotels & Resorts has put together a special offer available from 15 October until 31 December 2021.
· Guaranteed room upgrade to suite, to thank guests for trusting us in delivering a great wedding experience
· Up to a 5% rebate towards total bill, to help save a little bit more to splurge on jewels or the honeymoon
· 2-night stay voucher for 2 people, to reminisce and cherish the fond memories experienced
· 1 Kg bridal cake with our compliments, to congratulate couples on their new journey together
· 10% off in-room dining/laundry services, to bring some added comfort to the wedding experience
With smaller weddings, guests who want to include larger number of people in their special occasions are finding alternate and innovative solutions to do so. Splitting the invitee list based on the type of ceremony is a popular option - many guests are choosing to invite younger family members or friends for pre-wedding celebrations and the elders for the main wedding event, while others are hosting ‘virtual weddings’, live streaming the ceremony for families and friends based in different parts of the country, and the globe.
IHG has enhanced the experience for its hotel guests, by redefining cleanliness and supporting guests’ personal wellbeing throughout their event and stay at the hotel. Using new, scientific protocols and service measures, partnering with industry leading experts Cleveland Clinic, Ecolab and Diversey, and launching a global IHG Clean Promise, these strengthened measures are giving guests greater confidence and hotel teams the protection needed.
For all social events, teams across IHG hotels ensure that every touch point is sanitized and proper hygiene is maintained across all operations, throughout the event. Hotels are using technology where it can make a difference. This includes deploying enhanced, highly visible and more frequent cleaning measures, and applying new standards and service approach to food and beverages as well.
Appointment | Imit Arora Appointed as General Manager, Holiday Inn Jaipur City Centre
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The team at Holiday Inn Jaipur City Centre is extremely elated to welcome Mr. Imit Arora as the General Manager. He shall spearhead the operations of the hotel in the Pink City with 172 keys along with enormous options for dining, banqueting & events and recreational activities.
Having worked across varied brands like The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, Taj Hotels and The Lalit, his most recent role was as the General Manager for The Lalit, Chandigarh - an experience that especially catapulted his growth in the luxury arena. With over 21 years of experience in the industry, Mr. Arora has established a strong foothold as a seasoned hotelier and true hospitality professional. His vision is to sustain the hotel’s existing strong positioning and raise the bar even higher.
NEWS | Delhi's new excise policy hopes to organise the liquor industry
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With the new policy coming into force, all the 849 liquor vends in the capital city will be handed over to the private sector.
While the new Excise Policy of Delhi for 2021-22 will see the government completely leaving the ground of liquor retail to private players in Delhi, it is hopeful that the retail rates of liquor in the city will remain the lowest compared to other States because of the play of “competitive market forces” in the field.
The new policy opens the scope for a hike in retail prices due to the removal of caps on retail margins for retailers of both IMFL (Indian-manufacture foreign liquor) and FL (foreign liquor), and a marginal rise in wholesale prices. However, the government and the excise department of the State feel that the competitive spirit of the private players will help keep the rates under check even after handing over the liquor retail to the private sector.
With the new excise policy coming into force, all the 849 liquor vends in the capital city will be handed over to the private sector. The government expects more efficiency to come into the sector and thereby improving the customer experience at the retail level and thereby growth in excise revenue for the State.
While the excise department, in consultation with retailers, will fix the MRP of the products, retailers will have the liberty to offer concessions and discounts to consumers.
Given the impact of the increase in wholesale prices, the government expects a natural increase in MRP of products across brands in the range of 8 to 9 percent. However, despite that increase, the government is hopeful that the retail rates of liquor in the city will remain approximately in the range of the 2020-21 rates.
In a recent note, the excise commissioner noted, “The changes brought about in the new excise policy will need reasonable time to play out in the market. In the overall interests of consumers of Delhi, to prevent interstate smuggling, the MRP for 2021-22 should as far as possible be in the same range as prevailing in Delhi. This can be achieved if the currently prevailing amount of Excise Revenue, VAT and retail margin as per the rates for the year 2020-21 is continued at approximately the same level in the year 2021-22.”
New Opening | Mumbai’s Lower Parel To Host A Swanky New Restaurant - Cafe Noir
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Mumbai’s Lower Parel To Host A Swanky New Restaurant - Cafe Noir
Bengaluru-based VRO Hospitality takes up 3500 sq. ft. retail space at Lodha World
Iconic French café brand ‘Café Noir’ to foray into Mumbai for the first time!
Delhi, November 2021: As millions of Mumbaikars return to their favorite restaurants, pubs and bars in town, the city will see a hot new destination - the iconic French café brand ‘Café Noir’, within the Lodha World premises.
‘Café Noir’ by Bengaluru-based VRO Hospitality will offer some of the finest arrays of cakes, sandwiches, quiches, and other bakery items. Originally started by Frenchman Thierry Jasserand more than a decade ago, Café Noir’s first outlet was at Bengaluru’s posh shopping destination UB City. It became legendary for its bakes, coffees & breakfast.
However, in 2020, Thierry decided to return home, which is also when VRO Hospitality took over this quaint coffee place. The cafe also has a new culinary director, Daniel Koshy, who comes with nearly three decades of experience, and is a magician in terms of baking. After a decade of success in Bengaluru that saw VRO Hospitality create successful and popular brands like Hangover, Badmaash, Nevermind, Mirage, Destination, and Mr. Tycoon, the group is now all set to enter Mumbai for the first time ever with Café Noir.
Needless to say, the Mumbai edition of Café Noir will be in tune with the city’s vibes. “Besides our posh new estate in Lodha World, we have elevated the interiors and made it closer to the timeless French bistros of Paris. Our menu is also a little different, as we are inviting Mumbaikars to come here even for dinner, and not just coffee”, VRO co-founder Dawn Thomas explains.
Co-founder Sharath Rice, an experienced restaurateur added, “The new avatar of Café Noir in Mumbai will have mains, along with our popular bakes, sandwiches & quiches. We are working really hard to offer Mumbaikars a truly world-class dining experience as they start their hunt for new and exciting food haunts in town.”
Besides Café Noir, VRO Hospitality also acquired Fava, Plan B, Caperberry, and One Night in Bangkok that were transiting from the F&B space last year due to the impact of COVID. The acquisitions were followed by a fresh round of funding (Series A) this year worth $3 million and will help VRO take its diverse portfolio across India. Around 80% of the Series A funding, which was led by Creed Capital, will be going into expansion as VRO is planning to add 16 new projects in Bengaluru, Goa, Mumbai, Kochi, and Chennai.
About VRO Hospitality
One of the fastest-growing hospitality companies based out of Bangalore, VRO Hospitality owns some upscale bars and restaurants in the city. It currently operates 15 outlets and has five upcoming projects lined up. Some of its brands include Badmaash Lounge, Hangover, Plan B, Nevermind, Cafe Noir and Tycoons.
Appointment | Novotel Hyderabad Airport appoints Ms.Lovey Mathew as its Executive Housekeeper
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Novotel Hyderabad Airport appoints Ms.Lovey Mathew as its Executive Housekeeper
Hyderabad 8th, November 2021: Novotel Hyderabad Airport is pleased to announce the appointment of Lovey Mathew as the new Executive Housekeeper at the property. Lovey will play a pivotal role in leading the housekeeping operations at the iconic flagship hotel.
Lovey comes with extensive experience of more than 21 years in the hospitality industry, having previously worked with prestigious brands like Oberoi group, The Pullman Gurgaon Central Park, Vivanta by Taj groups to name a few. She has worked with Oberoi Center of Learning and Development and as an Executive Housekeeper and was also associated with the C.K. Birla Group as Head Housekeeper. She is known to possess excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills with proven abilities in team management and guest relationship management.
At the Novotel Hyderabad Airport, she will provide maximum safety and hygiene for guests and associates across all functions. Lovey and her team will drive their efforts to ensure that guests have a relaxing experience and that their needs are addressed in an effective manner. Her key expertise lies in keeping efforts towards the overall maintenance of the hotel to enable smooth operations and ensure an elevated experience for guests. She is familiar with modern housekeeping techniques, resource utilization strategies, and the application of the highest standards of safety and hygiene in hotel operations.
Mr. Rubin Cherian, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Airport said, “We are happy to have Ms. Lovey Mathew as our Executive Housekeeper. She is a great asset and I am confident that she along with her team will ensure that overall maintenance of the hotel support smooth operations and promise an elevated experience for guests”
Ingredient Ideology | MUFFINS TO MUNCH By Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef
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MUFFINS TO MUNCH
FUN TO BAKE & YUMMY TO RELISH!
The word Muffin comes from the French word ‘Moufflet’ which is described as freshly baked small round bread-like bakery products with a sweet taste and best served warm. Muffins are known to be British and American specialties while the British muffins have a flat shape and a hollow inside and the American ones are more like bread cooked in a muffin mould or pan. Muffins can be sweet as well as savory and are usually available such as cornmeal & cheese muffins or sweet ones like the famous blueberry, chocolate chip, lemon or banana flavored as well.
They are often eaten for breakfast, brunches, evening high-teas, and tea, coffees are also usually found accompanied along with muffins. While we find cupcakes being topped and decorated and loaded with frostings and icings, muffins usually wear a sober look when it comes to their presentation.
Muffins are single-serving bread that rises with the help of baking powder, baking soda and eggs, instead of yeast. They tend to be sweet and somewhat moist but a little heavier than a cupcake. Muffins are so easy to make that if one is a beginner after cookies it should be the next great baked goodie to be tried out and experimented!
Here are five ways with muffins for bakery lovers!
Recipe-1] THE VERY BERRY MUFFINS
Ingredients
2 cups maida/ refined flour
¾ cup grain sugar
1 cup blueberries
¼ cup butter
1 and a half cup milk
1 tbsp. baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp vanilla essence
Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius, grease and line up the muffin tins.
2. Sieve the flour with salt, baking powder, baking soda and keep aside.
3. Coat the berries with 1 tsp maida and keep aside.
4. In a bowl add milk, lime juice, butter, vanilla essence and sugar and stir well to combine the ingredients.
5. Gradually add in the dry ingredients using cut and fold method using a spatula and ensure proper mixing, avoid lumps and do not over mix as well.
6. Lastly fold in the coated berries into the muffin mixture and give it a light mix, fill the muffin mould 3/4th and allow to bake for 15-18 mins and check with a toothpick if comes out clean. Allow to cool on a baking rack for 20 mins and store/serve.
Recipe-2] ALMOND COCONUT MUFFINS
Ingredients
2 cups maida/ refined flour
2 eggs
½ cup butter
½ cup milk
¾ cup grain sugar
½ cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup chopped/sliced almonds
1 and a half tsp. baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp almond essence-optional.
Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius and grease and line up the muffin mould and keep them ready.
2. Sieve the flour, salt, baking powder and keep aside.
3. In a mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar using a hand blender until light and fluffy, add in the eggs a little at a time, add in the essence, milk, and beat it all well.
4. Carefully add in the dry ingredients a little at a time and using a spatula and fold it along, also add in the almonds and coconut, and with a light hand blend them all in.
5. Pour in the mixture into the muffin mould and fill them a little over halfway in the mould and allow to bake for 14- 16 mins and once the toothpick comes out clean from the center of the muffins, remove them allow to cool for 20 mins and then store/serve.
Recipe-3] HEAVENLY BLESSED CHOCOLATE MUFFINS
Ingredients
2 eggs
2 cups maida/ refined flour
1 cup grain sugar
½ cup butter
½ cup milk
Salt a pinch
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup choco chips
Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius and prepare the muffin mould grease and line them up.
2. Sieve together the flour, salt, baking powder and keep aside.
3. In a mixing bowl using a hand blender combine and beat together the sugar and butter for a couple of minutes.
4. Add in the eggs and continue beating until light and fluffy, add in the essence, add in the dry ingredients and slowly mix them all in, finally add in the milk and get the mixture to the right dropping texture and add in the choco chips and using a spatula gently mix them in.
5. Now spoon this mixture into the prepared muffin mould and allow to bake for 20-25 mins or until done. Remove and allow to cool for around 30 mins and then store/serve.
Recipe-4] PEANUT BUTTER FRUITY MUFFINS
Ingredients
3 large ripe bananas
2 eggs
½ cup crunchy peanut butter
1 and a half cup maida/ refined flour
4 tbsp. honey
2 tsp vanilla essence
A pinch of salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ cup choco chips or assorted sliced nuts.
Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius and prepare the muffin mould and keep ready.
2. Sieve the flour with a little salt and baking powder and keep it aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, peanut butter, honey, eggs, and vanilla essence, and using a hand blender blend it all well.
4. Now fold in the dry ingredients gently using a spatula and ensure proper mixing, also add in the choco chips or assorted nuts of your choice.
5. Spoon the muffin mixture into the prepared mould and allow to bake for 18-20 mins or until done and allow to rest and cool for around 20 mins upon baking and then store/serve.
Recipe-5] POWER PACKED WHOLE WHEAT MUFFINS
Ingredients
1 cup wheat flour
1 egg
½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
½ cup hot water
½ cup chopped dates
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
½ tsp vanilla essence
Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius and prepare the muffin mould and keep ready for baking.
2. Sieve the flour with salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder and keep aside.
3. Soak the dates in hot water for 8-10 mins and keep them aside.
4. In a mixing bowl combine together butter and sugar and cream it up well using a hand blender.
5. Add in the eggs beat until light and fluffy, add in the dates and blend them in well, finally add in the dry ingredients into this bowl and using a spatula mix it all up well.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared muffin mould and allow to bake for 15- 20 mins or until just baked enough. Remove and allow to cool for 30 mins and then store/serve.
NEWS | Paytm partners with Darjeeling Himalayan Railway to launch mobile ticketing
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Paytm has announced the launch of a QR-code-based ticketing system in a strategic partnership with Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR). This new service would give commuters the option to avoid long queues to buy tickets for toy trains operated by the DHR. They can now simply purchase digital tickets on their Paytm app, and proceed for the journey.
With this, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has become one of the first operators of toy trains in India to enable digital ticketing systems.
Paytm digital tickets will enable commuters to book tickets without being physically present at the railway stations. All they need to do is open the app, enter the date of journey, select the type of train & schedule and make payment to receive the PNR number. They can use the same digital ticket as proof of purchase at the railway station.
Priyam Agarwal, assistant director of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, said, “The joyrides have been a landmark in Darjeeling’s culture and tourism. We are happy to have partnered with Paytm to bring the QR code ticketing system to the joyrides, with an aim to reduce ticket booking time and lead to shorter queues as well. In these times, contactless ticketing will also be of great help in maintaining social distancing.”
Appointment | The Leela appoints Hemant Mediratta as its chief advisor for international leisure business
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The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has appointed luxury hotelier and entrepreneur Hemant Mediratta as chief advisor for its international leisure business. Mediratta completed 15 years with The Oberoi Group and has been pursuing an entrepreneurial journey as co-Founder of a sales and marketing organization catering to global ultra-luxury and luxury brands.
In his role as chief advisor, Mediratta will drive the international leisure strategy and mentor and guide the travel trade team along with international sales offices at The Leela to strengthen the positioning of the brand and help garner its rightful share from this segment.
Mediratta has over 28 years of experience in the hospitality business and is a seasoned professional with experience ranging across hotel operations and sales and marketing in both domestic and international markets. Being a passionate believer in the Indian story, he has worked relentlessly towards driving Indian tourism.
During his long association with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, he played a significant role in positioning the brand internationally, especially in his last position as Senior Vice President Sales. His other previous roles span successful terms in senior positions at globally acclaimed hotel groups like Hyatt International, IHG and Park Hotels.
NEWS | May this Deepawali bring back the endurance for travel trade & the industry prospers together: Jyoti Mayal
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May this Deepawali bring back the endurance for travel trade & the industry prospers together: Jyoti Mayal
In her message to association members and the travel trade, Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI said that the industry is once again picking up and is expected to deliver at par in the coming months.
She mentioned, “At the outset, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to all of you for your exemplary support and cooperation extended to TAAI and to the Chair of President which I have been bestowed with, in the year 2019, with your blessings. As we all know and have experienced that the travel trade industry has been going through its toughest time as compared to the last many decades. However, I would like to profoundly appreciate the sincere efforts made by each one of you in keeping the confidence intact, of people attached to the travel trade, by your continued efforts in keeping the show running at TAAI. Thank you so much!”
On the special occasion of Deepawali, she wished and hoped that the festival will bring back the endurance for travel trade and the industry will prosper together, especially after the eventualities caused by the pandemic. “On this special occasion of Deepawali, I am writing this to wish you and your families, good health, prosperity, success and happiness,” she said.
“It is my privilege to share that travel trade is once again picking up and is expected to deliver at par in the coming months. I truly appreciate the way members have coordinated with each other, central and state governments and worked efficiently disseminating vital information related to rules, regulations, and protocols. I once again would like to thank you for all your hard work and sheer dedication towards travel trade & TAAI and hope that this will continue for years to come by. Have a wonderful Deepawali and a prosperous new year ahead,” Mayal further added.
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Eclat Insights | What Are Lead & Lag Measures, Why You Need Them & How To Make Them Work
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There is a giant difference between knowing a thing and knowing the data behind that thing.
– CHRIS MCCHESNEY, CO-AUTHOR OF THE 4 DISCIPLINES OF EXECUTION
A LAG measure tells you if you’ve achieved the goal, a LEAD measure tells you if you are likely to achieve the goal.
Let's say you want to get healthier or fitter. The lag measure (read goal) can be measured by your weight or BMI. However, to get there, you need to do some steps, take some action - maybe eat healthier, work out, sleep better. When you track these activities, you are using lead measures.
Why is it relevant to Hospitality & Service Industries?
I have loved the idea of lead measures since I first learnt about it in N Kano's Customer Service Model. I used that model to train a lot of people and set up what we call Active Empowered Processes.
Hospitality & Service requires attention to detail. Improving small aspects of the service, in incremental gains, can have a compound effect on the overall satisfaction of guests. A process is a series of steps. Measuring only Customer Satisfaction or Net Promoter Score at the end of the service does to allow you to make changes while you can.
Measuring lead measures, allows leaders to make changes, correct delivery of service to ensure that the end goal is achieved.
Actionable Insights
Break up activity into smaller parts and then measure it.
Use a metric that can be divided into smaller parts, a metric that can be measured, a metric that tells you when you have accomplished your goal.
Create vibrant, compelling measures.
Make it easy to measure. If the measures create more 'work', your teams will just ignore them.
Example - Hotel Rooms Revenue For A Particular Day
LAG Measure - Revenue from Room Sales. Calculated at the end of the day, during night auditing. There is nothing you can do to improve the sales once the night auditing process is complete.
However, if you had LEAD measures:
Booking Horizon - Starts 90 days before the date. You start measuring the number of reservations for a particular date. If this number is low, you push sales.
Confirmed Reservations - You start confirming your reservations for a particular date. This can start 7 days before the date.
Upselling - You can start tracking this is a Lead Measure from the first Check-In of the day.
Want to make this WOW?
Use this for healthy competition amongst your teams.
Breaking the measures down into smaller parts can make both learning and working fun. For example, break down the cleaning of a room into smaller measures: bed making, bathroom cleaning, restocking minibar etc.
Make it super easy for your teams.
For example, a common measuring system used to track washroom cleaning in hotels, restaurants is an A4 printout stuck to the back of the door in a plastic sheet, that the cleaner is supposed to sign off at a predetermined interval of time. What can you do to make this better? Allow them to take pics after cleaning and sharing it on a WhatsApp group or an app of your choice. You get the time stamp, you get a visual that can be compared to what the standards are set as and it is super easy for the team member.
"All winners are trackers. You cannot improve something until you measure it"
Your productivity measure has to be something that you can measure while the task is on. A lead measure so to speak, is not something that has the feeling of an autopsy.
A word of caution - Goodhart's law states that when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.
If you would like to develop lead & lag measures that remain great measures, get in touch. p.bedi@eclathospitality.com
PrabhjotBedi
is a Hospitality Ideator. A process innovator, trainer, and professional speaker, he has worked with the Taj Group of Hotels, conducted training programs for hospitality leaders, launched a National Council Accredited Hospitality Institute as Principal, successfully launched and sold three hospitality businesses. He now assists hospitality leaders and educators in creating superlative services and products. He also edits the very popular www.hospemag.com - the largest hospitality career e-mag
NEWS | Karma Hospitality LLP launches Treehouse M.A.R.S Valley View
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Karma Hospitality LLP has launched Treehouse M.A.R.S Valley View in Shimla in association with Ailsinghani Hotels. Nestled in the picturesque town called Shoghi, which is situated at an altitude of 6400 feet in the great Himalayas, it is surrounded by lush green forest.
The tastefully done up resort has accommodation with modern facilities, stunning views and ample parking space. Its location makes it an ideal retreat for those who wish to escape the cacophony of city life.
“Team Treehouse is excited about adding another hotel in its portfolio. Now, our guests can enjoy and experience Himachal by staying at Treehouse hotels in Shimla & Chail. We look forward to serving our guests at Treehouse M.A.R.S. Valley View,” said Suman Ghosh, COO of Karma Hospitality LLP.
Karma Hospitality LLP is a multi-dimensional hotel company operating and managing full scale hotels, resorts and serviced apartments under the Treehouse brand name. It forayed into management of hotels in 2007 and currently manages more than 616 keys in 17 hotels across India at Delhi NCR, Bhiwadi, Neemrana, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Goa, Himachal, Amritsar, and Corbett.
Maldives News | LEAD GENERATION CAMPAIGN” WITH AUSTRALIA’S SIGNATURE MEDIA
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LEAD GENERATION CAMPAIGN” WITH AUSTRALIA’S SIGNATURE MEDIA
Visit the Maldives begins the “Lead Generation Campaign” with Australia’s Signature media. This B2B campaign will be held from October 2021 till April 2022.
Signature Media is Australia's leading independent publisher of travel content. The brand has four platforms, including Holiday with Kids (HWK), Vacation and Travel (V&T), Signature Luxury Travel (SIG) and Luxury Travel & Style (LTS), through which print and online tourism-related content is circulated to over hundreds of thousands of readers/viewers.
The campaign with Signature Media is held as part of Visit Maldives’ efforts to make the Maldives the go-to destination in the Australia Market, to build media and PR contacts, and to increase engagement with tourists from Australia. The campaign will target three segments of travelers, including luxury, family and standard travelers with distinct messaging for each.
Through this campaign, we aim to inform the travel trade and tourists of the wide variety of options available in the Maldives for not just luxury, honeymooners, and couples but also families and budget travelers. It targets to boost the visibility of Maldives in the Australian market to encourage pre-booking. During this campaign Signature, Media will post advertisements and editorials of the Maldives targeting 4 platforms of the group which is expected to reach over 700 thousand readers/viewers of its platforms.
Appointment | Pankaj Gupta joins Crowne Plaza, Mayur Vihar as its general manager
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IHG Hotels has appointed Pankaj Gupta as the new general manager for Crowne Plaza, Mayur Vihar, Noida.
An industry veteran with over 20 years in the hospitality industry, Gupta brings with him a holistic experience including strategic leadership, guest experience, and expertise in revenue analysis, yield management, and sales and marketing. He started his career as a front office associate and since then has held various positions and as a general manager with leading hotels chains: Accor Hotels, Marriott International, and IHG.
His achievements include opening a brand new hotel from the ground up and setting up the entire operations, and more.
Before moving to Crowne Plaza Mayur Vihar, Gupta was with Holiday Inn Jaipur, spearheading the biggest property in the city center, where he was also responsible for the associates’ elicit performance and achieving the vision of the hotel.
NEWS | Pride Group of Hotels signs four new properties in Uttarakhand
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With the signing of four new properties, the Pride Group of Hotels will have six properties in Uttarakhand including Rishikesh and Mussoorie
Pride Group of Hotels has signed up to launch four new properties in the state of Uttarakhand with Pride Hotel Haldwani, Pride Resort Nainital, Pride Biznotel Haldwani, and Pride Resort Jim Corbett.
"Despite several challenges and volatility faced during the last year, Pride Group of Hotels has been growing from strength to strength. We are delighted to mark our presence with the four new properties in one of the most popular states in North India. Haldwani, Nainital, and Jim Corbett are important leisure destinations for the domestic as well as international market attracting a large universe of nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts. We hope to bring in a new level of comfort and facilities to travelers to this region with our superior accommodation and excellent services. Guest safety will be assured by our efficient team at Pride Group of Hotels" said Atul Upadhyay, Vice President- Pride Group Of Hotels.
Pride Hotel Haldwani, Pride Resort Nainital, Pride Biznotel Haldwani, and Pride Resort Jim Corbett will feature a collective room count of 213 rooms, 9 F&B outlets and 14 Banquet conference hall and lawn.
With the signing of four new properties, the Pride Group of Hotels will have six properties in Uttarakhand including Rishikesh and Mussoorie. All the properties will comprise well-appointed rooms with aesthetically designed interiors. Personalized services, premium in-room amenities, restaurants will elevate guests' experiences.
With its presence around 34 great locations across India, Pride Group of Hotels boasts of 3213+ Rooms, 70 Restaurants, 92 Banquets, and Conference Halls, reinforcing itself as a one-stop destination for MICE. Currently, Pride Hotels operates and manages a chain of hotels under the brand name “Pride Plaza Hotel” an Indian Luxury Collection, at Aerocity – New Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata, “Pride Hotel” at Bangalore, Chennai, Nagpur, Pune, Indore, Udaipur & (soon) Bharuch, Haldwani along with “Pride Resorts” at Goa, Puri, Jaipur, Rajkot, Bharatpur, Gangtok, Dapoli, Mussoorie & (soon) Aatapi, Rishikesh, Daman, Bhavnagar, Dwaraka, Nainital, Jim Corbett, and also Mid-Market Hotels under “Pride Biznotel” at Anand & (soon) Jabalpur, Agra, Bhopal, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Somnath & Haldwani.
