Tag Archives: hospitality

SeaHorse Hospitality Consulting, a leading hotel consulting services firm, has successfully rebranded Jackson Inn to Pride Elite, Phaltan, Maharashtra delivering strategic hotel advisory services. This shift in partnership with the Pride Group of Hotels marks a significant milestone in the hospitality industry, offering exceptional guest experiences and operational excellence in Maharashtra. The rebranding project, facilitated by SeaHorse Hospitality Consulting, aims to transform Jackson Inn into a premier destination for both business and leisure travellers. The hotel’s comprehensive facilities, including 71 deluxe rooms, 3 suites, a multi-cuisine restaurant, a lounge bar, and a state-of-the-art gym, will cater to the diverse needs of guests. Sandeep Roy, Founder, SeaHorse Hospitality Consulting Services, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to collaborate with the Pride Group of Hotels to rebrand Jackson Inn as Pride Elite, Phaltan. This project showcases our commitment to providing top-tier hotel advisory services and elevating hospitality standards.” The rebranding initiative is expected to enhance guest satisfaction, drive operational efficiency, and position Pride Elite, Phaltan as a leading hospitality destination in the region. The hotel’s strategic location, just 4.5 hours from Mumbai and 2 hours from Pune, offers guests a convenient and refreshing alternative to popular destinations like Lonavala, Khandala, and Mahabaleshwar. Sameer Gupta, Chairman, Managing Director, Jakson Group commented, “SeaHorse’s professionalism and strategic insights have been instrumental in this transition. We are excited about our future with the Pride Group of Hotels and look forward to achieving new heights together,” said the owner of Jakson Inn. “SeaHorse Consulting’s expertise in hotel consulting services has made this rebranding process seamless and efficient.” SeaHorse Hospitality Consulting’s expertise in hotel management consulting services has played a crucial role in this …

According to JLL’s Hotel Momentum India report the hospitality sector recorded a 4.8% growth in revenue per available room (RevPAR) in Q2 of 2024. Despite lower occupancy due to summer vacations, the industry expects a busy upcoming quarter driven by corporate travel and social events.

By Claudia Unger, Executive Coach and Hospitality Expert We all understand the importance of a resume in showcasing our skills and experience to potential employers. A strong resume is key to progressing to the interview stage. However, meeting every requirement of a job description is rare, especially in hospitality. The gap often grows as we aim for higher leadership roles, leading some to not apply at all. Yet, the extensive skill requirements in job ads mean few can tick all the boxes. If we met every job requirement, the role would likely lack challenge and growth opportunities. Therefore, when considering hospitality skills for your resume, view the job description as a chance for personal and professional growth. Clearly outline what you lack and express your eagerness to develop these skills. This approach not only demonstrates your self-awareness but also your commitment to growth and learning, qualities highly valued in the hospitality industry. Key Hospitality Skills Hospitality resumes should highlight both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills. Soft skills are particularly crucial for managerial positions and help differentiate you from other candidates. Let’s explore some of these essential soft skills in more detail: Teamworking: Essential in a dynamic environment like a hotel, where various departments must work in harmony to deliver a seamless guest experience. Your resume should demonstrate successful teamwork, understanding of roles, strong interpersonal relationships, delegation skills, and more. Highlight specific instances where your teamworking skills contributed to successful outcomes in previous roles. Empathy: Critical in hospitality, a people-centric business. Demonstrating empathy means prioritizing guest satisfaction. My experience as a flight attendant taught me that truly caring about guest needs is vital for career advancement. Illustrate how your empathetic approach has …

M/s Sankalp Recreation Private Limited, is a leading hospitality and restaurants company based out of Ahmedabad, announces the signing of a franchise agreement with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, for conversion of an existing hotel to Ramada by Wyndham brand. Ahmedabad is also known for its rich heritage and history beyond being Gujarat’s financial capital and commercial centre. Strategically located next to Narendra Modi Stadium, the hotel will become the preferred hotel in the region for sports enthusiasts in addition to business and leisure guests. It is going to be ground-zero for hotel accommodation demand providing connectivity and accessibility to guests in one of the world’s largest cricket stadiums by seating capacity that has history of hosting country’s popular cricket tournaments including final match of ICC Men’s Cricket World cup towards the end of the last year. The hotel is in close proximity to an under-construction state-of-the-art Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave and once complete, it will be one of the iconic sports centers in India. Expected to open soon in 2024, the hotel is under active renovation to be upgraded to Ramada’s brand standards. The hotel, which overlooks the stadium, will have over 55 contemporary and a host of amenities, including a lobby lounge, an all-day dining restaurant and bar, health club, spa, swimming pool, as well as meeting space and a business centre. Mr. Kailash Ramavatar Goenka, CMD, M/s Sankalp Recreation Private Limited said, “We are pleased to extend our third hotel with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and be part of its expanding hotel portfolio in Gujarat and West India. We are working closely with Wyndham to build the hotel to high international standards and look forward to welcoming guests …

Hospitality giant Eraaya Lifespaces has announced a significant milestone in their acquisition of US-based Ebix Inc., reporting a payment of ₹101 crore. With the latest remittance of US$12 million (approximately ₹101 crore) in July 2024, Eraaya Lifespaces Limited is excited to share progress on the acquisition. So far, a total of US$21.75 million (around ₹181 crore) has been paid towards securing Ebix Inc. Moreover, a substantial payment of US$35 million (approximately ₹293 crore) is scheduled for completion by the end of July 2024. This acquisition entails the Consortium securing 100 per cent equity in Ebix, encompassing its assets and certain liabilities across its global subsidiaries, as detailed in a stock exchange filing. The bid submitted by the consortium led by Eraaya Lifespaces had been approved and accepted as the highest and best bid for Ebix and declared as the winner following the auction process overseen by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court at an ascribed enterprise value of US$361 Million (₹3,009 crores approximately). The acquisition will be effectuated through Ebix’s Plan of Reorganization proposed in its Chapter 11 proceedings, subject to ongoing negotiations among the consortium, Ebix, and Ebix’s creditors and other stakeholders. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court had allowed the Plan of Reorganization to be sent to creditors for voting and scheduled a hearing to consider approval of the plan.

The forthcoming budget offers a vital chance for the hospitality sector as we believe this is the Golden period for Indian Tourism Industry in case we are able to make the Best use of this opportunity. We request the government to announce industry status for hotels and lower the GST rate from 18% to 12%, bringing it in line with international standards for the tourism industry. This combined advantage will stimulate investments, enhance tourism, and generate job opportunities. The much needed industry status will enable much easier access to cheaper loans for expansion and development. There should be a provision for single window clearance for approvals, a long standing demand from the hotel industry. Government can also lease old properties such as Havelis and hotels for long term, to benefit tourism industry through Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.  Given the industry’s substantial contribution to India’s GDP and foreign exchange earnings, we believe these steps will drive economic growth and position India as a more competitive tourism destination.

Mckinsey report revealed, home-sharing continues to position itself as better than traditional hotels, segment has grown from 10-14% of booking value between 2017 and 2023. Home-sharing companies have also become a key distribution channel for smaller hotels, as they can offer more control over inventory and lower fees than other channels.

Global hotel owner and operator Minor Hotels has appointed Puneet Dhawan as Head of Asia as the group plots its growth in Asia and India. From July, Dhawan will be responsible for the performance of all Minor Hotels properties in Asia, working in close collaboration with the Minor Hotels senior leadership team and will report to Minor Hotels CEO Dillip Rajakarier. Dhawan, a seasoned professional with a 30-year hospitality career spanning Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. His most recent role as Senior Vice President of Operations – India & South Asia at Accor saw him lead the group’s business development, owner management, hotel operations and commercial team, driving Accor’s growth in the region. Notably, he oversaw the opening of the first Raffles hotel in India. His 25-year tenure at Accor also included time as the group’s Vice President of Operations, Middle East, and several General Manager roles. Dhawan’s journey in the hospitality industry began with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, where he held positions at its properties in the Philippines and Hong Kong. Dhawan holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He will be based in the group’s Bangkok Corporate Office when he joins Minor Hotels in July. Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels and Group CEO of Minor International, commented, “We are excited to welcome Puneet to the Minor Hotels family. His operational experience and empowering leadership will be invaluable as we work to achieve our growth ambitions in Asia and India in the coming years.” In January, Minor Hotels unveiled its target to add more than 200 new openings to its …

Talking about the growth of hospitality in India, Mark Hoplamazian, CEO, Hyatt, said, “India today is better poised for growth in the hospitality sector than the rest of the world, and that is because of the tremendous warmth and engagement of its people. The experience people get in India when they disembark from the plane and start exploring the country is what sets the country apart.”

Crowne Plaza New Delhi Mayur Vihar proudly delcare the promotion of Mr. Pankaj Gupta to the esteemed role of Area General Manager within IHG Hotels & Resorts -South West Asia. In his new capacity, Mr. Gupta will responsible 8 operating and 2 pre opening hotels including the General Manager role at Crowne Plaza New Delhi Mayur Vihar. With over two decades of hospitality experience, Mr. Gupta has consistently exemplified leadership and operational excellence. Previously, as the General Manager of Crowne Plaza Mayur Vihar, he spearheaded revenue growth, operational efficiency, and guest satisfaction initiatives, setting new industry benchmarks. Mr. Gupta expressed, “Assuming the role of Area General Manager is both an honour and a responsibility. I am deeply grateful to the IHG leadership team for entrusting me with this pivotal role. My vision is to leverage the unique strengths of each market, capitalize on emerging trends, and create synergies across properties to drive sales & marketing strategies, operational excellence, and, above all, unparalleled guest experiences. Together, we will strengthen IHG’s position as a leader in the hospitality sector and foster unique collaborations with industry partners.” Mr. Gupta’s exceptional leadership has garnered widespread recognition, including the number 1 position in Guest Love within the South West Asia region in 2023, the GM of the Year 2023 award at the BW Hotelier Awards, and the Best Business Hotel 2023 accolade at the HVS ANAROCK Showcase Hospitality and Travel Awards. Additionally, he was honoured with the prestigious IMEA GM Conference Innovation Impact Award in 2023 and the GM Par Excellence Award by HT City in the same year.