BW HOTELIER | Jan-Feb 2023

TRAVEL & TOURISM 51 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com India, by the virtue of its size and potential, has enough offerings to be able to leverage and benefit from the demand such sports tournaments can usher in. However, without proper planning and efforts, such an opportunity is destined to go to waste. While OTA platforms like booking.com, yatra. com, easemytrip.com and makemytrip.com have played a key role in promoting India as a destination to the global travellers, they could have been adequately supported by the Government. At present, all players and industries related to tourism are acting in silos. G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant says the entire tourism sector is made of private players, be these tour operators, taxi drivers or hotels and accommodation providers. However, the role of the Government in this ecosystem was underlined by him. “The Government must assist, facilitate and act as a catalyst to ensure that the private sector is able to put up good facilities at destinations,” he had said. It is time the Government steps up to tie-up all these efforts to present a tourism destination that is hard to resist. n THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS ON ITS WAY TO REVOLUTIONISING HOW IT OPERATES ZUBIN SAXENA, MD & Senior Area VP, South Asia, RHG

COVER STORY 52 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY NAKUL ANAND INDIAN TOURISM ON THE VERGE OF GREATNESS THE YEAR 2023 will see Indian tourism being set up for creating global leadership in the years to come. The country has the inherent potential to become a global leader and one of the top five countries in the tourism sector by leveraging its unique strengths in historical, geographical, cultural and spiritual aspects. Tourism can become a magnate for jobs and capital creation, Pan-India through both the inbound and the domestic aspects of tourism across all its segments and value chain, be those in leisure, corporate, conventions and exhibitions, spiritual, medical, sports and special interest tourism among others. At FAITH, all association leaders believe that we have an immense inherent potential in our tourism industry. FAITH has developed a vision statement to support and partner Government’s long-term goals in the same direction and help create up to 10 crores additional jobs Pan-India, target up to 100 million foreign tourists, 100 billion domestic tourism visits and thereby triple tourism’s GDP contribution by the 100th anniversary of Indian Independence. To be able to do that, key enablers have to be put in place through coordination between various arms and institutions of the Central and state governments on diverse policy initiatives. Among the most critical ones is recognising tourism’s export status, granting hospitality infrastructure status, having a robust forex earnings incentives scheme for Indian tourism, creating a domestic travel tax credit policy, putting tourism in concurrent list, setting up a natural and cultural heritage restoration fund, developing a national seamless tourist transportation policy, enhancing the corpus for global tourism branding, creating an underwriting fund for travel agents and tour operators and abolishing TCS and very critically making the GST on tourism more competitive with full setoffs. All of these can be enabled by having a National Tourism Council headed by our Hon’ble Prime Minister and all state Chief Ministers. This is India’s century and Indian tourism will have the ring side view to it. This will boost employment Pan-India, capital creation, tax growth and forex earnings, through tourism’s direct and indirect impact. “To other countries, I may go as a tourist, but to India, I come as a pilgrim.¨ – Martin Luther King, Jr. AUTHOR BIO: Nakul Anand is Executive Director - ITC Ltd and Chariman, FAITH

TRAVEL & TOURISM 53 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY MP BEZBARUAH THE YEAR OF HOPE AND A NEW BEGINNING THE YEAR 2022 will be one to be remembered by the hospitality industry. It started with a lot of fear and uncertainty and with abundance of hope and expectations. It ended with lot of satisfaction. By the end of the year, the industry was happily back on rails with Average Daily Rates (ADRs), RevPAR and occupancy levels back to or above the pre-pandemic levels. According to JLL’s latest Q3 report, the year witnessed the growth of 89.6 per cent in RevPAR from Jul-Sept’22 (Q3 2022) and RevPAR growth of 89.6 per cent from Jul-Sept’22 (Q3 2022). It is a remarkable recovery, from the dismal situation of practically zero business in 2020. But the year will be remembered for reasons more than recovery in room rates or profit. The industry can justifiably be proud of the resilience it showed during the dark days with little or no support from the government. Globally, as in India, the Covid19 experience brought home one lesson very sharply – the future existence must be consistent with safety, hygiene and sustainable way of operations in every sphere. The top echelons of the industry have always played a pioneering role in innovative sustainable practices and they continued with new initiatives during the year, matching the requirements of the situation. The year, however, witnessed acceptance of this need by all sections of the industry and spread of sustainability awareness among SMEs and establishments in 2/3 tier cities. The Hotel Association of India led the way through consistent advocacy through its magazine, Engage, and its newsletters and with national and global collaborations with organisations like WTTC Sustainability Basic and UNICEF. Domestic travel played an important role in shaping the industry in 2022. Domestic tourism has always been the most prominent feature of growth of Indian tourism and hospitality, but its integral importance for the survival and growth of the sector DOMESTIC TRAVEL PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SHAPING THE INDUSTRY IN 2022 was perhaps never as much realised as in 2022.The year is marked by empowerment of the consumers’ changes in the preferences of travellers. New expressions like “staycation” and “bleisure” have become part of the travel vocabulary and the hotels have to adjust to the changes with flexible reservation and cancellation policies. Across the industry, travellers’ preference for leisure travel was noticeable and places like Goa, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand attracted high number of travellers throughout 2022. Predominance of the use of technology and digitisation of many of the operations for customer relations and servicing marked the revival of the industry. At the same time, globally as well as in India, staff shortages caused serious concern. In Europe and elsewhere, post-Covid19 experience of labour

COVER STORY 54 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com shortage, caused by people who moved due to closure or decline of business or for better options was a disturbing factor. Hospitality giant Accor, for example, reported a loss of about 15 per cent labour. The civil aviation services in Europe reported severe impact of labour shortage. Some tremors were felt in India as well and the wider question of manpower management would be a matter for attention in 2023. The year 2023 holds even better promise but there are worries and uncertainties too. Occasional recurrence of the virus in different parts of the world, still uncertain behaviour of the monkey pox, the volatile global geo-political situation and looming threat of recession in major economies like USA should keep the industry on its toes. And topmost concern for the year should be not to relax on safety, hygiene and emphasis on sustainable practices. The UNWTO Confidence Index surveys indicate that most experts see a potential return of international arrivals to 2019 levels in 2023. The tourism and hospitality industry will have to gear up for this growth in many ways — destination development, growth in civil aviation facilities to cater to the expected arrivals, proper marketing and confidence building measures to project a safe, sustainable experience, expansion of decent accommodation and so on. The year 2023 is going to be an important one for India as the President of G20, it will host the summit, with more than 200 meetings across the country. G20, with nearly 90 per cent of the world’s GDP, 80 per cent of global trade and 67 per cent of the world’s population, exerts a significant political and economic influence. It will be a great opportunity to showcase and market the excellence of Indian tourism and hospitality. The G20 summit will open new growth avenues for the Indian travel and hospitality ecosystem and bolster the demand for high-quality accommodation. The smooth running of these high-profile 200- plus meetings will support India’s efforts to establish itself as a global MICE destination. Preparing for the G20 will be an opportunity to develop infrastructure – accommodation, civil aviation, destinations – for the growth of international tourist arrivals that the Ministry has projected. In that context it will be an appropriate occasion to give incentive in the form of “infrastructure status” which will increase investments that can bridge the gap in accommodation that the country faces. HAI hopes that in 2023 as the Government usher in new initiative for PPP and stronger collaboration with the industry, many of the suggestions for taking Indian tourism and hospitality to the top, will see fruition. During the period of survival, HAI had persistently asked for a pragmatic policy for liquidity support particularly for the SMEs as well as wage support for preventing job loss. Some other suggestions were: • Rationalisation of taxes and tax rates, GST and a longterm interest rate structure • Policy Interventions for waiver of statutory dues etc for the period of closure of business • Easy compliances and ease of doing business, and incentives like ECLGS. Many of those recommendations are still relevant even if the industry has been resilient enough to overcome the worst. Similarly providing “industry status” will spur growth of the sector and bring returns manifold for the economy. n AUTHOR BIO: MP Bezbaruah is Secretary General, Hotel Association of India THE G20 SUMMIT WILL OPEN NEW GROWTH AVENUES FOR THE INDIAN TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY ECOSYSTEM Photo: MAZZZUR

TRAVEL & TOURISM 55 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY VINOD ZUTSHI THE POTENTIAL OF NORTH EAST IN INDIA’S TOURISM PROSPECTS NORTH EAST India, with its vast natural resources, snow-capped Himalayas, tropical forests, shrines of diverse religions, rich traditional values, variety of ethnic tribes and a cauldron of different people and cultures provide a wonderful opportunity for exploratory tourism at its very best. Comprising the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim, North East India is a ‘paradise unexplored’ and one of the best destinations for Nature-lovers, trekkers, adventurers and wildlife enthusiasts. North East region is a hub of Nature and ecotourism. The Himalayas, the Naga, Khasi and Garo hills, huge waterfalls, river islands, national parks, hill stations, numerous lakes and reserved forests offer some of the best-known ecotourism locations. The long range of mountains and hills, deep valleys, wildlife parks and inland rivers offer a variety of adventure activities like trekking, camping, wildlife safaris, rock climbing, jeep safaris, water rafting, boat safaris and hot air ballooning. The mighty Brahmaputra and a large number of inland rivers have developed as a favourite destination for river cruise tourism. Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh and the famous Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim are two important destinations for Buddhist Tourism. North East Indian states offer a mixed culture of Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism and have a large number of ethnic groups with their own unique tribal culture, folk dances, food and crafts. The festivals of the region like Bihu of Assam, Hornbill of Nagaland, Sangai of Manipur, Kharchi Puja of Tripura, Torgya in Arunachal Pradesh and Shillong Autumn Festival of Meghalaya have become cultural brands of the region. Further, Gangtok, the shimmering hill city of Sikkim; Shillong, the quaint town of Meghalaya; Majuli, the cradle of Assamese culture; Jampui hills in Tripura and the rainfall of Cherrapunji are some more irresistible attractions of the North East. Endowed with these incredible tourism offerings and everything that a tourist would dream and desire, North East region has tremendous potential that still remains untapped and NORTH EAST REGION HAS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL THAT STILL REMAINS UNTAPPED AND UNEXPLORED

COVER STORY 56 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com unexplored. Realising the vast potential of the region in India’s tourism prospects, the Central Government has taken numerous policy initiatives and made development of North East a major priority. It has allocated more than Rs 4 lakh crore since 2014, with a focus on connectivity. The Government also aims to connect all the North Eastern states through a network of roads by 2024 and telecom connectivity across the region in next one-and-a-half years. It has lately approved a fresh outlay of Rs 12,882 crore for developing Infrastructure under North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) and for the schemes of North Eastern Council. The Ministry of Tourism has taken a number of initiatives on all fronts to harness the potential of tourism in the region. These include developing tourism infrastructure through its flagship schemes viz Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD; organising international tourism marts, an annual event to highlight the tourism potential of the region in domestic and international markets ;rationalising the process of ‘Protected Area Permit’ regime ;building inter-regional people-to-people contact between North East India and ASEAN countries, as part of India’s ‘Act East Policy’ and financial support to North Eastern states for cultural events, publicity, promotion, fairs and festivals. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has set aside a Rs 500 crore corpus for enhancing inter and intra-northeast connectivity. Under UDAN 4.2, out of 132 routes, 24 routes have been dedicated to the Northeast. Seven new airports have been built in the last few years and two international routes from northeast region to Myanmar and Bangladesh have been announced, as part of the country’s Act East policy. The huge investments being made by the Union Government in building tourism infrastructure and the new tourism-friendly policies of the North Eastern states will pave the way to facilitate travel and tourism in the North East and the region is poised to witness a surge in tourism in times to come. The Ministry of Tourism and the state governments must ensure that the current momentum of holistic development of tourism in the region is maintained. There is also an imminent need to promote it aggressively, targetting both, domestic and international travellers. The focus of the Government on increasing inter-regional connectivity with next door nations under its ‘Act East Policy’ is a laudable step that should draw a large number of foreign tourists from South East Asia and East Asia into the region. n AUTHOR BIO: Vinod Zutshi is Former Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India BY ASHWINI KAKKAR INDIA LIKELY TO SEE HUGE RESURGENCE OF BUSINESS TRAVEL POST-COVID tourism fever is rampant and tourists are travelling like there is no tomorrow. Flights and hotels are experiencing high occupancies and seat load factors and countries are wooing visitors like never before. Our smaller friendly neighbours are shining a light on tourism and alongside the recently concluded WTTC, highlighting how important it will be in the years to come. Saudi Arabia is hugely promoting the old Alula (an ancient Arabic oasis city located in Medina province of north-western Saudi Arabia) and the new Neom (a city being built in Tabuk province in north-western Saudi Arabia), Qatar is repositioning itself on the back of the World Cup football sporting event, Vietnam is targetting 65 million visitors and has increased flight connectivity tremendously, Mauritius and Jordan are offering Visa Free travel and Dubai is constantly reinventing itself. This is a very special period for India as we hold the G20 Presidency. It should certainly be our endeavour to leverage this unique position and showcase to visitors the country, its ethos, its people and its progress. India, due to its economic growth

TRAVEL & TOURISM 57 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com and as an attractive, alternative manufacturing hub and consuming market, is likely to see a huge resurgence of business travel. Luckily, our nation is endowed with some of the greatest (1) natural assets in the thousands of kilometres of coastline, the mighty Himalayas, our amazing rivers etc (2) historical assets like the Taj Mahal, Ajanta, Ellora, our palaces etc (3) wellness assets like our ashrams, yoga, meditation, massages etc (4) social assets like the multiple festivals, diverse art forms, cultural manifestations (5) human assets, our people with their warmth, their communication abilities, their culinary skills, our selfsustaining villages and a slew of other offerings for visitors, which make India a compelling proposition. On the other hand, all this ensures that we don’t have to make huge investments in attractions, like a lot of our competitor countries do. Thus, with minimal input investments on the soft side, like international and domestic marketing, for both leisure and corporate (including MICE) segments, within the current decade, it is very possible to take the travel and tourism output to $400 billion on an annual basis, create tens of millions of new jobs and earn more than enough foreign exchange to eliminate our current account deficit. Connectivity, consular visas and communication form the core of any inbound travel and tourism strategy, which is quite evident to the relevant ministries. Apart from the core, other immediate strategic actions in this regard would be: (1) universal industry status for all large and small players in every segment of this industry including airlines, hotels, rail, roads, cruises, tour operators, travel agents, online agencies, restaurants, monuments and museums (2) restructure the complex, unwieldy and untenable taxation structure which currently has multiple slabs on multiple elements in multiple ways, and make India more competitive and attractive as a travel destination (looking at exponential growth in GDP contribution and volumes of taxes collected, instead of high taxes on a small base: Laffer Curve effect); (3) intelligently make the requisite soft side investments in skills and invitational marketing, easier visa processes, precleared immigration or assisted traveller programs etc. While we persuade international travellers to come to India, our own large domestic tourism segment must also be kept in focus, to benefit local tourists and the nation as a whole. We, however, need to be cautious about building sustainability into our travel and tourism. The industry is responsible for between 5 per cent to 8 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions, of which around two-thirds are due to transportation. The travel and tourism industry must figure among the top focus sectors if our nation is to attain PM Modi’s vision for India of a 5 trillion economy by 2027. n AUTHOR BIO: Ashwini Kakkar is Chairman, Action Against Hunger India WE NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT BUILDING SUSTAINABILITY INTO OUR TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY

COVER STORY 58 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY JYOTI MAYAL TRAVEL BUSINESS IN POSTCOVID WORLD: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES TRAVEL AND TOURISM post-Covid19 has gained momentum and will continue to accelerate. The fear of the rebounding virus will always loom over our heads, but we need to learn to live with the same. We saw that closing borders or flights did nothing to control the spread or of humankind facing disaster. We, as human beings, need to learn to keep ourselves safe, follow proper hygiene protocols and wear masks, life certainly is precious. Tourism becomes an activity that builds the base for wide-scale consumption bringing far-reaching benefits. Tourism gains importance as an activity which has far-reaching positive impacts on industries, economy and society. Travel and tourism going further will see a shift, though it is the same business and same zeal. Many new opportunities will be seen and many collaborations will happen. TOURISM BECOMES AN ACTIVITY THAT BUILDS THE BASE FOR WIDE-SCALE CONSUMPTION, BRINGING FAR-REACHING BENEFITS

TRAVEL & TOURISM 59 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com First, the tourism industry will enter a more technological era in the coming year. Those in the industry who do not keep up with the latest trends and technology might not be able to manage or scale up their businesses. Yes, that is correct, and I have come to such a conclusion, especially after closely observing the industry for the last two years. During Covid19, we have all become digital and adopted technology and travellers are looking at more meta searches, virtual reality, contactless interaction with a quick turnaround. Secondly, community participation after Covid19 has substantially increased. Homestays, local restaurants and other allied service providers have entered the mainstream now. And, therefore, travel will be more culturally rich and community supported now. The best part for a country like ours is that it will create millions of employment opportunities and engage people in entrepreneurial endeavours. Thirdly, leisure travel will convert into bleisure, whether domestic or international and will be in the spotlight. Travellers are willing to spend money and pay for services as long as the deliverables meet international standards and we can see this transformation happening. Almost every global hospitality conglomerate is expanding, whether in India or elsewhere on the planet. The traveller will connect more with off-beat, adventure and wellness destinations with exclusivity and wellness-driven products as the focus. I strongly believe we should strengthen bilateral relationships and develop regional tourism. India has, on its borders, countries with huge potential which we need to invest in and develop to boost tourism. Within India, we need to develop more waterways experiences, expedite cruises and incentivise MICE for corporate rebates. Today, travel and tourism have many links that have become the value chain of growth. Post-Covid19 some tourism products and streams have seen more footfalls. Travellers are indulging in adventure, wellness, bleisure, rural, self-drives and solo tourism is on the rise. Medical tourism along with weddings and conferences have the most potential for growth. India is a country with colourful rich heritage, vibrant culture and rich cuisine that needs to be encashed with the upcoming state-of-the-art conference and medical facilities. We need to bring in private partnerships, protection of stakeholders and consumers money, safety of travellers, ease of business and one tourism policy with one tax structure. Tourism should follow the ONE ORDER policy globally. Lastly, as the President of TAAI and Chairperson of THSC, I feel we need to continuously focus on skilling, upskilling and multiskilling so as to deliver the best because tourism means leaving positive impressions in the minds of a traveller to talk about and return to the destination. n AUTHOR BIO: Jyoti Mayal is President, Travel Agents Association of India LUXURY TRAVEL BY INDIAN CONSUMERS EXPECTED TO GROW IN FUTURE BY HEMANT MEDIRATTA THE LUXURY hospitality sector has been growing and has seen an unexpected shift the past few years. There is a shift in consumer behaviour and consumption patterns which is leading hotels to adapt to the changing requirements of the consumers. The change is also due to the shifting of demographics. The new luxury consumer is younger, willing to spend on experiences and is well-informed. One of the biggest opportunities for the industry in the coming few years is this demand surge for travel. There is a strong desire to go out and explore the world like never before. This presents a significant opportunity for hospitality and travel companies to capitalise on this demand and promote their

COVER STORY 60 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com destinations, accommodations and activities to eager travellers. A report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) predicts that India will become the world’s fastest-growing major economy in the travel and tourism sector, growing at an annual rate of 7.5 per cent between 2021 and 2031. The report also suggests that luxury travel will be a key contributor to this growth. Indian travellers are increasingly looking for luxury experiences that are authentic and immersive rather than just high-end amenities. This has given rise to luxury alternate accommodation like homestays which are offering local experiences, be it cultural, adventure, wellness or culinary. Another opportunity for the industry is the growing trend of sustainable tourism. As consumers become more aware of the impact that travel can have on the environment and local communities, they are looking for ways to minimise their footprint and support sustainable practices. This presents an opportunity for companies to showcase their commitment to sustainability and differentiate themselves from the competition. The consumers can now differentiate those that are greenwashing to those who are genuinely making efforts on sustainability. In the luxury hospitality sector, the Indian market has always had a strong demand for high-end accommodations, and this is unlikely to change in the coming years. With a growing middle class and an increasing number of high net-worth individuals, the demand for luxury hotels, resorts, and other forms of upscale accommodation is likely to continue to grow. This has also given rise to independent luxury hotels across the country which can capitalise on this demand and promote their services to this target market. In summary, luxury travel by Indian consumers is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. Indian consumers are increasingly looking for luxury experiences that are authentic and immersive, with a growing interest in experiential and sustainable travel. As we move forward, I am confident that the Indian market will continue to thrive and provide countless opportunities for growth and success in the travel and luxury hospitality sector.n AUTHOR BIO: Hemant Mediratta is CEO, HM Corp BY UDIT AGARWAL AS WE look at the revival of the hospitality industry post the pandemic, it is paramount to understand the outlook for the aviation industry which is a critical enabler of the hospitality industry. Furthermore, in the aviation sector, we must look at two distinct buckets, the shortterm and the long-term while analysing the perspective of the primary stakeholders, namely airlines and airports, among others. SHORT-TERM OUTLOOK In the short-term, let us initially look at the recovery post-pandemic. In the domestic sector, passenger numbers have reached 0.41 million per day in comparison with the 2019 number of roughly 0.41 million passengers per day, implying a considerable recovery. In addition, the resilience of the industry has improved, evident from the recoveries seen after each successive wave of the pandemic. ANALYSING INDIA’S CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR AND ITS GROWTH PROSPECTS In the domestic sector, following the first wave, it took 10 months to return to 65 per cent of February 2020 levels of traffic. But after the second and third waves, it took six months and two months respectively. In the international market, traffic returned to 65 per cent after only three months after the third wave whereas this level of recovery could not be achieved after the first and second waves as regular international scheduled services were not permitted until March 2022. Considering the improved resilience and recovery of traffic, it is likely that the short-term horizon will see stable traffic patterns. As per CAPA Advisory’s forecasts, domestic traffic should return to preCovid levels in FY2023 ie 130-140 million passengers, however international traffic is expected to reach closed to 60 million or around 10 per cent less than in FY2020.

TRAVEL & TOURISM 61 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com FROM THE AIRLINES’ LENS This post-Covid phase is characterised by a very hostile cost environment, increased competition and weakening economic conditions, a combination that will prove highly challenging. Having mentioned this, it is worthy to note that despite these challenges the airlines are nearing placing large orders for aircraft which communicates their positive outlook. The domestic sector is heading towards a duopoly with 75-80 per cent of the market held by IndiGo and Tata Group. Following Tata Group’s acquisition of Air India, four carriers effectively come under one umbrella. FROM THE AIRPORTS’ LENS Regular expansion works in order to increase the capacity at airports with private operators like Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore airports continues, in line with the immediate requirement to mitigate the congestion patterns prevalent pre-Covid. LONG-TERM OUTLOOK CAPA Advisory sees key drivers of the aviation industry as having robust growth prospects. These drivers include a growing economy with rising income levels; a higher share of the population residing in urban areas; an increase in the modal substitution towards air travel due to convenience; tourism growth; improved policy support; infrastructure growth and improving aircraft technologies. CAPA Advisory projects that airport traffic could increase by 2.5-3.0x over the next ten years, for which both airports and airlines will have to build capacity. FROM THE AIRLINES’ LENS In terms of policy support, we have seen NCAP introducing the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) to stimulate regional connectivity through affordable prices. As on Dec 15, 2022, there were 455 operational routes under this scheme. Other policies for support services like maintenance, repair and overhaul along with ground handling have also been announced. The airlines themselves see a large upside in traffic which is clear from the order book of more than 500 aircraft held by IndiGo, and reported plans by Air India to order a similar number. FROM THE AIRPORTS’ LENS We have seen various initiatives taken by the Government, key ones being infrastructure improvement under the Bharat Nirman initiative which includes development of 100 new airports, and the national monetisation pipeline under which 25 AAI airports are to be monetised over FY2022-FY2025 and the divestment of AAl’s residual stakes in four metro airport JVs. The momentum is visible in terms of privatisation, with the Government expected to shortly announce the privatisation of six airports along with five bundled airports. After privatisation, we should see substantial capacity increase as privatised airports deliver increased capacity, improved customer experience and network expansion. CONCLUSION Finally, coming back to the hospitality industry, a strong and robust tourism sector will in turn also function as an enabler to help boost inbound air traffic. Also, large Indian diasporas in other countries have the potential to boost traffic in the visiting friends and relatives (VFR) category. Furthermore, by introducing the e-visa facility, the Government has improved India’s competitiveness as a tourist destination. All these above factors bode well for the aviation industry and indicate a strong outlook in the coming years with substantial growth. n AUTHOR BIO: Udit Agarwal is Team Lead, CAPA India BY INTRODUCING THE E-VISA FACILITY, THE GOVERNMENT HAS IMPROVED INDIA’S COMPETITIVENESS AS A TOURIST DESTINATION

COVER STORY 62 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY RATNA CHADHA HOW CAN we develop India as a cruise hub? The question should not be ‘how’ but ‘when’ as that’s of significance. My assessment is it must be and will be in the imminent future. India should have been a cruise hub way back at the turn of this century but in hindsight maybe, she just wasn’t ready! Today, it’s a different story! India has come a long way to ascertain her rightful positioning as a cruise hub mainly due the following attributes: 1. India has among the longest / largest coastline in the world – 7,600 km 2. Strategic location, all cruise ships need to pass through India to cross over from the west to the east and vice versa 3. Multiple ports of call within her territory therefore, allowing passengers the ability to cover land locked places of interest 4. Development of infrastructure, making our ports the best by international standards 5. India’s growing economy 6. Robust air and rail connectivity 7. India’s heritage, diversity and uniqueness 8. Last but not the least, our Government’s prima facie intent to make India a cruise hub by improving infra, streamlining policies, easing procedures and creating a conducive environment for investment The recent launch of the world’s longest river cruise is a perfect example of how our rivers and oceans have become waterways of national and international interest for the cruise industry at large and to start taking India seriously and perhaps, moving their mobile assets to the newest cruise hub of the world! In a vast country like India, these mobile assets, built as floating cities, can add value to the existing infrastructure specially during special events and large movements allowing India to host international events of stature. In early 2000, when the toss up to establish a cruise hub in Asia was being considered by The Royal Caribbean Group, both China and India were in the reckoning. China took precedence with their ‘just do it’ attitude! Now that the world has changed, India has a second chance and there’s no stopping us now. We need all stakeholders to come together in a profound partnership to ensure India is where she belongs, that is the numero uno cruise hub of the world! INDIA NEEDS A CLEAR CRUISE POLICY Cruise companies are investing in new builds that are stateof-the-art and these assets need to be deployed at newer destinations. Asia is a natural choice and India, being at the hub of the ocean activity, is a natural and convenient choice. Therefore, the question before us is not “how” but “when” will India develop as a cruise hub? However, to answer the “how”? India needs a clear cruise policy with standardised policies and procedures. Each state needs to conform to the same policy for cruise passengers to avoid dichotomy within India’s territorial waters. We need a “one country, one policy”. Destinations need to be developed with all aspects of tourism, primary aspect being safety and security of cruise passengers and the crew. The fastest route to become a cruise hub for India is to allow foreign flag carriers to invest in the country, for that the business environment needs to be conducive, sustainable and comparable to the international standards. India is not country, she’s a mind-set. Let the world view her as one! n AUTHOR BIO: Ratna Chadha is Co-founder and Chairperson, Tirun Travel Marketing and India representative, Royal Caribbean Cruises Group

OWNER’S PERSPECTIVE 64 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com ALL THE COUNTRIES ACROSS THE GLOBE TAKE TOURISM AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST SOURCES OF GDP BUT WE ARE YET TO TAKE A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION, SAYS SUJOY GUPTA, CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, SAMRAAT GROUP ‘INDIA NEEDS TO HAVE LUCRATIVE POLICIES FOR TOURISM’ Courtyard by Marriott, Nashik

65 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com SUJOY GUPTA BY BWH BUREAU PICTURE THIS: A young boy loses his father, in 1985, at 13. The kid, along with his eight-year-old sister and mother, is left homeless and the family sleeps on footpaths. It is during this phase that he realises the importance of a home and dreams of becoming a builder one day. His dream gets further consolidated after watching Bollywood potboiler Trishul almost a year later. He begins laying the foundation of his life by taking up a job as a waiter in a small restaurant opposite Nashik Road Railway Station. With hard work and honesty, he becomes a KOT (Kitchen Order Taking) boy and then a bartender. He graduates to takes over as a cashier and thereafter as a front office executive, assistant manager and then a manager. As he has spent most of his formative years in the hotel industry, he dreams of owning a hotel one day. The first stint happens in 2005 with a 20-room lodging, Hotel De-Rajnigandha which later, in 2008, is sold off. In 2006, he enters the field of real estate. Today, almost 17 years later, Sujoy Gupta is the Chairman and Managing Director of Samraat Group which has completed 40 million sq ft of commercial and residential spaces with 5,000-plus happy families residing and 3,000-plus offices. Over this period, the Group has been awarded 100-plus national and international awards too. Not this alone, he owns Hotel Courtyard by Marriott – Nashik comprising 113 keys, two large banquets and four restaurants which was inaugurated in November 2020 on his son’s birthday. “Courtyard by Marriott is the first major brand of Samraat Group to venture into the hospitality business. We are a renowned brand in the real estate industry and one of the topmost brands in north Maharashtra,” says Gupta, adding that they have also signed with Marriott International for the Westin Resorts and Spa at Nashik and Fairfield by Marriott at Shirdi. “Both the hotels will open to public by 2025-26 and will be one-of-their-kind in the country. We will open Courtyard by Marriott – Aurangabad in 2027,” he informs. Talking about the opportunities he sees as an investor in Nashik, Gupta says, “Not only does the city has great weather, it is among the 10 fastest growing cities in Maharashtra and holds a very important position in Hindu mythology and Indian history. It offers unique opportunities with tourism products like wine, farm, pilgrimage and cultural tourism. Apart from great weather, the city is known for Kumbh Mela held here once every 12 years with the next falling in 2027. As the city is almost three hours from both Mumbai and Pune, it serves as a perfect weekend destination. It is well connected to Surat and Ahmedabad with Shirdi just 90 minutes away. Then there is proximity to two international airports, in Nashik and Shirdi. The city is also coming up with a Metro. As an investor, I see that in the coming four-five years, Nashik is going to be one of the biggest hub in IT sector, manufacturing and pharma industry. It will also create a lot of job opportunities for people in and around the city.” With several leading hospitality chains having grabbed the market share in mid-market hotel segment, Gupta too is targetting the same. “Hence our second venture is in Nashik which will be followed by Shirdi and Aurangabad. I feel Bhubaneswar, Kochi, Ahmednagar and Kolhapur also have enough opportunities for branded hotels in mid-segment bracket,” he says. To succeed in this competitive industry, the Samraat Group House of Gourmet - Buffet

OWNER’S PERSPECTIVE 66 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com CMD says that one always needs to give the end user the best experience. “We strive to provide each experience differently and in the best possible way. May it be a Courtyard, Westin or Fairfield, I personally take charge with my designers and consultants on each and every aspect from the concept, design, exteriors, interiors, furniture and fixtures, lights, kitchen, banquets and restaurants along with all other concepts. I ensure the best consultants are hired and the best products are delivered to get the best experience which one should always remember and pass it on to others.” The second most important thing he believes is that if one takes good care of his staff, they take good care of the clients. “I ensure the staff is forever satisfied and we give them various incentive from time to time. Once they join the hotel, our staff never wants to leave unless there is some intimation from the operator management,” he shares. Sharing his views on the challenges hotel owners face in the current situation and what, according to him, is the way forward, Gupta feels that the Government policies are not as lucrative in India as they are is internationally. “All the countries across the globe take tourism as one of the biggest sources of GDP whereas India is still to make better policies for tourism and more importantly, the will to implement policies at national level House of Gourmet - Alfresco Studio II & III Outddor Pool

67 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com SUJOY GUPTA SAMRAAT GROUP HAS PLANS TO COME UP WITH HOTELS IN AURANGABAD, SAPUTARA AND AHMEDNAGAR BY 2027-28 needs to be there. They hardly exist at the state level. Lockdown situation, like it happened during the pandemic, can have a huge impact on the hospitality industry and then there can be attrition of staff due to high international salaries. Then the smaller cities specifically have challenges on HR front and the trade unions can be big deterrents in some cities along with local and social connections creating issues. Additionally, the inflation in prices are not equal to the sale price of food and rooms. In fact, India is the cheapest destination per room per dollar and costly when it comes to the expenses. Not to forget, the control of operators on many unwanted and undesired issues.” To maintain balanced and good relations with the operator company and ensure best returns on investments for the assets, Gupta shares that meeting on regular basis with hotel staff and operator company representatives like responsible hotel head, accounts head, sales and marketing head, HR head and all other related operator representatives once a month or quarterly makes you more comfortable. “We discuss the progress of the hotel, understand their plans and priorities and the issues faced, if any. These regular meetings enable the hotel owner to put forth any issue related to the growth of the hotel, benefits to the staff, return on investments thus ensuring the hotel gets best returns on investment. The hotel staff understands your regular visits and supervision and pays more attention to the job. It affects the growth of the hotel in a positive way.” On real estate front, Samraat Group is going on with four major projects of which two are near completion. “We are adding a new Asian speciality restaurant at Courtyard by Marriott and will be operational soon. Four more big residential-cum-commercial projects are in the pipeline over next three years. Westin Resorts and Spa, Nashik opposite Sula Vineyards and Fairfield by Marriott near Shirdi Temple will be open by 2025-2026. There are plans to come up with hotels in Aurangabad, Saputara and Ahmednagar by the end of 2027-2028. These will be launched by 2029-2030. Samraat Group is also getting ready to come up with its IPO by 2027 and we have already started working on it,” informs Gupta. Sharing his outlook for 2023, the Samraat Group CMD says that the year will definitely be a very good one for the hospitality industry as people have already started to go out for vacations and food. “The hunger for vacation for Indians has increased and I believe 2023 will see its peak in the hospitality industry. It is also learnt that many chains are signing more and more hotels throughout the country, expecting the number of hotels to rise drastically in the next three-four years,” he shares. n The Escape Lounge Club Stratos House of Gourmet - Private Dining Room

MEET THE GM 68 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY BWH BUREAU ‘UNDERSTANDING THE REQUIREMENTS OF GUESTS IS CRUCIAL’ VIPIN KHATTAR, GENERAL MANAGER, JW MARRIOTT NEW DELHI AEROCITY, ANTICIPATES HIGHEST ADR FOR THE HOTEL IN 2023 WITH MORE than two decades of extensive experience as a hospitality professional primarily in the UK, Middle East and Africa, Vipin Khattar has held various roles with the Hyatt brand in UAE and Egypt with Atlantis the Palm in Dubai. His last stint was as General Manager at Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights, Dubai where he launched and operated a successful and high revenue-generating F&B outlet, Eve Penthouse & Lounge for Hyatt hotels in Dubai. “I’d like to believe that my driven approach towards my work and my commitment to the business objectives together sent me on a rewarding career journey,” says Khattar who feels one of his most memorable assignments was the role of General Manager of Hyatt Regency, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. “My foundation in the fields of sales and marketing with hotels provided me with a unique point of view in my role as a hotel JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity

69 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com VIPIN KHATTAR our customer segments remain strong, contributing to the ongoing momentum of our business. We expect continued demand growth and anticipate the highest ADR for the hotel in 2023.” TRAVEL PRIORITIES AND BESPOKE EDXPERIENCES With travel priorities having changed radically for both leisure and business travellers, Khattar feels that travellers’ interests and behaviour drastically altered post-pandemic, be it out of necessity or free will. “It came as no surprise that the focus was on travelling as securely and healthily as possible. However, guests are considerably more conscious of the effects of their travel decisions on environment and society as a whole, building on a pattern that precedes the pandemic. Domestic travel grew and benefitted us and many. Understanding our guests’ requirements and desires is crucial for running a successful business. The same idea holds true for our hotel where its critical to grasp the variations between our business and leisure traveller categories in addition to our guest’s preferences. When I say critical, it is all about understanding your guests and their preferences like the back of your hand - which cheese do they prefer or which wine do they want to be paired with it or how do they like their coffee? Ask yourself these questions and you will have loyalists for a lifetime for your brand, only if you find the answers. Also, seek feedback from these well-travelled guests and it will always help you tailor their experience and make it seamless.” Be it a business or leisure traveller, Khattar believes delivering bespoke experience for each guest. “Our associates handle everything from concierge services to making restaurant reservations to confirming business appointments. We, as hoteliers, can more effectively promote these distinct segments by having a better understanding by giving guests what they want from their travel experience, we can improve its influence on them by taking the time to comprehend and investigate the variances of your business mix, such as business and leisure tourists,” he says. To reach out to newer audiences, Khattar and his team has developed weekly plans with sales and revenue to maximise leader, one such role being leading the sales and distribution strategies for the Dubai market being at the helm of discipline portfolio as Area Director of Sales and Marketing for Hyatt Hotels in Dubai,” he shares. In his current role as General Manager of JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity, Khattar is trying to passionately elevate and solidify the stellar performance of the hotel in the Aerocity sector and Delhi market. Talking about the year 2022 for JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity, he says, “It has been a year of outstanding results. In 2022, RevPAR compared to 2019 improved sequentially and we made the highest total revenue in the last quarter with the highest room revenue and restaurant and lounges revenue. These were contributed by the highest ARR and RevPAR for the hotel in a month in 2022.” Looking ahead at 2023, Khattar says, “We will uphold the Marriott hallmark of awe-inspiring service, unforgettable culinary offerings, curated experiences and unparalleled attention to detail and with all that is going on around G20, Delhi could be well set up for a good strong year in terms of travel and tourism at large. While we are carefully monitoring macroeconomic trends, bookings across The Bar

MEET THE GM 70 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com profitability and increase the conversion of unqualified business opportunities. “By obtaining proper market share and mix, my business objective is to ensure that the hotel is a sought-after luxury destination for our guests in the area,” he opines. In the next 12-24 months, the hotelier feels the business will be a good blend of occupancy and higher ADRs. “Considering that Covid is still lurking around, the challenge is that we are still unclear about what the future has in store. Having said this, I’m positive and looking at the pent-up demand and quite determined to continually provide a safe and hygienic environment for our guests and associates,” says Khattar. He is optimistic that business and corporate travel will soon pick up though it is short of where they ought to have been or where he would have liked to see them when compared to the 2019 figures. “By the second quarter of this year, global business travel will be back at levels similar to those before the pandemic. I can see occupancy on corporate and typical business destinations is approaching 2019 figures,” he opines. SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS The General Manager of JW Marriott New Delhi informs the hotel is completely plastic-free with its flagship water treatment and purification plant that is based on Artificial Intelligence technology, the first in the country. “Through this initiative, we had considerably reduced our reliance on plastic. The essence of this initiative was to replace all plastic water bottles with reusable glass ones, bottled with treated water that is optimally alkaline and mineralised,” he says, adding that in 2022, they launched the electric vehicle charge zone to lessen carbon footprint and protect environment. “All guest floors and corridors are equipped with high-capacity electrostatic precipitators which reduce PM 2.5 and 10 by 90 per cent, thus providing clean and healthy air. The in-house air quality can be checked in real time with live screens installed in lobby and across guest floors,” shares Khattar. Since Marriott has been conscious to incorporate sustainable ways of doing business and to further support it, JW Marriott New Delhi gifted the 2023 seed-based year BY SECOND QUARTER OF 2023, GLOBAL BUSINESS TRAVEL WILL BE BACK AT LEVELS SIMILAR TO THOSE BEFORE 2020 Presidential Suite The Lounge Deluxe Room

71 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com VIPIN KHATTAR calendar along with a pot and a jute bag to its loyal customers. “The idea was to encourage them to plant the paper as each month ends in the provided pot and therefore help environment,” he says. To instill a sense of trust and camaraderie among the staff and himself, Khattar follows the #TakeCare legacy that John Willard Marriott Sr and Alice Marriott left. “Also how it has shaped our core values and culture and instilled trust among all of us. We put people first by keeping our promise to associates to provide them with Opportunities, Community, and Purpose. As a part of the work culture, recognising the efforts of our associates who work hard to make the hotel what it is, is intrinsic to the core values of our brand,” he says. Khattar also talks about the ‘Associate Appreciation Week’, an annual week-long celebration for associates across all Marriott properties, worldwide, acknowledging their efforts and contribution. “It’s a week full of fun, interactive activities such as games, dance competitions and fashion shows and a fantastic way to encourage teamwork and enhance camaraderie and productivity. In morning meetings, I always tell my leadership team that the definition of success is different for everyone and for me, it is the happiness and satisfaction of the associates and the positive difference my leadership team and I are able to make for them. I strongly believe in acknowledging and promoting talent internally as a way to empower associates and allow them the opportunity to grow within the organisation,” he shares. SKILLED MANPOWER AND EDUCATION The hotel industry has always struggled to find and hold onto great talent and skilled manpower. The current scenario not only in India but across the globe has been a challenge for one and all. “There have been delays, disruptions and a total setback faced during the pandemic because of which there has been an erosion of talent. Education plays a vital role and in order to find a solution to the talent crunch, we have Marriott Voyage Programme which is an 18-month, award-winning global leadership development programme offering resources and support for future leaders of the company across Marriott’s hotel brands. A big focus area for me is also on-the-job education. I stress the importance of departmental cross-training as it makes our associates well-prepared to resolve multiple issues that our guests may face at the hotel which can cause a hindrance otherwise. Also, I believe that EQ+PQ+CQ is greater than IQ, meaning that emotional, passion, and curiosity quotient will always take you farther than only intelligence and this is what we look for when hiring skilled associates to be a part of the family,” he explains. INDIA’S G20 PRESIDENCY AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY “G20 is going to be incredible for Delhi NCR to not only have the leadership from some of the most important countries but an incredible way to showcase the Capital to the world. There will be over 200 meetings and from what we understand, there are planned ones and impromptu ones. Depending on the leadership India has and displays, there could be other meetings lined up. Typically, when business delegations travel, there may be other corporations with them who come down and that can happen parallelly. We will leave no stone unturned to showcase India’s cultural essence blended with Marriott service standards,” he says. n Main Dining Hall Deluxe Room Terrace Room

MEET THE GM 72 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY BULBUL DHAWAN ‘I TRUST MY TEAM TO TAKE EXCELLENT DECISIONS’ MANAS BANERJEE, GENERAL MANAGER, RADISSON BLU INDORE, BELIEVES THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR IS GOING TO BRING A BOOM FOR THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY A TRUE leader comes in many forms, each with their own mantra for success. For Manas Banerjee, General Manager, Radisson Blu Indore, being a leader means leading the team to a performancedriven culture while genuinely caring about employee well-being. “My team knows what’s best for the organisation and selfdevelopment. I trust them to take excellent decisions and meet their own needs and give guidance if it is asked for and lead by action to achieve organisational goals while balancing them with individual career goals,” he elaborates. Located in the Vijay Nagar neighbourhood, Radisson Blu Indore is less than 20 km from Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport) and in close proximity to several business parks. The hotel’s primary target market, therefore, is the metro cities. “The city is well-connected by road which is great for industrial hubs and SME businesses,” adds the GM. He further shares that the local and domestic business has evolved over time and shown humongous growth, both in corporate travel and wedding segments. KNOWING RADISSON BLU INDORE With time, the offerings at the hotel have evolved in line with the requirements and the trends. “Health and safety have always played Radisson Blu Indore

MANAS BANERJEE 73 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com an internal role in the hospitality industry but Covid19 has fundamentally changed the way we live and, in turn, has highlighted how important hygiene and safety are. Offering hand sanitisers at all guest areas has become the norm and is expected by guests. On technological front, we replaced the restaurant menu with a scanner QR code. To provide a safer and more hygienic environment, the hotel has removed non-essential items from rooms to limit touch points and focussed on local offerings,” shares Banerjee. The hotelier who comes with an experience of 23 years with nine in general management role across brands of Hyatt, IHG and currently Radisson. He has also been a part of rebranding exercise of the first lifestyle hotel of Hyatt – Hyatt Centric Bangalore. His core strength is innovative F&B operations, pre-opening and revenue management in difficult markets to deliver results as expected by the brand and the owners. Al Fresco Meeting Room Swimming Pool Premium Room India Oye

MEET THE GM 74 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com USP Radisson Blu Indore’s focus has been on small details that make a big difference to inspire unforgettable experiences. “We provide unparalleled service, comfort and style while creating meaningful and local handcrafted experiences, designed specifically for business and leisure. Our ‘Yes I Can!’ service philosophy lies at the heart of our interactions with guests, setting us apart from the competition,” he says. The property conducts lifestyle engagement programmes with guests for associate wellbeing as a consequence of the learnings from the pandemic. “The industry has learned some valuable lessons during the pandemic on how to navigate these challenging times such as multiskilling, minimalistic luxury and handcrafted local experiences along with healthy food offerings,” he explains. UNDERSTANDING INDORE MARKET The MP city is a place where culture, industry and nature converge. “There are industrial areas, religious sites and historical places in and nearby Indore that are worth a visit. The recent industrial development WE DID SELECTIVELY UPSCALE BUSINESS WITH VALUE FOR MONEY, ACCOMPANYING BESPOKE LUXURY has shown a boom in SEZs around Pithampur and Dewas. The IT industry has slowly started moving to Indore and a few of the large MNCs have setup their offices here,” explains the GM, adding the hospitality industry as seen a significant increase in domestic business travel post-pandemic. “The holiday season has increased the demand for leisure travel. In comparison to metropolitan areas, an upward trend has been observed in customised wedding and conference packages. We did selectively upscale business with value for money, accompanying bespoke luxury. Banquets have seen an increase in the wedding segment,” he avers. HOPES FOR 2023 Heading an upscale hotel in the city centre in Indore, Banerjee is looking forward to a successful year for the hospitality industry. “I believe it is the year when the hospitality industry will witness a boom. India’s G20 Presidency will add to its high performance. It is estimated that in 2023 more than 200 meetings involving officials from the countries will be organised in India across 50 cities which is great. With economy reviving from Covid19, it is expected to be better than 2022,” he says. n Presidential Suite The Creative Kitchen Summit, Theatre Set-up

76 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com MEET THE HOTELIER ‘IHCL DEFINES THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF TOURISM IN GOA’ STRENGTHENING OF GOA TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE HAS PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN ACCELERATING THE DESTINATION’S COMEBACK, SAYS VINCENT RAMOS, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT – GOA, IHCL Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa, Goa

VINCENT RAMOS 77 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY BWH BUREAU GOA HAS been recognised as India’s iconic travel destination on the world tourism map due to its constant evolution with the changing customer demands and expectations. While inbound traffic from international markets and domestic tourism initially led by the neighbouring states were the primary contributors, gradual extension to other parts of the country strengthened the tourism industry in Goa. This proved key for its survival amidst the unprecedented times of the pandemic. With enhanced service standards and improved infrastructure, the state has delivered uncompromised service to a wide segment of tourists in the travel sphere. In recent years, the food and beverage industry has witnessed a significant growth with the introduction of experiential dinning concepts. Moreover, adopting an all-inclusive approach has amplified the reach towards discovering untapped potential markets and new business opportunities for tourism in Goa. And who better to understand the hospitality industry than a son of the soil to helm the IHCL operations in the state as Senior Vice President to provide strategic direction to its hotels within the region. A perfectionist with over a decade of management experience, Vincent Ramos has been instrumental in the expansion of IHCL across the Vivanta Goa, Miramar Ginger Goa, Madgaon Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, Goa

78 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com MEET THE HOTELIER state, comprising Taj, SeleQtions, Vivanta , Ginger, amã Stays & Trails, Qmin, and TajSats. Some of the iconic properties in the IHCL, Goa portfolio include Taj Resort & Convention Centre, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa and Cidade de Goa. With a footprint of 23 unique destinations and over 1,500 rooms across a wide spectrum of brands, IHCL continues to define the changing landscape of tourism in Goa as the largest hospitality operator and leaders in the tourism sector. TOURISM INSIGHTS FOR 2023 “The industry performed remarkably well in 2022, business performance exceeded pre-pandemic times. The year 2023 is looking brighter as the destination is transitioning from a top leisure destination to the most preferred destination for MICE as well. Strengthening of Goa tourism infrastructure has played a pivotal role in accelerating the destination’s comeback. With the addition of the second airport, enhanced connectivity to more cities Pan-India and direct international travel will amplify demand in the market exponentially. Additionally, with the events expected to take place in Goa as part of the G20 Summit, the state will witness a boost in THE DESTINATION IS TRANSITIONING FROM A TOP LEISURE DESTINATION TO THE MOST PREFERRED DESTINATION FOR MICE Taj Resort & Convention Centre, Goa Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa Qmin - Lifestyle Gourmet Store at Vivanta Goa, Panaji

VINCENT RAMOS 79 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com tourism and further strengthening of the sector with international exposure,” says Ramos. SYNONYMOUS WITH GOA With the introduction of Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa in 1974, IHCL pioneered in establishing Goa as one of the most popular tourist destinations and welcoming the world to India’s Sunshine State. “Ever since, we have constantly strived for the local communities to share in the benefits of our presence with maximised local employment and creating new avenues for potential business opportunities. Hence, contributing towards the state’s tourism growth story. Today, IHCL is leading Goa’s tourism sector as the largest hospitality operator with highest profitability on record,” he informs. BUSINESS WITH PURPOSE With Goa being predominantly dependent on tourism as the backbone of its economy, it is imperative to realign for a mutually beneficial association between all stakeholders and the state. “At IHCL, we have adopted a collaborative approach towards helping improve the quality of life and giving back to the community. Under Paathya, IHCL’s framework of sustainability and social impact measures, various key projects have been implemented at our hotels enabling livelihoods for economically weaker and less privileged target groups through skilling and leveraging our business value chain to support traditional art, heritage and social purpose organisations,” informs Ramos, adding that they have also collaborated with various social welfare groups and philanthropic bodies across the state to strengthen their reach in the community. FUTURE PLANS In line with Ahvaan 2025, IHCL in Goa will accelerate profitable growth by scaling its diversified brand portfolio across its traditional and new businesses in the coming years, shares Ramos. “amã Stays & Trails and Ginger will witness new additions to its portfolio in Goa. We are also working towards expanding other brands in the region, some of which have already been signed. IHCL, Goa will continue to re-engineer its margins, re-imagine its brandscape and re-structure its portfolio. Continuing with the brand’s growth momentum, Goa will witness transformative advancement and maximised stakeholder value,” he concludes. n Cidade de Goa - IHCL SeleQtions

MEET THE HOTELIER 80 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY BWH BUREAU ‘F&B IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR BUSINESS’ IHG HOTELS & RESORTS PLANS TO EXPAND ITS PORTFOLIO IN SWA REGION AND BRING NEW BRANDS TO KEY MARKETS, SAYS VISHVAPREET SINGH CHEEMA, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR SWA support their well-being throughout their stay. F&B is an integral part of hospitality and will remain important for our business. We will continue to diversify and enhance our F&B offerings across our hotels this year. Wedding segment will continue to contribute in a large way in 2023 too. We look forward to further expand our portfolio in the SWA region and bring new brands to the key markets,” shares Cheema. Sharing his view on how he witnesses the growth of tourism and hospitality industry in Southwest Asia over the years and how has IHG contributed in this region with its strong brand portfolio, the experienced hotelier says, “Over the past decade, hospitality industry in India has witnessed tremendous growth. There has been a major shift in consumer behaviour and an increase in appetite for travel, adoption of newer technologies and emergence of new travel trends. About a decade ago, the DOMESTIC TOURISM has been at the forefront of the tourism sector in India and facilitated business recovery across leisure and corporate segments in the last couple of years. In 2023, it will continue to remain an important segment as well for IHG Hotels & Resorts. “We have solid presence in the mainstream category with Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels which specifically cater to this demand. The positive business momentum from last year is expected to continue in 2023,” says Vishvapreet Singh Cheema, Director of Operations for SWA, IHG Hotels & Resorts. He adds the availability of reliable hospitality options which can offer travellers the assurance of a clean and safe environment will continue to be important and relevant. “Our IHG Way of Clean programme that deploys new and scientific protocols is suited in providing this assurance to our guests and

VISHVAPREET SINGH CHEEMA 81 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com hospitality market was dominant only in the major cities. Availability and quality of hotels in smaller cities were limited.” However, feels Cheema, secondary markets in India have seen economic developments stemming from the heightened business confidence of domestic and foreign investors. This means that there are increasing number of business and leisure travellers. With infrastructure development and better connectivity, these markets will provide further business opportunities. “Our mainstream brands, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express, are a perfect fit to meet this demand. With an attractive brand proposition in line with market demand and a relatively low cost of development, these make for an attractive investment choice for our owners. We have expanded presence across Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Nashik, Kolkata and Ahmedabad and in key tourism destinations like Agra, Jaipur and Goa. We have signed hotels in Pushkar, Katra and Buddhist circuit of India too,” he says. Furthermore, IHG has strong offerings in premium and luxury segments. In India, in the luxury space, there are Six Senses Fort Barwara and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in Chennai and Mumbai. “For premium accommodation, Crowne Plaza and the newly launched brand, voco, perfectly fits in this segment. Lastly, Staybridge Suites, which we signed and debuted in Bengaluru Thanisandra in 2021, will cater to the long-stay travellers,” shares Cheema who joined the hospitality sector when it was just starting to flourish in the early 90s in the Indian OVER THE PAST DECADE, HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IN INDIA HAS WITNESSED TREMENDOUS GROWTH Rani Bagh, Six Senses Fort Barwara

MEET THE HOTELIER 82 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com subcontinent, after he had completed his schooling. “Being hospitable, disciplined and adaptable were the core values I inherited during my younger days due to my Armed Forces background. Moreover, I was fascinated by two big hotels close to my school so I decided to pursue a career in hospitality. I started as an OCLD management trainee which laid the foundation for a progressive career in hospitality. Over the years, I have worked in several operational leadership positions in large hospitality chains leading up to a role in IHG in 2018 when I joined it as Area General Manager and led operations for the North Region. In 2020, I was elevated to my current position as Director of Operations for SWA,” says Cheema. On which brands drive IHG’s growth in India as the country accounts for a majority of South Asia’s travel and tourism GDP and is also the preferred destination for tourists from within the region, the hotelier shares, “We have been on a growth curve in India for the past several years. With well-loved brands and a robust business model, our strategy has been to respond to market needs and focus on mainstream brands as key growth drivers. Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands have done exceptionally well in India in this segment. These brands represent 75 per cent of our operating portfolio and majority of current pipeline.” In 2022, IHG Hotels & Resorts continued to strengthen its portfolio in the region with multiple new signings and recently debuted with voco in Jim Corbett and Gurugram. Both hotels are expected to open in 2024. At present, IHG Hotels & Resorts has 45 hotels in SouthWest Asia across five core brands, of which 41 hotels are in India. In the next two-three years, there are plans to add another 52 in yhe region, of which 42 hotels will be in India. “While our mainstream brands will continue to drive growth in line with market demands, we also see potential of debuting our global brands such as Regent, Kimpton and the recently launched Vignette Collection, at the right time with the right partners and at the right location,” reveals Cheema. Talking about the evolution of F&B trends and how does he plans to capitalise them, the hotelier says, “F&B is an integral part of our business. In India, there is an increasing trend of guests trying native cuisines from various cultures, fusion of local with international cuisines, organic and healthy options among others. Travellers now expect global brands to be relevant to their local tastes, customs and cultures. Our restaurants are wellequipped to cater to all palates incorporating international and local cuisines on the menus. In addition to varied culinary experiences, we are offering great value to our customers by incorporating F&B into our loyalty programme. Our IHG One Rewards members can have access to exciting offers when they dine with us or order takeaway, in addition to an opportunity of earning reward points.” n OUR RESTAURANTS ARE WELL-EQUIPPED TO CATER TO ALL PALATES INCORPORATING INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL CUISINES ON THE MENUS Holiday Inn Goa Candolim Holiday Inn Chandigarh Zirakpur

ARUN KUMAR 83 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY BWH BUREAU NEXT DECADE BELONGS TO INDIA ARUN KUMAR, MARKET VICE PRESIDENT - NORTH INDIA, NEPAL AND BHUTAN, MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, SAYS THE YEAR 2023 IS WELL PLACED TO BE A GREAT ONE FOR THE HOTELS IN THE COUNTRY INDIA TAKING over G20 Presidency could not have come at a more opportune time after the slowdown experienced owing to the nationwide lockdowns during the pandemic. Having the delegates visit India for G20 is a blessing and a great moment to catapult the growing faith of the global audience in the Indian hospitality sector. “The international markets opening up and the G20 Presidency has given Indian a stronger foothold and increased visibility to the rest of the world. The key players from the region have got a magnificent opportunity to showcase the superior service experience and the warmth of the authentic Indian hospitality which really sets us apart,” says Arun Kumar, Market Vice President - North India, Nepal and Bhutan, Marriott International. He adds the Government of India has done a good job in expanding the over 190 meetings across India and is very keen to showcase the rich diversity of the country rather than concentrating on a few big cities. “We have been fortunate to get many of the meetings in our hotels across India. This is a game-changer of sorts if you want to see it that way, the capability to handle large conventions is also very important to show the world to attract more MICE tourism. The next decade is going to be the decade of India. I am sure the Indian hospitality sector will rise to the occasion as an integral part of one big ‘Incredible India’,” Kumar feels. PRESENT-DAY HOSPITALITY MARKET As one of the primary sectors to be affected by the pandemic, the bounce back rate of the hospitality industry, especially in the South Asian market has been remarkable. “The speedy recovery has reflected across the Marriott properties in terms of their performance. Looking at the pre-bookings for 2023, there is a double digit rise over the pre-pandemic levels of 2019 in the South Asia market. The resort locations led the revival in India largely due to the strong domestic market which surprised everyone. Though there is bound The Westin Sohna Resort and Spa

MEET THE HOTELIER 84 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com to be a shift as the inbound business increases and the visa issuance timelines are reduced,” he says. The city hotels have witnessed an influx of international travel since October which has grown over the 50 per cent mark in some markets. “We are optimistic about the growth we foresee for the first quarter of CY2023,” he avers. EXPANDING CUSTOMER BASE North India continues to be an aggressively growing market, especially with the increase in travel to and from Tier II and III cities. “In some destinations, we would have liked to have a larger inventory of rooms as the growth is two-fold in these markets. There are more people travelling to them and there is a lot more interest to build hotels in these destinations. The infrastructure development is fast paced and road connectivity to many of these destinations is excellent. The current Government drive to showcase the Northeast region is a healthy trend to fuel growth in these markets. Across the region, markets have witnessed a jump in biz-cation or bleisure travel which, thus far, has been the most prominent pattern change the hospitality industry across geographies saw in 2022, in part also fuelled by the rise in hybrid working model in the last two years,” says Kumar. However, he feels this may change as we move into 2023, with travel rebounding and airlines and hotels getting busier. “The North Indian market is continuing to grow, the growth is fuelled by both business and leisure destinations. 2023 is very well placed to be a great year for hotels in India,” he feels. PECULIARITIES OF BHUTAN AND NEPAL MARKETS As short-haul destinations, both Bhutan and Nepal have always had a growing appeal for Indian travellers with the trend of short stays only projected to accelerate, opines Kumar, adding the natural landscape of the Himalayan ranges contributes significantly to the attraction of both destinations, both of which are suitable for MICE and destination weddings, two of the most important drivers of travel in the Indian subcontinent. “Offbeat locations are coming up significantly especially with the upcoming wedding season for Indians. For travellers who are Le Meridien Paro Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort Le Meridien Thimphu The Westin Gurgaon New Delhi

ARUN KUMAR 85 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com looking for a fresh set of destinations to discover amidst the rising fatigue around other short journey destinations in the region, Bhutan and Nepal markets fit the bill just right. The upcoming summer stretch would help us better evaluate how both destinations have grown in terms of preference among the travellers from the region. Nepal is looking at a very strong 2023 after a fairly long hiatus, and we see a steady growth trajectory in the months to come. Bhutan, on the other hand, is slowly ramping up as tourists start to arrive for leisure to this beautiful country, we are also looking forward to demand from the weddings and the groups’ segments,” he says. BRANDS DRIVING GROWTH FOR MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL Travel demand across all segments has led to Marriott properties across the portfolio witnessing a jump in occupancy. “Each of our brands performed exceptionally well with travel picking up significantly and resuming normal pace. The same has given us the confidence to explore new locations, especially in the North Indian market, focussing on the growing Tier II markets. We recently launched The Westin Resort & Spa, Himalayas near Rishikesh. This will be followed by The Le Meriden Amritsar and the Fairfield by Marriott Agra and Fairfield by Marriott Jaipur to name a few. The Select service brands have a huge potential to grow across markets, however we have seen a renewed interest to build luxury hotels in both resort and business locations and will lead the way for our growth in the region,” shares Kumar. KEY LEARNINGS He shares that the international hospitality business is very dynamic and his learnings while working in business hotels, convention hotels, airport hotels, large resorts and luxury hotels have been pursuing excellence in customer service, finding efficiencies to make business more profitable, learning new trends, empowering associates to grow and constantly update his skills. “More importantly, the associate work-life balance is a big focus across countries. When I look at this in the Indian context, we have a large human resource availability with high education levels and costs are still manageable. The young and upcoming associates have great ambitions and drive to achieve them. This is a much easier space to be in, but the efficiency gain, and the need to balance work and life is more and more relevant in today’s day and age and will continue to gain momentum. This is probably the biggest learning that I can bring back to help our hotels be more efficient and balance work and life. The concept of ‘less is more and working with less is even more’ will lead the way in the coming years,” he feels. n Jaipur Marriott Hotel Renaissance Lucknow JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity

BEYOND BORDERS 86 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com

KANDIMA MALDIVES 87 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY SAURABH TANKHA MALDIVES, THE archipelagic state in South Asia that lies southwest of India and Sri Lanka, has forever been on the ‘must-visit’ list of most global travellers, especially Indians. Little wonder then that the Asian nation is leading as the top market for tourism in the Maldives, accounting for over 14 per cent, with Russia (12.3 per cent) placed second and the United Kingdom (10.9 per cent) taking the third position in terms of arrivals as on November 9, 2022. Other top markets include Germany, Italy, USA, France, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland. In 2022, Maldives experienced a boom in terms of tourist arrival and as of October 27, 2022, the total number of tourists visiting the Maldives had surpassed that of the entire year 2021. “According to the Maldives Tourism Board, the country has ‘PERFECT DESTINATION FOR MICE EVENTS’ ALTHAF MOHAMED ALI, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, PULSE HOTELS & RESORTS, SAYS KANDIMA MALDIVES IS THE PLACE TO BE FOR BUSINESS MEETINGS SINCE THE FOCUS IS ON RELATIONSHIP BUILDING RATHER THAN WORK

BEYOND BORDERS 88 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com welcomed a total of 13,88,044 tourists so far in the Golden Jubilee Year of Tourism compared to the 1055,924 arrivals recorded last year for the same period. A huge increase of 31.5 per cent in terms of overall tourist arrivals,” shares Althaf Mohamed Ali, Chief Operating Officer, Pulse Hotels & Resorts, the hospitality group that owns Kandima Maldives Island Resort. Ali, an alumni of Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development, began his career with The Oberoi Hotels Group, spending the first 10 years of his hospitality career with them. Since then, during his 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Ali had led a wide spectrum of strategic management responsibilities including group operational roles, which are his core areas of expertise. “Whether you seek relaxation, aquatic and island adventures, wellbeing, fitness or family time, the Island Resort with a 264-room inventory, varying from studios to villas and suites equipped with cutting-edge technology, has something for everyone. With one of the longest outdoor pools in the Maldives, football pitch, tennis and volleyball courts, aquaholics water sports and dive centre, and its own art studio and many more facilities, there is plenty to keep everyone occupied,” he says, adding that Kandima Maldives is positioned as an affordable game-changing lifestyle desti(nation) for everyone. MAKING A DIFFERENCE On how has he set the property differently in comparison to other competing brands and what makes the property standout, Pulse Hotels & Resorts’ CEO says that since the hospitality industry in the Maldives is based on the “One Island, One Resort” concept, guests may feel confined and find limited options in terms of dining and activities, “but our island resort is 3.2 km long which means there is plenty of space to play. With a multitude of experiences in addition to 10 dining options inclusive of three superb à la carte restaurants, guests are spoilt for choice while at the same time feeling a sense of seclusion. Having one of the biggest Kids Club in the Maldives, a football pitch, tennis and volleyball courts, a dive and water sports centre, an award-winning spa, state-of-the-art fitness facilities, extensive medical clinic inclusive of a decompression chamber, our own art studio, daily live night entertainment and many more facilities, there is plenty to keep everyone occupied,” he informs. On the anvil is an anything-but-ordinary teenager club, featuring the only state-of-the art bowling centre and VR experience studio, an adventure park with adrenaline-pumping go-kart-rides, zip-line, mini golf to many more exciting experiences. Even though the property gets a fair share of domestic guests, Kandima’s main market has primarily been international travellers. “Maldives, being one of the few destinations which were open for travel during the pandemic, has experienced a boom in international travel. However, due to global economic uncertainty, we have to be more mindful on our steps forward to design the best strategy for each market. We know from our partners in the Indian market that companies are planning their budgets more tightly and are looking for great offers. They are focussing on value for money through discounts or planning their trip in advance in the hope of getting a better deal. With this in mind, Kandima offers great Glass Kayak Cinema Under The Stars

KANDIMA MALDIVES 89 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com KANDIMA IS POSITIONED AS AN AFFORDABLE GAMECHANGING LIFESTYLE DESTI(NATION) FOR EVERYONE sheer endless activities and entertainment on offer at Kandima Maldives,” he says. After years of home office and endless Zoom calls, the focus will be on leisure component and bringing people together, opines Ali, adding, “We see companies looking for more opportunities to build strong teams by combining business travel with recreational time. Kandima is the perfect place for MICE events and since the focus is on relationship building rather than work, companies can book themed MICE stays such as ‘Adventure’ with aquatic activities and experiences, ‘Back To Nature’ with island life and traditional Maldivian experiences, ‘Healthy Eating’ with communal cooking group workshops and ‘Fitness’ related MICE escapes in 2023,” shares the CEO. Talking about the split of guest arrivals by nationality for bookings, Ali says that the top nationalities are the UK, Russia, Germany, South Africa and the Middle East, followed by India as well as CIS and European countries. “The length of stay depends on where the guests are coming from and would range between four-five nights from India and the Middle East and 7-12 nights and longer from the UK, Germany and the rest of Europe,” he says. n affordable accommodation options with its Beach & Sky Studios and its generous Dine Around All Inclusive option,” says Ali. India, he shares, is one of their Top 10 source markets with approximately 7.5 per cent of the total annual room night production. “We promote Kandima Maldives through joint marketing activities with contracted tour operator partners,” he adds. TRAVEL TRENDS As the travel trend is actively moving towards more of lastminute bookings, Ali says that they try their best to accommodate those through a lot of flexibility with promotions as well as terms and conditions. “We are observing a shift away from traditional honeymoon bookings into more vacations with the whole family as well as groups of friends travelling together. For families, we are offering a special promotion for up to two kids under 12 years that can stay for free when sharing the room with parents (except transfers and green tax); for groups of friends that travel together, we offer our studios as lead-in room categories in combination with the Parasailing Forbidden Bar Aqua Villa

BEYOND BORDERS 90 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com ASHWANI NAYAR, GENERAL MANAGER, INTERCONTINENTAL DHAKA, SAYS INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLERS TO THE CITY HAVE FOR LONG BEEN DOMINATED BY CORPORATE AND PROJECT-BASED VISITORS ‘WE’VE WITNESSED A RESILIENT & ROBUST POST-PANDEMIC GROWTH’ BY BWH BUREAU THE ECONOMY in the neighbouring nation of Bangladesh is growing at a robust pace – around 7.25 per cent annual GDP growth. There are various factors fuelling this growth – the country’s young workforce, consistent growth in middle income group and Government-backed projects in massive infrastructural development, technology innovations, IT along with focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that will continue to create higher business demand and positive impact and percolate to the hospitality industry, opines Ashwani Nayar, General Manager, InterContinental Dhaka. “Not only have international travellers have come back in stronger numbers than the pre-pandemic era, the domestic market has been consistently growing and thus adding to the demand of hotel rooms, restaurants and catering venues. These factors have The Atrium, InterContinental Dhaka

91 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com INTERCONTINENTAL DHAKA translated directly into unprecedented growth in the tourism and hospitality industry. As per a recently published BCG (Boston Consulting Group) report, the Bangladesh economy is on track towards $1 trillion by 2040,” adds Nayar who helms the beautifully designed hotel with a millennium modern outlook and a touch of local culture. Located in downtown business district, InterContinental Dhaka features 226 luxury rooms and suites, a selection of restaurants offering exquisite cuisines along with meeting spaces equipped with modern facilities and an outdoor temperature-controlled swimming pool and a health club. The InterContinental Dhaka has been a part of the basic DNA of the capital city of Bangladesh, having first opened in 1966 as InterContinental Dacca. It has, in fact, witnessed the birth of the nation and was designated as the neutral peace zone during the War of Liberation. Since the 1970s, it has remained as the hub of major economic conferences and events, hosted numerous heads of state and significant dignitaries, evolved with progressing fashion, entertainment, food and cultural scenario. “It is often said the hotel has been the birthplace of the pop music culture with the first ever international and indigenous bands having performed at this hotel. Whilst Dhaka is fast progressing as a modern-day metropolis, the hotel has undergone a complete renovation and reopened in 2018 as InterContinental Dhaka,” shares a proud IHM Pusa New Delhi alumnus Nayar who started as an innkeeper over three decades ago. “Our vision is to position InterContinental Dhaka as the iconic luxury brand hotel having a distinct service style offering THE INTERCONTINENTAL DHAKA HAS BEEN A PART OF THE BASIC DNA OF THE CAPITAL CITY OF BANGLADESH bespoke experiences for domestic and international travellers served by a team of passionate colleagues creating market leading returns for all stakeholders,” says Nayar, adding, “With the InterContinental brand, we work towards bringing the highest levels of international hospitality standards into what we offer as the only luxury brand operating in the country currently. We are constantly looking at creating local partnerships and fine-tuning these to the best international standards so that these experiences in services and product that are based on the inherent strengths of the country, can be weighed against whatever may be available in The InterContinental Dhaka

BEYOND BORDERS 92 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com THE HOTEL IS KNOWN FOR INNOVATIVE F&B VARIETY CATERING TO A GLOBAL PALATE any top selling market anywhere in the world.” On what drives the business at InterContinental Dhaka, the GM shares, “The hotel’s unique location in the heart of the city, closest to the government ministries and secretariats, the highest courts, the oldest financial district, high net-worth residential areas and undoubtedly nestled among the greenest and the most pristine areas of Dhaka makes it the first choice of international and domestic guests. The hotel rooms are largest in the city, the variety of restaurants, the recreation services, the opulent indoor and outdoor spaces are uniquely built to offer bespoke services to large delegations and individual guests simultaneously. Our chefs offer fine dining degustation menus and cater to large state banquets and weddings with similar finesse. The hotel is known for innovative F&B variety catering to a global palate and showcasing the best in authentic Bangladeshi cuisine. We enjoy creating and being a part of unique experiences as market leaders in creating new business opportunities. While hospitality, travel and tourism across the globe has seen a loss of inbound international travellers, Nayar tells us that the inbound international travellers to Dhaka have for long been dominated by corporate travellers, project-based travellers, business events and delegations. “We have witnessed a resilient and robust post-pandemic growth in these segment. During and post-pandemic, we have seen a consistent growth in domestic tourism and to meet the expectations of these travellers, InterContinental Dhaka offers over eight different accommodation packages that have been specifically tailored around the needs of corporate travellers, family staycations, couples, leisure visitors, art and cultural travellers. A major contribution to overall business is F&B. Our steak house, The Amber Room, with its unique dry ageing technology is one of the most exclusive fine dining restaurants in Dhaka. We hold the largest market share of F&B business in Dhaka among all hotels with five restaurant and bars plus four airport lounge outlets.” India has been a very close partner to Bangladesh and given the accessibility proximity, the hotel has a very large share of the Deluxe Twin Room (with indoor light) Deluxe Suite Aqua Deck

93 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com INTERCONTINENTAL DHAKA to reduce single use plastic in guest bathrooms by moving to IHG’s recommended luxury bulk bath and toiletries. Furthering this initiative, we are replacing in-room amenities to sustainability crafted amenities for our brand. We are working closely with IHG recommended vendors for replacing single use plastic water bottles to glass bottles serving zero-mile artisanal water,” informs Nayar. In the end, the General Manager shares the property is into local sourcing and development of local vendors, farm-to-fork and organic seasonal procurement, waste management and reduction, sustainable cleaning, energy conservation, monitoring and reduction with new technology adoptions. n Indian travellers’ market. “We recognise the strong business opportunity from Indian outbound and corporate travellers and thus tailor services and customise menus for them. Our colleagues are sensitised to the distinct needs of discerning Indian travellers, many speak some of the Indian languages and are always willing to assist them in case of any requirements or even anticipate needs and serve accordingly,” he informs. Sharing his thoughts on the changing consumer preferences, Nayar says, “Having witnessed several paradigm shifts and various consistent evolutions in travel patterns and priorities, it is imperative that as hospitality professionals we listen to what our customers want and deliver services in conformity to the diverse consumer preferences. However, a few fundamental aspects of hospitality and inn-keeping I believe will be around for the longest time. The first is as an innkeeper we provide comfort and security to travellers whilst remaining inclusive and empathetic to their diverse demographic needs. Second as global hospitality professionals, we go ‘glocal’ providing services that offer the highest global standards to an international and domestic traveller combining inherent strengths and creativity of Bangladesh. Third and currently very significant is the ‘Clean Promise’, truly exemplified in IHG’s Culture of Clean.” Sustainability is at the heart of every new service and innovation at InterContinental Dhaka. “We work closely with our parent company, Bangladesh Services Ltd, to create robust SDGs which is also part of our commitment to the Bangladesh government and at the same time leveraging on the sustainability initiatives and best practices as an IHG hotel. We are the first hotel in the country Lobby Lounge Ruby Meeting Room

94 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY MANDEEP S LAMBA INDIA’S GLOBAL STATURE AS TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY POWERHOUSE INDIA, WHICH has already overtaken Great Britain to become the world’s fifth-largest economy, is expected to surpass both Germany and Japan in terms of GDP growth to become the world’s thirdlargest economy by 2030. It is currently one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with strong growth numbers over the past few years despite the pandemic lull. This is due to the country’s resilience to global headwinds and its prominent role in world order, including global organisations such as the G20 (of which India currently holds presidency), the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation, and IMF etc. India is, therefore, expected to play an important role in shaping the global economy going forward. This is particularly good news for the country’s tourism industry as both inbound and outbound travel is expected to increase significantly in the coming years. Likewise, the hospitality sector is also expected to register record growth and to be a part of this growth story, all major international hotel chains have started increasing their presence in the country. Meanwhile, Indian hotel chains and brands such as Taj, ITC, Oberoi, and the Leela are winning accolades globally, which is helping boost the visibility of the Indian hospitality industry. Very soon, the level of service offered by the Indian chains will redefine “hospitality” and establish new standards around the world. The Indian hotel sector has witnessed renewed growth since last year. Although 2022 started on a weak note due to the re-emergence of Omicron, the resulting travel restrictions and state guidelines were short-lived due to the effective handling of the situation by the THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR IS EXPECTED TO REGISTER RECORD GROWTH

MANDEEP S LAMBA 95 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com government. Subsequently, the travel and hospitality industry made a quick rebound owing to the pent-up domestic demand, with hotel occupancy across India crossing 60 per cent by March 2022. Domestic travel accounted for the bulk of the bookings last year and remained the industry’s primary growth engine. 2022 closed with a nationwide occupancy in the range of 59-61 per cent, which is 15-17 percentage points (pp) higher than the same period in 2021 and just 5-7 pp lower than in 2019. Although the resumption of international air travel in March 2022 was expected to significantly increase inbound and outbound travel, Covid-related inconsistencies across different countries kept the influx levels low. However, the domestic market kept the demand relatively high and allowed for consistent increases in average room rates. Hotels, particularly in the leisure segment, in many cases, outperformed their pre-pandemic average rates. Both corporate travel and large-ticket conferences and events witnessed a resurgence and helped reshape the fortunes of commercial markets and popular MICE destinations. Even the ‘Big Fat Indian Wedding’ trend made a comeback after two years, as a result of which many destinationbased resorts and hotels remained fully booked throughout the wedding season. All these factors helped the industry players in increasing average rates, which further helped in offsetting high borrowing costs and operational costs. Average rates in 2022 remained in the range of INR 6,000- 6,300, 37-40 per cent higher than the same period in 2021, and 1-3 per cent higher than prepandemic levels. The strong recovery in occupancy and average rates helped India-wide RevPAR to reach INR 3,500-3,700, reflecting growth of 90 per cent compared to 2021. The outlook for the Indian hospitality industry in 2023 is positive as domestic demand will remain strong, while international travel will also pick up, despite growing concerns about the US and Europe entering a recession, rising global geopolitical issues, and an increase in Covid cases in some countries. In addition, the G20 Presidency of India and the fact that India is hosting a number of global events, including the ICC Men’s World Cup, will increase demand for hotels in the cities where these events will take place. The industry is expected to achieve an occupancy rate of 66-68 per cent in 2023, with average rates of INR 6,800-7,000. n AUTHOR BIO: Mandeep S Lamba is President (South Asia), HVS ANAROCK THE G20 PRESIDENCY OF INDIA AND THE FACT THAT IT IS HOSTING A NUMBER OF GLOBAL EVENTS WILL INCREASE THE DEMAND FOR HOTELS Photo: MAXXYUSTAS

96 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com ARCHITECT & DESIGN CHRONICLING AVANT GARDE DESIGN MOTIFS ARCHITECT AND DESIGNER ABHIGYAN NEOGI HAS TRANSCENDED CONVENTIONAL BARRIERS AND PROVEN HIS INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE GENIUS WITH OVER 400 PROJECTS GLOBALLY

ABHIGYAN NEOGI 97 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com BY SAURABH TANKHA HE IS a firm believer in the design philosophy that architecture, at its visionary best, exhilarates and inspires and it is not the creation of non-living products made of merely brick and concrete. And rather, it is the art of creating for human beings so that they live in harmony with Mother Nature. For years, architect Abhigyan Neogi has been creating new trends in hospitality design. “With the premise that a good architectural design embodies imagination and ingenuity, the team at Chromed Design Studio (CDS), moves ahead, passionately bringing life to structures. The choice of offbeat colour tones, unorthodox material palette and quaint but meaningful design story become a cult on its own. The team combines sharp logical ability, business sense and client empathy to embody the wow spirit in all the designs,” shares Neogi who set up CDS in 2010 and has ever since been pioneering designs for HORECA industry, apart from residential and commercial projects. In fact, Neogi’s aesthetic sensibility has found way from Virat Kohli’s One8 Commune at Aerocity to multiplex chain Inox to Diona Jaipur. And then there are projects like Social Cyberhub in Gurugram and Kwality Restaurant in Connaught Place besides 400-plus more globally where he has transcended conventional barriers and proven his creative and innovative mettle. Neogi is the founder of a cloud kitchen infrastructure company, Cloud Infra, that enables restaurateurs to expand an existing restaurant or start a virtual brand at a minimal cost. He also spearheads Acaso TKYO, Goa

98 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com ARCHITECT & DESIGN Homes, a luxury residential villa development company in Goa. Keeping the passion for F&B close to his heart, his recent venture TKYO is Goa’s first Japanese resto-bar with an authentic Japanese bakery under Super Potato Hospitality which brings the muchneeded global palette to Goa’s hospitality. CHANGING CONCEPT OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN “Travel has become accessible to all and people today are cognisant. They have realised the importance of being outdoors and curating life-enhancing experiences, initiating a boost in the footfall of tourists all over India. This has pushed hoteliers and restauranteurs to come to par with global trends and levels expected of the Indian market. From global cuisine and local food to fine dining and casual hangout places, this new generation of post-pandemic era entrepreneurs, chefs, restaurateurs, bloggers and food enthusiasts are rendering travel and food experience in India with aesthetics and experimentation,” shares Neogi, adding as a result, the incorporation of various universal design concepts and amenities and introduction of strategies that will accommodate people from all over the globe will make them feel the Indian-ness while they stay in this context. “Architects and designers have to now focus on the story, the identity and the content, getting the best of both worlds, spatially, exposing their guests to an optimal stay experience,” he says. Talking about one of his most challenging hospitality projects, the founder of Chromed Design Studio says, “We completed a project called Diona in Jaipur recently. It is a space dripping with grandeur and glitz, adding to Pink City’s old-world charm and featuring a number of indoor and outdoor venues on the rooftop of a 14-floor hotel. The challenge we came face-to-face with was to repurpose the existing shaft by converting them into stand-alone pillars by tweaking its architectural language with monochromatic stone and marble. In another project, Glo - an exclusive highspirited resto-bar in the heart of Dubai, the prominent features are radiant arches and glowing globes that light up the entire outdoor space and the surrounding water body. This project was a race against time which was the primary obstacle we had to tackle. Within a 90-day framework, we stood victorious by not only meeting the timeline but also creating an elegant affair with the smart play of light, material, and textures.” WE DEVELOP NEW IDEAS AND DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR THE DIVERSITY OF THE PROJECTS Diona, Jaipur

ABHIGYAN NEOGI 99 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com TRANSLATING IDEAS INTO FUNCTIONAL DESIGNS Chromed Design Studio, avers Neogi, is a design consultancy firm which caters towards various typologies of projects ranging from hospitality to retail, residential, institutional and commercial. “The aim is to develop new ideas and design strategies for the diversity of projects. Each project evolves throughout the design process and reaches the level where it can ultimately justify the prominence of the brand the firm is working for. The real catch is weaving a story around the clients’ personalities and their requirements to craft a space tailor-fit for them. Translating our sensory experiences into designs is where the taste develops and the magic begins,” he says. LATEST TRENDS IN HOSPITALITY DESIGN Interiors: Minimalism and neutral tones with sprinkles of vegetation in interior spaces. Inclusion of designer and state-of-the-art lighting fixtures has become a part of the space. Guestrooms: With work-from-home lifestyle gaining traction, guestrooms are designed to impart a homely environment with a dedicated and ergonomic work desk and high-tech wi-fi connection. Lobby: These act as interactive social nodes for people to network and form connections. Lobby spaces are being merged with activities to make them more lively and busy. Banquet: Spaces In a post-pandemic era, public gatherings and functions are being vitally scrutinised for aerating ease, safety and comfort. SUSTAINABLE MEASURES “From active systems to passive design methodologies, sustainability is incorporated into our projects in a myriad of ways. Infusing fenestrations based on wind flow and sun path results in efficient ventilation and promotes fruitful inflow of sunlight into the spaces, reducing the net carbon footprint. Providing open spaces and using locally sourced building materials contributes to the contextual quality, makes it pocket-friendly and easy to maintain. We use multiple sustainable materials we source locally,” informs Neogi. CDS tries to recycle, reuse and repurpose discarded materials to make art or put it to use aesthetically by treating them. “We use eco-friendly materials such as engineered wood and even bamboo to minimise our carbon footprint,” he adds. n THE REAL CATCH IS WEAVING A STORY AROUND THE CLIENTS’ PERSONALITIES AND THEIR REQUIREMENTS TO CRAFT A SPACE TAILOR-FIT FOR THEM Cafe De Flora, Delhi

100 BWHOTELIER JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 www.bwhotelier.com ARCHITECT & DESIGN BY SAURABH TANKHA ‘HOSPITALITY PROJECTS SHOULD BE WELCOMING AND WARM’ FOR ANY BUSINESS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, APEX, CAPEX AND ROI ARE IMPORTANT PARAMETERS FOR THE OWNER, SAYS TUSHAR MISTRY, PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT, TUSHAR MISTRY DESIGN STUDIO EVER SINCE its inception in 2013, Tushar Mistry Design Studio (TMDS) has stuck to the strong philosophy of functionality in all its designs. It is, in fact, given paramount importance followed by aesthetics and is distinctly visible. Over the last one decade, TMDS has set a benchmark in the design vertical with the diverse projects they have done. “Our experienced expert team of designers, architects and project managers have worked on projects spread across magnitude and budgets. In hospitality segment, TDMS has crafted spaces across formats ranging from fine dining, casual dining and QSR models at a Pan-India level,” shares Principal Architect Tushar Mistry. The experienced architect has worked on hospitality projects like Wok on Fire, Parosa at Ahmedabad, White Charcoal, Loco-Loca, Korner House, Nini’s Kitchen, Eskay Clubs & Hotels at E-HOTEL and The Café Baraco. Passionate about construction and design from his early childhood, Mistry completed his architectural and design studies before taking up varied projects. He now recommends products