Category Archives: Hotels

Kamala Vardhan Rao, IAS, C&MD, ITDC, has said that India has tremendous potential for medical value tourism. Speaking at a webinar for Tourism Collaboration between India and Saudi Arabia, he added, “India holds 10th position globally as far as Medical Value Tourism is concerned, due to affordability, accessibility, and availability of medical facilities. It is the 7th dominating country in the world and 3rd in Asia Pacific region in terms of wellness tourism. India has received 4.95 lakh medical tourist in 2017 which has gone up to over 7 lakhs in 2019. With 800 NABH and 36 JCI accredited hospitals, India is a viable destination for medical facilities due to a robust ecosystem which is already well developed. Medical Value Tourism (MVT) is one of the 10 champion sectors identified by the Government of India, and we are perhaps the only country in the world with a dedicated Ministry of alternate healing and traditional medicine, the Ministry of AYUSH, which promotes Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy medicine. Ayurveda is taking off in a very big way world-wide, with its proven efficacy in the post-COVID recovery phase.”

Heritance Aarah and Adaaran Resorts, situated in the luscious paradise atolls in the Maldives, take pride in announcing that 90% of its ground staff at the resorts is vaccinated with both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. This is in line with the heightened health and safety practices adhered to as part of Aitken Spence Hotels. The Aitken Spence Group believes that the well-being of its guests and associates is of paramount importance. Collectively, the hospitality brand has taken stringent measures to enact elevated precautionary operational protocols that address heightened health and safety, to give their guests peace of mind regarding future stays. These protocols are based on international and local health and safety guidelines and have been enhanced by in-house experts to provide guests with a safe environment. Susith Jayawickrama, Managing Director, Aitken Spence Hotels Group said, “As we continue to combat the challenges posed by the surprising intruder that has unsettled the world – COVID-19, we are inspired to make our resorts a safe haven for our guests. This optimism is carried through at all our hotels and resorts, as we welcome you back, with open arms and heartfelt smiles.”

In its monthly overview of the hotels and hospitality sector, HVS ANAROCK reveals that while hotel occupancy in most cities witnessed month-on-month decline in May due to restrictions and lockdowns in various states, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Chennai observed the highest occupancy in the country (31-35%) during the month.

Raffles Udaipur has announced the appointment of Rajan Malhotra as Director of Sales and Marketing. A postgraduate diploma holder in business administration, Malhotra brings along with him 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry. His rich body of work includes long, successful stints at Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Services India Pvt. Ltd., The Zuri Group of Hotels & Resorts, Le Méridien Jaipur Resort & Spa, Taj Palace, New Delhi and The Grand New Delhi. In his role, Rajan Malhotra will take charge of introducing the world-renowned Raffles brand experience in the country as well as planning and implementing strategies to support the hotel’s unrivalled positioning. He will be leading the sales and marketing team, exploring business opportunities and will be responsible for the budgeting, forecasting and achieving the hotel’s commercial objectives. He will be a part of the pre-opening leadership team of the property. Commenting on the appointment, Abhishek Sharma, General Manager, Raffles Udaipur said, “We are delighted with the joining of Rajan Malhotra as a part of the pre-opening leadership team for this important launch. With his extensive experience of working for some of the leading luxury hotels and knowledge of the diverse market segments, we are confident that Rajan will best support the positioning of India’s first Raffles as a market leader.”

Raffles Udaipur has announced Abhishek Sharma as General Manager, who joins the property with over 9 years of leading teams in the role of General Manager, throughout luxury hotels and resorts, including The Oberoi Group in India and Soneva Fushi Resort in The Maldives. Sharma is a well-recognized leader with over two decades of outstanding experience in luxury hospitality and has an exceptional network across the industry. In his new role, Sharma will be leading the task of introducing the legendary Raffles brand to the country and taking charge of operations for Raffles Udaipur. On the appointment, he says, “I am filled with an incredible sense of excitement and responsibility as I lead the team at our first Raffles in the country. The Raffles brand is a global phenomenon that has set the benchmark for unparalleled excellence in guest experience and personalized services. Ethos of the brand are depicted across many noteworthy elements of the hotel, and I am particularly inspired by the  signature Writers Bar for its sophistication and innovation, where we hope India’s renowned writers, present and future, will pen their stories.  I feel honored to be working alongside a dynamic team to bring the legendary service of Raffles to our guests.” Commenting on the announcement, Puneet Dhawan, ‎Senior Vice President of Operations – India & South Asia, Accor says, “I am delighted to welcome Abhishek for this key launch of Raffles’ first outpost in India. Abhishek has wealth of experience that has enhanced his project management skills and strengthened his abilities in elevating guest engagement. He has aced the curation of bespoke and immersive guest experiences and I am confident that his knowledge and the ability to …

In a major development for the hospitality segment following the COVID-19 outbreak, Click Hotels by Suba has acquired leisure budget hospitality chain 1589 Hotels, owned and run by Clarks Group of Hotels. With this deal, Suba added 35 new properties to its portfolio across 22 prime destinations in India which marks the milestone of total 2,000 rooms. This expansion drive is a part of Click Hotels’ acquisition of 1589 Hotels including GenX, RNB, and RNB Select. With this, Click Hotels by Suba has marked its transition to an asset-light business model and has expanded its footprint across key destinations like Ranthambore National Park, Jim Corbett National Park, and Dalhousie.

After operations being paused for the last few months, Fairmont Jaipur is back and ready to welcome guests with its signature engaging service, from 27th June 2021. Along with the re-launch of the property, the team has also announced several attractive stay deals, especially for the joy of the monsoons, to make every holiday an unforgettable Fairmont experience. On the auspicious occasion of the re-opening of the palace, General Manager, Rajiv Kapoor said, “The Heartists of Fairmont Jaipur are proud to re-open the gates of this breathtaking palace. We have missed our treasured guests and now look forward to creating unforgettable memories for every guest through handcrafted stays and curated experiences, all with the necessary ALLSAFE safety and hygiene protocols. As they say in Rajasthan, Padhaaro Mhare Des…!” Gleaming under the watchful eyes of the verdant Aravalli hills, glittering with history and culture of Rajasthan, the hotel is a sophisticated chateau that gracefully combines the glories of the past with modern day comforts. The story of Fairmont Jaipur inspires a vision of timeless hospitality, inviting guests to join them in imagining a place that is steeped in a rich and privileged heritage, yet is effortlessly modern. Every aspect of the hotel – the architecture, the layout, the décor and the hospitality has been inspired by the legends of two of India’s most celebrated rulers – the Mughals and the Rajputs. The magnificent façade stands tall as the ancient gates of the hotel open to welcome guests to this royal abode. Every unparalleled stay at Fairmont Jaipur is certified to be safe and hygienic, with Accor’s ALLSAFE Guidelines for the highest standards, including and going beyond local and international recommendations for …

Cross Hotels & Resorts, which already operates hotels across Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, has now expanded its reach further by entering the Japanese market with a remarkable seven-hotel deal in a master franchise agreement with AB Accommo Company. Cross Hotels & Resorts currently operates 21 hotels across three distinct brands – Cross, Cross Vibe and Away – in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. It anticipates a rewarding future in Japan with seven properties initially, totalling 844 keys within four years and stretching across Okinawa in the far south to Hokkaido. The inaugural property, located on Kouri Island, will be called Away Okinawa Kouri Island Resort and seamlessly match the Away brand’s ‘Escape Everyday Life’ philosophy. “With the signing of Away Okinawa Kouri Island Resort we have brought to fruition our stated aspiration to grow our brands in the best markets in the Asia region. The Away brand emphasises the strength of our capabilities, our growth and our commitment to help our owners identify their product position in the marketplace,” says Harry Thaliwal, Chief Executive Officer, Cross Hotels & Resorts. To this, adds Kent Davidson, Managing Director, Cross Hotels & Resorts, “Taking our business and brands into the prized Japanese hospitality marketplace is a watershed moment for Cross Hotels & Resorts. This agreement to franchise our brands into the Japanese market speaks volumes for the work we have done to define our branding and distribution value proposition and the manner in which our partners have embraced it. This partnership has been made possible by our ability to curate a product for our partners’ specific needs. I have a deep respect for our colleagues in the enterprise and I see a long and …

According to Gus Gardner, Associate Travel & Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, “Budget hotel operators will be well-positioned to benefit from an increase in bargain-hunting travellers looking for the cheapest accommodation possible. With many countries still only permitting outbound travel to a handful of countries and domestic holidays booming in the short term, accommodation prices have risen.”

India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), through its education wing AIH&TM organized a session on ‘Yoga For Health & Wellness’ for its employees. The session conducted on the occasion of International Yoga Day was led by Shri Yoga Acharaya, who taught ‘Vedic Aashtanga Yog’ and shed light on simple yet powerful tools to manifest health & vitality in life. Further, the session also discussed the protocols of Yoga & Pranayam by the Ministry Of Aayush, Government of India.