The Trends & Opportunities report analyses key trends in hotel performance within India, with a special emphasis on 13 major markets, in addition to existing and future opportunities of specific interest to investors, developers and hotel operators.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced the signing of Le Méridien Ahmedabad, a 200-room new build hotel slated to open in 2018. Owned by established real estate developer, Seven Leisure Private Limited, the hotel will be located within close proximity to the central business district and the Sanand Industrial Estate and will offer easy access to the main Gandhinagar Highway. Renowned institutes of higher learning and convention facilities such as the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and the Gujarat University Convention and Exhibition Centre are only a short drive from the hotel. Le Méridien Ahmedabad will mark the return of Le Méridien brand to this vibrant and historic city as well as represent Starwood's third hotel in this growing market.
Supranational Hotels, one of the world's largest hotel companies and leading provider of hotel distribution technologies, is actively targeting emerging markets to expand its current 700 strong portfolio of 3, 4 and 5 star hotels. The group is looking to build its portfolio of destinations within South America, India and Japan where business and leisure travel continues to grow.
Hilton Worldwide today announced the appointment of Atul Goyal as Head of Human Resources for India. Effective August 27, 2014, Atul is based at the India Regional Office in Gurgaon and reports to Brendan Toomey, Vice President, Human Resources - Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide.
Sun-n-Sand Group has renewed its technology agreement with Sabre, including use of the industry's leading distribution solution and SynXis central reservation system (CRS) with plans to use this technology to help increase bookings and revenue.
CapitaLand's wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has secured a contract to manage its first Somerset-branded serviced residence in Gurgaon. Slated to open by 2019, the 174-unit Somerset Diplomatic Greens Gurgaon is Ascott's second serviced residence in the city, after Ascott Ireo City Gurgaon which is scheduled to open in 2017.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, today announced the graduation of the inaugural class of the IHG Academy hospitality training programme with IL&FS Skills. The three-month programme in New Delhi saw eight participants graduate and full-time employment opportunities offered to five students at IHG hotels across India.
FCS Computer Systems (FCS), a leading comprehensive hospitality solutions and services provider, has opened the doors to its newest office location in Mumbai, India, a regional center now tasked with overseeing all FCS activity throughout India. After identifying increasing interest from the nation's growing hospitality market, FCS made a decision to establish the new facility in Mumbai, which is expected to provide enhanced operations and customer service to all clients throughout the Indian region.
Hilton Worldwide today announced the signing of a management agreement with Hirise Hospitality Private Limited for DoubleTree by Hilton Ahmedabad. The hotel will be an iconic structure that towers over the central business district, just off S.G. Road (Sarkhej - Gandhinagar Highway), near Satellite Road and a short distance from the city centre. The hotel will offer easy access to prime business and commercial hubs as well as a range of dining, shopping and entertainment options.
The International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC), in partnership with the Hotel Investment Forum India (HIFI) has announced they are accepting nominations for the Rising Star Award South Asia. This will be the second year the two organizations have joined together to recognize emerging talent in the Indian subcontinent.
Raymond Bickson will step down as the managing director and chief executive officer of Tata group controlled Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), which operates the Taj Group of hotels. In its filing on Bombay Stock Exchange, IHCL informed, " Mr. Raymond Bickson, MD and CEO of the Company has expressed a desire to resign from the services of the Company and pursue his professional interests elsewhere."
Raymond Bickson, managing director and chief executive of Indian Hotels Company, will step down by the end of this month. He had been the MD and CEO for more than a decade at IHCL, the country's largest hotel company. The board of IHCL had approved Bickson's re-appointment as a director for a period of five years at last year's annual general meeting.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a management agreement with New Delhi real estate developer Sikka to develop Crowne Plaza Taj Expressway Noida. This is part of Sikka's master plan to develop more than 7 million square feet of real estate in the northern part of the country, spanning 12 projects across different cities.
Gorav Arora joins with more than fourteen years of experience in the areas of Sales & Marketing and F&B Operations. He has a proven track record in boosting revenue growth and holds a strong background in Room Sales, Convention/Association/ Banquet Sales& Marketing and F&B Operations. Throughout his career, he has been consistently formulating & implementing strategic plans & sales management techniques. Having been recognized for outstanding business development, employee coaching and interpersonal & communication skills, he’s proven to be truly multi-faceted people’s person. In his current role as Director Sales & Marketing he will be responsible to lead and grow the Convention, Corporate, MICE and Social business. He will also be instrumental in positioning Hyderabad and HICC as the “Best MICE Destination” in global markets through various Marketing Initiatives. He started his career in Hospitality with Hyatt Regency, Delhi. He has worked with reputed Hotel chain companies like The Oberoi Group, Hyatt and Accor. Gorav has also worked with Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and Hyderabad International Convention Centre earlier from 2008 to 2012. His last assignment was with Trident, Hyderabad as Director-Sales.
It's intriguing to see so many real estate firms getting into hospitality services and expanding in that arena, especially as generating returns are much more difficult as compared to office space or apartments. Several realty firms, in fact, have lost value over their hotel investments. The Brigade group ventured into hospitality in June 2004 with serviced residences, and over the last ten years has expanded into lifestyle membership clubs like Woodrose, Augusta, Galaxy and Regent, MLR convention centres and the more recently, a standalone restaurant HIGH Ultra Lounge. Brigade Hospitality also has two operating hotels – Sheraton Hotel Bangalore at Brigade Gateway and Grand Mercure, Bangalore and 8 in the pipeline. BW| Businessworld's Chitra Narayanan quizzed Brigade Hospitality Services CEO & Executive Director Vineet Verma on growth plans...
He brings with him over 14 years of experience in core hotel operations and has worked at senior positions at The Oberoi and The Leela. Prior to joining The Leela Palace Udaipur, Abhishek was Rooms Division Manager at The Leela Mumbai. Abhishek first joined The Leela family in 2010 as Executive Assistant to the President and Front Office Manager of The Leela Mumbai before progressing to Rooms Division Manager of The Leela Palace Chennai. In this capacity, he played a crucial role in finalizing the hotels’ positioning in Chennai along with setting up the Rooms Division of the property and hiring and training 250 team members. Prior to this stint, he led teams in various operational capacities at The Leela Mumbai, and The Oberoi, New Delhi, where he began his hospitality career.
The Lemon Tree Hotel Company has designated Nikhil Sharma as the Chief Operating Officer of its economy brand- Red Fox Hotels. Sharma is one of the founding members of the Lemon Tree Hotels’ core team and had joined the group as a budding Assistant Manager of its first Lemon Tree Hotel at Gurgaon. He is among the youngest managers in the country today. Sharma has assumed his position as Chief Operating Officer at Red Fox Hotel from July 1, 2014. Sharma is an alumnus of Pusa Institute of Hotel Management, New Delhi. He started his career with the Taj Group of Hotels where he worked in Delhi and Udaipur, followed by Marriot in Mumbai and Intercontinental in Srinagar and Delhi. While being a part of Lemon Tree Hotels, Sharma has played an important role in starting revenue management, brand website development, guest loyalty and the employees with disability initiative for the Lemon Tree Hotel.
With over 26 years of experience, Nijhof has worked with renowned hospitality group - Marriott across various countries like Germany, Turkey and the Netherlands. Nijhof joins Renaissance Mumbai from the Amsterdam Marriott Hotel, Netherlands where he had been the General Manager for three years. Nijhof began his education from Hotelschool Heerlen in Netherlands and went on to receive the Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from Florida International University, Miami, USA. Nijhof is fluent in English, Dutch and German. In his leisure time he loves to travel and discover new places with his wife and daughter.
BENGALURU, India -- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT), today announced the opening of Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park in the city's hot new hi tech hub. Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park marks the second Aloft Hotel in Bengaluru. Managed by Starwood, the hotel is owned by the Prestige Group, a leading real estate developer in India with a diversified portfolio of hospitality, leisure, and retail, commercial and residential assets.
With his varied experience and well-rounded specialities spanning Indian, Western, Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, Chef Amit’s core expertise lies in managing food and beverage production operations. He began his career at The Trident, Udaipur in 1999, going on to play key roles at luxury hotels such as the Hyatt Regency New Delhi, Taj Fort Aguada Beach Resort Goa, Grand Hyatt Mumbai and Taj West End Bangalore. He further honed his culinary skills at Bon Appetit, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Dublin, Ireland led by Chef Oliver Dunne.