By BW Hotelier VINOD ZUTSHI, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism heading Indian delegation at World Travel Market (Nov 2-5) in London said that India is aiming to attract one million UK visitors by 2020 through a number of key pro-active initiatives. The Secretary announced that many of the new initiatives will form part of India’s proposed new National Tourism Policy to catapult tourism to greater heights. Following the success of India’s Electronic Tourist Visa scheme, launched in November 2014, proposals are already in process to extend the e-Visa’s validity from 30 to 180 days in 2016. Proposals are also in place to make it available in 150 countries worldwide (currently 113) ensuring multiple or double entry. Through the new Electronic Tourist Visa, applications are generally processed within three working days. Speaking on the occasion Zutshi said that we are committed to make it easy for travelers wanting to come to India, not least through our e-Visa scheme but also the improved air connectivity with India. We aim to attract more visitors through the promotion and development of our niche tourism experiences such as adventure, wellness, golf, spiritual and the ’Paradise Unexplored’- the North East. We are working to improve the infrastructure at many of our beach destinations, the Secretary added. Stressing India’s appeal as a year-round and diverse destination, Zutshi further announced the creation of a new Medical Tourism Board and Golf Promotion Committee, both of which are charged with developing the infrastructure, product and appeal of both medical, wellness tourism and golf. India will also be appointing new tourism marketing representatives in Argentina, Brazil, Russia, China and Japan in the next two years. India’s largest-ever WTM delegation includes representatives from almost all of India’s states with a record attendance of six Tourism Ministers and over 50 private India based Travel Organisations and State Governments. Global tourism arrivals to India in 2014 were 7.68 million, up 10.2 per cent over 2013 ’ India is outperforming global inbound tourism which rose by just 4.7 per cent in the same period. From the UK, visitor arrivals were 838,860 in 2014, an increase of 3.8 per cent over 2013.
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By BW Hotelier INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS Group (IHG) recently unveiled its 10th Crowne Plaza hotel in India, in the capital city Rajasthan, Jaipur. The hotel is the newest addition to IHG’s growing portfolio in India. Located in close proximity to the Jaipur International Airport, Crowne Plaza Jaipur Tonk Road is a perfect destination for both business and leisure travellers visiting Jaipur, according to a press note issued by IHG. The hotel is located close to Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre (JECC) and is situated in the city’s business hub. Spread across 19,500 sq. ft Crowne Plaza Jaipur Tonk has expansive banquet venues to accommodate up to 1200 guests for conferences, meetings, and events. Additionally, the hotel offers service excellence by Crowne Plaza Meeting experts; facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, uninterrupted internet connectivity and well-appointed break-out rooms. Crowne Plaza Jaipur Tonk Road has 218 well-appointed rooms and suites that offer spacious ambience coupled with modern amenities and the latest technology. The rooms are ergonomically designed to offer a harmonious balance between comfort and style. Guests can enjoy a fully-equipped gymnasium and an outdoor pool along with a spa for relaxation and rejuvenation. Guests visiting Crowne Plaza Jaipur Tonk Road can relish a selection of exciting food and drink options at any of the five eating & dining venues. For the best of local and international cuisine, guests can dine at Sirocco, the all-day dining restaurant or experience Sichuan delights at House Of Han, the Chinese restaurant. For those looking to unwind after a long day of business engagements or sightseeing the beautiful pink city, the hotel has a high energy bar called ConneXions. Shantha de Silva, Head of South West Asia, IHG commented, ’Crowne Plaza is the fourth largest upscale, full-service, business hotel brand worldwide and with an increase in business travel in India, we see immense growth opportunity for the brand here. It is with great pleasure that we announce the opening of our first Crowne Plaza hotel in Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan. Jaipur is steadily emerging as an important business market in India and with opening of Crowne Plaza Jaipur Tonk Road, we look forward to providing superior services to our guests vising the city for business or for leisure’. IHG currently has 23 hotels operating across four brands in 14 cities in India, including: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express with a further 48 hotels in the development pipeline.
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By Rashmi Pradhan THE BI-ANNUAL Asian Congress of Union Internationale des Concierges d'Hotels (UICH) Les Clef d'Or will be held in Mumbai, India at Trident Nariman Point from September 1-3, 2017. This is the first time that India is hosting the Asian Congress. The 10th Asian Congress will witness participation of 350-400 concierge from across 25 countries. The 9th Asian Congress was held in Tokyo, Japan in 2015. Edwin Saldanha, Zone Director Asia - Les Clefs d'Or ’ International and Head Concierge, The Oberoi Mumbai, (see photo) told BW Hotelier, ’The Les Clefs d'Or ’ India was formed in 2011 and has 107 concierge members including two from Sri Lanka and seven from Nairobi, Kenya. Les Clefs d’Or, one of the largest association of concierges across 45 countries has 13 countries under the Asia region of Les Clefs d'Or. The Asian Congress is a great opportunity to network with the international concierge members. Les Clefs d'Or-India is obliged to host the bi-annual event since this will give an opportunity to showcase the travel, tourism and hospitality of our country.’ Speaking about the schedule, he said, ’The first day will witness President’s meet in the morning where the Presidents of Les Clefs d'Or Asia will present the annual report and the evening will be the opening ceremony. The second day will be the General Assembly where the President of the host country will make a presentation on tourism trends, tourism offerings, hospitality, best places to travel and updates on tourism. It will be a platform to showcase the world what India and Mumbai has to offer. The third and final day will be a show around of the city. We are in discussions with the concierge of hotels in Mumbai for their support to put up a best show.’ The author is Assistant Editor of BW Hotelier.
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By BW Hotelier NIRAAMAYA RETREATS, a Jupiter Capital Venture will be opening a luxury boutique property--Niraamaya Retreats Backwaters & Beyond’in Kumarakom in the second quarter of 2016. Located on the banks of Lake Vembanad, in Kottayam district of Kerala, Niraamaya Retreats Backwaters & Beyond is the third property to be launched by the Niraamaya Group. Set within 20 acres of lush tropical gardens, Niraamaya Retreats Backwaters & Beyond will have 28 villas and two houseboats. ’The Kerala Backwaters features on the international tourist map and Kumarakom continues to develop its stature as one of the world’s leading destinations. We are delighted at the opportunity of opening another iconic property here. We look forward to completing an important Kerala circuit with our other two properties Niraamaya Surya Samudra ’ a Relais and Ch-teaux property and Niraamaya Cardamom Club located in Kovalam and Thekkady respectively,’ said Manu Rishi Guptha, CEO, Niraamaya Business Group. Niraamaya Retreats Backwaters & Beyond also features an Ayurvedic Wellness Centre offering authentic Ayurveda in luxurious environs as well as a floating Yoga Pavilion at the edge of the waters. Featuring two restaurants and a library bar designed to become gastronomical destinations in itself, Niraamaya Retreats Backwaters & Beyond will offer some of the finest regional as well as global cuisines. Both restaurants will have access to a rooftop garden terrace providing unparalleled views of the lake, while the bar will be connected to a private library. Other facilities will include a 25m large pool with a sunken bar and a large performance deck skirting the pool, a well-equipped Fitness Centre, Conference Room spread over 1000 sq ft, an open air amphitheatre attached to a lawn area for a gathering of up to 200 guests as well as performances and a special Dining Deck on the edge of the Lake.
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By BW Hotelier RUMOURSS GROUP forayed into the hospitality segment with the launch of their first resort, on the lines of a Japanese tree house chalet, Rumourss Sky Villa & Resort in Lonavla, Maharashtra. Over the next two years, the group plans to come up with more projects with its signature style sky villas across India. The villas at Rumourss Sky Villa & Resort are erected on a single iron mast at a height of between 30 and 40 feet. ’This is one of a kind. Rumourss Sky Villa & Resort will alter the travel experience of tourists in India. Instead of going for regular structure with more rooms, we decided to make the villas unique and enhance user experience. The resort will have eight villas ’ four of them sky villas and four ground villas. This will enable us to provide quality service to each of our guests,’ said Devang Badiyani, Managing Director, Rumourss Sky Villa & Resort Pvt. Ltd. Rumourss is set on a picturesque location with easy accessibility. It houses a fully lit swimming pool and a multi cuisine restaurant. During the monsoons, guests can enjoy the view of Tata lake from their Sky villas.
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By BW Hotelier IN THE wake of the fire disaster at a Kurla eatery in Mumbai few weeks ago, Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India)-(HRAWI) expressing its sympathy, has appealed to the Government to scrap all irrelevant laws so that both the enforcers and the hotels could concentrate on total compliance on all relevant laws and procedures. The industry has complained that it is reeling under a barrage of archaic laws that are unfeasible to comply with and are totally irrelevant. Bharat Malkani, President, Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), (see photo) said, ’For instance, many hotels that have invested heavily in modern fire fighting technology are still required to keep a sand bucket. A sand bucket cannot douse most fires, but if a hotel or a restaurant does not maintain a sand bucket, it can get booked for non-compliance of safety norms. Or take the case of whitewashing a restaurant kitchen, almost all hotel kitchens are tiled, but we still have to provide a certification of white washing.’ ’Hoteliers in Mumbai have a tradition of adhering to maximum compliance. If there were any shortcomings, they were mostly minor oversights like being unable to produce a license on time or practical challenges in adhering to outdated laws. But we can assure our patrons that there wasn’t a single case of violation that had a potential to impact their safety or health. Hoteliers are as serious about safety as anyone else. The owners spend more than 16 hours a day in their restaurants and consequently are at a bigger risk than anyone else. When it comes to health and safety norms, we are very careful,’ opined Kamlesh Barot, Past President, HRAWI. ’We want to operate in a system where there are rational licenses, zero ambiguity of laws and clearly defined check list and guidelines provided by enforcing authorities. We wish for a system that works on the principle of accountability and clarity of laws. The Chief Minister’s recent decision to reduce the number of operating licenses to 25 is a step in positive direction. We are hoping that the laws will be rationalized at the earliest,’ concluded Malkani. The hotel industry today needs a whopping 134 licenses and permissions to operate in Mumbai. A large number of the licenses were formulated when the British ruled India. If the 89 year old ’Entertainment Licence on Festival Occasions’ was framed by the Britishers for controlling a subject nation, ’Licence for Chimney under Smoke Nuisance Act’ created in 1912 when food was cooked in firewood is completely irrelevant today. The oldest license is ’The Eating House Licence’ formulated in 1876. Nineteen of the seventy key licences were formulated before 1950.
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By BW Hotelier ECOLE HOTELIERE at Lavasa (LEH) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with International University Bonn/Bad Honnef (IUBH) to foster academic exchange and research in advancement and dissemination of international hospitality learning. This partnership is the first step in strengthening Indo-German academic relations, where a sovereign German university is collaborating with a leading Indian hospitality management institute. The MoU focuses on joint curriculum development to establish Ecole/IUBH Dual Degree Bachelor Programme, where students would graduate with an Indian diploma and an official German degree at simultaneously. The MoU also encourages student and faculty exchange programmes and joint research to strengthen hospitality management education. Expressing his belief in the vast potential regarding the collaboration, Nathan Andrews, Director of Ecole Hoteliere at Lavasa, said, ’We welcome this MoU with IUBH for the mutual development of the hospitality industry. Both, our Indian and German students, now have further world class options to add mettle to their academic experience. The exchange program and the cultural exposure, caused by the union of two global academic leaders, will give our students a significant advantage in their journey to be the hospitality leaders of tomorrow. Prof Dr. Peter Thuy, Rector of IUBH shared a similar view point about the tie-up saying, ’The value of great hospitality in the Indian culture is recognized globally. Together with the Ecole h-teli-re de Lausanne standards, this is creating one of the best talent pools for the global hospitality industry. We are pleased to be partnering with LEH across a variety of initiatives like academic knowledge sharing, dual degree certificates, joint research missions and academic events. We are confiden t that this will be a landmark milestone in the future of Indo-German academic cooperation.’ A leading objective of the partnership is to identify huge untapped potential for German undergraduate programmes in India. The Dual Degree Programme will enable Indian students to gain global exposure and work with the best in German hospitality. IUBH has a stellar record of campus placements where each meritorious student has graduated with four job offers to choose from. Apart from attractive placements, Indian students will benefit tremendously from 1.5 year work permit in Germany on successful completion of this programme. For German students, LEH would be an ideal place to get hands on training and expertise in the field of Indian hospitality management. The state of the art campus and a dedicated faculty would play a significant role in sharpening their skill set. As a first step, 15 3rd year hospitality students from IUBH will train at the LEH campus at Lavasa from the next academic year.
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By BW Hotelier SHANGRI-LA HOTELS and Resorts announced the integration of virtual reality (VR) experiences into worldwide hotel sales efforts. The group has rolled out Samsung Gear VR headsets across all Global Sales Offices and produced immersive 360-degree videos for over a quarter of its 94 hotels and resorts. Nearly half of the hotel portfolio will have VR videos available by January, with full roll out to be completed in 2016. Powered by Oculus, the Gear VR headsets enable travel advisors, meeting planners and potential corporate clients to virtually experience Shangri-La hotels and destinations around the world. They will be used as promotional and educational tools at tradeshows, industry events and sales meetings, instantly ’transporting’ advisors to places such as the rooftop of Jokhang Temple in Lhasa or the Grand Ballroom in Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong. Travel advisors will also be able to share the 360-degree videos with their customers via-www.shangri-la.com/VR. The videos can be watched online on a 360-degree video player or, for a fully immersive experience, freely downloaded and viewed on a VR headset that uses the Oculus platform. ’Shangri-La is investing significantly in technology and the future of travel content, which is why we are embracing virtual reality on this scale,’ said Steven Taylor, chief marketing officer of Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd (see photo). ’VR is a revolutionary new sales tool. The technology has evolved so that it is now affordable, light and portable; virtual reality is on the cusp of becoming more mainstream.’ ’Travel experts play a critical role in their fields and the traveller’s decision-making process. This is why our first VR efforts are focused on them,’ said Taylor. ’Their clients depend on them to ensure holidays, business trips and meetings are enjoyable and effective. Shangri-La’s VR experiences will enhance their knowledge about our hotels and their ability to sell with confidence to their clients.’ Shangri-La began developing virtual reality videos in May with Brand Karma and previewed ones of Shangri-La hotels and excursions in Ulaanbaatar, Lhasa and Shangri-La City at ILTM in Shanghai this past June. Video production was accelerated given the positive feedback in order to roll the headsets out to the group’s 17 Global Sales Offices. ’We want to employ innovative technology in a way that is meaningful to our trade partners and beneficial to consumers,’ said Taylor. ’Not only will Shangri-La’s immersive 360-degree videos provide travel experts a better understanding of the Shangri-La product and experience, but there are many creative applications. For example, a travel planner could virtually walk a CEO through Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong’s ballroom prior to a big product announcement or use it to heighten clients’ anticipation for an upcoming trip.’
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