IHA-2022
BY BWH BUREAU “The hospitality sector in India had to evolve fast
as the pandemic forced a lot of companies to work
“THE MAGNITUDE of the pandemic was not known at that time differently and challenged the asset light business
and had one known it is going to last the next two years, we would model. But we are blessed as the brands made in
all have done something very different. Thankfully, the janta curfew India have a healthy mix of owning the assets and
followed by the lockdown two days later helped. My thoughts then controlling them too,” shared Chhatwal. He expressed
were April 15 or worst case, April 30. Little did I know it will last so optimism for a resurgent Indian hospitality sector
long. That is how we gathered courage and resilience and were post-pandemic and said he was convinced that at
able to sustain a lot of challenges and still kept moving forward,” least three of the top 10 hospitality brands in the near
these thoughts were shared by Puneet Chhatwal, MD and CEO, The future will be from India.
Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL – Taj) during the Dual Session with
Suhel Seth, Managing Partner, Counselage India Pvt Ltd, on the Speaking on job creation, Chhatwal opined that
inaugural day of the two-day 6th BW HOTELIER Indian Hospitality jobs could be provided in the sector by offering six-12
Summit and Awards 2022. months of skilling and training. “Taj and IHCL have partnered
with CII to skill a lakh people by 2030. Women will form a
Sharing his views on the same, Seth shared, “The resilience minimum of 25 per cent of this initiative,” he informed, adding
was not only business resilience. It was the resilience of the soul, this would mean the collective workforce of the Tata hospitality
compassion and empathy.” He then mentioned about the Group entities would increase almost four-fold.
opening the doors of the Taj Mahal Palace for serving doctors apart
from looking after its guests and staff. “Where do you contrast it “We have the largest hospitality ecosystem and that means
with the revenue ambition the Group had laid out along with this we are not just skilling for ourselves, but for everyone,” said
compassion and empathy and how did you face those challenges?” Chhatwal. With an eye on the upcoming Presidency of G20, India
was Seth’s question to Chhatwal. “Every good organisation today will be looking to table a new Tourism Policy to give impetus to
talks about purpose and our founder, Jamsetji Tata, more than 150 the country’s tourism and hospitality sector. Additionally, G20 will
years ago, had said that the purpose of any business is serving provide Indian hotels an opportunity to host foreign delegates and
the community. He had said: ‘Community is not just another business people from many countries. During G20, there will be 200
stakeholder, rather the purpose of existence of any business’. This meetings across 55 locations all over India. Chhatwal expressed
is so deeply inculcated in people that it is part of the DNA of the Tata his excitement over the opportunity. “I think the meeting will
Group and all operating companies. The purpose translates into definitely position India differently on the global map,” he said.
your strategy and the strategy is supported by culture. Our culture
and purpose have always been very close-knitted. Cultures are built Sharing his views on digitalisation in the hospitality
over centuries not in a few years,” he explained, adding there is an sector, Chhatwal said that while technology has been a great
opportunity in every adversity and every crisis is an opportunity. enabler, the companies can’t afford to neglect “relationship
capital”. He emphasised that the hybrid of relationship
capital with digital capital will be the best enabler in the
hospitality industry. n
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HOTELS IS
PEOPLE’S BUSINESS
THE INDUSTRY MAY LACK IMAGINATION, THE PURSUIT OF
NEW REVENUE STREAMS AND BE PLAGUED WITH COST
CHALLENGES BUT SUCCESS STORIES IN INDIA ARE AROUND
GROWING ITS PEOPLE AND FINDING NEWER AVENUES
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THERE IS no dearth of success stories in the Indian hospitality Vijay Thacker and Ajay K Bakaya
sector. One such is the home-grown Sarovar Hotels, which recently
introduced its 100th hotel in Pondicherry. Sarovar Hotels was the first Agreeing with Bakaya, Thacker asked about the
mover in India to adopt an asset-light model where it manages and differences in approach for such markets to which Bakaya
services hotel properties through strategic alliances with other chains. replied, “The big factor there is the ability and promise
to develop local talent and have a high dependence on
During the Special Dual Session, The Centurion – A Sarovar them from day one instead of sending across experienced
of Experience, Ajay K Bakaya, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels and staff who don’t want to be in that market.” He also cited
Resorts, shared more on the 100 hotel landmark and his perspectives lack of imagination as one of the concerns and therefore, an
on the sector with Vijay Thacker, Partner and CEO, Crowe Advisory area of opportunity for the industry. Multiskilling was another
India and MD, Horwath HTL India. Bakaya candidly expressed that area that has significant headroom for change and growth, he
“there was no grand strategy” that led to this ‘century’ score but was said. “How many of us ask our bellboys to do anything else? We
a step-at-a-time journey. The beginning, as humble as a single table are too used to doing things in a certain fashion and that is an area
in a shared office with one working phone, was barely the setting for a where if we break through, we will have a much stronger growth
grand strategy. But there were three firm foundations the Sarovar built story. We are all about people,” he added.
its legacy on. The first was differentiation. The second was ‘owner is
the king’ and the third was building people and teams that individual Thacker tabled the question of scale, or the lack thereof,
owners could neither attract nor retain. in the hotel’s business as he cited numbers such as no more than
nine hotels in India that had 500 rooms indicating the “aversion to
“Even today, when arguably there should be a grand strategy, scale”. For Bakaya, some of the concerns such as cost and access
the company adheres to these core values. We ask ourselves that to capital have contributed to this aspect. However, he added that if
we are at a hundred now but what is next? There have been several a company could control standards and not damage the brand while
ups and downs, times when even paying salaries was a concern, keeping strong reins on people development, it could invest in large-
but the company never defaulted and always thought from the scale projects in India. “My suggestion to owners and hoteliers is
owner’s viewpoint,” shares Bakaya. As he spoke about the markers that if you are bringing in someone to run your hotel, then within
in Sarovar’s journey, the single underlying factor that came out was certain parameters, let them run the show. They may not get
passion and belief. “We can’t do this with the prime objective of everything 100 per cent right, but even 80 per cent is good.
making money. Only when you have the passion and you know in Being supportive and watching the numbers is important
your mind and heart that you will make things work, can you achieve but not getting down to the nitty-gritty and demotivating.
more than what you set out to do,” he said. We must always remember that we are in the people’s
business,” he opined. n
Thacker raised the point that since Indian minds are versatile,
keeping any one section, such as owners, at the core could be a
challenge. Bakaya’s advice to this was to adapt, increase one’s
versatility and speak the same language. “This advice holds over the
years when even as owners have matured and younger generations
have come into play,” he said. Bakaya was also of the opinion that
despite the newer generations having travelled more and being
savvier were unable to break from the shackles in several instances.
“The ‘think big’ or experiment mind-set is not in yet,” he observed.
Every untapped area is a new avenue of growth, he felt and cited the
example of the food and beverage sector where hotels lag behind the
free-standing restaurants that are raking in the monies. In India, the
cost of land and access to capital remain the two timeless challenges
facing the industry. Things are changing for the better though. As
Tier II, Tier II and smaller markets join the ranks, some of the cost
challenges do not apply anymore, he felt.
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‘EVERYONE TALKS
ABOUT TOURISM BUT
NOT MANY CARE’
THERE IS SCOPE FOR IMPROVEMENT ON THE
GOVERNMENT FRONT WHERE THINGS ARE SLOW AND
SIMPLE ISSUES TAKE A LONG TIME TO RESOLVE
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BY BWH BUREAU
WHILE TOURISM has been identified as one of the five key pillars Rajiv Kaul with MP Bezbaruah
of the Indian economy, the past few years have been something of
a disappointment, according to MP Bezbaruah, Secretary General, they would give industry status to tourism, it is only now
Hotel Association of India. Speaking to Rajiv Kaul, Former President, that the benefits have begun to flow. This, said Bezbaruah,
Leela Hotels, at the 6th edition of BW HOTELIER Indian Hospitality has been happening in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab and
Summit and Awards, the industry veteran said that for him, the Karnataka, and other states are likely to follow.
disappointment related to the tourism industry has spanned a
quarter of a century. Kaul, sharing his thoughts, said that while Government
has had its issues, there are ways and precedents as to how
A specific area where Bezbaruah thinks there is scope for working with the Government can lead to great results. He
improvement is on the Government front, where things, he believes, suggested that instead of going to the Government with multiple
are slow and simple issues take a long time to resolve. He cited the demands as different industry bodies do at the moment, it would be
example of visa on arrival, the process for which was initiated in 1999, more productive to have an annual agenda across the industry with
but which took almost 12 years before being implemented despite a few points and only take those to the Government and try and get
having received the approval from the Government Committee. those approved.
“The main problem with the sector is that the Ministry of To this, Bezbaruah replied that recently HAI had changed
Tourism itself does not control the areas which comprise tourism. its approach and is working from the perspective that the industry
Culture has a different ministry, Civil Aviation is a different ministry and and the Government are not two separate entities but partners and
that creates problems and things take a lot of time,” he explained. collaborators. “We have been reaching out to the Government and
asking to let us in on the developments and allow us to help them.
Talking about recent times, Bezbaruah said that the pandemic The ministry has consulted us and we are in various committees
is the worst experience the travel and tourism industry faced. HAI, too. We have also been able to meet the Parliamentary Standing
he informed, had requested the Government to recognise the Committee three times and all that we had asked for has been a
importance of this sector with respect to jobs and income creation part of the Committee’s recommendations. The approach should
and give some relief to those SMEs but then it did not happen. “Our not be of demands but reach out to them as associations that
next request was to get sector-specific relief programme for tourism bring the voice of the industry to them. And the Government
which also did not happen,” he said. has started listening to us,” Bezbaruah shared. n
Asserting that he is unsure as to why such aspects are not
paid attention to, Bezbaruah stated that there has been a saying
around for some time among his peers – “Tourism is something that
everyone talks about, but no one cares”.
The reason behind this, he says, is that the impact of the
tourism industry is not visible on surface as most of its effects
happen as a ripple.
However, he also shared that he believes there are optimistic
signs now for the industry. This, he said, comes from a few things
he has noticed. “One is that the states have been brought into the
picture and told to do their part. Then, the Government is talking
about a National Tourism Authority and a National Tourism Board. If
this happens with the right perspective, they would have a big role in
policy formation and policy implementation,” he shared.
He added that while many states, for long, have been saying
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WHERE’S THE
HOSPITALITY
INDUSTRY HEADED?
LEADING HOTELIERS OPINED THAT THE CHANGES WITHIN THE
SECTOR ARE HERE TO STAY WITH BETTER REVENUES
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BY BWH BUREAU
THE PERFORMANCE parameters across the hotel industry have Clockwise from top left: Mandeep Lamba,
been on similar tangents to the extent that these are being compared Rohit Khosla, Sudeep Jain and Zubin Saxena
to pre- and post-Covid19 times till now. “If we were to analyse the
highest India gained in profits was in 2007. It is estimated that even an advertisement by MakeMyTrip where a projected a new feature
50 years later, we will not be able to reach the ADR we touched for travellers where they can even avail a three, six or nine hour
that year,” shared Mandeep S Lamba, President (South Asia), HVS stay as well. The common reaction was if it was a more dynamic
Anarock, during the Leadership Session – Vision 2027: Will the Next and aggressive form of revenue management or are we heading
5 Years Finally Make Up For The Last 15 Years? on the inaugural day towards shedding our inhibitions and saying, ‘This is on now!”
of 6th BW HOTELIER Indian Hospitality Summit and Awards 2022.
The session concluded with a common realisation
The panellists including Zubin Saxena, MD & VP Operations, that the changes within the hospitality industry are here to
South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group; Sudeep Jain, MD & VP stay with better revenues as also the aim to get back to
Operations, South Asia, InterContinental Hotel Group; Anuraag the ADR of 2007 in the next five years. n
Bhatnagar, COO, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts and Rohit
Khosla, Executive VP – Operations, North & West India, IHCL
emphasised on the fact that by the end of this year, a minimum
of 6000 ADR is likely to be achieved. “Though during and post-
pandemic period, we have showcased a commendable comeback
but it will be interesting to see where we are headed to from here,”
the panel opined.
India has been one of the most digitally advanced nation
in terms of digital tools being used for planning, booking and
experiencing a journey. India’s rising middle-class and increasing
disposable income has supported the growth of domestic and
outbound tourism, they added. And that there has have been a
number of changes in the minds of the travellers as the purpose
of travelling has drifted from the usual official and holiday purpose
to leisure stays. The panellists also opined that the pandemic has
been an enabler to many new segments within the hotel industry
such as staycations, weekend gateways, homestays with friends
and families to create memories. “While the pandemic imposed a
lock on few businesses, it also gave rise to a few new ones. It is here
to stay and grow for long,” said Khosla.
The discussion led to a collaborative conclusion among the
panellists that leisure stays, weekend getaways and homestays will
garner more attention in days to come. However, they felt domestic
travel may get affected to an extent with people opting to travel to
shores but added that these new segments will play a pivotal role in
generating revenues from domestic travellers. “Talking about short-
term scenario (six-12 months), we can expect the hotel prices to
go up as there has been sudden surge of domestic inclusion in the
name of weekend gateways and staycations,” felt Saxena.
While Anuraag Bhatnagar said that their price point acted as
a good filter for them to refrain from such revenue models and they
are not in favour of promoting short stay business as they don’t see
it as an apt revenue management extension, Sudeep Jain stood in
its favour. “Honestly, we do offer a four-hour stay but that is strictly
for travelling passengers near the airport whose flights have been
delayed by a few hours,” he said.
On a lighter note, the panellists were asked to comment on
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SHIFTING
EXPECTATIONS
FOR HOTELIERS
PANELLISTS FELT THAT POST-PANDEMIC BUSINESS MODELS AND
TRENDS LEAN TOWARDS LEISURE HOTELS, IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES
AND FOCUS ON DOMESTIC MARKET
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TO THROW light on how the domestic market lent a strong support Clockwise from top left: Nitin Kapur, Vibhas Prasad,
for the Indian hospitality industry during the challenging period Vineet Verma and Ranjit Batra
of the pandemic, Nitin Kapur, Managing Director, Radisson Blu
Plaza Delhi Airport; Ranjit Batra, President – Hospitality, Panchshil believes they have reached an inflexion point. “This new normal is
Realty; Vibhas Prasad, Director, Leisure Hotels Group and Vineet not here to stay so we have to be ready. It’s time to prepare for
Verma, Director, Brigade Hospitality expressed their respective the next phase in hotel experience,” he said.
opinions during the Owner’s Session on Hotel Ownership – Rapid
Evolution of Expectations and Opportunities at the BW HOTELIER Moderating the session, Sanjay Sethi pointed out that
Indian Hospitality Summit and Awards 2022. while the domestic market seemed to be thriving, foreign
travel was expected to pick up. “With the expansion of
During the session, Nitin Kapur pointed out that there has a new customer base and the industry responding to
been an increase in the number of middle-class families travelling their needs while simultaneously investing in new
and choosing a hotel brand for leisure experiences. “We are experiences and services, it is an exciting time for the
witnessing higher double occupancy percentage in rooms with industry,” he felt. n
people choosing to spend more time in a hotel. This is great as
they use more ancillary services that add up to the RGI (Revenue
Generating Index),” he shared, adding he expected the trend to
continue and talked about plans of building on the F&B experience
and expanding to leisure destinations in India including Tier III and
IV cities at the mid- and upper-mid segment.
Talking about how business hotels faced massive challenge
with quarantine and travel restrictions in place, Vineet Verma
lamented that the “pandemic has been most hostile to the most
hospitable sector” in light of hotels being temporarily shut down.
While comparing monthly performance numbers to pre-pandemic
figures, he shared on witnessing a significant increase lately,
adding the biggest lesson was of “learning to do more with less”.
While earlier the hotel’s focus had been split to 60 per cent on the
top line and 40 per cent on the bottom line, the situation is just the
opposite now. “We have to be mindful of the costs and optimising
expenses, especially now with fewer people opting for a career in
the hospitality industry,” he added.
Ranjit Batra echoed Verma’s sentiment. “How I wish we
were in leisure marketing?” he opined, adding that this has been
a great learning opportunity for most, especially ones looking to
expand their businesses. Among the learnings, Batra shared, “We
have become more responsible and super-efficient as owners and
operators. Panchshil Realty is currently focussing on mixed-use
hotels, fractional ownership and residential hotel combinations
with special attention to the leisure segment.”
Leisure Hotels Group, a business built on domestic leisure
travel, in Vibhas Prasad’s words witnessed, “historic highs in
business” during the pandemic. After an initial drop in first three
months, business picked up rapidly. Despite this, Prasad said he
was cautious about the trends they have witnessed, adding that he
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KEEPING THE
AUTHENTICITY OF
INDIAN FOOD ALIVE
CELEBRITY CHEFS VINEET BHATIA AND KUNAL KAPUR
DISCUSSED HOW CHEFS HAVE SERVED INDIAN
DELICACIES WITH A SLIGHT TWIST IN FOREIGN LAND
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WITH INCREASED Internet access, it has become impossible Diwan Gautam Anand and Chef Kunal Kapur
to steer clear of foreign cultural influences in our daily lives,
including ones related to food. Moreover, to cater to the larger closed, it is India on your plate,” Bhatia said, adding,
global audience, many-a-times the entire identity of the cuisine “The authenticity of the flavours remains the same.
undergoes transformation. On the inaugural day of BW HOTELIER The only thing we do is to try using whatever local
Indian Hospitality Summit and Awards 2022 during the Celebrity proteins we can. All the spices still come from India.
Chef’s Session on the Impact Of Inventive, Modern Indian Cuisine Our food is about flavours, taste and blend and that
On The Global Landscape For Indian Fare, moderator Diwan is what makes our food interesting which can never be
Gautam Anand, Founding Trustee, Cuisine India Foundation, said, taken away.”
“Over time, our food got commoditised. Also, there were pertinent
questions: Is the Western style of plating ingenious and was it more “The documentation of Indian food never happened
attractive for the world to eat that food or are we still attracted to before. At present, a lot of technology, openness and modern
the ‘platter to plate’ concept?” Indian food has driven an interest in people to voice out their
opinion about what goes well, and what doesn’t,” shared
Speaking virtually during the session, Celebrity Chef Vineet Celebrity Chef Kunal Kapur, adding, “I think one is helping the
Bhatia said, “When I came to London for the first time in 1993, I other and it’s a continuous loop which helps all to make better
saw how Indian food was being consumed in an entirely different food, give better hospitality experiences to the consumers.”
manner. It was nowhere near to what was being served in India.
There were 120 items on the menu and none of them were Kapur explained how every Indian during the growing up
representing India at all. When I tried serving authentic dishes, years have a typical imagery related with Indian cuisine. “It took
guests literally laughed at me and told me that it wasn’t Indian food certain time and calibre of people to bring about a change to
that I was doing. Some refused to eat. Hence, I adopted a way to make it accessible to the world.” He added that essentially, if one
put it on the table by not calling it by the authentic name. So, rogan looks at the hindsight, both works beautifully today.
josh became slow-cooked chunk of lamb with north Indian spices
or butter chicken turned into chicken tikka simmered in buttery When asked his favourite restaurant, Chef Kunal said,
tomato sauce and fenugreek leaves.” “Whenever I’m in Benagluru, I go to Karavalli and they never
disappoint as the food is always fresh. Moreover, nothing
He also recalled serving Gajar Ka Halwa to a guest once there goes in the deep freezer as whatever is cooked gets
and it was sent back with the observation that the chef didn’t know consumed. I respect the way that kitchen is run and the
how to cook it. The guest said that the Gajar Ka Halwa should be menu hasn’t changed much all these years. Personally,
ice cold and served as a cube. “Back then, 99.9 per cent people I prefer visiting restaurants which are non-gimicky and
were buying it readymade from the market, putting it in a bowl and keep themselves offbeat.”n
serving it to the guest without even warming it,” he shared. Bhatia
added that he essentially tried to keep the classics same in terms
of flavour and ingredients but changed the way it sounded and
looked. He said that through this way, Indian food started reaching
the global plate in a different avatar. “But if you eat with your eyes
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‘MP HAS BEEN AN&SUMMIT202 2
EXEMPLARY EXAMPLE OF
ANCIENT CULTURE, VALUES’
VIVEK SHROTRIYA, IAS, ADDITIONAL MD, MADHYA PRADESH TOURISM
BOARD, HIGHLIGHTED THE STATE’S RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE AND
POLICIES WHICH AIDED ITS POST-COVID RECOVERY
BY BWH BUREAU
MADHYA PRADESH has always been an exemplary example of Cheetahs at the Kuno National Park.
ancient culture and values, said Vivek Shrotriya, IAS, Additional Dwelling on policy initiatives to boost private investment in
MD, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, while speaking at the 6th
edition of BW Hotelier Indian Hospitality Summit and Awards 2022. the tourism sector, Shrotriya said that the state encourages the
private sector to invest directly and does all hand-holding for them.
Recalling the state’s rich history, Shrotriya stated that He added that the Tourism Board has set up a special cell for all
countless powerful dynasties have flourished over generations in investment-related issues of the private players.
different parts of the state, but their exhibits and significance have
been preserved. He stated that the state government is embarking on
promoting rural tourism and has identified 100 villages across
He said that the state has been able to preserve some of the state for this purpose. “Madhya Pradesh is also the best film-
the oldest features of the ancient monuments in the state, and friendly state in the country, and we grant shooting permission
they have remained resilient over generations. However, he added under the public service guarantee act,” said Shrotriya, highlighting
that the story of modern resilience is quite detailed, referring to policies promoting film tourism. He also urged the private sector
the Covid19 period, its impact on the tourism industry, and the and the industry to come and invest in the state and strengthen
subsequent revival aided by state intervention and policies. Madhya Pradesh’s ‘Incredible India’ story. n
“The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board has taken various
initiatives to overcome the damage caused by the Covid-19
pandemic,” Shrotriya said.
“We introduced several strategies and policies to regain the
confidence and surpass pre-Covid tourist footfall in the state,” he
added. Shrotriya underscored the Tourism Board’s effort to make
Nature-centric and pollution-free destinations in the state popular
among tourists for rejuvenation purposes.
On taking notions of wellness to the next level, he stated
that along with traditional massage and spas, the state has been
trying to include yoga, meditation, and panchakarma to give
tourists an added element of spirituality.
He laid out five Unique Selling Points (USPs) of Madhya
Pradesh – the World Heritage Sites, places of worship, wildlife,
water, and wonders of Nature. Shrotriya stressed that wildlife
tourism would gain more traction with the recent introduction of
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HAS INDIAN
FOOD LOST ITS
REAL ESSENCE?
AN ESTEEMED PANEL OF CHEFS FROM THE HOSPITALITY
INDUSTRY DISCUSSED THE STORY OF INCREDIBLE INDIAN
CUISINE AS AN INTERNATIONAL CROSSOVER AND ITS FATE
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Clockwise from left:
Diwan Gautam Anand,
Chef Manisha Bhasin,
Chef Arun Sundararaj,
Chef Parvinder Singh Bali
and Chef Rakesh Sethi
BY BWH BUREAU
IN THE technological era we are living in, culture and traditions hardly Singh Bali, Corporate Chef – Learning & Development, The Oberoi
remain bound within the physical boundaries of nations. Everything is Centre of Learning.
accessible at the click of a mouse or a touch. At times, this leads to
cultural misrepresentation of authentic traditions and creation of new Rakesh Sethi, Corporate Executive Chef, Operations, South
norms, moving away from the true essence of it all. Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, said, “The recipes at our homes have
been passed on from mothers to daughters without documentation.
On the inaugural day of the two-day 6th edition of BW Today, though we talk about reviving the cuisine, we know well that
HOTELIER Indian Hospitality Summit and Awards, Diwan Gautam we have lost a lot of it somewhere down the line.”
Anand, Founding Trustee, Cuisine India Foundation, talked about
whether or not India was the next big thing when it came to food at a “It’s important to keep authenticity of the ingredient and
global level during the F&B session: Whatever Happened To Incredible preparation alive. Also, the innovativeness intact. Today, we see
Indian Cuisine As An International Cross Over. “When you look at a lot of regional cuisine coming forward. It’s interesting to see
Indian food and the way it has moved across the globe, we can say how food is unfolding and creating awareness,” felt Manisha
it is not easily replicable until you know the fine art of making it. It’s Bhasin, Corporate Chef, ITC Ltd – Hotels Division. n
difficult since people very often don’t know the exact know-hows,
the exact ingredients or the exact nuances,” shared Arun Sundararaj,
Director of Culinary Operations, Taj Mahal, New Delhi, adding Indian
food travelling around the world depends on ingredients, culture and
what is being taken across.
“When India was called Aryavrat, it had a different cuisine. As
a chef, when people ask me about Indian food, I’m confused since
I don’t know what exactly is Indian food? What we know of it today
is only 300-400 years old, so what were the original recipes when
Aryans came to India? The real sense of Indian cuisine was medicinal
and we were the most advanced nations at that time. When the
Mughals arrived here, our chefs got greedy and cooked to please
the kings. They didn’t pass on the recipes out of jealousy. So, in that
sense, we have lost a lot of our true Indian cuisine,” shared Parvinder
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DATA PRIVACY, A
CONCERN FOR
HOTELIERS TOO
AN ESTEEMED PANEL OF HOTELIERS PUT FORTH THEIR OBSERVATIONS
ON THE SUBJECT AND ITS PROS AND CONS
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Clockwise from left:
Vinay Deshpande, Hemant
Khattar, Chander Baljee,
Vivek Gangishetty and
Kamesh Shukla
BY BWH BUREAU
THE HOSPITALITY sector has been one of the biggest allies of privacy tech providers to hospitality sector ensure they are in compliance
but customer data is now being utilised by the industry to offer hyper- with all the data norms and have all the due certifications.
personalised services. A panel of leaders at BW HOTELIER Indian
Hospitality Summit and Awards 2022 shared their observations on Speaking on Cloud-based technologies utilised by hotels,
the topic of data privacy during the IT & Tech Session on the subject, Vivek Gangishetty, VP Sales & Marketing South Asia, RMS Cloud,
Digital Transofrmation In Hospitality: Role of Automation and AI/ML. said, “If you are moving to more Cloud-based technologies that are
not within your premises, you need to be a little more careful.” He
Weighing in on the topic, Hemant Khattar, Director IT, South added that data security was the reason Property Management
Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, said, “When we collect data, the customer Systems companies take data seriously today and for this, they have
is not aware of it but we should be responsible to take their consent stringent policies of multiple security authorisation before allowing
and inform them.” Even though the guests at hotels are smarter today, anybody to access data.
there are various ways in which customer data is acquired to provide
personalised services such as mood lighting, TV access and more. Offering a different take on data protection, Suhail
Khattar emphasised that consent needed to be the mainstay. Kannampilly, CEO, Concept Hospitality, said he believes it should
be about transparency ie the customer should be able to access
Highlighting the importance of data security in smaller hotel and see what data hoteliers or tech providers have on them.
chains, Chander Baljee, Chairman and Managing Director, Royal Orchid “A customer should be able to choose whether or not you’re
& Regenta Hotels, said, “We hoteliers are so naïve. There are consulting able to utilise their data or not utilise it for any other purpose,
organisations that ask us for regular data and we pass it on to them.” be it for sharing or anything else,” he concluded. n
He added that in Indian context, Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
are seldom observed between hotels and consulting companies that
provide tech support. Baljee opined that consulting organisations are
misusing data as there are no systems to verify this practice. Further, he
said that leveraging AI while collecting data is something the hospitality
sector needs to be a little wary of.
Adding to the discussion of data privacy from a tech provider’s
perspective, Kamesh Shukla, Exec VP Commercial - APAC & MEA,
RateGain, said, “As technology providers, we are GDPR compliant
together with all global certifications and stringent quality checks
internally to ensure data security and accuracy. What we share is
public data customised to customers’ requirements. Our customers
and partners use our data to personalise their value proposition and
offerings to create personalised experiences for their guests.” He added
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IMPACT OF
INNOVATION IN
HOTEL DESIGN
INNOVATIVE AND TRANSFORMATIVE IDEAS ARE CRUCIAL TO MAKE
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY VIABLE AND COMPETITIVE
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Clockwise from left:
Michael Wang, Rashna
Kapadi, Reema Diwan,
Abhishek Mathur and
Vandana Dhawan Saxena
BY BWH BUREAU
THAT THE hospitality industry is fairly competitive is a known fact is an integral part of hotel design and innovation. We have been
but it merits innovations and novel ideas for optimum functioning. talking about creating lobby spaces to foster various elements
In such a competitive atmosphere, vital changes can serve as a like keyless check-in, creating more like a living room kind of a
momentum for its growth and progress. At the 6th BW HOTELIER space. With the use of technology, we are able to do all that now.”
Indian Hospitality Summit and Awards 2022, a panel discussion
threw light on the subject: Impact Of Innovation on Hotel Design “While we were more prepared than the others to work
during the Projects, Architecture & Design session. during the pandemic where remote working was the reality, it was
not a choice. Technology enabled us to do it in a productive and
The panel discussion was led by Michael Wang, Senior compassionate way, without harming anyone,” felt Abhishek
Continent Leader, Global Design Asia-Pacific, Marriott International Mathur, adding, “I think that part of technology has always
Hotels and the speakers comprised Vandana Dhawan Saxena, been around. Communication is key to all of our businesses.”
Founder and Design Principal, Studio IV (Designs); Reema Diwan,
Director Design & Technical Services, Accor; Rashna Kapadi, Wang concluded the session by adding, “Everyone
AVP - Architecture, Chalet Hotels and Abhishek Mathur, Director, including hotel owners and designers need to be on-board
Studio hba. and get certain amount of passion and willingness to
embrace technology and innovation.” n
Elaborating on the impact of technology and innovation in
hotel business and where does she see opportunities and solutions
for the business, Rashna Kapadi said, “Human race has always
adopted, invented and adapted technology by survival or on the
basis of need. It’s different for different countries. Every nation has
limitations and strengths and we tend to find those solutions over
a period of time, catering to these issues and adapting to them.”
On future of technology and innovation in hotel design
and business, Vandana Dhawan Saxena said, “My influence of
technology starts at concept stage when I’m defining the DNA of
a product I’m going to design for a hotel.” Sharing her thoughts
about AI and building information modelling as a future tool and
how that could apply to operators, Reema Diwan said, “Technology
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FORESEEING TRENDS IN
A MORE DIGITISED WAY
APART FROM ADOPTING A MORE DIGITAL WAY
TO MOVE AHEAD, HOTELS ARE BECOMING MORE AND
MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS
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BY BWH BUREAU
THERE IS no dearth of success stories in the Indian hospitality Clockwise from top left: Rattan Keswani,
sector. One such is the home-grown Sarovar Hotels, which Jatin Khanna, Samir MC and Seema Roy
recently introduced its 100th hotel in Pondicherry. Sarovar Hotels
was the first mover in India to adopt an asset-light model where it Most country markets are still recovering from the
manages and services hotel properties through strategic alliances pandemic, with change still expected in the coming times.
with other chains. However, the pre-pandemic numbers can give us an idea
on what to expect. Sustainability clearly is the top goal as
DTalking about trends, trying to predict them and consumers have now become knowledgeable in understand
attempting to foresee the future is a trend in itself. Trends are the meaning of sustainable living. “Till a few years back,
often powered by new consumer behaviour, new technology and ESG fell into the category of CSR. We have come a long
new business theories powered largely by the former two factors. way with people understanding the difference between
A panel comprising Seema Roy, Area MD, South Asia, Middle the two now,” shared Puneet Dhawan. n
East & Africa, Preferred Hotels & Resorts; Samir MC, MD, Fortune
Park Hotels; Jatin Khanna, CEO, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts; and
Puneet Dhawan, Sr VP - Operations India & South-Asia, Accor,
discussed factors that one can foresee in the hospitality industry
and the usage of digitisation to embark upon a new journey
during the Leadership Session on Paradigms For Tomorrow
on the second day of the 6th edition of BW HOTELIER Indian
Hospitality Summit and Awards. The session was moderated by
Rattan Keswani, former Deputy MD, Lemon Tree Hotels.
To throw light on the subject, Jatin Khanna, said, “The
mind-set of hoteliers need big time evolution as I feel they are
still trying to operate the same way we did seven-eight years
back. The usage of digitised data is the need of the hour as
it’s in our interest going forward. The more easily we are able
to adapt to this change, the merrier it would be for all of us in
the future.”
“That there has been a sudden surge of domestic
consumers using hotels as an experience or weekend getaways,
the next 24 months will be extremely important to see where the
rates will reach and how will we position it for the consumers,”
shared Samir MC. Apart from adopting a more digital way to move
ahead, people are becoming more environmentally conscious as
sustainability has become an important issue. These changing
attitudes are filtering into the way travellers choose their hotels.
Sustainable hotels look at eco-friendly construction, energy saving
modes and waste management processes. “Sustainability has
been embedded in our roots since time immemorial, considering
it’s a family owned and run business,” said Seema Roy.
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ARE WE MOVING
IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION?
HOTELIERS DISCUSSED HOW TO BUILD INDIA AS A BRAND
CENTRAL TO THE LESSONS LEARNT DURING THE PANDEMIC
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Clockwise from left:
Rahul Pandit, Aman Nath,
Vikramjit Singh, Nikhil
Sharma and Vijay Dewan
BY BWH BUREAU
TO MEET the next set of challenges in the post-pandemic world, Indian these more attractive,” he felt, adding that while increasing salaries
hospitality leaders joined a panel discussion on Growth Lessons From seemed to be the “obvious” solution, it is not the most sustainable
The Pandemic. In a panel moderated by Rahul Pandit, CEO, Horizon option. Singh suggested sharing margins with employees, building
Industrial Parks; Aman Nath, Founder & Chairman, Neemrana Hotels; motivation and fixing career trajectories across the board.
Vijay Dewan, MD, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels; Nikhil Sharma,
Regional Director-Eurasia, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Vikramjit Speaking on branding, Aman Nath said people don’t come to
Singh, President, Lemon Tree Hotels Limited, put forth their respective India to see the hotels they have back home. “They want something
opinions on the subject. different and more authentic and its values,” he said, emphasising
on the need to stick to Indian values as these are our trump card.
Leading the discussion, Pandit pointed out the global potential “Austerity is a virtue here and sticking to these principles is what makes
of India in the tourism and hospitality sector. “While most nations are India and its hospitality unique and attractive to foreign travellers.
worried about growth, India is debating whether we will witness a 6.8 Hospitality is a part of our core values. Instead of forcing people to
or 7 per cent growth in the next five to 10 years,” he said, adding learn hospitality one way, we should learn from them and incorporate
the question remains as to in which direction will the industry move it in our schools,” Nath suggested.
and where will be more innovation and creativity? “Also, which markets
remain untapped, current challenges faced by hotel industry and how Some post-pandemic trends are celebratory in nature for
are we tackling them?” he said. Indian customer, felt Vijay Dewan, adding, “Indians are celebrating
festivals, weddings and travel like never before. These segments
Bringing in the perspective of owners and managerial staff, are booming like never before.” He added the period could be
Nikhil Sharma felt his biggest learning from the pandemic was termed as the Golden Age for the hospitality sector in India as
to support third-party owners and employees during the period. 24 million jobs are likely to be added in the next five years
“Wyndham Hotels & Resorts stuck to growing its portfolio in the country to the industry. n
and franchising through implementing third-party operators. In this
process, it was important to work closely with partners and help them
through this trying time. When layoffs became inevitable, Wyndham
ensured employees received employment opportunities in other parts
of the service industry. Engagement with third-party owners, having
an owner-first mentality and taking care of employees was part of the
success mantra,” he said.
Joining the conversation, Vikramjit Singh emphasised on
the need to make the service industry more attractive for the next
generation. “I’m told that around 60 per cent seats remain empty in
hotel schools. So, the question is how are we filling them? The career
trajectory is not what it used to be a decade ago. We need to make
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PERFORMANCE,
THE BEST EQUALISER
WOMEN PANELLISTS DISCUSSED HOW GENDER DISCRIMINATION
HAS AFFECTED THEIR JOURNEYS TO AN EXTENT
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Clockwise from left: Anshu
Sarin, Ritika Gupta, Sonica
Malhotra, Mridula Jose and
Anjali Mehra
BY BWH BUREAU
FOR THE longest time, the world has been discussing about Ritika Gupta, VP Markets - North & West and Head,
women empowerment and celebrating women who broke Customer Centricity & Customer Relationship Management, IHCL,
barriers and aced in their respective fields. To talk about opined that the percentage of discrimination has reduced over the
Women Powering Hospitality, an all-women panel discussion years. “I personally have never faced any kind of discrimination.
was organised during the 6th edition of BW HOTELIER Indian In our organisation, diversity shines in what we do. During my
Hospitality Summit and Awards. journey, I’ve learnt whatever I’ve from everyone around, didn’t
matter whether it was a male or a female,” she said.
“When I started off in the industry around 30 years ago,
we had 55 male heads and I was the only female. I was told that Meanwhile, Sonica Malhotra, Joint MD, MBD Group,
I’ll not be getting that position because I’m a woman. Rather I felt that biasedness is a term which exists in various layers
was put on a probation for six months to prove myself,” shared of society. “Women need to stand up for themselves and
Anjali Mehra, Chief Brand Officer & Senior VP Marketing, The need to put in that extra effort to prove themselves,”
Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts, adding that the situation has she added. n
changed now.
Anshu Sarin, CEO, Berggruen Hotels Pvt Ltd, said that she
found it funny when it is claimed that women don’t understand
numbers too well and neglected when it comes to positions in
the finance department. “All this despite the fact that apparently
most bankers in our country are women,” she said.
Mridula Jose, VP Marketing, CGH Earth, who motivates the
girls from the villages of South India to become self-dependent,
said, “Today, tourism has become a big industry in Kerala. But
when we started the hotel business, it was not a space meant for
women. We broke this perception and showed to the world that
women can rise too.”
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GEN Z AND
HOSPITALITY
EXPERTS DISCUSSED HOW THE SECTOR CAN SET THE TONE IN
TERMS OF EXPECTATIONS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE
NEW GENERATION COMING INTO THE INDUSTRY
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Clockwise from left:
Monisha Dewan, Javed Ali,
Amaan Kidwai, Vishvapreet
Singh Cheema and
Gaurav Singh
BY BWH BUREAU
THE PRESENT times belong to Generation Z, famed to have a lesser Vishvapreet Singh Cheema, Director of Operations –
attention span than the previous generations. And it has become South West Asia, InterContinental Hotels Group, felt that from
increasingly difficult to firstly attract them to the hospitality industry, a hospitality perspective, it is important to portray this industry to
and secondly, to maintain their interest in it. On the second day of the youngsters in a way where they want to grow with it. “From a brand
two-day BW HOTELIER Indian Hospitality Summit and Awards 2022 perspective, there needs to be a connect with this generation and
during the Future Perfect Session on the subject, In A Challenged we need to know if we are doing enough to go to these hotel schools
World, India Is The Rising Star Of Opportunities, moderator Monisha and connect with them. We expect them to reach out to us wherein it
Dewan, Senior Area Director, Sales & Distribution, South Asia, Marriott should be the other way around,” he added.
International, spoke on how digitisation has become a reality in the
industry. “In hospitality, when we talk about digitisation, we are talking Amaan Kidwai, Area Manager, Welcomhotels North & General
about costs. So, we are always playing the catch up game. Then, we Manager, Sheraton New Delhi, ITC Limited – Hotels Division, explained
have the challenge of manpower, followed by a lot of changes in terms about the hotel’s ‘Employer of Choice’ programme. “It starts when
of sustainability,” she said. these students come to us for industrial training. They undergo an
intensive induction programme where they directly interact with
“The first time I realised I was recruiting people younger than my heads of departments. Additionally, we have monthly high teas
son is the time I defined Gen Z for myself. I feel whether it is a woman where only the General Manager is present so that there are no
or a man or be they of any age, we should always focus on capabilities biases or fear of backlash. We take feedback, basis which we
as recruiters. What matters is that in this generation, we will not appeal take corrective measures, if any.” Kidwai said that this was
to everybody but a certain group,” said Javed Ali, Sr Regional Director important since young minds are at an impressionable point
Operations – South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, adding one needs to where people might end up giving them a wrong picture of
look at the set of people for whom hospitality is a viable option. “It's our the industry if not kept under check. n
responsibility to set the tone in terms of expectations and aspirations of
this generation coming into this industry,” he shared.
“We need to do a lot more to attract right talent. At the same
time, we need to communicate what we expect out of the individuals
who join us. We need to be able to give them a path to go forward,”
felt Gaurav Singh, Market VP, Southeast India, Bangladesh & Sri
Lanka, Marriott International. “People join companies largely as they
are looking for growth. The matter of growth is something which needs
to be defined for youngsters as they don’t own too much as they wish
to live asset light,” added Singh. He said it is important to be able to
define what works for this generation or what they can relate to.
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GETTING READY FOR
THE NEXT FLIGHT
EXPERTS DISCUSSED HOW THE HOSPTIALITY INDUSTRY
CAN REACH THE NEXT LEVEL WITH PROPER BUSINESS STRATEGIES
AS THE MARKET RETURNS TO A NEAR NORMAL SITUATION
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WHEN THE pandemaic hit the world, the hospitality sector got affected Clockwise from top left: Jaideep Dang, Rajneesh
but hit back stronger than expected. Though a lot of its credit goes to Malhotra, Dhruva Rathore, Souvagya Mohapatra,
the resilience the industry showed, proper business strategies played Gyana Das and Nishant Kumar
a critical role for the sector’s sustainability. On the second day of the
two-day 6th edition of BW HOTELIER Indian Hospitality Summit and 16 hotels and haven’t seen real decline.”
Awards, moderator Jaideep Dang, MD - Hotels & Hospitality Group, “This year, we have signed five hotels with 640-odd rooms,
JLL, during the Development & Investment Session on the subject,
Growth & Development: Is The Sector Ready For Its Next Flight?, said, which is, of course, lower than the 2019 number. Tier I market does
“This year, so far, we, at JLL in the hotel business, have traded about not have much opportunities because it is highly competitive. Tier II
Rs 1,000 crore. This means people have bought hotels, have invested and Tier III opportunities we are getting are interesting, considering
right from a hole in the ground to operating a hotel. When was the last people are coming in from different walks of life. It is a very interesting
time Rs 1,000 crores were traded? It tells you that the sentiment is form of business cycle of owner-operator relationships,” stated Nishant
coming back.” Kumar, Director Development, South West Asia, IHG.
“During the pandemic, the first step was to put a break on Speaking during the session, Souvagya Mohapatra, MD - India,
Capex, revaluate projects and time them correctly as per market Sri Lanka, Nepal & Bhutan, Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts, said, “We
conditions. Second was to look at cash flows and get into survival have successfully managed to build a large footprint in Maldives, with
mode instead of the usual aggressive mode of growth. We aided the eight functional resorts and two underway. Since we were spreading
Government during Covid19 where our hotels were used for people across various continents, we had to start with Asia-Pacific region
fighting the pandemic,” shared Rajneesh Malhotra, COO, Chalet and if you are getting into this region, you can’t ignore India. It is,
Hotels. He added that even though leisure was always a part of their in fact, the biggest market. At present, we are targetting tourism
strategy map, everything paused when the pandemic hit the world. destinations and metros here.” Mohapatra added that within the
next decade in India, four segments of tourism will be laid –
“I think the entire hospitality industry did what would have been MICE, weddings, leisure and lifestyle and his company will
the basic financial crisis procedure – put a brake on the growth, go be specifically targetting these segments. n
into a cash preservation mode and maintain solvency. I think it is not
what we did during the Covid19 that is important, it is what we should
have done right before that. The only good thing out of the pandemic
is that the system has become more agile,” said Gyana Das, VP - Vice
President, Corporate Strategy, SAMHI.
Dhruva Rathore, VP - Development - India & South West Asia,
Hyatt, said this year, they have signed eight hotels till date which is lower
than 2019. “We were stable back then. Even during the pandemic, we
remained stable in terms of growth. During these two years, we signed
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UPSKILLING NEW
TALENT FOR FUTURE
VETERANS FROM THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY SHED LIGHT ON HOW TO
SOLVE ISSUES LIKE PAY DISPARITY AND IMBALANCE IN PROFESSIONAL
LIVES TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE TO TAKE LEADERSHIP ROLES
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BY BWH BUREAU
UPSKILLING, COACHING and mentoring new individuals in the Clockwise from top left:
industry is the need of the hour to make them future-ready. Veer Vijay Singh, Rajiv Kaul
During the Veterans’ View session on the subject, How To Tread and Farhat Jamal
The Road Ahead, on the second day of the 6th edition of BW
HOTELIER Indian Hospitality Summit and Awards, Rajiv Kaul, from that, they can lead a team on a particular topic, a subject
Former President, Leela Hotels; Farhat Jamal, Chairman - Travel, or a technology,” he said.
Tourism & Hospitality Committee, IMC Chamber of Commerce &
Industry and Yateendra Sinh, Principal, YS & Associates, Sàrl, Taking the conversation forward, Farhat Jamal said,
Switzerland discussed about the current leadership scenario “Today, we are living in a transitional world because this
and the necessary steps that need to be taken to create future- transition from being a functional head to the General Manager
ready leaders. The session was moderated by Veer Vijay Singh, is a big shift. Just look at hospitality General Manager — one
CEO & MD, Trance Hotels. is a functional head, director of room services and more.
One constantly gets drawn to functional skills and that is
Talking about leadership, Rajiv Kaul said, “There is a where the fault lies in terms of the people’s development.”
tremendous scope of change but the essence of leadership is He urged the industry leaders to coach and mentor
how do you get the best out of every member in your team. individuals when they grow because without it they
However, one can only be a leader when that person has will not be able to achieve a high success rate. n
followers so it’s necessary to see who is following. That is the
clear reality check that needs to be done.” He emphasised on
the importance of tough love for growth. “In our era, we were
brought up with tough love. If one wants your teammate to
achieve greatness, it is the duty of a leader to polish them,”
he said.
“The modern-day leadership is no longer the expression
of how many people follow the person (leader) but also an
expression of what purpose, project and knowledge one leads,”
shared Yateendra Sinh, further adding that in corporate world,
the current scenario can be led through multiple paradigms.
“They can lead a virtual team from any part of the world. Apart
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WHAT FUTURE HOLDS
FOR YOUNG TALENT IN
THE NEXT DECADE?
PANELLISTS DISCUSSED HOW IT IS TIME FOR THE SECTOR
TO INVEST IN UPSKILLING PEOPLE
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YOUNG TALENT is the fuel for every industry and dynamic sectors Clockwise from top left: Dilip Puri, Sangeetha Gandhi,
like hospitality aspire to recruit enthusiastic young leaders to Zubin Songadwala, Sanjay Bose, Natwar Nagar and
accelerate their businesses. However, young talent has been Kamal Kant Pant
hesitant to join the sector, especially after the pandemic. Sharing
his views on the same, Kamal Kant Pant, Principal & Secretary IHM expectations are high and when an employer hires him or her, it is
Pusa, New Delhi, said, ‘‘Over the last five to seven years, youngsters their duty to fulfill those expectations.
are no more enthusiastic about our industry that gets reflected at
the time of enrolment.” Supporting his views, Dilip Puri, Founder & Sharing the experience of founding India’s first service
CEO, of the Indian School of Hospitality, shared that the figures of hospitality platform, Job Plus, Founder & CEO, The People
students appearing for entrance exams of hospitality institutions is Network & The Job Plus, Natwar Nagar, said ‘‘We are looking at
dwindling. creating 10 million jobs in the next nine years. We believe the
future of hospitality industry lies in skill, not in knowledge.’’
Reasoning out the trend, Sangeetha Gandhi, Vice President, He also urged the industry to invest in education of kids
Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development, said, ‘‘One of the who aspire to be part of the hospitality industry. n
primary reasons for the recent trend is that the youngsters are
being influenced by the success stories of young entrepreneurs.
Therefore, they aspire to start something of their own.’’ She added
that the hospitality industry is not the only one to have long hours as
has been the common perception.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Bose, Executive Vice President – HR
and L&D, ITC Ltd, Hotels Division, pointed out, “The problem is the
expectations from newly recruited people to work the same way
as we did. But the world has changed. We should focus to recruit
lesser people who have more potential and are effective.”
‘‘As an employer, it is our responsibility to give the young
employees what we got,’’ Zubin Songadwala, Area Manager South
& General Manager, ITC Grand Chola, Chennai. He also pointed out
that when a person comes out of a hotel management institute, his
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FOCUS ON INCREASED
COLLABORATION WITH
STAKEHOLDERS
EXPERTS OPINED THAT THE PERIOD OF THE PANDEMIC
WAS ONE OF NEW LEARNINGS AND INNOVATIONS
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Clockwise from left: Nitin
Nagrale, Indira Paul, Rothin
Banerjee, Sudhir Gupta and
Ouseph Francis
BY BWH BUREAU
ONE THING common that all the panellists mentioned during On the takeaways from the pandemic, Rothin Banerjee,
the discussion on Procurement, Engineering & Housekeeping at Area Director of Engineering - Delhi & NCR, Punjab, Himachal
the 6th edition of BW HOTELIER Indian Hospitality Summit and Pradesh and J&K, said, “During that period, we encountered
Awards was that a lot of innovations took place during the period numerous challenges, especially manpower shortage but by
of the pandemic. And that a lot of focus was laid on on data and revisiting the books and fundamentals of the system, we were
analytics to empower us in the future. The session was moderated able to regenerate it in entirety, leading it back to normalcy. In
by Nitin Nagrale, Founder, Hospitality Purchasing Managers Forum this process, we also went back to the engineering system and
(HPMF). books.”
“There is a need to realise the importance of team spirit. In agreement with Banerjee was Ouseph Francis, VP -
As long as there is team spirit and shared understanding of each Procurement, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts. “The pandemic showed
other’s working processes, a lot of issues get resolved,” shared us how low things could go but what we learned was that
Sudhir Gupta, Head – Procurement, ITC Ltd – Hotels Division. He resilience is the only characteristic that will keep us alive,” he
added that there has been a sharp focus on delivering business said. Francis also focussed on the resilient infrastructure in
and it has increased collaboration with different stakeholders. New the hospitality business but added one can never and should
ways of using technologies have come into play and work can never ignore teamwork. “We emerged more powerful due
be done without physical meetings. what we learned from the to our teamwork and one should live everyday like it is
Covid-19 pandemic and it also compelled us to take risks. their last day,” he added. n
Indira Paul, Corporate Executive Housekeeper South
Asia, Radisson Hotel Group agreed that the learnings during the
pandemic did a lot of good. “There was an increased focus on
the importance of hygiene and touch-free housekeeping. We have
been fortunate that we were able to turn the pressure that all of us
felt during the pandemic into some kind of a passion,” she said,
adding that in this area, knowledge sharing and specification and
clarity of communication are extremely important and ultimately,
knowledge is power.
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IHA-2022
& SUMMIT 202 2
AND THE
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IHA-2022
WINNER IS...
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IHA-2022 WINNERS
LUXURY GM&SUMMIT202 2
OF THE YEAR
NATIONAL WINNER
MADHAV SEHGAL
THE LEELA PALACE BENGALURU
THIS AWARD comes after the tumultuous and
challenging times faced by our industry. Awards are not
only reflective of the quality but commitment we have
at The Leela Palace Bengaluru. Thus, I’m grateful and
humbled for this recognition. The ripple effects of such
recognition of our industry efforts are manifold and far-
reaching.
MANTRA FOR SUCCESS
Leadership in hospitality needs to be empathetic,
disciplined and, most importantly, selfless while building
a team on principles of respect, accountability and true
passion. For me, being the ambassador of our diverse
country and the opportunity to bring true Indian luxury to
the world is priceless.
FUTURE PLANS
Building on the strong foundation of our industry while
addressing the present-day challenges of gender diversity,
leadership development and bridging communication gaps.
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WEST ZONE REGIONAL WINNERS IHA-2022 WINNERS
TANVEER NORTH ZONE SOUTH ZONE
KWATRA
RISHI SRIJAN
W GOA MATTU VADHERA
ITC RAJPUTANA, CONRAD
JAIPUR BENGALURU
I’M EXTREMELY honoured I WOULD like to thank BW I’M ELATED to receive this
and earnestly grateful to HOTELIER for this recognition. honour and dedicate it to my
have been chosen as the BW We have seen a lot of ups and Conrad Bengaluru team. It is
HOTELIER Luxury GM of the Year downs in the last couple of a blessing to have such an
for the West Zone. Reaching this years and have brought a lot of enterprising and motivated team
milestone would not be possible learnings from the survival stage standing with me. My heartiest
without my dream team at W Goa. to the revival stage. This is true congratulations to the BW
We are only going onwards and recognition of the entire team of HOTELIER team for curating an
upwards from here! ITC Rajputana who have stood event of such high repute where
through the years and helped all of us could come together and
me get over here. I thank the celebrate the industry stalwarts. I
jury members as well as the ITC would like to thank the respected
Hotels’ corporate team which has jury for acknowledging our efforts
guided, helped and supported me on this eminent platform. Stay
over the years. Inspired!
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IHA-2022 WINNERS
UPPER UPSCALE&SUMMIT202 2
GM OF THE YEAR
NATIONAL WINNER
SANJAY GUPTA
LE MERIDIEN GURGAON, DELHI NCR
WINNING THIS award would not have been possible
without the inspiration I have received from my superiors
and colleagues for whom I have the deepest respect and
from whom I have derived the strength to challenge myself
and perform better at each stage.
MANTRA FOR SUCCESS
Leadership is the outcome of commitment, character,
compassion, competence, candour and, above all,
integrity. These values compiled together form the mantra
to become a successful hotelier and a purposeful leader.
FUTURE PLANS
Being a hotelier for 27 years, I’ve never ventured out of
this industry. My future plan is to work and be part of
this hospitality industry and take on a leadership role
in sizeable inventory hotels. I’d also like to work on
sustainable models of business so that it is not only good
for the industry, but the community at large. Since this
industry generates a big chunk of employment, I would
like to contribute in better ways and means of work and
culture. This is one aspect that according to me needs a
lot of refinement for the future of this industry.
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IHA-2022 WINNERS
REGIONAL WINNERS
WEST ZONE NORTH ZONE SOUTH ZONE
ASHOK ASHWNI PANDITHA
VASUDEVAN KUMAR GOELA LAHARI SRINIVAS
VIVANTA GOA, PANAJI RADISSON BLU PLAZA TAJ DECCAN,
DELHI AIRPORT HYDERABAD
AT THE outset, I would like I’M REALLY honoured to be I’D LIKE to thank BW
to thank BW HOTELIER for this here and receiving this award HOTELIER for honouring me
award. It is extremely a privilege on behalf of my team and family with this prestigious award and
for me to receive this accolade. which has always been here for all my colleagues at IHCL, my
Among all the senior leaders I their relentless support. Thank superiors and my partners for
have worked with and whom I you to the entire esteemed jury, the unconditional support they
have learnt from, I would like to the BW HOTELIER team and the have been extending to me.
thank Mr Puneet Chhatwal and 110-hotel-strong Radisson Hotel Coincidentally, this is my 25th
the senior leadership team at Group family for their unending year in the industry and I could
IHCL for setting up a roadmap for support. not have asked for anything more
us and making us achieve what than this recognition. I would like
seemed to be an impossible task to thank my family for pushing
during turbulent times. I would me to deliver my best as also
also like to thank my family and my team in Hyderabad. This one
dedicate this award to all the is for you and it could not have
staff and associates and the team happened without you all.
whom I work with.
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IHA-2022 WINNERS
UPSCALE GM&SUMMIT202 2
OF THE YEAR
NATIONAL WINNER
MONIDEEP JAS
GRAND KAKINADA BY GRT HOTELS
THIS AWARD will definitely boost the spirit and
motivation of the team at Grand Kakinada. It is for all
passionate hoteliers who starve for guest satisfaction,
employee experience and excellence in standards. This
recognition definitely means a lot; it shows the high values
of BW HOTELIER and the way they conduct the judgement
system. I’m both thrilled and humbled the industry
recognises the success of passionate hoteliers.
MANTRA FOR SUCCESS
It depends on my personal vision, team and leadership
style which will be beneficial to the growth of the
organisation I work with. In our industry, if you have the
passion, attitude and effort, you can have it all.
FUTURE PLANS
One of my important goals and desire will be to work on
sustainability plan for the industry and to set a platform
so that it attracts the best talent from the country. This
industry gives a lot back to us and we need to highlight
and showcase those.
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REGIONAL WINNERS IHA-2022 WINNERS
WEST ZONE NORTH ZONE SOUTH ZONE SOUTH ZONE
RANJU JAI VIKAS AJAY
SINGH CHUGH KUMAR SAMPIGE
NOVOTEL GOA DOUBLETREE BY FOUR POINTS BY HOTEL ROYAL
CANDOLIM & HILTON SHERATON ORCHID
NOVOTEL GOA KOCHI -
RESORT & SPA GURUGRAM INFOPARK BANGALORE
BAANI SQUARE
FEELING CONTENTED IT IS a great feeling. IT TRULY is A BIG thank you BW
and honoured to receive There is nothing like getting heartwarming to be HOTELIER. It’s a great
this award. I would like to recognised for all of your honoured with this award. honour to get this award.
dedicate this award to all efforts. I would like to My heartfelt gratitude to This is for my team, my
the guests, the team and extend a big thank you to the respected jury members family as without them
my fellow colleagues, for my team and my family for for finding me suitable for this couldn’t have been
their unflinching support and their support. this recognition. My sincere possible.The pandemic
guidance. The last couple of thanks to BW HOTELIER, challenged us all but my
years have been challenging. Marriott International, aim is to build synergies
However, we were backed Brigade Hospitality and and a common focus to
by everyone’s support. my mentors for all of survive this year. I’m an
This award brings immense their encouragement. The approachable leader who
happiness and gives us the biggest thanks goes to my communicates openly
confidence to strive for more amazing team for being and encourages ideas.
success. such a joy to work with.
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IHA-2022 WINNERS
MIDSCALE GM&SUMMIT202 2
OF THE YEAR
NATIONAL WINNER
MANISH YADAV
FORTUNE SELECT FOREST HILL,
MAHIYA
FOR ME, this is one of the most prestigious awards to
win - one most of us dream of in this line of work. The
entire credit goes to my team and my family.
MANTRA FOR SUCCESS
I would be lying if I said I became a successful hotelier on
my own. My team and I’ve worked tirelessly to improve
the experience for our guests. After the recovery from the
pandemic, we have worked to bring back staff as employee
retention was an issue. I think our training programmes
helped us improve on our weaknesses and increased guest
satisfaction rate along with reduction in average number of
complaints.
FUTURE PLANS
My team and I would keep working on what we are doing.
Our goal is to provide the best possible experience to
guests. This award reflects we have served our customers
well in the past and we will continue providing them with
the best.
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IHA-2022 WINNERS
REGIONAL WINNERS
EAST ZONE WEST ZONE NORTH ZONE SOUTH ZONE
SHITANSHU BRAJESH RAHUL ARINDAM
BHARGAVA SONI SHARPE SARKAR
STERLING THE FERN SATTVA YOG WELLNESS THE FERN
PURI RESORT, POLO BY AMRITARA, RESIDENCY,
FOREST, MUSSOORIE YESHWANTHPUR,
VIJAYNAGAR BENGALURU
THIS IS surreal. I would I FEEL I’m on Cloud Nine. I’M GRATEFUL to the IT IS a great honour
like to thank BW HOTELIER It is an absolute honour to entire BW HOTELIER team to come on this platform.
and the honourable jury receive such a prestigious and I would like to thank First of all, I would like
for this prestigious award. award. I’m thankful to the God for this award. I am to thank BW HOTELIER
At the same time, I would jury at the BW HOTELIER also thankful to the entire for this opportunity and, I
like to thank our Chairman Indian Hospitality Summit team of Yog Wellness by want to thank my family for
Mr Ramesh Ramanathan and Awards 2022. This Amritara for supporting me their support throughout
and MD & CEO Mr Vikram would not have been in getting this recognition. my career. This would not
Lalvani for their continuous possible without my friends have been possible without
support. Last but not the and family. It is because the support of my team so
least, I would like to thank of them and my team I would like to dedicate
my family and my team at members that this has this award to them.
Sterling Puri without the come to me.
hardwork of whom this
would not be possible. This
award is dedicated to the
team.
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IHA 2022 WINNERS
BUDGET/ ECONOMY&SUMMIT202 2
GM OF THE YEAR
NATIONAL WINNER
RAHUL BHATT
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AHMEDABAD
WINNING THIS prestigious award has made me feel
special. All the credit for this achievement goes to my
colleagues on the shop floor for their tremendous efforts,
my mentors for their invaluable guidance, my family
and friends for their unconditional love and support and
undoubtedly, our treasured guests.
MANTRA FOR SUCCESS
People are the greatest assets in hotel business. Hence,
having first-rate people skills is a must for any successful
leader. You keep your people happy and they will keep your
guests happy. This is my firm belief.
FUTURE PLANS
I plan to work towards achieving the organisation’s
objective and to grow and improve myself, both personally
and professionally. I enjoy challenges and look forward
to opportunities where I will be able to assume more
responsibilities. Ultimately, I’d like to move to a larger
property within the same company.
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IHA-2022 WINNERS
LUXURY HOTEL
MANAGER OF THE YEAR
JOINT NATIONAL WINNER
JALAJ ROHATGI
INTERCONTINENTAL MARINE DRIVE
MUMBAI
THE TIMING of the award couldn’t have been better.
The last two years have been terrible for the industry and
it took a lot of effort aligning teams to power through the
storm. So after managing to successfully get past these
turbulent times, this award really means a lot to me.
This award shows that we are in the right direction as a
team and I dedicate this to all stakeholders, including the
ownership, colleagues and our partners.
MANTRA FOR SUCCESS
Patience is the key, along with dedication and hard work.
The travel and hospitality industry is one of the most
challenging places to work in but loving what you do and
having a real passion for service and guest satisfaction
will help you go a long way. Taking interest in all hotel
operations including the not-so-glamorous parts and
having an appetite for managing unexpected situations will
help every hotelier in his or her career.
FUTURE PLANS
For now, just taking it one day at a time. Moving forward,
the idea is to keep the momentum going and ensure we
maintain high service standards and guest satisfaction.
Long term, I plan to add sustainability into every process.
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IHA-2022 WINNERS
LUXURY HOTEL&SUMMIT202 2
MANAGER OF THE YEAR
JOINT NATIONAL WINNER
PRAYDHUMNA SINGH
RATHORE
TAJ FORT AGUADA RESORT & SPA, GOA
I FEEL it’s a recognition of all the efforts put in by the Taj
Fort Aguada team and constant guidance by my boss, Mr
Ahluwalia. I’m grateful to both and I thank my family too.
MANTRA FOR SUCCESS
Understanding the eco-system, strengthening the
strengths; identifying the potential; making plans with
the team and empowering it; have measurable plans /
goals; chasing the goal with conviction; keep measuring/
supervising the directions; asking for guidance; celebrating
and rewarding success and repeating all of the above,
again and again.
FUTURE PLANS
Commitment to contribute in all given opportunities by
IHCL with the team for the team.
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IHA-2022 WINNERS
UPPER UPSCALE HOTEL
MANAGER OF THE YEAR
NATIONAL WINNER
SURESH KALA
ALOHA ON THE GANGES,
RISHIKESH
IT IS a wonderful feeling. I extend my sincere gratitude
to the Almighty, the esteemed jury members as well as
our managment at Aloha. Getting this award would also
not have been possible without the untiring efforts and
contribution of the brilliant team which is at Aloha on the
Ganges, Rishikesh.
MANTRA FOR SUCCESS
I believe it varies for each individual. It all comes down to
being passionate about what you do and being innovative
on your job. A great leader, in my opinion, is someone who
inspires others to do better in their careers and to continue
to evolve as professionals.
FUTURE PLANS
My future plans are simple: Striving to do better and be
better in whatever I do.
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IHA-2022 WINNERS
MIDSCALE HOTEL&SUMMIT202 2
MANAGER OF THE YEAR
NATIONAL WINNER
VIJAY UPADHYAY
ENRISE BY SAYAJI, INDORE
I’M OVERWHELMED and excited because who
doesn’t need recognition! Rewards make you happy but
recognition sparks happiness in your day-to-day life. By
honouring me with this award, you believed in me as well
as my team and we are really thankful for the same.
MANTRA FOR SUCCESS
A sorted mind, learning and listening ability, simplicity and
right usage of time.
FUTURE PLANS
Four more BWH trophies on the shelf in the coming years.
Wishing it and will definitely work on it along with nurturing
the talent that comes to us so that we can all grow in life.
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