By Rashmi Pradhan WITH DIGITAL taking centre-stage in all aspects of modern life, Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport is leaving no stone unturned to give guests a seamless digital experience. Speaking to BW Hotelier, Suraj Kumar Jha, General Manager, Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport, said, ’The digital platform is perpetually growing and supports the way rooms are being booked. Currently, we are focusing on the digital option to reach out to guests and engaging them on various social platforms. Digital marketing is a big part of our strategy. We are active on Facebook and currently placed No 2 in the city on the basis of likes. We are also active and engaged on Twitter and Instagram.’ He added, ’Online platforms are the fastest way to reach out to individuals. It has a definite, positive impact on the hospitality industry. Reaching out fast to the guest in terms of services will add value to our approach and have a greater impact.’ Talking about performance, Jha told us, ’The hotel has been doing very well. It has been garnering support from the corporate as well as leisure segment. We are also supported by the IHG rewards programs. Due to all these factors, the hotel has seen double digit increase in ARR and room revenue. With the opening of the new international terminal we have been witnessing higher demand.’ Jha said the hotel did promotional activities all year round and was currently gearing up for the Christmas and New Year period. Jha also told us about what he thought about the hospitality industry in Mumbai. ’Over a period of time, we see more leasing in Andheri and Bandra Kurla Complex area leading to more travel. The new international terminal has increased the number of flights and improved business opportunities for hospitality. There is substantial amount of growth in demand’. Factors like Mumbai being the financial capital as well as the base for India’s Hindi film industry will drive business further, according to Jha who predicted good times ahead for the hospitality industry. The author is Assistant Editor of BW Hotelier.
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By BW Hotelier THOMAS COOK (India) Ltd launched its unique and user friendly ’Foreign Exchange app’, a consumer empowering one-stop-shop for foreign exchange transactions. The mobile application is available on Android (2.3.3 and up), with iOS expected in the next two months. Commenting on India's first-ever transactive mobile-app for Foreign Exchange, Amit Madhan, Chief Operating Officer - IT & E Services, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, (see photo) said, ’Thomas Cook India’s internal research has highlighted that while over 40 per cent of our online transactions are via mobile device, for foreign exchange this is truly noteworthy- at over 65 per cent. Hence launching our Thomas Cook Forex app was clearly the need of the hour.’ He added, ’With mobile data reiterating the Indian travelers’ shift to m-commerce, coupled with India’s booming smartphone market, as pioneers in the Foreign Exchange space we are delighted to present he first ever mobile application and its slew of unique and customer empowering features for India’s Forex consumers on the go.’ According to International Data Corporation (IDC), smartphone shipment in India grew 44 per cent to 26.5 million units in June 2015. And equipped with his hand-held device, today’s digitally native Indian traveler (including business travelers, leisure, ad-hoc groups and last minute travelers) is increasingly impatient for information/transactions on the go. Thomas Cook India’s research having identified this blue ocean potential for secure and convenient foreign exchange transactions created its Foreign Exchange app to equip customers with easy, safe and smooth currency transactions with fulfilment while on the go. Thomas Cook’s android mobile app features Live Rates- across major global currencies including USD, Euro, Swiss Franc, to cover both buying and selling of foreign exchange; also a Block my Rate option as protection against rate fluctuations. The application also provides customers a handy tool of Rate Alerts for specified currencies via SMS and Email. Unique Features: Customers can buy foreign exchange for up to 4 travelers (Cash, Traveler’s Cheques and the Thomas Cook Borderless Prepaid Card) via a secured payment gateway Door step delivery Tracking of foreign currencies and trends via a unique Live Rates feature Reload facility for the Thomas Cook Borderless Prepaid Card, with up to 8 currencies Currency Converter to calculate the rate (both buy and sell rates) Handy Rate Alerts feature for prompts via SMS/email. Branch Locator to locate the nearest Thomas Cook Branch or to find a branch in a given location Option to request for Remittances (Money Transfer).
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By BW Hotelier ACCORDING TO the latest Hotel Price Index (HPI) report by Hotels.com, Indian travellers paid less per night for five-star and four-star hotels in cities around the world in the first half of 2015*. The report revealed that Moscow saw the steepest fall of 61 per cent for five-star hotel rooms, falling to INR 11,524 paid on average per night. Two destinations that saw the second steepest fall for five-star hotels were, New York which fell by 25 per cent to INR 24,607 and Budapest by 25 per cent to INR 12,739 followed by Vienna which saw a fall of 17 per cent to INR 15,385 in third position. Moscow led the way in the four-star range as well, sliding 42 per cent to INR 7,353 paid per night, followed by Copenhagen at INR 12,320, Seoul at INR 9,146, Istanbul at INR 7,530 and Rome at INR 9,292 for a single night accommodation thereby all falling by 17 per cent. Amit Agarwal, Senior Marketing Manager, Hotels.com, (see photo) said, ’The international scale of Hotels. com, in terms of the number of customers, properties and destinations covered, makes the Hotel Price Index as one of the most comprehensive benchmarks available. It tracks the movement in prices that people actually paid for their accommodation and provides valuable insight into the reasons behind these changes. It further dwells on consumer insights and indicates emerging travel trends. Some of the key trends revealed by HPI in the first half of 2015 are: Global hotel prices paid by travelers worldwide rose by just 1 per cent during the first half of 2015, according to latest Hotel Price Index from Hotels.com Prices paid overall not back to pre-economic crisis levels, representing great value for travelers, but three regions set new records for spending Overall, hotel prices paid saw a marginal rise of 2 per cent in India, according to HPI report.’’ To see average prices paid per night by Indian travelers for five-star and four-star hotel accommodation in the first half of 2015 as compared to the same period in 2014, click on the link below.
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By BW Hotelier ACCORHOTELS HAS opened Formule1 in Hyderabad; expanding its network across seven cities in India. The hotel is strategically located in HITEC City, surrounded by corporate parks, shopping malls, restaurants and several leisure hot spots. The hotel features 150 rooms and additional facilities and services such as round-the-clock vending machines, refreshing buffet breakfast, ample parking spaces and facilities for the disabled. Balvinder Sahrawat, Vice-President, Hotel Formule1 India, said, ’The opening of Hotel Formule1 Hyderabad HITEC city is a significant milestone as it marks our entry into the technology hub of Hyderabad which has huge potential in terms of corporate, SME and even leisure travel. With the addition of Hotel Formule1 Hyderabad HITEC city, the brand’s portfolio now includes seven hotels across India.’ According to Janvi Peters, Hotel Manager, Hotel Formule1 Hyderabad HITEC City, ’The hotel’s strategic location in the heart of IT zone, close to the corporate parks, the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), Shilparamam (a cultural tourist hub) and shopping malls make it the most ideal and convenient choice for travelers.’ One of the unique features of the hotel is its ’green zone’, which is a part of Hotel Formule1’s commitment to Planet 21 and its endeavor to be a low carbon footprint hotel. Available at the ’green zone’ are bicycles for the hotel guests.
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By BW Hotelier SOUTH INDIA-based The Residency Hotels has undergone a rebranding process. The hotel chain undertook a two-year long introspective journey which has resulted in three phases of future business ’ investment, renovation and upgradation of services. A combination of modern technology initiatives, upgradation of human resources through intensive training methods has strengthened operational processes which in turn will help in sustaining growth in the city specific market leadership that the brand has built over the years. B Gopinath, COO, Residency Hotels, said "Main purpose of rebranding is to create a different identity in the market. We have re-invented to meet the ever increasing demands of the new age guests through upliftment in technology, manpower and training." The new brand positioning ’Hospitality with Heart’ and core values have been embraced to make enduring changes in guest experience. This brand invigoration will inspire the journey ahead along with requisite investments in technology, training and manpower. The group is confident that this exercise will improve its occupancy, average room rate and to retain its leadership position. The group has worked with Ray+Keshavan (Brand Union, South Asia’s leading branding firm). The inside out cultural transformation driven through the branding initiative has changed the internal processes and guest centric touch points. This new identity will satisfy all of the existing expectations of what the original logo stands for while simultaneously moving the brand forward to acknowledge the maturity, functionality and diversity of the hospitality trade. With five operational properties, the group is coming up with a premium property at Pondicherry. The hotel will have 71 rooms and suites and two state of the art food & beverage outlets apart from leisure and banquet facilities. Further the group will shortly come up with hotels at Mysore and Madurai at prime locations. Photo caption: (Left to Right) Rohit Ravi, Director; Ravi Appaswamy, MD and B Gopinath, COO, The Residency Hotels.
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By Rashmi Pradhan THE ST-REGIS-brand--part of-Starwood Hotels & Resorts--which currently operates 34 hotels across the globe aims to double-its global footprint within-five years. Speaking on the sidelines of the official opening of The St. Regis Mumbai, the hotel that marks the debut of the brand in South Asia, Jim Petrus, Senior Vice President and Global Brand Leader, St Regis Hotels & Resorts, (see photo) said, ’We aim to double the footprints of St. Regis brand globally in the next five years. New properties will open in Tokyo, Seoul, London, Paris, Bengaluru, Delhi among other locations. We want to have a presence in the main metros in India’. Petrus-added that the group planned to open 11 St. Regis Hotels in the next 15 months at an investment of USD 2.5 billion. In the next ten days, the next St Regis would be opening in Dubai followed by the mid-December opening of St Regis Macao Cotai. The St Regis Langkawi will open by April 2016 and The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort is scheduled to open by September 2016. In January 2017 the St. Regis Shanghai would be open for business, he added. According to Petrus, the two things that describes St. Regis, were a ’high level of personalized service and excellence in everything we do.’ Talking about The St. Regis Mumbai, the first in South Asia, Petrus said, ’Being the commercial capital of India, Mumbai is an important market and a major player in the Indian hospitality segment. The introduction of St. Regis to India marks a significant milestone for the brand’s expansion in South Asia, and Mumbai displays a robust demand for high-end hospitality from affluent travelers from all around the globe. We are uniquely positioned to cater to the needs of a new generation of luxury travelers, offering a personalized experience informed by the brand's legacy.’ Anuraag Bhatnagar, Area General Manager India, Starwood Hotels & Resorts-said, ’We have been getting a great response since we took over this property.’ Located at Lower Parel, The St. Regis Mumbai is owned by Pallazzio Hotels & Leisure Limited. The property includes 395 guest rooms including 27 suites, and for extended stays, the property’s 39 residential suites feature a spacious living room, fully equipped kitchenette and the option of one or two bedrooms. ’We look forward to a long-term collaboration with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Through its unparalleled service delivery, The St. Regis Mumbai provides an uncompromising experience to its guests ’ the global business travelers, connoisseurs of the good life, and aficionados of art and culture,’ added Atul Ruia, Founder and Joint Managing Director, Phoenix Mills Ltd and Director Pallazzio Hotels & Leisure Ltd. Amit Bhosale, Executive Director, ABIL Hospitality Pvt Ltd. and Director, Pallazzio Hotels & Leisure Ltd. said, ’This is our fourth hotel in association with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. We feel that it’s a great opportunity to introduce the legendary brand’s bespoke services and programs to the well-heeled travelers of today and tomorrow. Mumbai is emerging as a world-class travel destination, presenting the perfect setting for the St. Regis brand.’ The author is Assistant Editor of BW Hotelier.
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By BW Hotelier INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS and resorts outdid its performance at last year’s awards to scoop an amazing 28 wins at the recent World Travel Awards Asia & Australasia Gala Ceremony 2015 held at Intercontinental Grand Stanford, Hong Kong. The brand, which is part of the intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, also claimed one of the most coveted awards, Asia’s Leading Luxury Business Hotel Brand, for the second year in a row. Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts, also took home Asia’s Leading Business Hotel Brand and Australasia’s Leading Hotel Brand for the fourth consecutive year. Intercontinental hotels and resorts in Asia, Australasia and the Pacific also achieved major wins in a variety of categories. Bruce Ryde, Director of Brand Marketing for luxury and lifestyle brands, IHG, Asia, Middle East and Africa (see photo) said; ’With 28 wins, six more than the previous year, for both the Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts brand and properties at such a prestigious event demonstrates how we are committed to providing our guest with exceptional experiences, whether at a luxury resort or city hotel. ’Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts make up a significant proportion of our development pipeline and we know that we will continue to offer award winning properties to our guests in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.’ The WTA was launched in 1993 to acknowledge excellence in the travel and tourism industry and is now in its 22nd year. The prestigious ceremony saw the gathering of government and industry leaders, luminaries, and international print and broadcast media. Awards are presented across three tiers: country, regional and world awards, based on votes by the public and travel professionals worldwide. There are currently 67 Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts across Asia, Middle East and Africa, representing over one third of a total 182 of the brand’s properties globally, with 23 in the development pipeline set to open in the coming three to five years.
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By BW Hotelier THE CONCIERGE Association of Western Region successfully completes its 100th Monthly Meeting at St. Regis Mumbai last week. The day started with National Executive Committee Meeting attended by Albert John (Head Concierge of The Imperial, Delhi), Edwin Saldanha (Head Concierge of The Oberoi, Mumbai), Albert Amanna (Head Concierge of InterContinental, Marine Drive), Arun Baidya (Chief Concierge of Shangri-La, Delhi), Kishen Raghunath (Chief Concierge of Ritz Carlton, Bengaluru), Shaunak Vengurlekar (Head Concierge & Guest Service Manager of Waterstones Hotel & Club, Mumbai), Michael Fernandes (Concierge Manager of The Leela), Valencia Albuquerque (Head Concierge of Four Seasons, Mumbai) and Sachin Singh (Head Concierge of Sofitel, Mumbai). This non ’ profit organisation is supported by various five star hotels all the time and this time it was St. Regis Mumbai to have hosted the evening for the Mumbai Concierges in the city along with their associated vendors supporting by advertising in Mumbai City Maps. The Managers of hotels who graced the occasion were Philippe H. Charraudeau (General Manager, ITC Maratha, Mumbai), Allen Machado (Director Operations from InterContinental Marine Drive) and Cajetan Araujo (Hotel Manager of St. Regis Mumbai). Celebration was initiated by Nizam Shaikh (Concierge of St. Regis) after which their Head Butler initiated by opening a bottle of champagne to begin the event as per the tradition of St. Regis. Mr. Cajetan Araujo was then invited to share his welcome note. Edwin Saldanha (Asia Zone Director Les Clefs d’Or International) took over the stage by informing about the upcoming Asian Congress in Mumbai from September 1-3, 2017. He further added by speaking about the associations future and continuous support required from hotel managements for their Concierges to grow their networks and fulfil every guest request. Albert Amanna (01st VP Les Clefs d’Or India) mentioned about the support required from the vendors and partners Locus Media. Albert John (President Les Clefs d’Or India) then took over the stage by thanking all of them attending the event in large numbers. Photo:-Members of Concierge Association of Western Region pose for the camera.
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