HAI hotel groups to mentor hospitality institutes

The Hotel Association of India (HAI), the apex body of the Indian hospitality industry, has taken a major step toward strengthening industry-academia collaboration by partnering with nine prominent hotel groups to mentor institutes of hotel management. This initiative was announced at the World Tourism Day 2024 celebration, presided over by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion, KB Kachru, President HAI Chairman – South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, expressed, “With this collaboration which is in the interest of the Industry as well as the nation that is focusing closely on skilling and employability of the country’s youth.”

Eight of the nine hotel groups involved in this collaboration are HAI members, including industry leaders like The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, ITC Hotels, Lemon tree Hotels, Radisson Hotel Group, and Marriott International. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between these hotel groups and the Ministry of Tourism’s national council aims to bridge the gap between industry requirements and academic training.

Rohit Khosla, Vice President of HAI and Executive Vice President (Operations) at The Indian Hotels Company Limited, stated, "We are proud and honoured to be a part of this initiative which is synchronous with the Association’s mission and is also in line with the values of IHCL.”

By mentoring hospitality students, hotel professionals will help align curriculum, training methods, and industry expectations. This partnership is expected to improve job satisfaction, retention, and career growth within the sector, while also enhancing the guest experience.