Tag Archives: hotel industry

The Indian Heritage Hotels Association (IHHA) will hold its 11th Annual Convention and 23rd Annual General Meeting on 19 & 20 September, 2024, at INDeco Hotels Swamimalai. IHHA is the first post-independence aggregation of India’s erstwhile Royals and Thakurs, to formulate a master plan for their future role and promote heritage tourism in India. Crucially, the initial objective was to maintain and preserve the legacy surrounding their palaces. The first Annual Convention, held on 21 & 22 September, 2012, at Nahargarh, Ranthambore, aimed to revive India’s rich cultural, historical, and architectural heritage. K. Ramachandran, Minister for Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu, and K. Lakshminarayanan, Minister for Tourism, Government of Pondicherry, consented to launch this event. Similarly, Suman Billa, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, and Mugdha Sinha, IAS, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, are expected to deliver speeches at the special convention. Aside from the above, several bureaucrats, policymakers, and tourism specialists are slated to attend. This convention fittingly themed, “Revitalising Indian Heritage,” will lay out IHHA’s strategy for the next 25 years. The convention will also focus on identifying young leaders to take the message forward. “IHHA aims to infuse young and sustained energies to chart a course to revive heritage tourism in the country,” said HH Maharaja Gaj Singh II, Jodhpur, President Emeritus, IHHA. Thakur Gajsingh, Alsisar, General Secretary, IHHA added, “IHHA will also look into ways that the Ministry of Tourism and IHHA can work together to protect and preserve Indian monuments.” Steve Borgia, Vice President, IHHA, will lead and host this historical convention. It is anticipated that over 150 former Royals from all over India will attend this momentous gathering. …

Cross Hotels & Resorts designated Andrew Hartley as the Vice President of Commercial. With a wealth of 20 years of experience in sales & marketing and commercial operations, Andrew has served in Thailand, Singapore, Australia, China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Oman within the luxury hotel industry. At Cross, he will be engaged in business growth in the commercial direction at the Bangkok Corporate Office. Before taking on Commercial, Cross Hotels & Resorts, Andrew was the Assistant VP – Strategic Sales & Marketing for Raffles Hotels and Resorts in Cambodia. His previous roles include esteemed positions at prominent hospitality establishments, including Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts in the Asia Pacific, Sofitel in Australia, New Zealand & Fiji, and Intercontinental in China.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) for hotels will be charged on the rack rates, or declared rates of hotels, which will have a considerable impact on the hotel industry. According to the notification number 11/2017-Central Tax (Rate) New Delhi, dated June 28, 2017, “For accommodation in hotels, inns, guest houses, clubs, campsites or other commercial places meant for residential or lodging purposes, the ‘declared tariff’ will be the basis of tax to be levied.” Declared tariff has been explained as to  include charges for all the amenities provided in a unit of accommodation (given on rent for stay), like furniture, air conditioner, refrigerator or any other amenities, but without excluding any discount offered on the published charges leading to some ambiguity. However, Rashmi Verma, Secretary Tourism, Government of India, had announced in an interactive meeting in Mumbai that the GST rates are on actual invoiced rate and not on published tariff. She also assured to look into any discrepancy or anomaly in the language or wordings of the same.