JOBS | Duty Manager - Front Office

Duty Manager at Radisson Blu Agra, 5* Luxury hotel near Tajmahal

Marriott International Inc. Introduces the First International Business Hotel – Courtyard by Marriott Pune - in Chakan, Pune’s Industrial Hub

Pune - A renowned automobile and manufacturing hub in Pune, Chakan now, has its first International business hotel with the launch of Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan.

NEWS | MTDC plans Rs 317.50-cr investment to boost tourism in Nashik

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has chalked out a Rs 317.50-crore plan to boost tourism in the Nashik revenue division.

NEWS| New rooms, high borrowing costs hit hospitality industry

The nationwide revenue per available room (RevPAR) recorded a 5.2 per cent drop in the hospitality sector in 2012-13 over the previous year, with the five-star hotel segment registering the maximum decline (8.7 per cent), followed by the three-star segment (4.0 per cent), according to HVS Global Hospitality Services.

NEWS |IHG 2013 Interim Results

Interim Results 2013 IHG, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, is pleased to announce 3.7% growth in RevPAR (revenue per available room) in the first half of the year (six months to 30th June 2013), supporting a 7% increase in revenue for the period and a 20% increase in operating profit to $338 million*. IHG’s good performance reflects the strength of its broad portfolio of preferred brands and its geographic spread. IHG also today announced a 10% increase in the interim dividend, as well as plans to return an additional $350 million to shareholders via a special dividend, continuing our track record of industry leading shareholder returns. Regional highlights include: • In the Americas, a 21% increase in operating profit was underpinned by continued RevPAR progression of 4.5% and a 1.3% growth in system size. 

NEWS | International QSR chains in expansion mode in India

International quick service restaurant chains (QSR), find the ‘large’ Indian market more appetising compared with their shrinking markets back home. Anuradha Makhija, master franchise and CEO, Yo Yo Noodle, said, “The Indian market is almost 13 times bigger than the UK market, and since there are not enough Chinese QSR brands in India, it is the right time to enter this market.” The 2-year-old QSR brand in the UK would be selling its Yo Yo Noodle in a box format, priced above Rs 200, with plans to launch 200 outlets across the country. South Africa’s Famous Brands is also entering the India with its Debonairs Pizza. Emulating the doorstep free-home-delivery model of pizza chains such as Dominos, Debonairs Pizza would localise its offerings to suit the Indian palate. Kevin Hedderwick, CEO, Famous Brands, says,

NEWS | Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association slams multiple license policy

Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR) has said that it finds the legal procedure of acquiring multiple licenses to enter the market as a ‘legalized extortion’ leading to ‘corrupt practices.’ A report in the Times of India said that that dance bars require more than 40 licenses and depending on the size of the establishment, it can go up to 80 to secure a permit. Shashikant Shetty, general secretary of AHAR, the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association, said, "We doubt if oil refineries or nuclear power plants require so many licences. They result in legalised extortion and corrupt practices." One-time dance bar owner Manjeet Singh Sethi said it was time associations such as AHAR approached the SC to obtain a one-window clearance. "The government should end this inspector raj, otherwise, despite the SC verdict declaring dance bars legal, getting licences will remain a headache," he said.

NEWS | Khandani Rajdhani opens 35th India outlet in Delhi NCR

Vegetarian thali restaurant, Khandani Rajdhani has launched the fifth outlet of Delhi NCR, making it the 35th outlet in the country. Located at the Restaurant Block, DLF Place, the latest unit is spread across 2,800 sq ft with a seating capacity of 84 guests. 

Madhur Bhandarkar, Indian filmmaker, was the Guest of Honour inaugurated the outlet in the presence of Aji Nair, Vice President, F&B Division, Mirah Hospitality; Shibani Kashyap, Indian singer; Aditya Bal, model and food enthusiast; and Navneet Kaur Dhillon, Miss India World 2013, as per a release. A musical afternoon was organised to celebrate the opening of the restaurant. Rajdhani is the flagship brand of Mirah Hospitality. Nair said, “We are happy to inaugurate our fifth unit in Delhi today.

NEWS | KTDC to empanel star hotels in New Delhi to deal with room crunch

The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) will empanel hotels in New Delhi to make up for the room crunch at Kerala House in the city. "KTDC had called for an expression of interest from two- to four-star hotels within the Delhi metro area for a period of three years, and the response has been great," a top KTDC official was quoted as saying in a report by Sangeetha Nair in The Times of India. Unlike the Kerala House, where rooms are booked through the Kerala government's General Administration (Political-A) Department,

NEWS | The Fern Residency debuts in NCR at Gurgaon

The Fern Hotels & Resorts has opened The Fern Residency, Gurgaon—the brand's first in NCR and 16th overall. A premium business hotel, the 42-room property has four indoor conference venues, The Fern Club Lounge, spa services, high-speed Internet, a fine dining restaurant, and a German-inspired bar, as per a press release. Dining options at the new property include Felicita—a fine dining restaurant offering Western, Arabic,

NEWS | JW Marriott, Bengaluru appoints Parul Thakur as General Manager

JW Marriott, Bengaluru has appointed Parul Thakur as General Manager. Prior to this, she held the same post at Courtyard by Marriott, Ahmedabad. She has spent over a decade at Marriott Hotels, starting in 1998, and brings with her experience in various positions across different Marriott brands. In her current role, Thakur will be responsible for the imminent opening of the hotel and will oversee and drive operations of the property, as per a release.

NEWS | Magic Holidays plans to open 100 resorts in India in next 5 years

Magic Holidays, a timeshare product from the Panoramic Group of Companies, plans to target the Indian middle class with lucrative offers of affordable time share vacations. The company plans to open 100 resorts of 25-30 keys each in the next five years. Hitesh Kshatriya, COO, Magic Holidays, said, "We are conscious about our customers' needs and will deliver to their expectations. All our resorts are owned and operated by the company, which enhances the element of trust in us." The company currently owns 33 properties in India and seven abroad. Four properties are located in the USA and one each in New Zealand, Thailand and Singapore.

NEWS | DLF ends exclusive sale negotiations with Amanresorts founder

India's largest realty firm DLFBSE -1.74 % has walked out of a pact to exclusively negotiate sale of its luxury hotel chain Amanresorts with Indonesian hotelier Adrian Zecha, after the USD 300-million deal could not be closed within the stipulated timeframe. DLF has opened talks with four other potential buyers, including some global private equity players, after breaking the exclusivity pact with Zecha, sources said.

NEWS | Investment Group to Open 15 Holiday Inn Express Hotels in Australia

IHG (InterContinental Hotel Group) today announced that international investment company, Pro Invest Group, has established a $150 million fund to develop a portfolio of 15 Holiday Inn Express hotels across Australia. Pro Invest has created a property development and hotel operating company to build and operate an initial 15 Holiday Inn Express hotels, totalling approximately 2,100 rooms, in central business, suburban and airport locations in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane. IHG will enter into franchise agreements for each of the hotels under a multiple development agreement signed between the two companies. The first hotel will open at Macquarie Park in North Ryde, Sydney in the autumn of 2014.

NEWS | InterContinental to Transform Renowned Double Bay Hotel

Double Bay’s legendary hotel situated at 33 Cross Street is soon to become InterContinental Sydney Double Bay. Singaporean-based Royal Hotels and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) have signed a management agreement for the 140-room InterContinental hotel on this famed site in one of Sydney’s most luxurious suburbs. Royal Hotels will undertake a multimillion-dollar refurbishment of all guest rooms and public areas of the hotel, after which it will reopen as InterContinental Sydney Double Bay in January 2014.

NEWS | ONGC to adopt Taj Mahal under Campaign Clean India

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) will today adopt the Taj Mahal, a World Heritage Site, at a function in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, in the presence of Dr K Chiranjeevi, Minister of State with Independent Charge for Tourism, Government of India. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal is the "Crown Jewel" among tourist destinations in India and therefore an obvious priority destination under the Campaign Clean India programme, a release stated. Dr Chirnajeevi strongly felt the need to undertake sustained operations to ensure clean and hygienic environment, commensurate with the stature of this destination.

NEWS | Accor Hotels India among top 50 best workplaces: Great Place to Work Institute

Accor Hotels India has been recognised among the top 50 Best Companies to Work, by the Great Places to Work Institute in India. The ranking is a result of India’s largest annual study of workplace excellence that identifies the top 50 best companies to work for in the country. The award recognises Accor India’s commitment and endeavour to enhance the professional growth of its employees by setting innovative standards in the work culture, a release stated.

NEWS | Worldhotels adds 31 hotels in first half of 2013

Worldhotels has recorded 31 hotels and almost 6,000 rooms joining the international hotel group in the first half of this year. During the period, a total of 186 hotels applied to join. Those that made it to Worldhotels’ portfolio include 17 hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), three in North and South America, and 11 in the Asia Pacific region, a release stated. Robert Hornman, Managing Director, Worldhotels, said, “In 2013, our strategy remains to complement our portfolio of almost 500 hotels in 250 destinations worldwide with unique hotels in new destinations.

NEWS | Ban or not, Mumbai’s orchestra 'dance’ bars have long been in business as usual

This new bar was to have a filmi theme, pictures of film stars everywhere. There would be different halls for the dancers, each with a distinct decor. There was going to be a Mughal-e-Azam room, and a DDLJ room." — "Sacred Games", Vikram Chandra If bar owners and dancers are jubilant about the Supreme Court's decision on Tuesday to uphold the Bombay High Court's 2006 verdict to allow dance bars to reopen,

NEWS | JW Marriott Bengaluru appoints Prakash Viswanathan as Director of Sales and Marketing

prakash_viswanathan_id.jpg JW Marriott Bengaluru has appointed Prakash Viswanathan as Director of Sales and Marketing. He will look into brand promotion and performance, and network with present and potential customers to drive quality sales for the property, as per a release. A graduate from Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Viswanathan has been in the hospitality industry for nine years now. He has worked with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, and Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces. He began his career as a Hotel Operations Trainee at JW Marriott, Mumbai, and has also worked with Courtyard by Marriott, Chennai.