Category Archives: Hotels

AccorHotels brought its international economy brand, ibis, in the capital of Kerala with the opening of ibis Kochi City Centre. ibis Kochi City Centre is also the first AccorHotels’ property to open in Kerala. The property features 115 guest rooms furnished with the signature ‘Sweet Bed’ by ibis, in-room amenities and Wi-Fi access. The hotels has two meeting rooms with state-of-the-art technology that can accommodate up to 70 guests for meetings and private events. Fitness enthusiasts can sweat it out at the hotel’s Cardio Centre. Located on Ernakulam’s commercial hub – MG Road, the hotel is a few steps away from the upcoming Kochi Metro station and a short drive from the Ernakulam Railway Station. Jean-Michel Cassé, Senior Vice President, Operations, AccorHotels India said, “We are pleased to open our first AccorHotels’ property, ibis Kochi City Centre in Kerala.  Kochi is an upcoming smart city and commercial hub and we are proud to open its first international economy hotel. With a sharp focus on today’s connected business traveller, the hotel promises to be a sophisticated stay destination with a host of innovative facilities, all at an attractive price point. We are proud to introduce the ibis brand to the city and look forward to fortifying our commitment to the picturesque state of Kerala.” Speaking on the opening, Ajit Jose, General Manager, ibis Kochi City Centre, said, “We are delighted to launch our very first ibis in Kochi. The property is reflective of the growing needs of corporate travellers while catering to the needs of leisure travellers to this fast-emerging metropolis. Guests can look forward to the innovative brand concept with welcoming, designer common areas and the modern food and beverage …

V.M. Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE) has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turismo de Portugal. The MoU was signed by Dattaraj V. Salgaocar, Chairman of VMSIIHE, and Luis Araújo, President of Turismo de Portugal, in the presence of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Portugal António Costa who is presently in Goa on a state visit. The knowledge exchange programme between the two countries will see a collaborative effort in the fields of research, trainings, teaching-learning methods and other aspects in the near future. The MOU valid for 2 years, mutually agrees to conduct student training and teacher mentoring modules in addition to institutional support. The MoU focuses on a shared vision, to encourage and develop the training and qualification of human resource personnel working in the field of tourism, as well as to coordinate and execute professional training for students and faculty. Professor Irfan Mirza, Director, V.M. Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education, said, “Together we can collaborate and enhance the quality of education we offer to our students. At our institute we offer a unique curriculum, internationally trained faculty and world class infrastructure to prepare the students for the ever changing needs of the hospitality industry. Our goal is to make this institute the center of excellence for the hospitality industry in India and we believe we have come one step closer to that goal with the signing of this MoU.”

Sarovar Hotels has sold majority of its stakes to Louvre Hotels, the second largest hotel group in Europe. The acquisition deal was formally announced in New Delhi by Ajay K. Bakaya, Executive Director, Sarovar Hotels, in the presence of Anil Madhok, Executive Chairman, Sarovar Hotels; Pierre-Frederic Roulot, CEO, Louvre Hotels Group and Saurabh Chawla, Head of Group Development, Louvre Hotels Group. According to Bakaya, there will not be any change in the management of Sarovar Hotels after the acquisition and they will continue to run the hotels the way they used to. He added that the new development would only help the company to expand its reach.

Marriott International has appointed Anuraag Bhatnagar as Multi-Property Vice President, Luxury, India. He will be part of the Luxury APEC Market leadership team led by Victor Clavell. Bhatnagar has been with Legacy Starwood for 16 years now. He previously served as the Area General Manager of India and concurrently the General Manager of The St. Regis Mumbai. In the role, he successfully handled 12 hotels in six different cities of all Legacy Starwood brands including the core responsibility of leading the first St. Regis property launched in South Asia in 2015, as General Manager. A doyen of the hospitality industry with an innate understanding of the luxury landscape, Bhatnagar will now be at the helm of Marriott International’s luxury portfolio for the Indian market. He was also the Legacy Starwood Security Champion for South Asia and a member of OSAC (Overseas Security Advisory Council), United States Department of States Bureau of Diplomatic Security. He is an avid spiritualist and seeker. His fitness regime is a must and he enjoys his leisure time watching movies and listening to music.

In a bid to create awareness about digital payments and cashless banking in the wake of demonetisation, India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) organised an interactive awareness program for its employees in association with State Bank of Hyderabad. During the awareness program, various available modes of cashless transactions such as POS machines, e-wallet, mobile banking, online banking, using apps such as SBI Buddy, SBI Freedom etc. were demonstrated and explained in detail. Umang Narula, Chairman and Managing Director, ITDC, said, “It’s a matter of great satisfaction and pride that this workshop was organised. The government is promoting cashless transactions to overcome the acute shortage of lower denominations. In my opinion, this is a good move as digital transactions ensure transparency and proper payment of taxes.” He appealed to the employees and the young trainees to join the digital system of operations at the earliest as the nation is moving towards the cashless mode of transactions. The program was also graced by Piyush Tiwari, Director Commercial and Marketing, ITDC, Pradip Kumar Das, Director Finance, ITDC, and Vinayak Garg, Chief Vigilance Officer, ITDC.

Lemon Tree Hotels is planning to expand to 100 hotels with 12,000 rooms by 2021, shares Patu Keswani, Chairman and Managing Director, Lemon Tree Hotels. Sharing this at the Global Hospitality Conclave., Keswani said, “Lemon Tree is planning to expand with 100 hotels with 12,000 rooms and 12,000 staff members by 2021.” “By 2021, Lemon Tree hotels will consist of 25 per cent of mid-market space.” The Global Hospitality Conclave is an initiative organised by the alumni of the erstwhile Oberoi School of Hotel Management (OSHM), now The Oberoi Centre for Learning & Development (OCLD). The alumni include stalwarts like Rajiv Kaul, President – Leela Hotels, Ajay Bakaya, Executive Director, Sarovar Hotels, Rattan Keswani, Deputy Managing Director, Lemon Tree Hotels. The world of hospitality, like many other businesses, is imperatively moving toward an era of extensive collaboration and partnerships.

InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) has promoted Greesh Bindra to the post of Regional General Manager (RGM) of North & West India hotels in South West Asia. With an extensive experience of over 33 years across various brands, Bindra has been with IHG for almost 15 years. He has completed his General Managers Program with Cornell University in 2006 and has also won many awards including the Best General Manager at India Travel Awards in 2015. As the Regional General Manager, Bindra will further contribute to IHG’s growth in the northern Indian markets. Being based in Crowne Plaza Greater Noida, he will oversee the performance of the company’s 13 hotels within the region. Aside from his professional background, he is a dedicated sportsperson who spends his free time playing golf and other sports activities.

Sarovar Hotels has opened a new hotel in Delhi NCR, The Muse Sarovar Portico, Kapashera. Marking the group’s focused expansion plan, The Muse Sarovar Portico Kapashera will be followed by openings in Nairobi, Ranchi, Jaisalmer and Amritsar this year. With easy access to the domestic and international airports, The Muse Sarovar Portico targets both business and leisure travellers and offers 73 rooms, three ballrooms together have an area of 6900 square feet and can accommodate up to 600 people. Speaking on the occasion, Ajay K. Bakaya, Exeutive Director, Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd., says, “We are glad to be opening the year with this important addition to our portfolio. Strategically positioned, The Muse Sarovar Portico is convenient to commute to and from the airport making travel easy for frequent travellers. Excellent banquet and conference facilities are the prime services we aim to focus on here”

ITDC made a debut entry at the NSE listing. The market has resulted in a surge and stocks are up over 15%. India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) surged 18% to Rs 209 on the BSE in intra-day trade ahead of its listing on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) on Friday, December 30, 2016. India Tourism Development Corporation has informed BSE that the listing of equity shares of ITDC in NSE has been approved vide its letter dated December 28, 2016 and the equity shares shall be listed and admitted to dealings on NSE w.e.f. December 30, 2016. Shares of India Tourism Development Corporation got listed at Rs 229 on NSE, registering a premium of 7.87 per cent over its issue price of Rs 212.30. The stock touched an early high of Rs 234, registering a jump of 10.22 per cent over its issue price. It finally ended the day at Rs 211, down 0.61 per cent from its issue price.On the volume front, a total of 1,22,798 shares of the company were traded on NSE. On BSE, where it had listed earlier, the scrip settled at Rs 212.8, up 0.24 per cent from the previous close. It had opened at Rs 228 and jumped 10.06 per cent to an intra-day high of Rs 233.65. On September 2, the company’s board had sent an application to NSE regarding listing of its shares with the bourse. ITDC, which came into existence in October 1966, runs hotels and restaurants at various places for tourists, besides providing transport facilities. It also produces, distributes and sells tourist publicity literature and provides entertainment and duty free shopping facilities to tourists.

Stayzilla signed a MoU with the Tourism Department of Odisha in order to provide online booking facilities and promote homestays in various tourist places across the state. Stayzilla has tied up with around 80 homestay accommodations in the state and the facilities will start functioning from Bhubaneswar, Konark and Puri in the first phase. “The tie-up would meet the shortage of rooms in accommodation sector in budget category and bridge the infrastructure gap,” said Nitin Jawale, Tourism Director, Government of Odisha. Ankit Rastogi, Vice President, Stayzilla, informed, “Odisha has huge potential as a tourism destination. Apart from promoting safe homestay facilities Stayzilla will jointly promote various tourist places of the state and its unique culture and food. We work as facilitators and ensure safety and quality stay for tourists. Stayzilla will provide an application to all homestay owners that will function without internet facilities where they can upload all details which people across the globe can see and book online. We have plans to start operation in important destinations like Raghurajpur and Nuapatna and will also go to tribal hinterlands soon.” Source: Times of India