INITIATIVE | Beach Cleaning Drive by The Fern Samali Resort Dapoli Maharashtra

The Fern Samali Resort, Dapoli (Maharashtra) carried out a beach cleaning exercise at Ladghar beach near the resort and collected close to 200 kg of plastic and other waste materials strewn across the beach, the GM of The Fern Samali Resort, Dinesh Kumar Yadav said.

The entire activity was carried out by the green team members of the resort. The staff members collected plastic bottles, wrappers etc for more than three hours to make the beach look beautiful and plastic free, Dinesh informed.

The beaches being the biggest attraction at Dapoli, it is our duty to preserve them so that people who visit Dapoli can enjoy the pristine beaches, he said.  We would be glad to carry out such activities from time to time so that our surroundings are plastic and litter-free. We want to spread the message of importance of keeping our beaches pollution-free, he added.

The Fern Hotels & Resorts is India’s leading environmentally sensitive hotel chain and amongst the fastest growing hotel brands in India, with 88 hotels & resorts currently operational under management or opening shortly across 72 locations in India and internationally, under The Fern, The Fern Residency, The Zinc by The Fern, Beacon Hotels and a selection of independently branded hotels. The company is a part of CG Corp Global, a multi-dimensional Nepalese conglomerate.

Radisson Hotel Group adds nine new hotel signings across South Asia in 2021

Radisson Hotel Group further strengthened its portfolio in India with the signing of nine new hotels across five brands in 2021. Located in key gateway cities and emerging destinations, these new hotels will collectively add over 1,000 rooms to its domestic network in the next three to five years. In 2021, the Group grew its presence in India with the opening of 12 new hotels and introducing two new brands, including Radisson Individuals and Radisson RED.

The group announced four hotel signings in the first half of 2021 despite pandemic challenges. These included Classic Grande Imphal, a member of Radisson Individuals, The Elite Narsapura, a member of Radisson Individuals, Park Inn by Radisson Vadodara and Park Inn by Radisson Vellore. These were followed by five additional signings towards the second half of the year – Radisson Resort Kumbhalgarh, Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, New Gurugram, Park Inn by Radisson Deoghar, Radisson Hotel Jamshedpur, and Park Inn by Radisson AhmedabadDaslana.

“2021 marks a significant milestone for us at Radisson Hotel Group as we opened our 100th hotel in India. We continued our foray towards our ambitious five-year expansion plan with nine signings in 2021 and are working towards replicating this performance in 2022. India remains a key part of the Group’s global strategy, and we intend to invest across all parts of our operations. Our next phase of growth would be driven by strategic, brand-defining hotel signings and openings that will provide a major uplift to our hotel portfolio and broaden our offerings for guests and owners,” said Zubin Saxena, managing director and vice president, operations, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group.

Currently, with 105 operating hotels in India, Radisson Hotel Group added 1,161 rooms to its network in 2021 with 12 hotel openings. Its diverse portfolio recorded the addition of hotels and resorts across Dharamshala, Nashik, Lonavala, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Chandigarh, Vizag and Imphal amongst other leisure destinations. With an increasing demand for domestic and experiential travel, Radisson Hotel Group stands ready to deliver memorable experiences to guests with its countrywide network of hotels.

The full list of 2021 hotel signings are: Classic Grande Imphal, a member of Radisson Individuals, a 171-room property, currently fully operational; Park Inn by Radisson Vellore expected to open in 2023; The Elite Narasapura, a member of Radisson Individuals, a 160-room, upscale hotel expected to be operational by 2023; Park Inn by Radisson Vadodara a 112-room business hotel expected to open in 2025; Radisson Resort Kumbhalgarh expected to open in 2024; Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, New Gurugram, a 150-room property expected to open in 2026; Park Inn by Radisson Deoghar, a 110-room hotel expected to open in 2024; Radisson Hotel Jamshedpur a 100-room hotel expected to open in 2026; and Park Inn by Radisson Ahmedabad Daslana a 100-room hotel expected to open in 2026.

Appointment | Sneha Jha is the new sales and marketing director at Sofitel Mumbai BKC

Sneha Jha

Sofitel Mumbai BKC appoints Sneha Jha as the new sales and marketing director Prior to acquiring this role, Jha was the director of sales for The Westin Goa

Sofitel Mumbai BKC has announced the appointment of Sneha Jha as the director of sales and marketing. In her role, Jha will be responsible for leading and further improving all aspects of the sales and marketing department.

A seasoned hotelier, Jha has been in the hospitality industry for nearly 20 years and brings on board, proficient expertise and knowledge across sales and marketing, and business development. An alumnus from IHM Bengaluru, she started her career with The Leela Kempinski in Mumbai and thereafter worked with brands like The Taj, Marriott, Intercontinental, and Holiday Inn.

Prior to acquiring this role, she was the director of sales for The Westin Goa. In addition to market analysis, research and strategizing, Jha enjoys reading and spending time with her 10-year old son in her free time.

IHCL steps into Navi Mumbai, announces the opening of Vivanta Navi Mumbai, Turbhe

With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will have twelve hotels in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including three under development.

The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) has announced the opening of Vivanta Navi Mumbai, Turbhe. Nestled at the base of Parsik Hills, the stylishly designed hotel will be the first Vivanta in Navi Mumbai.

Puneet Chhatwal, managing director and CEO, IHCL, said, “This opening is in line with IHCL’s strategy of strengthening our domestic presence in key cities. Located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Navi Mumbai is a major commercial, educational, sports and entertainment centre. We look forward to making the hotel a part of the city’s rapid evolution.”

The 146-room Vivanta Navi Mumbai, Turbhe offers panoramic views of the Arabian Sea. Its modern architectural design is inspired by the flamingos who swarm the city’s wetlands. Mynt, the vibrant all-day diner brings an array of local and global cuisine. Swirl, the patisserie and delicatessen is an inviting space to drop by for sweet and savory bites. Wink is the playful and trendy resto-bar offering alfresco seating. The hotel also has the award-winning Jiva Spa perched on the rooftop, as well as the Rooftop Bar & Lounge. With 327 square metres of banquet area, the hotel is ideal for weddings and events.

The new hotel is located in close proximity to IT corporate parks, entertainment hubs and arenas that host global sporting events and concerts. It is ideally suited for both leisure and business travellers. I look forward to welcoming guests to the city’s new address,” said Vikas Parimoo, General Manager, Vivanta Navi Mumbai, Turbhe.

With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will have twelve hotels in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including three under development.

12th India International Hotel Travel & Tourism Research Conference March 3rd – 5th 2022

12th India International Hotel Travel & Tourism Research Conference March 3rd – 5th 2022

India International Hotel Travel and Tourism Research Conference, organized by Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology from 3rd to 5th March 2022 was seen as the first-ever time to be conducted in a Virtual mode in lieu of the pandemic and global crisis. However, the crisis didn’t halt or seize the opportunity for researchers and speakers across the globe to gather in a virtual teams room to present their works and delegations in this year’s theme of IIHTTRC: Renaissance 2.0: Re-think, Re-build & Re-coup" which aimed at absorbing the best practices adopted by the active players in the hospitality & tourism sector around the world. The conference provided a distinctive opportunity to converse and share the knowledge with the experts and focus on revised strategies in the tourism and hospitality field with a global perspective.  

Commencing with the mega event, Mr. Sidharth, faculty, BCIHMCT greeted and welcomed everyone to this special event where all the researchers with their industrial experience and intellectual minds were to present their ideas and views on this year’s theme, taking in mind the pandemic effects on the tourism and hospitality sector. It was followed by the auspicious blessings from Lord Ganesha through the  Ganesh Vandhana performance enacted by Nivedita, student, BCIHMCT.

Dr. Arvind Saraswati then shared with the audience this year's theme ‘Renaissance 2.0: Re-think, Re-build & Re-coup’ in order to suffice the excitement and wait amongst the researchers/speakers. He elaborated that the theme was based on the idea of The Renaissance, referring to a ‘fervent period of European cultural, artistic, political and economic “rebirth” following the Middle Ages, from 14th century to 17th century. Furthermore, he elaborated that how it promoted the rediscovery and recovery of classical philosophy, literature, and art to the present day. Relating to this, it was just like in the case of hospitality as seen during and after the Corona Virus Pandemic, and that it the stage for recovery and rebirth for this industry.

Mr. R.K Bhandari, Principal, BCIHMCT then warmly welcomed the gathering including all the special addresses’ speakers and keynote speakers. And to extend to the purpose of the IIHTTRC 2022 Conference, he enlivened the atmosphere by justifying the purpose which was to provide education to the young students in this industry, to develop them into responsible hospitality personnel with quality expertise and indicating that this conference is a way of connecting them to the experts in the hospitality sector that will broaden their knowledge and competences. Professionals, academicians and researchers from various countries were invited to share  their unique idea and research on this  timely, crucial and challenging issue, the hospitality and tourism sector is facing after the covid recession. 

Dr. Swarup Sinha, Principal, ITC Hospitality Management Institute at ITC LIMITED,

Hotels Division in his special address shared his experience and learning and believed that these two processes can happen every second and every minute of life, quoting  ‘There are decades when nothing happened and weeks where decade passed’. He injected the audience with the lesson that one can learn with experience and even while working which is more fruitful than reading books. Continuing with his motivational stories, he expressed that learning  is ‘When as a leader you are  the one to take the blame whenever failure happens, and whenever success occurs, you reward the right person who helped you.’ He took the recent lockdown for an example that it has opened the window to lots of innovation and ideas which will definitely benefit to decades to come. He emphasized on this scenario that currently, sanitation and hygiene protocol has become the top priority in the hospitality industry and all hotels are showing commitment towards health and hygiene amongst employees and to all the guests. This is the benefit that pandemic has brought us, he believes.

Coming to possessing the skills of a hotelier, he shed light on the subject of presentation and its importance such as to : Be Spontaneous, Know your Subject very well, Capacity to hold your audience for at least 20 minutes, Learn to deliver without presentation, Engage the audience, If you want to engage the people then you need to know a lot, reading is knowledge and a leader is a reader.

And coming back to the subject of crisis and dealing with it, he exclaimed on the question thar what the previous disaster has taught us is that these things will happen from now and then  whether it is a tsunami, 26/11 or COVID, He believed that there are 3 stages we should focus on: Survive, revive and thrive! We have to learn to co-exist with these situations. As a youngster, you need to have knowledge but more importantly, a  well-formed mind that can use that knowledge for actual benefits. Just as the real skill of the pilot is tested at the turbulence in the same way your real skill is tested in the time of pressure and crisis like this pandemic.

Prof. Shunsaku Hashimoto, Full Professor and Associate Dean, Faculty of Global and

Regional Studies, University of the Ryukyus, Japan, in his Keynote Speech,  presented the  ‘features of a hotel that still continues to grow even alongside with covid 19’ Through his presentation, he took the audience to the subject of Japan and its crisis. He elaborated that because of pandemic, the foreign tourists in Japan decreased by 87.1% and the domestic trips decreased by 48.4%. The room occupancy rates are now at a 34.6% decrease and even more than  40%  on average. Moving on, he elaborated that despite the recession in the hotel industry across various parts of Japan and all over the world, there still remains one hotel that continued to grow in this crisis, which is the  Hoshino Resorts. By presenting his fine example on the same, he further explained that on April and May 2020, Hoshino resorts’ occupancy rates plummeted to less than 30% across the board. However, in the coming July 2020 the occupancy rates of major hotels in Hoshino resorts returned to over 80% and went as high as 90% until the state of emergency was reissued in the third wave of Covid 19.

Coming to the question cum solution that how were they able to have such high occupancy even in the pandemic, he presented 3 features: Excellence in employees, placement of devices to raise the satisfaction level of experimental consumption means if the guest comes to Nasu so as to enjoy and experience Nasu culture, inferring to hotels having to place management devices that make the stay enjoyable and makes guests feel that way. And finally, promoting of micro tourism through media. Micro tourism is the locals’  trip to their hometowns. Above all, the biggest feature considered by Dr. Hashimoto is human resources.  Going by the concept of micro tourism and raising guest satisfaction, the whole responsibility falls to the employees. The employee is the one who interacts with the guest; they have to produce the content of their area which can increase the experience of the guests. This cultural concept is based on ‘Treating employees as customers’.  Its a core Internal marketing concept introduced by Berry and Parasuraman (1991). The same can be achieved by : Career support, Mental support and a Dialogue environment. The reform is to empower positivity in employees and motivate them by having them act on their own discretion. The concept of ‘Treating employees as customers’ has been deeply penetrated in the organization of Hoshino Resorts which he believes to be the reason for their high room occupancy rate even in the post-pandemic era.

Eclat Insights | We Gather Here Today'​.... Why Pre-Mortem Can Make Sure Your Projects & Processes, Survive & Thrive

Things go wrong, all the time. Why do so many plans fail? Why are there so many service complaints, from so many customers, of so many companies? Somebody somewhere introduced a process after a lot of thought, why does it fail in implementation?

A pre-mortem is a managerial strategy in which a project team imagines that a project or organization has failed, and then works backwards to determine what potentially could have led to the failure of the project or organization.

More Detail on the topic

Research conducted in 1989 by Deborah J. Mitchell, of the Wharton School; Jay Russo, of Cornell; and Nancy Pennington, of the University of Colorado, found that prospective hindsight – imagining that an event has already occurred – increases the ability to correctly identify reasons for future outcomes by 30%

A typical pre-mortem begins after the team has been briefed on the plan. The leader starts the exercise by informing everyone that the project has failed spectacularly. Over the next few minutes, those in the room independently write down every reason they can think of for the failure – especially the kinds of things they ordinarily wouldn’t mention as potential problems, for fear of being impolite. - Gary Klein. 2007. Performing a Project Premortem. Harvard Business Review. September. pp. 18–19

I love the following in this concept:

1. Spectacular Failure: not just any kind of failure, but a spectacular one. That I think really brings a lot to the whole exercise.

2. It is dead. Not somehow living a little, doing just about ok, dead dead.

3. Reasons, especially ones we wouldn't mention for fear of being impolite. A lot of team members just don't want to tell the boss that the plan is not going to work.  

Here are some examples of things we ran into when we ran this with our client teams.

• For a very high profile wedding

The client resort did a lot of weddings, but this one was an extremely high profile one. Nothing could go wrong.

Everything was ok, till we did a pre-mortem. A maintenance team member pointed out that the stand-alone banquet Genset was acting up. Nothing was wrong, but considering this was such a big event, he thought there should be a backup. No one had ever thought of a backup for the Genset. 

Once that was agreed upon (a long power cable to the hotel Genset was arranged, took 8 hours to set up), someone in the team mentioned using UPS and Self Charging lights at strategic locations in the hall to ensure immediate lighting if there was a power failure. (There was a 5 second lag to the Genset kicking in).  

Post the event, which went off without a power failure, this became standard practice and the strategic lighting (made to look good too), was demonstrated and used during sales pitches and guests visits.  The pre-mortem had created a new selling point.

• Italian Groups / Travel

Another client had bagged a contract for an Italian tourist series. Plans were made to create new foods, drinks, activities and spruce up the property. Senior leadership was very happy. The pre-morterm was almost dismissed, till a Guest Relations mentioned that they did not have a single team member who spoke Italian.  A local guide who spoke fluent Italian has hired for the coordination and the entire series went well.

How To Pre-Mortem

Step 1 - Choose the participants

Anyone who has a stake in the process/project should be a part of the activity. Do not restrict this only to managers or leaders etc. The reasons for failure generally come from the ones who know what the problems on the ground could be.  

Step 2 - Detail The Plan

This is very important. When you get the team together, first discuss the plan, lay it all out and only then start the pre-mortem. All the details should be fresh in the minds of the participants. 

Step 3 - Imagine The Failure / Death Of The Outcome

The exercise leader should say the words 'The project XYZ was a spectacular failure. We are gathered here today to discuss the possible reasons'

Step 4 - Generate Reasons For The Failure

You can do this in a group mode, with anyone saying out what they think and capturing it all on a whiteboard or you can ask the participants to take 10 minutes and make a personal list first, and then share.

Step 5 - Discuss / Consolidate The Lists

Make sure that everyone is allowed to share their reasons. Encourage people who do not normally share or talk a lot.  You can also have everyone drop their lists into a box, thereby allowing them to share anonymously.

Step 6 - Revisit The Plan, Incorporate

Now that you have the reasons for the failure, revisit the plan and see if you can address the concern. Can you tweak something in the process? Can you add a step, remove a step? Do you need additional knowledge, resources or people?  

Want to make this WOW? 

Assess Likelihood, Impact, and Ease Of Prevention for each of the reasons on the list.

Hotel cars that guests request can break down. It is machinery, but let's filter that from the perspective of Likelihood, Impact, and Ease Of Prevention.

Let's do this for a major city hotel, where a guest requests an airport pick up.

• Likelihood: of a car breakdown could be low, especially if the cars are serviced regularly, and a major city may have better roads etc.

• Ease of Prevention: is high, ensure service and regular maintenance. One could also outsource the whole car service operation.

• Impact: can be low. Considering this is a major city airport, you should be able to easily get another car available or use another provider. The guest can also wait at the airport in case it takes some time to arrange alternatives.

But if you do this from the perspective of a resort that sends out a car or jeep into the woods or to a hilltop for a picnic, then the exercise has a different outcome.

• Likelihood of a car breakdown could be high because of the terrain.

• Ease of Prevention: could be low. lack of good service options, terrain, or just not enough regular use.

• Impact: can be High. Being stranded, not being able to get another ride in time, tough surroundings etc. Lack of food or water. This single experience could ruin the entire vacation.

The resort would be advised to work on these parameters. 

Something you should do right now:

Go a little deeper into the real small issues that you would normally not think of. We once had a situation where an angry guest was asked to sign a bill after having been offered a ton of apology and massive discounts and then the pen did not work. The guest just lost it at that.

p.s. If you are interested in knowing what the resort did to mitigate the risks, write to me at p.bedi@eclathospitality.com

Prabhjot

Bedi

is an 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

BCIHMCT hosting its 12th India International Hotel, Travel and Tourism Research Conference

Training and Skilling Employees – the only way to win customer loyalty

“Human Resource Department has a tough task at hand. The post-pandemic era needs a lot of trained, skilled and motivated employees to bring back the loyalty of customers for the hospitality sector.” In the 12th India International Hotel, Travel & Tourism Research Conference, which is currently being organized, from March 03, 2022 to March 05, 2022 by Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, many such issues were raised and discussed by the academic fraternity.

The theme for this year is "Renaissance 2.0: Re-think, Re-build & Re-coup" which is aimed at absorbing the best practices adopted by the active players in the hospitality & tourism sector around the world. The HR department should develop managers who have to be great at time management, context switching, and problem solving.

Through methodical and modern methods of training, a manager can handle various situations like unhappy guests, analyzing guest needs and of course emergency scenarios like last minute changes at a function or banquet operations.

HR should strategize their policy in such a manner so as to improve operations in all departments, allowing the team to be more efficient and even assess if they are happy at work. This will definitely bring back loyal customers and help the revenues to soar as high as possible.

During the Conference, researchers discussed and deliberated on pertinent issues related to the HR department of a hotel and how to revive and thrive guest experiences by training and skilling employees. The conference also shed the light on enhancing knowledge of creating and managing demand, and maximizing returns in the near future for all future managers. After all, “A hotel is only as good as its employees.”

The major part of our IIHTTRC conference also focused on implementing programs to properly train employees that help close the skills gap, which also continues to be one of the biggest HR challenges in the hospitality industry. 

In addition all the factors discussed so far, HR Managers in the hospitality sector often face challenges related to the motivation of their employees. Most jobs in this sector are highly stressful needing constant vigilance and attention on the employees and hence, there is a high burnout rate in the sector. To avoid high attrition due to stress and demoralized employees due to fatigue, HR Managers in the sector must come up with innovative and inventive policies to ensure that employees remain motivated. 

That’s why there is a need of skilled employees, who provide exceptional customer service at all times. An Effective HR team can revive the morale of the employees and thus make the customers happy and loyal, by training and skilling all manpower of the hotel sector.

HR professionals at hospitality companies also face a unique set of challenges that they have to tackle daily. Hence, there is a need to keep the spirits of the employees high and towards this cause. HR Managers can ensure that they align the rewards with the performance in a manner that brings out the best in each of their employees.

Through this theme, an effort is being made in the conference to include constructive deliberations on the aforesaid issues prevailing worldwide in HR due to the current pandemic situation and to address, discuss and devise future strategies for “Managing Hotel Operations and Human Resource Issue”.

Appointment | DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore Appoints Rajeev Rawat as New Front Office Manager

DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore Appoints Rajeev Rawat as New Front  Office Manager 

Rajeev Rawat brings more than 11 years of industry experience to the position 

Bengaluru, Karnataka – March, 2022 – Rajeev Rawat has been named as the new Front  Office Manager at the 172-room DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore, which has been open  since January, 2014. Rawat will lead front office endeavors while supporting the hotel’s mission  to provide outstanding service to guests. Located at Iblur Gate, Marathahalli-Bellandur-Sarjapur  Outer Ring Road, Sarjapur Main Road Bengaluru. 

Rajeev’s passion for the DoubleTree by Hilton brand and extensive front office operations  knowledge makes him the perfect fit to lead Front Office Department at DoubleTree Suites by  Hilton Bangalore in achieving its business goals and providing outstanding service to guests,"  said Subhabrata Roy, general manager. 

“I am honored to join the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore team,” said Rawat. “My  position here in Bengaluru allows me to ensure our hotel is the top choice for guests traveling to the area, for business and leisure alike.” 

Prior to joining DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore, Rawat was Front Office Manager of  Courtyard Marriott, Agra. He started his journey with JW Marriott, Pune as a Front Desk  Executive and has worked previously with reputed brands such as JW Marriott - Mussoorie, JW  Marriott Jaipur and Courtyard Marriott, Ahmedabad. 

DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore is part of Hilton Honors®, the award-winning guest  loyalty program for Hilton’s 18 world-class brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly  through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment  slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a  stay, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else and free standard Wi-Fi.  Members also have access to contactless technology exclusively through the industry-leading  Hilton Honors mobile app, where Hilton Honors members can check-in, choose their room and  access their room using Digital Key. 

Appointment | Doubletree by Hilton Jaipur Amer appoints Nibedita Thapa as cluster learning and development manager

Thapa is an expert in harnessing employee engagement and setting the foundation for great people.

Doubletree by Hilton Jaipur has announced the appointment of Nibedita Thapa as its cluster learning and development manager.

Possessing nearly 11 years of experience, Thapa is an expert in harnessing employee engagement and setting the foundation for great people and work culture at Doubletree by Hilton. Here, she will be handling Hilton Jaipur and Doubletree by Hilton Jaipur Amer.

Encompassing the values, visions, ideals, norms, and working language, she has a knack of bringing together professionals from various diverse cultures to collaborate in harmony in order to achieve the ultimate purpose and vision of the company. Having previously worked at a range of well-known hotels, such as Radisson Hotels, Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, Thapa believes that the Learning and Development department truly develops and manages a company’s culture.

Nestlé India pledges to further help spice farmers in India through the MAGGI Spice Plan

Nestlé India pledges to further help spice farmers in India through the MAGGI Spice Plan

• The program aims to deliver positive impacts for the farmer communities, the Planet, and the business

• The program will ensure traceability of seven key spices - Chilli, Turmeric, Coriander, Cumin, Aniseed, Fenugreek, Nutmeg

• Already positively impacted 1300 spice farmers across 7 states

Spices and herbs have the power to transform any dish into a tasty meal and give life to even the simplest preparations. Spices are essential to the Nestlé product portfolio and are used in many products, especially MAGGI. To help improve the economic stability of the spice farmers, Nestlé MAGGI has implemented a Sustainable Sourcing Programme for spices. Built on the pillars of traceability and responsible sourcing, the programme aims to ensure transparency on origins and progressively deliver positive impacts for the farmer communities, the environment and the business within its spices supply chain. The key areas of intervention of the MAGGI Spice plan are: ensuring good soil health, reduction in water wastage, no pesticide residues, the economics of cultivation, and biodiversity enhancements through the spice farms.

Commenting on the thought behind this programme, Mr. Suresh Narayanan, Chairman and Managing Director, Nestlé India, said, “Spices are important for India, for Indians and hence for the MAGGI portfolio. At Nestlé India, we have always aimed to create value for our stakeholders, especially for the communities in which we operate. The programme is built on three aspects: planet, people and profits (for farmers). Through this, we wish to contribute to improving the livelihood of spice farmers by introducing them to the best farming practices that are sustainable and will help them grow the best produce while ensuring safe living and working conditions for them.”

The first pillar focuses on traceability of seven spices – Chilli, Turmeric, Coriander, Cumin, Aniseed, Fenugreek, Nutmeg – used in MAGGI products. Food traceability in the spice food chain is important to establish that the spices are free from harmful pesticides, additives, and climate change effects. The project already touches the lives of about 1300 farmers, spread across 39 villages and 7 states including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Rajasthan and Gujarat in 2020, and this is expected to increase by about 15% by the end of 2022. The second pillar of responsible sourcing has been tailored to address four areas: ensure resilient livelihoods, safe living and working conditions for farmers, maintaining biodiverse and environmentally sustainable farms. 

Our partnerships and the trust we have built up over the years with Spice farmers give Nestle India the inspiration to look at emulating such endeavours in other agri-commodities as well where we have involvement.

Dilli 6 Food Festival Edition 12- Crowne Plaza New Delhi Okhla

Dilli 6 Food Festival Edition 12- Crowne Plaza New Delhi Okhla- 4th March-17th March 2022

Unravel the majestic Purani Dilli from the lens of royal ladies at the ‘Dilli 6’ food festival at Crowne Plaza New Delhi Okhla

An ode to the International Women’s Day theme #BreakTheBias

Unravel the majestic culinary and cultural glory of Purani Dilli from the lens of royal ladies and their flamboyant lifestyles as Edesia, a multi-cuisine restaurant at Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla is all set to host the 12th edition of its signature food festival ‘Dilli 6’. The dates of the festival would be from 4th March to 17th March 2022.

 Step back in time and dine like ‘Mallika’s’ of yore, as we recreate centuries-old customs and culinary legacies for the guests to dine like a royal. The extravaganza will witness the presence of food and ‘mithai’ vendors & karigars from Chandni Chowk for a truly local experience.

The theme of the year: Noor-E-Khawateen (Radiance-Of-Womankind)

 This year is an ode to the Boss Ladies of royal eras- Begum Nur Jahan (Co-sovereign of Mughal Empire during the reign of Jahangir and one of the most powerful feminist icons of the era), Princess Jahanara (Boss Lady and the mind behind the architecture of Chandni Chowk during the reign of Shah Jahan) and Empress Razia Sultan (first and only female ruler of Delhi Sultanate, successor of Iltutmish).

The in-house team has also designed multiple unique dining experiences for guests to experience the flamboyant lifestyle of these protagonists and travel back to the royal era: Jahanara Lounge (luxurious Mughal suite),  Sultanat-E-Razia (royal court), and Mughal Sena Shivir (ancient Mughal army themed dining experience as an ode to braveheart Nur Jahan).  Don’t forget to shop from our ancient style ‘Meena Bazaar’.

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Menu:

The guests will be welcomed with Dilli 6 style Bunta, Shikanjis, and Mohabbat ka Sherbet. The buzzing street food carts will offer quintessential Dilli 6 delicacies such as Golguppas, Kalmi Vada, Aloo Tikkis, Fruit Kulia, Dahi Gujhiya, Papdi, Kakori Kebabs, Noorani Kebabs, Reshami Kebabs, Bhutta Seekh Kebabs and much more. 

The chefs will recreate the icnonic Paranthe Wali Gali with unique variety of Paranthas. For the main course, wow your taste buds with quintessential Jahangiri Mutton Quorma, Murgh Begum Bahar, Nihari, Biryani, Sheermal & more. Conclude your meal on sweet note with desserts such as Karachi Halwa, Sohan Halwa, Habshi Halwa, Phirni, Jalebis & more.

More experiences

Do not miss a chance to interact with Pandit Ji and hear out his ‘bhavishyavanis’ along with desi Paan to conclude the wonderful journey. 

According to Mr. Shuvendu Banerjee, General Manager, “Dilli 6 food festival is a signature experience of our hotel where we offer authentic delicacies from the bylanes of Old Delhi crafted under extremely hygienic set up. This year, we are attempting to salute the powerful female icons of the royal eras through curated culinary, cultural and dining experience. We also strive to support the International Women’s Day theme 2022- Break The Bias by honoring the magnificent and fierce women during the eras when Pardah system was a norm.”

According to Mr. Pradipt Sinha, Director of Food & Beverage,” Our lavish Dilli 6 menu gives an opportunity for guests feast on time-honored culinary recipes that have been passed through generations. Our chefs have collaborated with local karigars and vendors of Chandni Chowk to bring delectable indulgences which are deeply rooted in Delhi’s history.”

What: Dilli 6 food festival (Season 12)

Where: Edesia at Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla

Timings: 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Dilli 6 Buffet Price: INR 2299+ taxes| Dilli 6 Thali Price: INR 1599 + taxes (Prices per person)

For table reservations, call us at: + 91 95829 44897

Appointment | Vinodh Ramamurthy is General Manager of Hilton Jaipur

His last assignment was as General Manager for DoubleTree by Hilton Agra, a position he was managing since 2018

Vinodh Ramamurthy has been appointed as General Manager of Hilton Jaipur. He has over 22 years of experience in hospitality.

In his last assignment, he was General Manager for DoubleTree by Hilton Agra, which he managed since 2018. Under his leadership, the hotel saw heightened growth in revenue as well as team and guest satisfaction scores.

Ramamurthy has had a stellar career at Hilton spanning over 10 years from when he joined in 2012. He is a fitness enthusiast and enjoys taking long trips on his bike.

NEWS | Lemon Tree Hotels signs new hotel in Mukteshwar

The property is owned by The Alpine Chalet Resort and shall be managed by Carnation Hotels, a subsidiary and management arm of Lemon Tree Hotels Ltd

Lemon Tree Hotels Limited announced its latest hotel signing – Lemon Tree Hotel, Mukteshwar in Uttarakhand. This hotel is expected to open in July 2022. The property is owned by The Alpine Chalet Resort and shall be managed by Carnation Hotels Private Limited, a subsidiary and management arm of Lemon Tree Hotels Ltd.

Nestled amidst the majestic hills and lush greenery, Mukteshwar is a hill station suburb of Nainital. It derives its name from the 350-year-old temple, Mukteshwar Dham, whose presiding deity is Lord Shiva. Mukteshwar is also a wonderful trekking location with fruit orchards, coniferous forests, lush green pathways, and narrow lanes, it is a nature lover’s paradise that attracts throngs of tourists all year round.

One side of the destination is covered by dense forests and the other side features a stunning view of the enchanting valleys. Located in the Nainital district, this property will feature 41 well-appointed rooms and suites, complemented by a multi-cuisine restaurant and a bar. It will also have a conference room, and a swimming pool, spa and a fitness center for recreation.

Speaking on the occasion, Vikramjit Singh, President – Lemon Tree Hotels Limited commented, “We are delighted to expand our reach in Uttarakhand with our valued partner The Alpine Chalet Resort. This state holds immense business and tourism potential and is a preferred destination for travellers. With our widespread reach, we feel that this hotel will add value to our customers.”

New Opening | Hilton Garden Inn Hotel opens at Embassy Manyata, Bengaluru

This 353-key hotel is part of the upcoming Hilton Hotels Embassy Manyata complex comprising 619 key dual-branded Hilton properties

Embassy Office Parks REIT, India’s first publicly listed real estate investment trust and Asia’s largest by area, announced the opening of the first Hilton Garden Inn Hotel in Bengaluru, strategically located at Embassy Manyata Business Park (‘Embassy Manyata’). This 353-key hotel is part of the upcoming Hilton Hotels Embassy Manyata complex comprising 619 key dual-branded Hilton properties – Hilton Garden Inn and Hilton, and a state-of-the-art 60,000 sq ft Convention Centre; making it one of the largest hotels complexes in South India.

The hotel provides a preferred hospitality destination for global corporates in a growing tech hub in the heart of Bengaluru, India’s leading office market. It is located within close vicinity of key destinations in North and Central Bengaluru like Hebbal and other key Commercial Business districts; and enjoys easy accessibility from Kempegowda International Airport.

The Hotel adds to the total business ecosystem of Embassy Manyata, one of India’s largest business parks with an operational area of around 12 million square feet. It shares a symbiotic relationship with the wellness-oriented grade A office product, catering to over 100,000 employees from 42 top-notch corporates. A recently inaugurated flyover with a dedicated arm servicing the park enables easy access and streamlines traffic for the benefit of hotel guests, employees, and the local community.

Michael Holland, CEO of Embassy Office Parks REIT, said, “With the opening of the Hilton Garden Inn, we are delighted to provide another top-class amenity at Embassy Manyata; which is a perfect example of Embassy REIT’s philosophy to enhance the total-business-ecosystem offering that our parks deliver. The hotel will offer ease and convenience to our park occupiers and their guests, and presents an integrated solution for many corporates as they return to the office.”

Navjit Ahluwalia, Senior Vice President and Country Head of Hilton in India, said,“We are thrilled to partner with Embassy REIT to open our first Hilton Garden Inn property in Bengaluru. This hotel is amongst the largest Hilton Garden Inn hotels in the Asia Pacific. As we come out of the pandemic and look forward to a brighter future for our industry, our commitment to grow our estate in India remains on track with this opening as well as the Hilton and the Convention Centre at this complex slated later this year.”

The hotel boasts 353 functional guest rooms including 11 suites. Guests don’t have to look too far for a delicious meal; the hotel features restaurant ‘F5’, which serves a sumptuous spread of authentic local cuisine, international delicacies, and daily specials. This is complemented with a full-service lobby bar, ‘TechTonic’. Guests can also enjoy round-the-clock convenience with a variety of grab-and-go options at ‘The Shop’ located in the hotel lobby.

With a focus on combining premium hospitality with affordability, the hotel has a spectacular opening offer for business & leisure travellers. As part of the offer, guests will receive a one-night complimentary stay at the upcoming Hilton Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park; for every stay reserved between March 1st to 31st, 2022 at Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru, in addition to Bonus points from the Hilton Honors program.

Combining upscale accommodation with ease of access and affordability, Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park comes with the quality assurance of the award-winning brand that delivers its signature positive, upbeat service and a better and brighter stay.

Marriott International Debuts Its 8,000th Property with the Newly Opened Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott

Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) today celebrated the opening of its 8,000th property – Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ, a 12-story stylish retreat adjacent to Marriott International’s soon-to-open new global headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. The hotel opening signifies both a growth milestone for the company, as well as a remarkable moment in the Marriott story, as the company celebrates its 95th year. Marriott’s first lodging property, the Twin Bridges Marriott, opened in 1957 and was a four-story motor hotel in Arlington, Virginia.

“From the nine-seat root beer stand that my grandparents started nearly 95 years ago in downtown Washington, to the milestone opening of our 8,000th property, we have been fortunate to call this area our home,” said David Marriott, Director and incoming Chairman, Marriott International Board of Directors. “Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ reflects the continued transformation of the Marriott Hotels brand, and we are thrilled to embark on a new era of inspired travel and design with the opening of this hotel.”

Marriott Bethesda Downtown, part of the Marriott Hotels brand – the signature flag of Marriott Bonvoy’s 30 extraordinary brands – brings enriching, locally-influenced experiences to the global hospitality company’s home state. The hotel, owned by The Bernstein Companies and managed by Marriott International, is a gateway to the greater Washington, D.C. area and a destination in and of itself, featuring three innovative culinary concepts, including Bethesda’s first high-rise rooftop bar.

BUILT UPON INNOVATION
Exemplifying Marriott Hotels’ continued brand evolution, Marriott Bethesda Downtown sparks inspiration at every corner, with a modern, residential design and tailored solutions with locally-inspired accents. The hotel’s contemporary interiors illustrate a curated palette of materials inspired by the region’s natural attributes. Stone and tiles reminiscent of local Bethesda bluestone quarries greet guests at the hotel entrance leading to a grand staircase – the centerpiece of the glass-enclosed lobby brimming with natural light.

Faceted mirrors and floor-to-ceiling windows ripple throughout the hotel, infusing an abundance of natural light while also resembling reflections of the Potomac River.

Reimagined guest rooms and suites – with tailored, modern touches that inspire and nurture the needs of today’s traveler – feature multi-functional furniture, technology-enabled work surfaces with built-in universal adapters and UCS cords, and rose gold tinted mirrors. Hotel features include a spacious fitness center with Peloton bikes, a second-floor library highlighting local authors, and a curated art collection from the region’s emerging talent that is showcased throughout guest rooms and public spaces. A large-scale mural by multi-media artist Liz Collins, known globally for her abstract patterns, is an exclusively commissioned highlight.

Constructed to be LEED Gold certified with custom and sustainable design, the hotel features five expansive rooftop green spaces growing select ingredients for hotel menus and is designed to reduce pollution, save energy, and manage storm water.

BCIHMCT will be hosting its 12th India International Hotel, Travel and Tourism Research Conference (IIHTTRC) from 3rd -5th March, 2022.

TOURISM POTENTIAL AND PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology supported by National Assessment & Accreditation Council, as well as Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi will be hosting its 12th India International Hotel, Travel and Tourism Research Conference (IIHTTRC) from 3rd -5th March 2022. 

The aim of this three-day conference is to get industry managers, tourism, and hospitality researchers together and to provide a platform, for deliberating on "Renaissance 2.0: Re-think, Re-build & Re-coup". The conference will serve as a means for developing measures for “Tourism Potentials and Performance Assessment” which is also a theme of one of its technical sessions.

The conference is being organized online due to the prevailing pandemic scenario by Prof.  R. K Bhandari Chairperson-IIHTTRC & Principal,-BCIHMCT and Dr. Arvind Saraswati, Convener-IIHTTRC & Academic Co-ordinator- BCIHMCT. Amongst the attendees will be dignitaries from Industry and Academia (National & International), media persons, paper-presenters, faculty members and students.

There will be a technical session titled “Tourism Potentials and Performance Assessment” which will be chaired by an industrial expert showcasing the research papers on different themes such as:

• Bibliometric Analysis of Tour Guiding Research 

• Medical Tourism and Health Insurance are Image Constructs for Destination: A Study of India

• Development and Infrastructure Growth of Urban Tourism in Guwahati City 

• Urban Tourism Potentialities in Bhubaneswar City – Opportunities and Challenges 

• The Influence of Perceived Constraints on Women’s Participation in Backpacking Trips

•  Evaluating Tourism Performance of New Delhi using UNWTO–WTCF City Tourism Framework

• Kashmir: A Culinary Paradise of the North-Frontier

• Potential of Food Tourism in Kundapura

These papers focus on how tourism is playing its role in the development of economy of various countries in terms of its contribution to the GDP of each country. And also how Tourism has the potential to show case culture, historical heritage, variety in ecology and natural beauty to the world. Additionally, these papers outline the part played by tourism towards earning of foreign exchange for various countries. Also the aforesaid research papers will advance the understanding of the transformed management practices of the tourism industry. They will help in developing a post pandemic rulebook for the industry, thus addressing the issues plaguing the industry

This technical session is to focus on a workable method to quantify tourism potential and its performance assessment. To evaluate means by which tourism as an industry can help any tourist destination development in the form of generation of employment and creation of infrastructure.

The International Conference will be attended online by hundreds of academicians & research scholars. Many students participating will benefit from the discussions and deliberations which will be made during the three-day mega event. IIHTTRC will culminate with a valedictory function where the efforts of paper presenters and all the participants will be acknowledged. 

NEWS | The iconic Pulitzer Amsterdam has appointed One Rep Global as its India representative partner.

The iconic Pulitzer Amsterdam has appointed One Rep Global as its India representative partner.

Discover quintessential Dutch elegance in an intricate maze of 25 connecting Golden Age canal houses. After a full renovation, completed in August 2016, this hidden neighborhood now features 225 guest rooms & suites, tranquil inner gardens, meeting & event spaces, a garden café, a hotel bar, and a restaurant that serves simple yet beautifully crafted dishes. The Pulitzer is a unique blend of up-market, traditional, and modern Dutch craftsmanship hidden amongst the city’s iconic canals. 

The buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries have been carefully restored to combine original, historic canal house components with modern and luxurious aspects. From leading merchants to flamboyant Dutch aristocrats, the former residents of these canal houses lend Pulitzer Amsterdam the opportunity to inspire guests and visitors with its rich character and history.

Guests can choose from four distinctive room types and three suite categories, as well as the beautiful romantic Pulitzer Suite. The four exceptional Collector's Suites with private entrance on the Keizersgracht and breathtaking views over the canals are inspired by the stories of intriguing characters who may have inhabited the canal houses over the years; from a determined art admirer to an eccentric book lover; a music composer and an antique collector. No two rooms are the same; each combines Amsterdam's rich past with the modern present in an eclectic mix of designs and elements that complement the charm of each individual room.

Speaking on this partnership, the Commercial Director, Gladys Camphuijsen, says, “For years we have seen the Indian market as such a great opportunity for the Pulitzer Amsterdam, however, we didn’t have the right tools to enter this market. With commencing the relationship with One Rep Global, we feel like we have found the perfect way to approach this market and build the right relationships. We are excited to learn about the wants and needs of the Indian market and can’t wait to become a hotel of choice in Amsterdam”

Further on the collaboration, Founder of One Rep Global, Hemant Mediratta, adds, “We are absolutely thrilled at this partnership with the Pulitzer Amsterdam and delighted how the property and destination perfectly complement our portfolio of luxury hotels. Situated amongst the iconic canals on the steps to key sites, The Pulitzer Amsterdam provides history combined with modern finesse. This property is truly unique and perfect for the discerning Indian luxury traveller.”.

About Pulitzer Amsterdam

The renovated Pulitzer Amsterdam is a luxury hotel situated in 25 combined 17th and 18th-century canal houses, in one of Amsterdam's most chic neighborhoods. With a view over the Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht, the hotel is situated in the historic heart of Amsterdam, listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Close to Dam Square, from Hotel Pulitzer, the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Anne Frank House are within easy reach. The trendy Nine Streets, the special shops in the Jordaan, the flower market, and the Royal Palace are located a stone's throw away, to be discovered by foot, bicycle or boat. 

Hyatt Announces Plans for the World's First FILA-Branded Lifestyle Hotel in Shanghai

A unique expression of life and vitality, FILA HOUSE Shanghai to join the JdV by Hyatt portfolio

Hyatt Announces Plans for the World's First FILA-Branded Lifestyle Hotel in Shanghai

CHICAGO  Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) and ANTA Sports Products Co., Ltd. (ANTA Group) announced plans for the first-of-its-kind FILA-branded hotel in Shanghai – FILA HOUSE Shanghai. The hotel will make its mark on the global stage as the inaugural FILA-branded hotel in the world and by joining the JdV by Hyatt brand, FILA HOUSE Shanghai will bring a vibrant new experience to the local hotel scene.

FILA, a global sports brand with a strong lifestyle appeal with more than 100 years of history, has gained recognition among high-end consumers for its unique fusion of fitness and fashion that is both sporty and stylish. In China, the Italian brand is owned and managed by ANTA, one of the country’s leading global sportswear companies, which has successfully positioned FILA at the premium end of sports fashion with a brand concept of “Live Your Elegance,” combining elegance with vitality.

The development of FILA HOUSE Shanghai marks the first time FILA China is extending its brand into the lifestyle hotel space, as FILA’s vision for this hotel aligns with the JdV by Hyatt brand’s ethos. Embracing the brand’s namesake (joie de vivre), the JdV by Hyatt brand offers a collection of independent properties that are true reflections of the urban neighborhoods they call home, inviting guests and locals alike to connect and celebrate the joy of life while unwinding in spaces designed with distinctive personality. This, together with the FILA brand’s free-spirited attitude and legacy of style designed for life in motion, will create a one-of-a-kind experience that appeals to today’s young travelers seeking to live in the moment.  

Stephen Ho, president of growth and operations, Asia Pacific for Hyatt, said, “We are thrilled to be working with ANTA Group and FILA China to develop the first FILA HOUSE hotel in the world. We look forward to welcoming guests, locals and a new generation of FILA fans with the JdV by Hyatt brand’s inclusive, heartfelt and joy-driven service.”

Brian Yiu, CEO of FILA China, said, “We are excited to be collaborating with Hyatt on the world’s first FILA-branded lifestyle hotel. Not only will the hotel be a unique expression of FILA’s history, culture, products and fashion trends, we believe that the young-at-heart JdV by Hyatt brand experience will be a fitting reflection of FILA’s spirit of vitality.”

FILA HOUSE Shanghai will be developed as part of the new Shanghai headquarters of ANTA Group in Shanghai’s West Hongqiao Business District, an area that is fast establishing itself as a center of Shanghai international trade, with excellent transportation links and a vibrant community of business and industry. Located across five independent buildings, housing headquarter office, shops, food and beverage outlets, the unique eco-friendly headquarters complex is envisioned to be a destination for sports retail as well as a space to showcase the latest trends in sports apparel. The complex, including FILA HOUSE Shanghai, is expected to open by 2024.

For more information about the JdV by Hyatt portfolio, please visit hyatt.com/brands/jdv-by-hyatt.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and / or one or more of its affiliates.

For further information:

About JdV by Hyatt

A community for the spirited, the light-hearted, the young-at-heart, the JdV by Hyatt brand offers a collection of vibrant, independent hotels that are true reflections of the urban neighborhoods we call home. Embracing its namesake (joie de vivre), the JdV by Hyatt brand invites guests and locals alike to connect, live in the moment and celebrate the joy of life. Each hotel provides an experience that is inclusive in spirit and space, inviting all to make each stay yours truly. Follow @JDVHotels on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for news and updates. For more information, please visit www.jdvbyhyatt.com.

About FILA

International sportswear giant Fila was established in Biella, Italy in 1911, nestled among the foothills of the Italian Alps. Fila gained global attention for its instantly recognisable tennis apparel in the 1970s, and has since expanded their design portfolio to include sporting apparel across a wide range of codes including golf, training, running and compression wear. While their technical processes are at the forefront of sporting design, the brand remains true to its time-honoured European aesthetic and outfits professional artists and athletes from around the world. From small northern Italian town beginnings over 100 years ago, Fila has evolved into one of the world’s most reliable sports lifestyle brands. Our legacy of style earns us admiration to this day. Whether you perform for the challenge of adventure, the rigor of competition, or simply the pleasure and well-being of an active life. Fila understands that the beauty of sport is that, of a life in motion. A worldwide leader in sporting and lifestyle shoes and apparel, Fila champions its heritage Italian design DNA while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of modern performance wear.

About ANTA Sports Products Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1991, ANTA Sports is an integrated sportswear group, principally engaged in the design, manufacture, sales and operation of sportswear including footwear, apparel and accessories. After 30 years of development, ANTA has grown from a traditional private company into an internationally competitive listed corporation with modern governance standards. In 2021, ANTA Group determined the development strategy of "Single-Focus, Multi-Brand and Globalization". The Group owns many well-known Chinese and international sports brands such as ANTA (China), FILA (Italy), DESCENTE (Japan), KOLON (Korea), and SPRANDI (UK), as well as sub-brand series such as ANTA KIDS, FILA KIDS, FILA FUSION and FILA ATHLETICS.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of December 31, 2021, the Company’s portfolio included more than 1,150 hotel and all-inclusive properties in 70 countries across six continents. The Company's offering includes the Park Hyatt®, Miraval®, Grand Hyatt®, Alila®, Andaz®, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®, Destination by HyattTM, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt®, Hyatt ZivaTM, Hyatt ZilaraTM, Thompson Hotels®, Hyatt Centric®, Caption by Hyatt, JdV by HyattTM, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Place®, UrCove, and Hyatt Residence Club® brands, as well as resort and hotel brands under the AMRTM Collection, including Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Breathless Resorts & Spas®, Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Alua Hotels & Resorts®, and Sunscape® Resorts & Spas. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions® technology services. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

Appointment | Conrad Pune appoints Dinesh Maan as Director of Food & Beverage

Conrad Pune appoints Dinesh Maan as Director of Food & Beverage

Pune, Conrad Pune is delighted to announce the appointment of Dinesh Maan as the Director of Food & Beverage. Maan will be responsible for the entire F&B operations across the 7 distinguished restaurants and bars at the luxury property. His new position will be focused on marketing and generating revenues for the F&B division.

Maan brings over 13 years of professional expertise in the hospitality industry which includes converting strategic direction to quantifiable results with a focus on day-to-day operations. His areas of operations will be to maximize employee productivity, integrate F&B trends into Conrad’s culinary offerings, further enhance the hygiene & safety standards and align F&B activities in tandem with maintaining smooth operations.

On Maan’s appointment, says Rahul Bhagat, Director of Operations, “Dinesh has been associated with the F&B operations since the pre-opening days of the hotel and we are delighted to see his progress towards being the director of F&B. The Conrad team is excited about his new leadership role and we are sure he will continue to contribute strongly to the hotel’s notable repute in the region as he has over the years”.

Regarded as a customer-centric and performance-driven F&B professional, Maan has been the driving force behind the operations of several well-established hotel brands in India. Graduate in Bachelor of Hospitality Management from National Institute of Hotel Management Dehradun, Maan enjoys spending quality time with family in his leisure time.

Appointment | Fairmont Dubai announces the appointment of Nawaf Abdelaziz Nayef Hassan as Director of Operations a

Fairmont Dubai announces the appointment of Nawaf Abdelaziz Nayef Hassan as the Director of Operations

DUBAI, February 2022 - Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, the global luxury hotel group,

is pleased to announce the key appointment of its Director of Operations, Nawaf Abdelaziz

Nayef Hassan, effective as of February 2022. Nawaf will play a key role in overlooking the

operations of the iconic hotel across all functions and ensuring the highest levels of guest

satisfaction.

Nawaf comes with a rich experience of over 20 years of progressive experience in the

hospitality industry, having previously worked with leading hotels brands. Nawaf has a proven

track record in the industry. Committed to bringing out the best in his team, he attributes

mentoring as evidently the key to achieving the goals. Nawaf started his career in his home

country in Kempinski Dead Sea Jordan as Restaurant Supervisor. Two years later, he then

moved to Abu Dhabi and joined Desert Islands Resort and Spa by Anantara as the Assistant

Outlet Manager in 2009.

He then joined the pre-opening team of another hotel Qasr al Sarab

Desert Resort by Anantara as the Outlet Manager. Prior to taking his current role as Director of

Operations of Fairmont Dubai, Nawaf joined Radisson Blu Hotel, Downtown Dubai, as the

Outlet Manager, then later moved his way up to Food and Beverage Manager in 2011 in

Radisson Blue Resort, Sharjah, then transitioned to the role of Director of Operations/Acting

hotel manager.

At Fairmont Dubai, he will be responsible for leading the team to ensure full compliance

to Hotel operating controls, SOP’s, policies, procedures and service standards. Nawaf will focus

on demonstrating to guests and colleagues a commitment to service excellence through the

effective implementation and delivery of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Core Standards at all times.

Commenting on his appointment, Nawaf stated, “I am thrilled to become part of the

Fairmont Hotels family and to be able to contribute to the development and the growth of such

a prestigious brand”. I look forward to working with the entire team on further elevating the

bespoke service and innovative guest experience.”

“An eclectic and accomplished man like Nawaf will allow us to design an even more

solid corporate structure and accelerate the expansion of the hotel, which is already underway.

I am delighted that he has chosen to work with us,” comments Kosta Kourotsidis, General

Manager, of Fairmont Dubai.