Tag Archives: Managing Director

GoAir has announced the appointment of Cornelis Vrieswijk as the new Chief Executive Officer. He will be reporting to the Chairman, Managing Director and the Board of Directors of GoAir. Vrieswijk is a seasoned global executive and a consultant with over 25 years of experience in aviation and travel industry. He has rich experience in driving ventures, transitions, turnarounds and large-scale projects for diverse and multifaceted organisations with emphasis in aviation/travel and aircraft maintenance industry on a European Stage. He has significant expertise in international business development, operational streamlining, aircraft engineering & maintenance and process automation. Commenting on the occasion, Jeh Wadia, Managing Director, GoAir said, “Vrieswijk will work with the Board and leadership team to expand and implement a range of strategic initiatives to lead the airline into its next phase of growth. I am confident that Cor will help scale GoAir further and establish it as a most profitable low cost carrier in the highly competitive Indian market.” Commenting on his appointment, Vrieswijk said, “I am truly honoured to join this dynamic airline and see myself closely working with the entire GoAir team in realising its objectives. My primary focus will be to grow the airline to a strong position and modelling the desired changes for further growth and expansion.” Vrieswijk is a management graduate from Catholic University Nijmegen.

Sterling Holidays plans to come out with a travel insurance scheme for its customers from June 4. The scheme will cover door-to-door holiday insurance from departure to arrival. “Companies in India do not offer comprehensive insurance to customers. So, this scheme will cover for mishap as also for lost or missed baggage. The aim is to cover the customer for the entire trip,” said Ramesh Ramanathan, Managing Director, Sterling Holidays. The launch got delayed due to backend work and testing, he said. Now, members as well as non-members can get the benefit of this plan. The firm has tied up with Digit Insurance, a part of the Fairfax group. The hospitality firm plans to expand to Rajasthan, Coorg, and Port Blair. The company is keen on Varanasi too. “One of the oldest cities in the world, it (Varanasi) has heritage, history and is also attracting lot of visitors both Indians as well as foreigners. Also, in the last three years, a lot of focus is being given on its cleaning up,” said Ramanathan. The company plans to double its inventory from 2,200 to 4,500 rooms in three-four years and aims to increase the number of resorts to over 50. Source: The Hindu Business Line

Ginger Hotels, operated by Roots Corporation, has signed a new hotel in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. This will be Ginger’s first hotel in Jhansi, a city that is amongst those selected for the ‘Smart City’ initiative by Government of India. Ginger Jhansi will have 76 rooms, an all-day diner, and a meeting room. Located exactly opposite the railway station, the proposed hotel is a convenient option for travellers visiting the historic city of Jhansi for business or leisure. The hotel is a greenfield development and is slated to open by late 2020. “We are delighted to partner with Khard Hotels for the new Ginger hotel and to set foot in the historic city of Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. This will be the first branded hotel in the city,” says Deepika Rao, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Ginger Hotels. The Ginger portfolio has 45 operating hotels across 32 cities, with another eight hotels in the pipeline. The Indian Hotels Company, of which Roots Corporation is a subsidiary, has five hotels in the state of Uttar Pradesh – The Gateway Hotel Fatehabad Road Agra; Vivanta and Ginger in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow; Taj Nadesar Palace Varanasi and The Gateway Ganges Varanasi.

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has signed a new Ginger hotel in Visakhapatnam. It will be Ginger’s second hotel in the city. Ginger Hotels’ portfolio has 45 operating hotels and seven hotels in the pipeline. The announcement reflects the company’s strategic domestic expansion to drive growth momentum. Deepika Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Roots Corporation said, “We are delighted to partner with SSR Builders in Visakhapatnam for this hotel. We are happy to expand our presence in Visakhapatnam, a key city in Andhra Pradesh.” The new Ginger in Visakhapatnam with 56 rooms, an all-day diner, meeting room and a fitness centre located at Gajuwaka amidst a commercial hub with close proximity to companies like Tata Motors, Nestle, BHEL, GAIL and many others. The hotel is slated to open mid-2019. IHCL has two other hotels in the city – The Gateway Hotel Beach Road Visakhapatnam and a 68-room Ginger hotel close to the Visakhapatnam railway station.    

Vivek Kumar, Managing Director, Clarks Brij Hotels, Pride Hospitality and Brijrama Hospitality, also bagged the DDP Trailblazer award. An astute businessman and philanthropist, with the mind of a creative thinker, Kumar comes from a family steeped in retail, textile and hospitality. In 1935, his grandfather established one of the first five-star group of hotels in India, as well as the Indian Textiles Company. He diversified his grandfather’s company into unchartered territories by establishing a manufacturing unit and has been instrumental in the establishment of renowned global retail brands.

The fifth edition of India Travel Awards South concluded on May 14 at Clarks Exotica Convention Resort & Spa, Bengaluru amidst the presence of stalwarts of the travel and tourism industry. The Chief Guest for the ceremony was Kumar Pushkar, an IFS officer and Managing Director, Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation. Anita Mishra, Gladrags Mrs India Maharashtra 2018, was the guest of honour for the occasion. The India Travel Awards South recognises the hard work and effort put in by regional industry players to grow the tourism and hospitality industry. The awardees are selected based on a non-biased system of voting.

SOTC Travel has ventured into the forex business to provide travellers with a one-stop solution for their entire travel related requirement. Users can see the best rates for foreign exchange and based on customer requirement, they could either collect it from the store or have it home delivered. To bring complete transparency, SOTC showcases the exchange rates in real time and delivers the order to the customer’s doorstep. SOTC engages in the FFMC business which enables it to not only service such requirements internally but also make an entry into retail and wholesale foreign exchange business, thereby opening up another revenue stream. Speaking on the launch, Vishal Suri, Managing Director, SOTC Travel said, “The main priorities of Indians travelling abroad are secure and hassle-free travel, easy access to foreign currency and convenience of making payments. With the launch of the forex business, SOTC offers all these benefits and more. It aims to provide the ease of travel with utmost security feature to the target audience. As a company, SOTC is focusing on the growing travel requirements of the millennial and looks forward to making a mark in this segment.”  

The official destination marketing organisation for the five boroughs of New York City – NYC & Company – recently invited a select group of travel agents in Mumbai for an evening of cocktails and meet Makiko Matsuda Healy, Managing Director (Tourism Market Development), NYC & Company who was in the city for a quick visit. The evening also involved a quick run through of some of the new tourism projects that are taking shape in New York, particularly the new hotels that have come up, new attractions, and the airport that is getting an upgrade. Making this short presentation was Christopher Heywood, Senior Vice President, Global Communications, NYC & Company, who also took questions from the agents. There were about nine agents from eight agencies who focus on leisure FIT and group holidays to North America.

EM Najeeb, Managing Director, Air Travel Enterprises has been elected as the Senior Vice President at the IATO elections. Another new entrant in the core committee of IATO is Rajesh Mudgill, Managing Director, Planet India Travel, who has been elected as the Honorary Secretary. Thanking everyone for the victory, Najeeb said, “It’s a great honour and pleasure for me to have been elected as the senior VP of a prestigious association such as IATO. I want to assure my wholehearted commitment and support for serving this organisation with my team members by work together to reach newer heights.” Confirming his earlier membership with IATO, Mudgill said, “I would like to thank the IATO members for their support. I have worked with many members of this team in the past and want to reassure everybody that we will now work together. I am confident I will be able to take my members’ voices to my team and resolve their issues.”          

Sarovar Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of Sarovar Premiere Jaipur. The upscale full-service hotel features 80 guest rooms and suites with modern interiors, stylish furnishings and spacious event and banquet space. The hotel also adds ease to those travelling to the city as it is conveniently located close to the airport, railway station, Vidhan Sabha and famous tourist attractions. The hotel was launched in the presence of Ajay Bakaya, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels and Sandeep Sharma, Executive Director, R S Sharma & Co (Delhi), Jaipur. “This new hotel is a fantastic addition to our growing portfolio in Rajasthan,” said Bakaya. “Jaipur is one of the most significant destinations in India for leisure as well as business travel and this is our fourth hotel in the city after Sarovar Portico Jaipur, Nirwana Hometel Jaipur and Park Inn Jaipur. Sarovar Premiere Jaipur’s superior features, state-of-the-art amenities, and incredible location will make it a top destination here. The Sarovar brand continues to expand its presence and we are further opening hotels in Ajmer and Jaisalmer soon” The hotel offers exciting dining options, fitness centre, business centre, free Wi-Fi and swimming pool. The hotel can also serve as a venue for meetings and special events. The 1,800-square-foot meeting space can accommodate up to 200 people. Located at Lal Kothi in Tonk Road, Jaipur, the hotel is ideal for discerning corporate as well as leisure travellers.