Articles for Business

Food&HotelAsia 2016 Event in Singapore Looking for Significant Indian Participation

BY BW Hotelier FOOD&HOTELASIA ANNOUNCED its agenda for their event slated for April 12 to 15, 2016 at Singapore Expo. FHA2016 (Food&HotelAsia2016) will bring more than 300 first-time exhibitors to the region’s most established and comprehensive food and hospitality trade show, including a host of new international group pavilion entrants. ’For the 2016 event, we are seeing many new local and international companies joining us for the very first time. This is a firm reflection of the importance the industry places in the event, and solidifies its position as the event of choice for food and hospitality players, mega and small, from across the region and beyond,’ says Ting Siew Mui, Project Director of Lifestyle Events at Singapore Exhibition Services, organiser of FHA. FHA2016 will be a significant platform for Indian participants to network, source for the latest technologies and products, as well as share knowledge and ideas with industry experts and peers. Some of the confirmed exhibitors from India include Field Fresh Foods, King Metal Works, Ice Boy Machines, B3 Innovision, Matts Corner India and Saraf Trading Corporation, according to a press release. FHA2016 will feature six specialised exhibitions, namely FoodAsia, Hotel Asia, SpecialityCoffee&Tea, Bakery&Pastry, HospitalityStyleAsia and HospitalityTechnology, each with their own unique themes and areas of focus. Adding to the holistic experience, FHA2016 will also host a series of activities including intense, prestigious competitions targeting professionals from specific groups and sectors of the food and hospitality industry. These include the FHA Culinary Challenge 2016, the FHA Barista Challenge 2016, the FHA Latte Art Challenge 2016 and Asian Pastry Cup 2016. The last edition of FHA in 2014 garnered the attention of more than 65,000 trade attendees and played host to about 3,000 exhibitors from 65 countries and regions. Held in conjunction with the exhibition, the FHA2016 International Conference will discuss key issues affecting the food and hospitality industry, looking at commercial opportunities for hotels, green hotel design, big data analytics for smart operations, and food traceability, to name a few. Joint plenary sessions featuring CEO Insights, Stakeholders Panel Discussions and think tanks will see experts from around the world sharing their perspectives and views on the latest trends in the food and hospitality sectors. Photo:-An Earlier FHA-in Singapore.

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OYO Rooms Launches Helpline Number Dedicated for Emergency Accommodation in Chennai

By BW Hotelier OYO ROOMS, one of the largest network of branded budget hotel chain, has launched a special helpline number which is dedicated to make stays more affordable for anyone requiring emergency accommodation in Chennai. Enclosed are details about the same along with the logo attached for your perusal. OYO Rooms has launched a special helpline number 7210108210 which is dedicated to making stays more affordable for anyone requiring emergency accommodation in Chennai. This is being promoted on social media handles.

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Thomas Cook India Launches ’One Currency’ Card

By BW Hotelier IN A bid to transform the payment-solutions space, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., has launched ’Thomas Cook One Currency Card’ ’India’s first prepaid travel card with zero cross currency conversion fees, in collaboration with MasterCard Worldwide. Thomas Cook India’s internal customer research has revealed that though prepaid cards offer strong security benefits, for value conscious Indian travelers, the high cross currency conversion charges (typically- between 3-4 per cent) create a strong deterrent. The Thomas Cook One Currency Card hence offers better value to the customers with its USP of a single load currency (USD) and zero cross currency conversion charges, across the world. Added benefits of the Thomas Cook One Currency Card include embedded chip and PIN security, locking of funds (to avoid cross currency fluctuations), instant loading, emergency cash disbursement, encashment of the residual balance or use for future travel, free replacement card in case stolen or lost and 24-7 global emergency assistance available via toll free access in over 80 countries global access via 2.2 million ATM’s and 35.2 million merchant establishments in over 275 countries Mahesh Iyer, Chief Operating Officer - Foreign Exchange & Head ’ Visas, Thomas Cook India, said (see photo), ’With exponential growth in multi-national travel, the need of the hour was clearly a single currency card, sans the downside of cross currency charges. As pioneers in the foreign exchange business, our innovative the Thomas Cook One Currency Card, the first of its kind in India, brings Indian travelers a strong value proposition: zero currency conversion charges in a digital currency ecosystem.’ He added, ’We are delighted with our partnership with MasterCard, and this drives significant advantages in ensuring a comprehensive solution to our customers.’ Porush Singh, Division President South Asia ’ MasterCard, said, ’MasterCard & Thomas Cook India ’ two of the leading brands in the travel and payment solutions area have had a strong relationship over the past few years in providing products to make travel easier and more convenient, via our focus on innovation excellence and technology. The Thomas Cook One Currency Card is an innovative solution and we are confident of it becoming the preferred prepaid travel card for overseas travelers in the near future.’ The Thomas Cook One Currency Card can be bought or recharged via thomascook.in, and across Thomas Cook’s extensive foreign exchange network across 136 locations (including 23 airport counters)   -  

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Professionalising A Family-Run Business

By Ravi Wazir WE'RE DOING well. We’d like to grow, change things around a bit, improve our systems, train our people, bring some professionals on-board. But... we’re finding that hard to do!’ World over, the owners of almost any kind of family-run business echo such thoughts when they’d like to expand, re-engineer, bequeath or sell their business, or simply free up their time to retire or do other things. Professionalising a family-run business is certainly hard, but here’s how you can do it. Get your act together internally first 1. Agree on the individual responsibilities of each family member and the fundamental direction of the business, so as to speak with one voice. 2. Decide on whether your business needs a ’Change Agent’, and what his focus areas, deliverables and time-frames might be. 3. Commit to truly ’allow’ this outsider inside your business for the greater good and know your own limitations since the change advised may even mean ’you’. The Right Change Agent Your business may need a CEO, a consultant, or any other sort of executive hired on an interim or a permanent basis to lead the change you require. Globally, interim executive tenures range from 3 months to 3 years... not very different from permanent CXOs these days, and often even more apt for your business. Your Change Agent should: ’ Accept the present avatar of your business. ’ Understand what is expected of him. ’ Have an entrepreneurial resilience and comfort with ambiguity. ’ Have enough industry knowledge to chart out a roadmap. ’ Communicate objectively all around despite the people dynamic challenges. ’ Have an even temperament that gives your team, family and you comfort. Finding someone with all these qualities is a tall order and therefore it’s best to think through which of these are necessary and which are desirable in your candidate. Social networks provide great platforms to connect with diverse groups through whom you could find the person you seek. Your approach towards a Change Agent Once on-board, do your very best to retain the executive and build trust by making each interaction with him a good one. ’ Convey to him the scope of responsibility and decision-making of each family member whom he will report into. ’ Share your concerns about problematic people and pain points of the business. ’ Express what you are unsure about. ’ Realise that he may see things very differently from your team and you. ’ Let go of past and preconceived notions to give him a fair chance. Professionalising a family business usually involves working on people and processes and therefore... mindsets. An organization’s mindset is made up of both individual and collective voices that rule decisions. Pay attention to which aspects of your organization’s mindset might be blocking its development. An organization’s beliefs and habits are usually a matter of its inheritance, its experiences, its hidden agendas and biases. Acknowledging and changing them requires an extraordinary amount of commitment, time and rigour. Recognise that this is what your Change Agent is up against. Remember he is here to complement you and your team in fulfilling your business goals. Holding him individually accountable is fine, but if it leads to finger pointing, it subverts your collaboration with him and defeats the very purpose of the association. In the event of conflict between him and an old team member, establish the facts before taking sides. Objectivity simply means taking the side of whichever suggestion best serves the business’ interests. Declining anyone’s suggestion must be done inclusively... to encourage an enduring relationship with both old and new team members. If you often find non-alignment in your thoughts and that of your change agent, revisit your goals with him and if necessary also the continuance of his services. Keep in mind that your true purpose in hiring him is to nurture your family business by giving it whatever it needs; so that it can in turn give you what you all need. You will be doing your business a great disservice if you allow circumstances or lack of patience to get in the way of being its true guardian. Finally, to move from where you’re at, to where you need to be. You must switch your own mindset from management mode to leadership mode. As Steven Covey points out, ’Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.’ The author is a hospitality business consultant and has written’-Restaurant Startup: A Practical Guide’.

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Mirah Hospitality and Big Appetite open Khandani Rajdhani in Kolkata

By BW Hotelier MIRAH HOSPITALITY has partnered with-Big Appetite Hospitality Pvt. Ltd to expand its presence in Kolkata. This is the 30th outlet in the Country. Spread over a sprawling 3,000 square feet space, Khandani Rajdhani can seat about 100 people. Announcing the tie-up, Gaurav Goenka, Managing Director, Mirah Hospitality, said, ’Khandani Rajdhani is our flagship brand, which has served millions of thalis over five decades. Our growth has been spurred by great love for our food, loyal patronage and increasing demand. After strengthening our presence here, we are foraying into many world cities soon, such Dubai and Singapore. We have a healthy presence all over India with over 30 units.’ Manajri Agarwal, Director, Big Appetite Hospitality Pvt. Ltd, said, ’Kolkata has always had a very vibrant food culture. With Khandani Rajdhani, we bring to the city authentic Rajasthani and Gujarati vegetarian fare. It’s popularly perceived that the people here love non-vegetarian dishes but that’s not entirely true. Vegetarian food is equally loved and I am sure that the people here will lap up Khandani Rajdhani’s amazing, traditional Indian food. We couldn’t have had better partners to foray into the hospitality sector, than Mirah Hospitality who are leaders in their own right.’ Aji Nair, Chief Operating Officer, F&B Division, Mirah Hospitality, said, ’Khandani Rajdhani’s Kolkata outlet is special because with this, we mark our presence in the heart of Eastern India; 21 Park Street, Kolkata, bringing to it the best food from the Western states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. We have many exciting offers that pack in so much value that customers will find them hard to resist. Our take-away option is sure to please those who can’t always visit us for a meal. With our snacks and outdoor catering, we are going to be Kolkata’s favourite Vegetarian Brand!’ Photo: Manajri Agarwal, Director Big Appetite Hospitality, Maharaj Jodharam Choudhary and Gaurav Goenka MD of Mirah Group pose for a photo.-  

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IHG Launches Custom Service for Business Guests and Corporate Partners

By BW Hotelier INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS Group (IHG) has announced the global launch of two new initiatives for business travellers. IHG Assist and IHG Meeting Point will be rolled out across more than 4,900 IHG hotels to enhance the experience offered to business guests and corporate partners. Brian King, VP Global Sales Strategy & Enablement, IHG commented, ’We are always looking to innovate and improve the services IHG hotels can offer our business travellers.- Having listened to the specific needs of our customers, IHG has introduced IHG Assist and IHG Meeting Point to provide a more efficient, simple and streamlined way of working with businesses ’ whether they are hosting meetings or staying at our hotels.- IHG Assist answers the increasing concern for traveller safety and security, and IHG Meeting Point enables us to offer the right meeting space at the right hotel, with an unparalleled level of service and sector-specific expertise.- These industry-leading initiatives help build more trust and loyalty with our business guests.’ IHG Assist IHG Assist is a suite of global initiatives designed to help IHG’s corporate clients address their growing concern for traveller safety and security. It is being implemented in direct response to requests from corporate clients and underscores IHG’s commitment to responsible business practices. As employees visit locations prone to natural disasters or experiencing political or social unrest, these initiatives will help ensure appropriate security measures are put in place. Specifically, these include: IHG Assist Groups & Meetings Service: A 24/7 phone line to answer client concerns regarding traveller safety and security. IHG Security Consultations: Security consultations between a corporate client’s security team member or travel manager, and a member of IHG’s Global Security Team to address risk assessment concerns and security queries. Guest Location Services: Corporate clients will be offered access to information about their employees’ location during times of crisis and emergencies. IHG Meeting Point IHG Meeting Point is part of IHG Small Meetings Solution ’ a streamlined approach to small and mid-size meetings, which solves an industry need for higher levels of service. IHG Meeting Point has been introduced as a first-to-market meetings solution for the Pharmaceutical, Automotive, Energy, Technology and Manufacturing industries.- With industry-specific regulations and requirements, as well as safety and security issues, these sectors have a very dynamic set of needs.- Through a dedicated training portal, tailored by sector, IHG Meeting Point enables IHG hotel employees to develop industry-specific knowledge, which directly caters to the needs of clients. IHG Meeting Point addresses these specific needs in many ways, which includes the following: Pharmaceutical companies are driven by a heavy regulated industry in which exclusivity is key ’ having two pharmaceutical companies staying or hosting events at the same hotel, during the same time is prohibited. IHG Meeting Point allows IHG hotel staff to manage these confidential bookings in a way that ensures no two pharmaceutical companies are staying in, or meeting at, the same hotel at any given time. Energy companies value offerings such as the IHG Green Engage system, a global standard across the IHG portfolio helping hotels in delivering greater sustainability.- IHG Meeting Point helps bring together clients with hotels who meet the advanced ’Level 3’ criteria for our IHG Green Engage system.

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Starwood Buys Design Hotels, The Park Still Working Out Details of Partnership

By Sourish Bhattacharyya NOT LONG after Marriott International announced its $12.2-billion merger deal with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, the grapevine was abuzz with the news of an impending partnership between the latter and the Berlin-based, 296-flag-strong Design Hotels, whose affiliates include The Park, Alila Diwa and Anya hotels in India (nine of them in all). Proving those rumours right, Starwood today (Wednesday, December 2) announced that Design Hotels will be its 11th brand, joining a global line-up that extends from Four Points by Sheraton in the budget segment to St Regis and The Luxury Collection at the super premium end of the market. What it means is that members of the privilege programme, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), will be able to add points to their kitty each time they stay at a Design Hotels partner. SPG members will also be able to book their stays at Design Hotels partners via the Starwood website, mobile numbers and customer contact centres. For more than two decades, Design Hotels has served as "a global distribution, sales and marketing affiliation for 296 independently owned and operated hotels and resorts united by the vision of bold, diverse hoteliers, known as 'Originals'." Not all affiliates of the Design Hotels, though, are going to join the partnership with Starwood at once. The Park hotels, for instance, are still working out the many modalities that a marriage of this kind entails. The partnership will progress in phases. The first batch of SPG partner hotels will include the legendary Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City (which is famous for its Warhols and private park), Ten Bompas in Johannesburg, C-Hotel in Lake Como, Italy, Nira Montana in La Thuile, Italy, Nira Alpina in St Moritz, Switzerland, and Kruisherenhotel Maastricht in The Netherlands. The ION Luxury Adventure Hotel in Iceland, Tribe Hotel in Kenya and the Grupo Habita hotels in Mexico will join the partnership before the year-end. Early next year, Design Hotels partners will join from major destinations, including London (Town Hall Hotel), Istanbul (Gezi Istanbul), Shanghai (The Waterhouse at South Bund), Athens (New Hotel), Singapore (Wanderlust), France (Les Bains) and South Korea (nest hotel). Commenting on the partnership, Starwood's Interim CEO Adam Aron said in a media release: "It will create a special niche in our distinct portfolio of global brands and offer more options for travellers to stay with us around the world. These independent, design-forward hotels will benefit from Starwood’s powerful loyalty and distribution platforms." Design Hotels Founder and CEO Claus Sendinger shared Aron's sentiments and said: "As we continue to grow in our niche of the 'New Luxury Segment', we are excited to see an initial selection of our member hotels take the opportunity to join SPG and be among the first to benefit from our partnership with Starwood. We expect more and more to take advantage, with at least 40 member hotels projected to join by the beginning of 2016." The big question now is: When will The Park, or for that matter, the Alila Diwa or Anya, join this club? And with Starwood on a massive expansion drive, would this alliance lead to serious conflicts of interests when Starwood 'originals' find themselves in competition with the Design Hotels 'Originals' for the same market? It'll be interesting to see how the relationship pans out in a competitive hothouse like India. The author is Consulting Editor of BW Hotelier.- Photo: The Park, Hyderabad.-

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Munich Hotelier Opens First Staff-less Hotel

By BW Hotelier THE CONCEPT may not catch up anytime soon in India, but Hotel Buddy, which opened in Munich Germany doesn’t have any staff. You can manage everything here during your stay, from booking the room, checking in and out as well as paying for it all, from a mobile device. The brainchild of a Munich hotelier, Johannes Eckelmann, who already runs the well-known Cocoon Hotel brand, Hotel Buddy at Stachus Square (photo of room above) is a new concept, low-budget hotel that is completely staffless. It’s made possible largely thanks to the cloud-based hotel management platform from hetras. "The benefits for guests are pretty obvious," explains Eckelmann. "That is, they are staying in a modern, brand-new hotel right in the heart of Munich, and at an unbeatable and affordable price." The seventy-five hotel rooms are located inside a large office complex and distributed over several floors. Guests can check in early, even days in advance, and they just need to sign their name on the pad at the kiosk upon arrival. This signature is then saved together with their reservation. Once signed in, guests collect their key card from a machine. This code-based key card will then automatically transport them by elevator to the correct floor. All of the technology behind these staffless systems - online booking, online payment, early check-in or kiosk-based check-in at the hotel, the interfaces to process guests’ credit cards and create key cards, the automatic check- out technology, not to mention the system for managing car parking spaces - is provided by hetras and controlled with hetras hotel software. "This technology is a perfect fit for the demands of young target groups that are used to organizing their travel on mobile devices and online," explains Tanja Baier, hetras sales manager. "Just as urban travelers today just check in online for flights, they would also much rather be able to check into hotels the same way - quickly, without any fuss and without having to stand in a queue." As Eckelmann further explains, "One of the many advantages of using a cloud-based platform is that there is no need to invest in any hardware. All data are automatically saved and always available to hotel staff, no matter where they are." This centralised access to data means that jobs like distribution and revenue management, which are keys to success, can also be centralized. For this reason, Eckelmann's two Cocoon Hotels at Stachus Square and Sendlinger Tor will now also be switched to the cloud-based hotel management software from hetras. Buddy Hotel-is a unique, mini-budget hotel concept created by a Munich hotelier, Johannes Eckelmann. It was brought to life as a vibrant alternative to his two existing Cocoon Hotels, which are based on a budget lifestyle hotel concept with a retro design. Together with Oliver Massabni, Eckelmann set up the first of the Cocoon Hotels in Munich at Sendlinger Tor in 2008, and the second one opened at Stachus Square in 2012. Another Cocoon Hotel near Munich Central Station is set to open at the beginning of 2016. Both Cocoon Hotels currently have a very high capacity utilization rate of 90 per cent. At present, plans are underway to expand the hotel brand beyond Munich to either Hamburg or Vienna.

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