Express Hospitality February 1-15, 2013

I N D I A’ S F O R E M O S T H O S P I TA L I T Y P U B L I C AT I O N February 1-15, 2013 ` 40

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FORTNIGHTLY INSIGHT FOR THE HOSPITALITY TRADE

VOL 8 | NO. 8 | PAGES 84

Contents February 1-15, 2013

Vol 8 No.8 february 1-15, 2013

Chairman of the Board Viveck Goenka Editor Reema Lokesh* Assistant Editor Steena Joy Associate Editor Sudipta Dev CONTENT TEAM Mumbai Sayoni Bhaduri, Kahini Chakraborty Kolkata Joy Roy Choudhury Editorial Associates

MANAGEMENT

MARKET

Assam set to have four five-star hotels ..........................05

Marcellus Baptista, H A Mishra,

Sukho Thai on an aggressive expansion plan ................06

Harpal Singh Sokhi, P S Sundar, M S Ram Advisory Board Anil Madhok, Rajeev Chopra, Santosh Shidhaye, Homi Aibara, Param Kannampilly,

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group to expand in East, opens first hotel in Kolkata ..........................................06 Delhi to see 42% increase in room supply in next 5-6 years: Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Research ....................08

K V Simon, Jiggs Kalra, Jose Dominic, Raju Shahani, N S Bhuie, Nirmal Khandelwal,

Kumbh Mela 2013 to bring boom to airlines, hotels, create over six lakh jobs: ASSOCHAM ................09

Muralidharan Menon, Narendra Verma, Prakash Mankar,

HRAWI to host FSSAI awareness workshop in Goa ........11

M Narayanan MARKETING Deputy General Manager

Abhijit Saha to debut at Gourmet Abu Dhabi ................11 A new approach............................................................12

A taste of success ......................................................20 Cheers to the spirited ................................................22 Changing dynamics of hotel sales ..............................25 Eco(logical) measures ................................................27 The taste test ............................................................29

Sachin Shenoy Marketing Team

SPA & WELLNESS

EDGE

Dattaram Kandalkar, Rajan Nair Marketing Coordination Darshana Chauhan Asst.Manager - Scheduling & Coordination Arvind Mane CIRCULATION Mohan Varadakar PRODUCTION General Manager B R Tipnis

You've got ZMail ....................................................61

Production Manager Bhadresh Valia

A surprise for the senses...............................................16

Layout Ratilal Ladani, Kiran Parker

INTERIOR & DESIGN

Streamlining revenue management ..........................62 LIFE

Asst. Art Director Surajit Patro Chief Designer Pravin Temble Senior Graphic Designer Rushikesh Konka Photo Editor Sandeep Patil

Express Hospitality Reg.No.MH/MR/SOUTH-44/2013-15 RNI Regn. No.MAHENG/2005/21391.

Published by Vaidehi Thakar on behalf of the Proprietor The Indian Express Limited from Express Towers, 2nd floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 and Printed by her at the Indian Express Press, at Plot No.EL-208,TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai 400 710 (Editorial & Administrative :The Indian Express Ltd, 1st floor, Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai-400021).

Editor Reema Lokesh* (* Responsible for selection of matter under PRB Act) Copyright @ 2011

The Indian Express Ltd. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner, electronic or otherwise, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited.

February 1-15, 2013

Artfully appealing..........................................................18

Sixty years of hospitality training ..............................63

REGULARS

Editor’s Note ..................................................................................................................................................................4 New Kids on The Block ................................................................................................................................................10 Movements ..................................................................................................................................................................64 Product Tracker ............................................................................................................................................................15 Weekend ......................................................................................................................................................................81

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Pattern of growth t was brand building, business tie-ups and breakthrough sessions that took place at the recently

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concluded FHW 2013. Sellers and vendors from both, the national and international circuits, displayed their products and specialties suitable for the Indian hospitality market. The show revealed future trends and demands across segments that service the hotel industry. From state-

of-the-art technology products to that of specialised coffees and mixes, the Indian hospitality industry is truly undergoing a positive metamorphosis. The ground work is already underway to make the Bengaluru event in June 2013 a worthy experience for both the buyers as well as sellers.

“The hospitality industry in the south holds a lot of promise as experts have predicted a controlled but definite and strong growth in the southern sector.

Along with the south it is interesting to take note of the behaviour of the hospitality sector in the east ”

Talking about regions, the hospitality industry in the south holds a lot of promise as experts have predicted a controlled but definite and strong growth in the southern sector. Our analysis on the Chennai market in one of our previous issues is unfolding as predicted, which is reflecting a controlled and cautious growth. Along with the south it is interesting to take note of the behaviour of the hospitality sector in the east. With a similar pattern of development to the south, the north-east region is finally being looked at with seriousness. Assam will soon have four five-star hotels and the proposed properties will provide an inventory of around 700-800 rooms. IHCL is bringing the Vivanta brand to Guwahati which is expected to have 150 rooms. Carlson Rezidor recently opened Park Plaza hotel in Kolkata and is also looking at two more projects in Guwahati and Kolkata. Besides this West Bengal is also developing five mega tourism projects and wishes to attract investments worth `3560 crore.

And the recently concluded International Tourism Mart organised by the ministry of tourism in Assam reinstated the commitment to bring in tourism action in the state. Opening of tourism zones can only spell success for this sector. All we need is a careful, cautious and committed approach towards development with sustainable and responsible tourism being a mandatory stipulation.

Reema Lokesh Editor editorial.eh@expressindia.com

E-mail: 4pdesigno@gmail.com

CHENNAI: Vijay Kulkarni, FORTNIGHTLY INSIGHT FOR THE HOSPITALITY TRADE

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February 1-15, 2013

Market

T H E B U S I N E S S O F H O S P I TA L I T Y

LEAD STORY

Assam set to have four five-star hotels JOY ROY CHOUDHURY - Guwahati

ssam will have four five-star hotels in the coming years and the proposed properties will provide an inventory of around 700-800 rooms. This information was divulged by Himangshu Sekhar Das, principal secretary, department of tourism, Government of Assam to Express Hospitality on the sidelines of the recently concluded 'International Tourism Mart' organised by the Union ministry of tourism in Guwahati.

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Das said, “A lot of emphasis has been laid on developing infrastructure for the hospitality sector and in the next couple of years, a number of five-star hotels would come up.” Though he declined to give the specific investment figures for the hotel projects but going by rough estimates the total investments for these hospitality projects would be around `800-900 crore and would be offering huge employment opportunities for the young people of the state.

Indian Hotels Company,

the parent company of the Taj Group is setting up 'Taj Vivanta, Guwahati', the first five-star of the city. The hotel is coming up on a 4.5 acres of land on GS Road, in the heart of the city. “The construction work is going on in full swing and should be commissioned by the later half of next year,” added Das. The foundation stone for the project was laid down by Ratan Tata, the former chairman of the Tata Group in the presence of Tarun Gogoi, chief minister, Assam a couple of years back. It is expected to have 150 rooms and

will be built with a design theme inspired by local architecture, an Assam tourism department official mentioned.

Noida-based business conglomerate, DharampalSatyapal (DS) Group is also setting up a five-star property in Guwahati and is likely to associate it with international hospitality giant, Radisson Group to run and manage the hotel. A local real-estate development company is also setting up another five-star property and it is likely to be branded as Hyatt-Guwahati, said the official.

West Bengal to draw investments worth `3560 crore for five tourism mega projects Also looks at investment for hotels, skill development centres SAYONI BHADURI – New Delhi

est Bengal is looking to develop five mega tourism projects and wishes to attract investments worth `3560 crore, informed Vikram Sen, principal secretary, tourism, Government of West Bengal. These include a tourism hub in Gajoldoba on a 208 acre piece of land with investment opportunities worth `1500 crore. The key focus here will be the 18 hole golf course. Kolkata will see the construction of a giant wheel, similar on the lines of London Eye. The total investment is pegged at `800-1000 crore. Apart from the giant wheel, the project will include development of a floating jetty and other entertainment options at the location. The West Bengal state tourism department plans to promote Kunjanagar as an eco tourism hub with a focus on rural tourism, health and spa amenities. There are 90 acre of land available and a

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February 1-15, 2013

total investment of `410 crore is expected. Another 90 acre land has been allotted in Sylee to promote tea tourism at an expected investment of `350 crore. “There are 12 gardens in and around Sylee which can be promoted for tea tourism,” said Sen. The fifth mega project is to be developed in Jhadkhali. On an area of 99 acre and at a total investment of `300 crore various tourism projects are available for the private sec-

Kolkata will see the construction of a giant wheel, similar on the lines of London Eye at a cost of `800-1000 crore www.expresshospitality.com

tor to take up.

Apart from these mega projects, the tourism department is providing ready lands for four- and five-star hotel projects in Dhatura (14 acre), Henry Island (10 acre), Digha (seven acre), Bhaluka Beel (five acre), Salt Lake - Kolkata (three acre). Sen also informed that the tourism department is giving out land for skill development projects like hotel management institutes in Chalsa, Gajoldoba, Barjora, Darjeeling and Budge Budge; food craft institutes in Siliguri, Digha and Panchla; and culinary institutes in Salt Lake-Kolkata and Hooghly.

The state expects to process all bid approvals for these projects by or before August 2013. “As a matter of policy, the state government has decided to embark on the PPP model for all of these projects,” said Sen. The government will provide single window clearance, safety and security measures, etc.

Elaborating on the single window clearance, Sen said that there is an online application that an applicant has to fill in and then based on the project requirements the tourism department will gain clearances from various requisite departments. The state is also providing incentives to projects less than `50 crore like subsidy on fixed capital investments, subsidy in interest up to 50 per cent of the annual interest liability on the term loan, subsidies on quality improvement, incentives up to 60 per cent for EPF and ESI for employment generating projects, refund of 50 per cent on stamp duties regarding purchase or acquisition of land, waiver of electricity duty for a period of five years. For projects costing more than `50 crore, apart from the mentioned benefits, the government will reimburse 75 per cent of VAT paid in the previous year provided in lieu of interest subsidy.

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Sukho Thai on aggressive expansion spree KAHINI CHAKRABORTY - Mumbai

ith a total of 10 outlets in Mumbai, Goa and Pune, Thai foot massage chain, Sukho Thai is gearing up to set up 100 outlets in the next three years with a focus on the western, southern and select north India market.

They also plan to take the chain to Singapore and UAE. When asked how has the business been for the com-

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pany last year and expectations for this year, Shailesh Patil, founder and director, Sukho Thai Foot Spa said, “I see the spa business growing at 20-40 per cent.

However there are no exact statistics to affirm the numbers but Sukho Thai is growing at 60-80 per cent in revenue and from one spa to 10 spas in 24 months. We are targeting 200 per cent growth in revenue in next two years.”

On the wellness industry

growth in the coming years and market demography, Patil said, “The spa and wellness segment has a potential to grow over 100 per cent year-on-year. We see a lot of such units opening up not only in the tier one cities but also tier two and three cities. The market demographics has thus undergone a drastic change from spa being looked upon as a luxury for the upper middle class and celebrities to a weekly wellness regime

for the middle class and the housewives.” With the vast spectrum in the consumer profile, the industry is slowly but surely adapting itself to cater to more demanding and satisfying spa experience at an affordable cost.

“I feel, the future for the spa industry is going to be quantity ie number of outlets, offering value for money service and the spa treatment becoming a regular part of the common man’s lifestyle,” he added.

Keys Hotels to have 50 hotels under franchise in the next 4-5 years and abroad by 2015-16. For 2013, Sethi said that they have scheduled 10 launches of the Keys brand. “Of these two are owned hotels and the remaining are under management contract,” he elaborated.

In the franchise model the owner of the hotel will continue to manage his hotel.

The associating hotels will be benefited by the Keys’ brand name and its various marketing, partnerships and sales initiatives to provide them exposure to national and inter-

SAYONI BHADURI - Mumbai

eys Hotels plans to have 50 hotels under the franchise model in the next four-five years, informed Sanjay Sethi, MD and CEO, Berggruen Hotels.

“We have five-six hotels under advanced stages of discussion,” he added. The hotel chain recently announced its plans to use franchise model as part of its expansion strategy. This will enable it to grow and fuel its expansion plans of operating 52 hotels in India

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Sanjay Sethi

national consumers and improve their revenues.

Keys Hotels will also provide the franchisees with their advanced IT solutions such as centralised reservation systems, customer feedback systems to ensure an upsurge in the performance of the hotels. Sethi further added, “Our franchisees will be valuable to us and we will take utmost care while seeking franchise partnerships to ensure there is synergy in thought process and larger goals for both parties.”

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group to expand in state capital cities of India JOY ROY CHOUDHURY - Kolkata

ur plan is to open hotels in every capital city of the country and in the emerging tier two and three towns,” said Ronnie Lobo, vice president (operations), Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, South Asia. The move is part of the hotel major's plan to increase the number of hotels under management to over 100 by 2015 under different brands like Radisson, and Park Inn. Of the 100 hotels, 63 are operational and another 44 are in different stages of construction under different brands.

The company, which has its headquarters in Belgium, inaugurated its first 92-room managed property in Kolkata under the Park Plaza brand name. City-based Mukti Group has developed the property. The company also plans to take over the management control of two more properties,

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Ronnie Lobo one each in Kolkata and the another in Guwahati by the end of 2013. “We are looking to add two more proper-

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ties in the eastern region at Hastings in Kolkata and Guwahati by the end of 2013,” said Lobo. While the 100-room Radisson Blu property in Kolkata will be developed by the city-based Saraf Group, the 170-keys property in Guwahati is being developed by the Dharampal Satyapal (DS) Group.

Presently, the Group owns six global brands such as Radisson, Radisson Blu, Park Plaza, Park Inn, Country Inns and Suites and Hotel Missoni. “The company recently revamped its top-end brand Radisson.

While Radisson Blu is positioned in the upper upscale segment, Radisson is positioned in the upscale segment making it a two tier brand. Carlson Rezidor, last year signed a strategic partnership with Bestech Group giving it exclusive development rights to develop about 49 Park Inn Hotels in north and central India by 2024,” he added.

February 1-15, 2013

Sodexo becomes Sodexo MacLellan Sodexo India offers its services to more than 900 sites with 34,500 employees, to

this the MacLellan acquisition will add another 4500 employees. Sodexo will

retain the consumers and employees serviced by MacLellan.

SAYONI BHADURI - Mumbai

odexo recently acquired technical faculties management company MacLellan Integrated Services India. In a two stage rebranding process Sodexo now becomes Sodexo MacLellan which will move to single umbrella of Sodexo in the future.

Sunil Nayak, CEO, Sodexo India On-site Service Solutions said, “With Sodexo growing at 15 per cent annually and MacLellan’s growth at 20 per cent year on year, the combined growth potential for us is huge.” He added

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Sunil Nayak that the company with this new venture is aiming to triple revenue by 2015. “We are hopeful of achieving this aim because our current growth has been despite the downturn,” he added.

“We had a need to increase our technical services therefore we chose to look at the MacLellan integration. With MacLellan now becoming part of Sodexo, the Indian outpost has become the second biggest entity for Sodexo global,” said Jeff Brades, VP Marketing and Communications, Sodexo On-Site Service Solutions.

February 1-15, 2013

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‘We make money only when we perform for the owners’ As the market size for vacation rental accommodation will be bigger than the online hotel segment in future, Sid Narang, CEO and co-founder, RatedApartments.com talks about the company's plans to tap this segment and reasons for the same. By Kahini Chakraborty

Sid Narang

What is the company's assessment of the vacation rental accommodation market and how has the evolution of this segment been so far?

While there are no reliable published statistics in India on vacation rentals or serviced apartments, we believe the market size is extremely robust and will eventually be bigger than the online hotel segment. There are few core reasons - The serviced apartment industry in India has seen a tremendous growth momentum.

Despite the past four years of a global slowdown, India has witnessed large global serviced apartment operators entering India, including Oakwood, Bridgestreet, House of Modern Living, Ascott, etc. We have also seen a good growth in domestic brands expanding at a rapid pace. Indian brands that operate in the mid segment like Hummingbird Suites have raised venture capital worth approximately US$ two million and Siesta Hospitality raised US$ 10 million. There

are large accommodation markets that are currently still unorganised, for example: Goa and Kerala offer several thousands of holiday rentals; state run tourism boards such as MTDC, GTDC, HPTDC, KTDC, TTDC, etc are actively promoting guest houses and Bed and Breakfast – and each of these networks require distribution, which is where a focused platform like RatedApartments.com begins to have a role. The common issue to each of the two industries from being available online is lack of players consolidating inventory. And with precedence of consolidation overseas, we feel niche online players like ourselves can rapidly address this problem.

What is the company's business expansion plans? Are you looking at adding more cities from India and abroad for your product offerings?

Presently, our key markets in India are Gurgaon, Noida, Delhi, Kerala, Goa and Bengaluru. Our plan is to

first gain significant inventory in the key metropolitan cities and destinations with high inbound tourists.

Subsequently we will be looking at tapping Tier II towns where IT and manufacturing industries are scaling up rapidly, for example – Haridwar, Jaipur, Vadodara, etc.

Could you elaborate on the working model of the company with the accommodation providers?

We provide a free cloud based extranet system for owners to list their properties; there is no cost to this.

We make money only when we perform for the owners who have listed with us ie charge a small commission – usually 15-20 per cent, when we generate revenue for owners who have listed with us. We also offer other free services such as free photoshoots of properties, document verification, and complimentary professional write-up of properties.

What is the business growth in

terms of revenue generation of the company this year? And how are you looking at increasing your market share?

In the last two years since we started operations, we have achieved gross bookings of `10 crore to date. We are happy with the level of turnover, and have achieved growth through internal cash flows. We are targeting `50 crore in 18 months, and hope for a `100 crore annual sales run rate by close of ‘FY15.Whilst topline growth is interesting to us, what is more important is conversion rates and we aspire to outperform conversion rates in the accommodation industry. This is the hardest challenge and means creating and thinking many years ahead in terms of site architecture and design and vigorously split testing every pixel on our platform. This also means having a smart operation back backbone that seeks out, curates, and promotes the highest quality listings which customers love to share their holidays in.

Delhi to see 42% increase in room supply in next 5-6 years: Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Research EH STAFF - Mumbai

ones Lang LaSalle Hotels Research recently released a report -Delhi’s Lodging Market Prospects & Potential.

According to the report lodging demand in Delhi includes a healthy mix of commercial (50-60 per cent), MICE (2030 per cent) and leisure (1520 per cent) due to the presence of office stock as well as tourist attractions. By virtue of being the national capital, Delhi is the seat of power and also houses high commissions/embassies which results in a significant inflow of expats and diplomats.

Based on the research, Delhi has 61 hotels in the branded segment with an overall inventory of 11,265 rooms spread across six cate-

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gories. The total supply is an amalgamation of domestic as well as internationally branded hotels. Notable operators include international companies - IHG, Starwood, Hyatt, Hilton and Shangri-La and domestic companies - Oberoi Hotels Group and Indian Hotels Company.

Discussing future supply the report says that there are 19 hotels currently under construction in Delhi across all categories with a total inventory of 4,785 rooms which once complete will increase total room supply by 42 per cent over the period of next five to six years.

The report notes that approximately 85 per cent of the upcoming supply is concentrated in the hospitality district of Indira Gandhi www.expresshospitality.com

International Airport. With an inventory of 4,030 rooms currently under construction in this micro-market, it can be referred to as the next emerging hospitality hub of Delhi after Connaught Place.

The analysis takes into account the historical performance of luxury, upper upscale and upscale hotels in Delhi beginning FY 2008 through YTD FY 2013. Over the four years to FY 2012, Delhi hotels have recorded an overall drop of 23 per cent in RevPAR with strong decline in ADR and a moderate decline in occupancy levels. The period between FY 2009 and FY 2011 witnessed a significant drop in ADR as a result of the global financial crisis and subsequent slowdown in the Indian economy, with Delhi hospi-

tality market experiencing a 14 per cent decline in RevPAR during the two year period.

In 2010-11, occupancy levels averaged 67 per cent and ADR at around `9,450.

Trading performance has moderated again over the past eight months as the exuberance which was evident last year has softened amidst concerns about the pace of global and domestic economic growth. YTD FY 2013 RevPAR has averaged `5,200.

Occupancy levels have declined by a further six per cent to 59 per cent whereas ADR has reduced 13 per cent to approximately `8,700.

Declines were most evident during the first two quarters of the year with some signs of improvement witnessed since September 2012.

February 1-15, 2013

Kumbh Mela 2013 to bring boom to airlines, hotels, create over six lakh jobs: ASSOCHAM EH STAFF – Mumbai

irlines, hotels, tour operators and states are likely to witness substantial boom period in their economic activities and likely to contribute `12,000 crore revenues in the state coffers, according to The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

In a forecast paper on `Maha Kumbh Mela 2013- Possible Revenue Generation Resources for Uttar Pradesh’ brought out by ASSOCHAM, it has been projected that the Maha Kumbh event alone will generate additional employment opportunities for over six lakh workforce in sectors such as airlines and airports, hotels, tour operators, besides medical and eco-tourism.

The unorganised sectors activities would also gain the best out of Maha-Kumbh event as its boom will accrue it the maximum economic gains.

The estimates of the paper further revealed that during Maha Kumbh alone, about one million international foreign tourists are expected to visit India for sightseeing which include religious, ecotourism. In Maha Kumbh, tourist arrivals will extend to over 250 million from 30 million in 2001 to take a holy dip.

According to D S Rawat, secretary general, ASSOCHAM, Australia, UK, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, South

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February 1-15, 2013

Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 job prospects Sector

No. of Persons

Airlines & Airports

1.5 lakh

Hotel Industry

2.5 lakh

Tour Operators

45,000

Eco Tourism & Medical Tourism

50,000

Skilled & Unskilled Workforce for Construction/ Upgradation

85,000

Unorganised Sector Tourist Guides, Taxi Drivers, Interpreters, Volunteers etc.

55,000

Total

6.35 lakh

Africa, New Zealand, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, will be the main countries from where tourists arrivals are expected to attend the Maha Kumbh. Hotel industry is aiming at 100 per cent occupancy rate for Maha Kumbh which currently is 70 per cent on an average and will witness a growth of 25 per cent during Maha Kumbh from current growth rate of 15 per cent including small, budget and luxury hotels. National and international media will arrive in large numbers. Duration of foreign tourists stay in India will be 20-30 days. These are likely to employ over 2.5 lakh skilled and unskilled workforce.

“Apart from Allahabad, other nearby states like Rajasthan (Jaipur,

Jabalpur, Udaipur, Bhilwara, Kota etc), Uttarkhand (Nainital, Musoorie, Auli, Dehradun, Haridwar, Ranikhet, Almora), Uttar Pradesh (Agra, Lucknow), Punjab (Amritsar, Chandigarh, Ludhiana), Himachal Pradesh (Shimla, Kufri, Manali, Panchkula) will also be the major beneficiary states in revenue generation where large number of foreign tourists are expected to explore tourists destinations,” said Rawat. “The paper further projected that airlines industry particularly national and international airlines will do much better,” opined Rawat.

Uttar Pradesh Tourism, privately owned hospitals, traders, railway and international airport are likely to earn revenue of over `1,500 crore in Maha Kumbh through increased inflow of foreign and domestic tourists by offering attractive tour packages and medical tourism facilities, according to the paper.

He also said that security of women would be given priority and besides deploying a large number of female constables, special arrangements will be made to check incidents such as eve-teasing.

According to ASSOCHAM, over one million foreign tourists will explore popular tourist destinations during Kumbh. Out of these one million, Uttar Pradesh tour operators attract over five lakh foreign tourists for their attractive and different tour packages and each foreign tourist spends an estimated amount of `25,000 in tourist packages, state conveniently generate revenue of `1,250 crore (`25,000 x 5 lakh). Uttar Pradesh Tourism organises varieties of tour packages which can attract foreign and domestic tourists.

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M|A|R|K|E|T QUICK BYTES

New kids on the block Crowne Plaza Kochi

with a mix of superior, deluxe and suite accommodation options. The company has entered into a joint venture with the eminent pabubha manek family, known as 'Bhamasha Parivar' of okha mandal, an eminent business house from okha engaged in the business of shipping and real estate since last four decades. The joint venture partner will provide a land bank of approximately 1.20 acres and the necessary infrastructure for the upcoming properties. The full service four-star facility will offer a multi-cuisine restaurant, fully-furnished banquets, and an activity room for kirtans, bhajans, discourses.

The Spree Hotel, Bangalore Spree Hotels has announced the opening of its tenth property – The Spree Hotel, Bangalore. The hotel features 76 rooms, with an average room size of 32 square metres. The all-day dining restaurant 'Feast' offers a variety of Indian and Continental favourites. The hotel also features a pub –

InterContinental Hotels Group has announced the opening of Crowne Plaza Kochi. The 269-room hotel offers guests 14 suites with a view of the backwaters and the city, a health centre, outdoor swimming pool and spa.

Located on the banks of the river at Kundannoor and along the National Highway bypass, the hotel boasts of the largest meetings and conference space in the city, covering 24,000 sq ft with 14 meeting rooms. Its wide selection of food and beverage options include: Mosaic- an all-day dining restaurant serving authentic Kerala, pan-Asian and international cuisines; Crowne Plaza’s signature ‘ConneXions’ bar; the Aroma Lounge & Deli; Trilogi – a dedicated sea food restaurant featuring local Kerala and international cuisines.

Daiwik Hotels Dwarka Daiwik Hotels has announced the opening of its property in Dwarka.

This will be Daiwik’s third property after Rameshwaram and Tirupati.

Daiwik Hotels Dwarka will be a greenfield investment of `45 crore slated to become operational by 2015. Daiwik Hotels Dwarka will host 120-140 keys

Elevate, a SkyBar, two banquet and meeting rooms and 24x7 in-room dining.

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Sofitel Casablanca Tour Blanche

Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou

Sofitel Luxury Hotels has announced the opening of the Sofitel Casablanca Tour Blanche, in the centre of the business district, in Hassan II Mosque. The penthouse helps the Sofitel Casablanca Tour Blanche blend into Casablanca’s night-time landscape. Located on the roof of the Tour Blanche, the Penthouse is a prestigious villa with private, protected access, like the apartments on the rooftops of New York’s skyscrapers.

M a n d a r i n Oriental Hotel Group has announced the opening of its first city hotel in China, Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou.

Located above TaiKoo Hui, a prestigious 358,000 square metre, mixed-use development comprising luxury shopping, grade-A office space and an impressive cultural centre, Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou’s standard guestrooms are the largest in the city. The hotel has 233 spacious guestrooms, 30 suites and 24 serviced apartments.

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February 1-15, 2013

HRAWI to host FSSAI awareness workshop in Goa EH STAFF - Mumbai

he Hotels and Restaurants Association, Western India (HRAWI) will be hosting a workshop to educate the industry on the Food Safety and Standards Act of India 2006 (FSSAI) on February 7, 2013 at the International Centre in Goa. The seminar, which will be conducted

by Dr V Pasupathy, a renowned food scientist and consultant to FHRAI in FSSAI matters, is the last of a series of successful workshops held across Western India to create awareness among the industry about this new ambitious law ie, Food Safety & Standards Act. The seminar will also provide an overview of new licensing requirements such as the ‘Food Business Operator’ licence, as establishments have to now acquire this licence by February 2013. The workshop is open to owners, general managers, operational heads, chefs, F&B managers, hygiene managers, engineers, quality control executives, materials managers, and housekeepers

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from hotels and restaurants.

Dr Pasupathy will delve into topics that include food safety management systems, corrective and preventive action, sampling procedures, legal overview of the FSSAI as well as highlight matters relating to adjudication and prosecution under the Act. Pradeep Shetty, chairman legal subcommittee, HRAWI said, “FSSAI was primarily created to lay down scientific standards to ensure the safe and healthy consumption of food in the country. HRAWI has welcomed the new law which has subsumed all existing food related laws, albeit with certain caveats that have represented to the Union government. The implementation of FSSAI affects our members including millions of small businesses connected with food. As the industry body, HRAWI endeavours to enable member establishments to make the transition smoothly and meet the criteria laid down by the Act. We are immensely pleased with the success of our seminars that have been attended by thousands of participants across Western India.”

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Abhijit Saha to debut at Gourmet Abu Dhabi EH STAFF - Mumbai

hef Abhijit Saha owner and operator of Avant Garde Hospitality has revealed that Abu Dhabi could be the setting for his first signature restaurant outside of his home country. “Here in India the profile of Abu Dhabi is currently very high with constant news about the investment being made into establishing the UAE capital as a premium luxury destination,” explained Saha. “With the opening of many hotels and visitor attractions, it is my belief that the UAE capital could be the ideal place for my

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first signature restaurant outside of India and I’ll be looking into opportunities as a priority while I’m there,” added Saha.

Saha is scheduled to make his UAE capital debut during Gourmet Abu Dhabi culinary festival when he will be the guest chef at the award-winning Ushna restaurant in Abu Dhabi’s Souk Qaryat Al Beri from February 11-14, 2013. “I’m looking forward to having the chance to meet some of the world’s greatest chefs during Gourmet Abu Dhabi and take an in-depth look into the emirate’s flourishing hospitality industry that we hear so much about.”

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A new approach In a departure from the usual hotel conferencing trends, Hotel Investment Forum India 2013 (HIFI) moved to the national capital for the first time from its regular haunt of Mumbai. The fifth edition of HIFI recently concluded at The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon. Apart from the new venue, the conference also saw a redesign of its content including a pre-conference seminar and concurrent tracks following two special themes. By Sayoni Bhaduri

he dark clouds hovering over the hotel industry are yet not over and financing of a hotel remains to be one of the biggest hurdle for the business. Yet there have been few Indian hotel companies and developers who have looked at off-beat funding models.

There are more of such possibilities but they need to be understood better was what was discussed by Peter Varley, corporate finance partner, Crow Clark Whitehill; Sanjay Bansal, founder and MD, Aurum Equity Partners; Saionton Basu, partner and head India group, Pennington Solicitors and Richard Webster-Smith, manager primary markets, India, Middle East and Africa, London Stock Exchange. “Key things that

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help get alternative financing are multibrand hotel company, high RoCE and RoI, scale and an asset light model,” informed Bansal.

James Burba, president, BHN as he formally opened the conference said that the delegate research showed that 2013 is going to be a tough one. Vijay Thacker, director, Horwath HTL India further set a cautious tone for 2013.

“Despite for growth in a few cities like Goa, Navi Mumbai, Raipur, 2012 was a depressing year,” he said. The number of branded rooms in India today stands at 81227; 60 per cent of that has come into the market between 2006 and 2012 and 50 per cent of this became operational between 2009 and 2012.

Also there is a demand-supply mismatch which is reflected in the decline in occupancies.

“There is more supply expected by 2016-17 and on paper 91000 are to become operational. However, realistically only 45000-50000 rooms will become operational,” he added. The situation on a global and a Asia Pacific level Elzabeth Winkle, MD, STR Global said that Asia Pacific has seen a modest growth in 2012. Even though the supply is less in Asia Pacific it is still continuing, demand however is not up to the mark. “There is some positive growth but labour, power and other costs have gone up in the last four years which are squeezing margins and affecting profit,” she said.

India is a business travel

driven destination, Thacker emphasised on the need to look not just at leisure destinations but also big cities.

“We have to package leisure better; improve tourism offerings and the quality of the product as well,” he added.

He also focused on the need to develop India as a MICE destination, dealing with seasonality, HR and payroll challenges.

“The industry needs to come together to push for an industry status,” he added. Denis Medvedev, senior economist, The World Bank analysed the overall global scenario and where India stood. He was optimistic that India in the long term still has very good growth prospects but for that to happen India needs the right policy environment.

“The equity markets have also seen some recovery but developing nations still lag behind.

Risk aversion is affecting finance flow to new markets,” added Medvedev. The recovery, he continued, is very fragile and it is weighing down the outlook.

On the Indian scenario, he said that the slow growth and GDP is directly connected to slow investments which is worrisome. David Scowsill, president and CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council too voiced the need for policy changes in India. “There are signs of positive interest in the government, but it is not enough and need further measures to make the segment stronger,” he said. He also added that India is an www.expresshospitality.com

expensive destination and taxes in aviation need to be eased.

Creative outlook “India's GDP needs to grow eight to nine per cent annually and travel and tourism sector is very crucial to attain and sustain this growth,” said Amitabh Kant, CEO and MD, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation. He focused on ten areas which according to him will help India promote herself as a great tourism destination.

India needs to cater to the increasing number of Asian travellers who Kant calls the Asian Tigers. India's demographics where 70 per cent population is under 35 years of age is a huge potential for today and tomorrow; most of this is in the middle class segment. Kant also added that urbanisation should be looked upon as a positive element as it is a key driver of India's economy. Rise of experiential tourism, use of technology, climatic changes and human resource development were the other points on his list. He was also on a panel which discussed challenges and and creative initiatives together with Nikhil Desai, director of tourism, government of Goa; Ashish Kumar Singh, secretary to chief minister, government of Maharashtra and the moderator Kapil Chopra, executive vice president, The Oberoi Group.

Both Desai and Singh

threw light on what Goa and Maharashtra is doing in terms of promoting travel and tourism and therefore the hotel segment. Goa is in the process of creating a tourism policy for the state while Maharashtra is providing FSI incentives in planned townships. On the question of land acquisition from governments Kant was vociferous that land bidding does not work, Desai was looking at new models like a tourism estate and Singh spoke of their success story in Pune. Sukhbir Singh Badal, deputy chief minister of Punjab, showcased tourism opportunities that the state had on offer. “Tourism has become a priority for us as it is one of the biggest earners. I am convinced that Punjab will be one of the most sought after destination,” he said.

Global leaders speak “I believe India is in the fourth phase of growth and it it is time for consolidation.

India is evolving from a growing economy to a mature one,” said Puneet Chhatwal, CEO, Steigenberger Hotels. He was one of the many global hotel leaders who took to the stage at HIFI this year. The conversations proved a few things, these veterans are looking at India as a definite player in the long haul and are not willing to back out in the sights of short term trouble.

They have also taken notice of the domestic traveller and gearing up to cater to their needs. “The domestic traveller February 1-15, 2013

the gathering of his investment plans in the region. He said, “The world has recognised and discovered Buddhism and is wanting to know more about it. But challenges like poor connectivity, limited accommodation options are not helping the cause.”

With land becoming exorbitant, best valuation of it is often from mixed projects.

While the norm was a mixed use project with a commercial/retail component and a hotel, the new rage has been with branded residences and hotels in the package. There is also an interest in two types of accommodation styles on the same land. “In such a case it is important to not have unnecessary overlaps. Roles and responsibilities, cost and

expenses, areas and access should also be clearly defined.

These should be clarified during sale of the elements,” explained Lokesh Sabharwal, VP development, Accor.

Recognising excellence HIFI 2013 honoured CL Raheja, chairman, K Raheja Corporation and RS Saraf, chairman, Yak and Yeti Hotel

with the HIFI Hall of Fame Awards while Jose Dominic, CEO, CGH Earth was awarded the Aatithya Ratna Award.

HIFI Deal of the Year Awards went to Novotel Ibis Bengaluru Techpark for budget and mid-priced scale, DoubleTree by Hitlon Gurgaon for first class and upper midscale, and ITC Grand Chola for luxury and upscale.

is also upgrading, so while mid market segment is important for growth, luxury also has an important role to play,” said Stephen Ho, president Asia Pacific, Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Vikramjit Singh Oberoi, COO, The Oberoi Group added, “While domestic travellers are important one should not loose sight of the overseas arrivals.” As to the development of the hotel industry in India Selim El Zyr, president and CEO, Rotana Hotel Management said that India is going through a phase in development that every other market has already gone through. This reiterates the fact that this business is not for the faint hearted. “Even in the mid-market hotels it is time to tighten belts, look at efficiency more closely,” added Anil Madhok, MD, Sarovar Hotels.

Tracking growth In an effort to create quality content, sessions followed two themes – hotel developments and regional growth.

With a rapid influx of multibrand hotel chains and their brands their relevance in an evolving market like India is crucial to understand.

“Branding reflects credibility, association, identity of a hotel brand,” said Homi Vazifdar, MD, Canyon Equity. Making the right decision when it comes to building the right hotel Amit Nagpal, director of development, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts said, “It is the market which should dictate the kind of hotel that needs to be built.”

New regions of growth also bring new opportunities for the region as well. The Buddhist circuit in India has been much talked about but no investor has really looked at its potential. Arun Saraf, MD, Juniper Hotels informed February 1-15, 2013

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Event Tracker Hospitality Trade Shows in 2013-14

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Date

Event

Venue

March 1- 3, 2013

New York Wine Expo

New York

March 4 - 6, 2013

Scothot

Glasgow

March 5 - 6, 2013

Food Technology & innovation Forum

Dublin

March 5 - 8, 2013

Foodex Japan

Chiba, Japan

March 14 - 18, 2013

AAHAR

Delhi

February 13 – 15, 2013

Hotel Gastrotech

Zagreb (Croatia)

April 1 - 3, 2013

Hotelex + Design & Deco

Shanghai

April 3 - 5, 2013

World Food Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

April 3 - 5, 2013

Wine & Gourmet Japan

Tokyo

April 3 - 6, 2013

Vinaria

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

April 3 - 4, 2013

HICSA

Mumbai

April 7 – 9, 2013

China International Green Food & Organic Food Exhibition

Beijing

May 14 – 17, 2013

Seoul Food & Hotel

Seoul (Korea South)

May 16 - 19, 2013

Olivtech

Izmir, Turkey

May 20 -22, 2013

London International Wine Fair

London

June 1 - 2, 2013

Great Japan Beer Festival

Tokyo

June 4 - 6, 2013

Top Wine China

Beijing

June 5 - 7, 2013

Indo Diary

Bali

June 7 - 9, 2013

Winexpo Georgia

Tbilisi, Georgia

June 6 - 15, 2013

Sweet Eurasia

Istanbul

July 11 – 13, 2013

FI Philippines

Manila

June 12 - 14, 2013

Food Hospitality World

Bengaluru

June 12 - 15, 2013

Propak Asia

Bangkok

June 12 -16, 2013

BBC Good Food Show Birmingham

Birmingham

June 25 – 28, 2013

Fispal Cafe

São Paulo (Brazil)

August 15 – 17, 2013

Hong Kong International Tea Fair

Hong Kong

September 8 – 10, 2013

Speciality Chocolate Fair

London

September 11-13, 2013

Food Ingredients Asia

Bangkok

September 17-20, 2013

Food & Hotel Malaysia 2013

Kuala Lumpur

September 20-23, 2012

Caribbean Meeting & Incentive Travel Exchange

Jamaica

September 23-24, 2013

South American Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference

Bogota (Columbia)

Sept 29 - Oct 1, 2013

The Hotel Show

Dubai

October 18 - 22, 2013

HOST 2013

Milan

November 23 - 27, 2013

IGEHO 2013

Basel

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February 1-15, 2013

Urban Retreat from Interface Interface has launched The Urban Retreat collection. The collection comes in three designs reflecting the core elements of Biophilia. Colour palettes within the collection are evocative of heritage stones, forests, and savannah grasses. The collection’s distinctive woven look has been created with Interface’s innovative computer driven Tapestry machine, the first of its kind in Europe.

IICE Vodka Jagatjit Industries has introduced IICE Vodka. It is 100 per cent grain based which lends to its clean and refreshing taste. The flavour of authentic Russian vodka is encapsulated as undivided attention is given to quality and purity. IICE is also available in two flavours- Green Apple and Orange.

Max Protein from Rite Bite Naturell India, the company behind Rite Bite, has introduced the protein packed and energy enriched, Max Protein bars. The product will be available in three flavours, Choco Slim, Choco Fudge and Honey Lemon. It has been priced at `90 per bar and `499 per box of six bars.

SHE Rose sparkling wine from Luca Nirvana Biosys has introduced SHE Rose sparkling wine from Luca. Its fruity flavour, rose aroma with a low alcohol content makes it an ideal drink for women. SHE Rose Sparkling Wine are available in Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab, HP, UP, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and West Bengal in the price range of `470 for 750 ml.

Udivine from OSIM OSIM has unveiled human 3D massage chairuDivine in India. uDivine has a massage technology that provides an intelligent and precise massage based on the human body contours.

The 3D massage chair combines a strategically-positioned system of airbags, kneading discs and automatic body detection. The product has been priced at `3.65 lakh.

February 1-15, 2013

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SPECIAL FEATURE IN FOCUS

A surprise for the senses At Alila Diwa Goa, amid a mix of old-world charm and contemporary luxury, Spa Alila offers a refreshing retreat. By Steena Joy

estled on the shores of Majorda Beach, Alila Diwa Goa makes for a uniquely refreshing getaway. The sight of the lush, verdant rice plantations swaying to the cool breeze from the Arabian Sea and an endless infinity pool that extends out into the paddy terraces is a balm for stressed minds.

The name Alila comes from Sanskrit meaning ‘surprise’ which suitably describes the refreshing character of the property which houses Spa Alila.

Spa Alila’s facilities comprise of nine state-of-the-art treatment rooms with an inbuilt steam room, outdoor chilled showers, private

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changing rooms, outdoor gardens and lounge beds. To cater for couples who wish to undergo the relaxing experience together, the spa provides two couple spa suites featuring private outdoor jacuzzis, his and her vanity stations, two adjustable treatment beds and loungers for relaxing or having foot baths, pedicure and manicure treatments. The facilities also include a spectacular infinity pool, yoga studio offering a range of exercise, yoga and meditation sessions, a fitness centre and a salon.

A spa sanctuary As Dr Deepika Dalvi, spa manager, Alila Diwa Goa says, “Spa Alila at Alila Diwa www.expresshospitality.com

Goa is an exclusive retreat for those seeking a relaxing environment to rejuvenate and refresh mind and body. Its tranquil setting overlooking lush green paddy fields offers a sanctuary for relaxation, with experienced therapists providing a world of gracious hospitality. The spa’s unique treatments blend ancient Asian healing techniques with age-old beauty recipes featuring the curative benefits of fresh, natural, quality ingredients. The extensive and exclusive spa treatment menu combines both Asian and Western therapy techniques and showcases Spa Alila’s special selection of natural active ingredients.”

Recently the spa introduced

ancient ayurveda therapies including Nasyam, ShiroAbhyangam, PadaAbhyangam, Uzhichil, Abyangam, Shirodhara, Pizhichil, Udwartanam and Mukh Lepa. These treatments are an addition to the extensive Asian and Western therapies currently available at the spa.

Commenting on this new introduction, Dr Dalvi says, “Ayurveda is one of the oldest forms of traditional treatments used to cure ailments and to invigorate the entire body. The treatment is gaining immense popularity all over the world especially amongst the tourists who are seeking various Ayurveda therapies to revitalise their February 1-15, 2013

S|P|A | S|P|E|C|I|A|L

mind and body. Our specialised Ayurveda therapies help in relaxing, cleansing and rejuvenating beyond a typical relaxation treatment, due to the medicinal properties of the oils used in our therapies. We have incorporated ancient Ayurveda therapies which are designed to detoxify and bring balance, wellbeing and energy to the mind and body.” Guests looking to take home a bit of their spa experience can purchase from Spa Alila’s extensive range of therapeutic skin care products. Available at the merchandise section at the spa reception or the Alila Living Retail Center, these products are imported from Bali and are 100 per cent pure and natural. All the products used in Spa Alila are made from a creative blend of ingredients such as indigenous plants, fruits, herbs and spices sourced from Bali. The carrier massage oils are a pure blend of sweet almond and virgin coconut oils, rich in healing, nutritive and aroma therapeutic qualities.

Respect for the environment and local communities is firmly entrenched in Alila’s vision that aims to link natural conservation, community and commerce in one integral cycle. Alila believes that to achieve long-term commercial success, hotel developments must put conservation and community at the forefront. As such, Alila’s green efforts extend beyond the operational aspects of the resorts to create a positive impact on the community – economically, socially and culturally. This includes employing local people who live in the surrounding areas, developing the local workforce through skills training, using products and services from local suppliers, as well as educating guests on local culture and traditions.

Dr Dalvi affirms, “Yes, we do employ local labour depending on the background and the credentials they come with, as spa attendants and latter groom them in every area of spa operations. Also as receptionists because locals would have their own accommodation and transport. We give them special training with regards to guest handling, telephone etiquettes, etc.”

their sales recover in 2011, and this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. According to PKF Consulting USA's (PKFC) recently released Trends in the Hotel Spa Industry report, hotel spas enjoyed an 8.3 per cent increase in department revenue in 2011, after suffering declines the three previous years. Dr Dalvi believes that spas are an important revenue/profit

centre in today's hotel operations.”With so much of emphasis being laid on wellness and health these days, visiting a spa is not just a session in pampering; it has become an integral part of one’s health regime. A well designed space with preferably an indoor and outdoor area, good therapists and specialised treatments draw a good amount of footfall to any spa,” she says.

With the boom in the hospitality industry, the spa and wellness industry has also come of age. The rise in disposable incomes of people combined with the desire to live a healthier lifestyle has helped in fuelling this. “The Indian spa industry has observed a strong growth and is further expected to grow dynamically. With over 2,300 spas, it generates revenues of

around US$ 400 million annually. The wellness industry in India too has been growing exponentially over the last couple of years.

The Indian wellness market is estimated to be at `490 billion, which is less than two per cent of the global wellness industry. By 2015, wellness services alone have the potential to generate numerous job opportunities,” predicts Dr Dalvi.

Refreshing bottomlines too!

After lagging behind other hotel revenue sources, hotel spas have began to see February 1-15, 2013

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HAUTE TALK

Artfully appealing Paying ode to the fascinating travels of landscape artists, Thomas and William Daniell, Daniell’s Tavern at The Imperial New Delhi is an artistically inclined fine dining restaurant that romanticises an era gone by. By Steena Joy

homas and William Daniell, an uncle and nephew team came to experience and paint the rich culture and culinary tradition of India’s picturesque locations in 1786, in the midst of colonial era to assist the expanding British Empire.

Daniell's Tavern at The Imperial New Delhi seeks to define their gastronomic expedition. With art spread across the restaurant, the use of white hues, dark blue crockery, together with intricate woodwork on the ceiling lend an elegant feel. A live kitchen and food that folklores are made of, all make Daniell’s Tavern a curiously appealing fine dining restaurant.

Giving an insight into the artists, Vijay Wanchoo, senior executive vice president and general manager, The Imperial

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New Delhi says, “Daniell’s Tavern showcases the unique journey of Thomas and William Daniell, the two famous British landscape artists. The restaurant is an epitome of Indian heritage and stands for the art and pan Indian cuisine that is well researched and is linked beautifully with the history of ancient Hindoostan, like no other. The recipes are taken from the diaries of the Daniells and their journey takes a culinary interpretation in the menu of the restaurant.”

Last year the restaurant underwent a restoration.

Citing the reason, Wanchoo informs, “I had always thought of making the place extremely authentic as the restaurant mirrors Indian culture and history, beyond comwww.expresshospitality.com

pare. To make this dream come true and to trace the footsteps of the Daniells through their journey of Hindoostan, years ago, I actually travelled to various regions where the Daniells had visited, to understand the original flavours of each dish they had penned down. This gave birth to a well researched menu with authentic flavours and a live kitchen to showcase the artistic efforts which went behind making each dish.

Before the restoration, the recipes were also inspired by the Daniells’ journey but did not have the delicacies which they preferred and noted while tracing ancient Hindoostan. The new avatar of Daniell's Tavern brings forth some of the finest regional fares from their epic journey.”

Tabling history What fascinates the guests more now apart from the cuisine is the art that is spread across the restaurant which promises a journey back to yesteryears. He adds, “With the new look we even have a trained Sutradhar who is proficient in conducting art tours and whom the guests find extremely interesting. Also the fact that the lithograph of Jantar Mantar was painted from the exact spot where Daniell’s Tavern stands, make the guest connect more with the history. The bygone era and old charm through the new menu, the live kitchen and the interiors become an unforgettable experience leaving an everlasting impression on the minds of our diners.”

The Imperial restoration experts under Wanchoo's February 1-15, 2013

D|E|S|I|G|N guidance were involved in giving a new look to Daniell’s Tavern. The theme was to showcase the expedition of the Daniells through their original lithographs and paintings, reflecting India’s rich culture and culinary tradition as captured by the duo.

The restaurant walls adorn these rare art pieces of picturesque locations in India, which has also been an inspiration for the new menu.

Wanchoo reveals, “The names of the dishes are interesting colloquialisms actually based on the duo’s diary entry from all the cities they visited focusing on Awadhi, Southern and Bengali cuisine. The restaurant in understated and elegant dominated by the above mentioned theme with history breathing in each and every corner. The hallmark of all the dishes in the menu is their simple preparation and execution rather than fancy presentation. The results are delicious. From the cutlery to table presentation and interiors to concepts, each setting makes a guest feel as if he is dining in a royal place.”

Thomas and William Daniell started work in Calcutta and then moved up north to west. Travelling along the Ganges as far as Kanpur they also visited the Mughal cities of Agra and Delhi, capturing the essence of these places on their canvases. On their way back the Daniells stopped at Lucknow and were vastly influenced by the city’s royal resplendence. The next port of call for the artist duo was Madras and then Mysore followed by Bombay before they returned to England. “An imposing number of 144 sceneries of India titled, ‘Oriental Scenery,’ was the outcome of the fascinating travels that the Daniells had embarked upon. I thought of putting together the lithographs and paintings in Daniell’s Tavern to capture the journey of the Daniells through each city they visited.

The art series now adorn the walls of the restaurant,” Wanchoo proudly claims.

respect given to the natives by the European settlers. “The placement of the coin story was part of the new look of the restaurant and impeccably enhances the look of the Live Kitchen bustling with chefs,” says Wanchoo.

The Live Kitchen is where kebabs and bread are served.

It enhances the look and feel of the place where the guest can watch the making of some of the finest regional fares from the epic journey.

“The menu being well

researched and well thought of presents a wonderful feast with strategic names from the landmark locations of India like the East India Soup (Jehangiri Shorba) or Mulligatawny Soup (for the vegetarians), which are excellent orders before the actual 'Journey Begins'. Other similar delights are the Angrezi Sahib's Choice (kosha mangsho), Burra Memsahab's Favourite (pepper mutton) and Barrackpore's Favourite (mochar ghonto),” he adds.

The coin story The Live Kitchen at Daniell’s Tavern has an intriguing coin story displayed with finely crafted brass coins placed on the front side of the kitchen. The native Indian coins represent the commemoration of the initiation of the first formal written peace alliance between the Wampanoag tribe and the European settlers (Wampanoag Treaty 1621) in USA. It is also a mark of February 1-15, 2013

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Management

INSIGHT INTO HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS

EVENT ROUNDUP

A taste of success The 19th edition of Food Hospitality World in Mumbai was a success with as many as 250 exhibitors showcasing product and services for the myriad needs of the industry. By Sayoni Bhaduri

Suresh Shetty, minister of health, Government of Maharashtra inaugurating FHW 2013 in Mumbai while Anuradha Agrawal, VP, The Indian Express; Girish Kuber, executive editor, LokSatta; Felice Invernizzi, corporate marketing director, Group Commercial Department, Fiera Milano and Mel Lanvers-Shah, MD, Hanover Milano Fairs India look on

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he beginning of 2013 saw another success for the 19th edition of Food Hospitality World in Mumbai. “Food industry has grown tremendously,” said Suresh Shetty, minister of health, Government of Maharashtra as he inaugurated the exhibition.

He added, “People are travelling abroad extensively and have developed a taste for new cuisines. The FDI will also give a tremendous boost to horticulture and food based products, especially in the areas of transport and warehousing. More events like FHW should take place in Mumbai.”

Shetty was accompanied by Anuradha Agrawal, VP, The Indian Express; Felice Invernizzi, corporate marketing director, Group Commercial Department, Fiera Milano and Mel Lanvers-Shah, MD, Hanover Milano Fairs India.

FHW is organised by Global Fairs & Media – a result of an association between Fiera Milano Group and The Indian Express. The brand is a culmination of leading international trade shows Tuttofood and Host, and national exhibitions HospitalityWorld and Taste.

“This is our third business trip to India and first with food products. The potential in India for growth is huge

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despite being a difficult market,” said Markus Walder, manager international trade support, Export Organisation South Tyrol of the Chamber of Commerce of Bozen. Walder was one of the 50 international participants exhibiting at the trade show. The trade exhibition specialising in hospitality and food industry also saw 200 national exhibitors apart from the 50 international exhibitors and five country pavilions. Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion also participated at

Springfit, Oasis Ceramics, etc.

Some of the international suppliers included Fungo e Tartufo, Elframo, Salumificio Gandolfi, Dr Schär, Schreyoegg, Kellerei St Pauls, Fuchs J, Frulana, Gruppo Izzo, Casa Vinicola Caldirola, Galantino, La delizia 2000, Divella, etc.

Apart from the buyerseller interactions the exhibition also played host to another successful year of Great Indian Culinary Challenge (GICC) - a contest of skill, finesse and presentation from the region's most talented chefs. More than 150 chefs from various leading hotels and hotel management institutes were at competition at GICC; more than 35 medals were given out to chefs across gold, silver and bronze categories. Grand Hyatt Mumbai was adjudged as the best team. The competition was supported by Western India Culinary Association (WICA) and King Metal Works. “This is year focus of GICC was on Indian main course cooking which is a move away from the regular live cooking we did in the past. This year there is a visible increase in the quality

bartending industry- Shatbhi Basu, moderate an animated panel about what ails the segment and the future with Nikhil Agarwal, director, All Things Nice; Rishi Kumar, F&B manager, Vivanta by Taj Cuffe Parade Mumbai and Ernest Wu, AGM, Hard Rock Cafe Mumbai. Hotels sales: How savvy is your strategy?

Had Ameet Wagh, corporate head Sales & Marketing of Sun-n-Sands Hotels; Saket Gupta, head Sales & Marketing, Mars Enterprises (Waterstones Hotel) and Chandrashekhar Joshi, director of sales and marketing, Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport discussing with editor of Express Hospitality Reema Lokesh, the emergence of sales and marketing as a force to be reckoned with in hotel operations.

Green Procurement: Is it really important? was organised by Hospitality Purchase Managers' Forum which was moderated by Gautam Dandekar of Aqua Engineering, and the panelist included Mukund Vichare, associate director procurement, JSM

the event. Suraj S Nair, manager and nodal officer, NCHC added, “We are trying to help SMEs in food industry to increase their reach to newer markets by participating in shows like FHW. We provide these SMEs free space to showcase their products.” Neeraj Sheth, MD, Celfrost said, “Exhibitions like these have helped us grow our business.” Apart from Celfrost other participants included RAK Ceramics; FNS International; Star White Laundry, Aura Essentials, Mittal International, Shanti Metals, Kitchen Solutions, Lavazza, Kamani Oils,

of participation.

The competition is also more difficult and challenging this year,” said Chef Salil Fadnis, executive chef, Sahara Star Mumbai and secretary of WICA. Other featured events included panel discussions like Hospitality Knowledge Exchange on bartending and mixology – Raising the Bar; Hospitality Think Tank on hotel sales and marketing – Hotels sales: How savvy is your strategy? and Power of Purchase on 'Green Procurement: Is it really important?' for the purchase managers' fraternity. Raising the bar saw stalwart in the

Corporation; Harvey Rodrigues, purchase manager, Rodas-an Ecotel Hotel; Bharanidharan Ramaswamy, director of procurement India, Marriott Hotels India; Mohan Deshpande, chairman, Hospitality Purchasing Managers' Forum; Nitin Shankar Nagrale, director of procurement, Sofitel Mumbai BKC. As hotel companies have seen that there is a business imperative to ‘going green’ they have realised the larger benefits of the concept, this session brainstormed on certain initiatives and challenges faced by hotels on this concept.

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FEEDBACK "We were part of FHW 2013 Mumbai because of the Great Indian Culinary Challenge.

We were here to support the chef community."

"FHW 2013 Mumbai has been well organised and exhibitor participation has been good. We have been able to generate decent amount of enquiries."

Nehal Ganatra Bhalaria Metal Craft

Kiran Hazari GM Sales & Culinary Rich Graviss Products

"We want to introduce two products in India – Culatello and La Coppa.

We are FHW 2013 Mumbai looking to build partnerships."

Gandolfi Enea Salumificio di Gandolfi Enea

"We are already have exports in around 50 countries and are now looking at venturing into India. We are at FHW 2013 Mumbai in search of contacts who will help us build a market in India."

Folco Gibellini Export Manager Casa Vinicola Caldirona February 1-15, 2013

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Cheers to the spirited ‘Raising the Bar’, a Hospitality Knowledge Exchange held at Food Hospitality World 2013 Mumbai saw bartending and mixology specialists come together to discuss the direction this segment is heading towards and the challenges hindering growth. By Sayoni Bhaduri bartender is not a mixologist. This was the inference at a very animated conversation on bartending – Raising the bar - moderated by a veteran in the industry, Shatbhi Basu (founder of Stir Academy of Bartending); she was accompanied by Ernest Wu, AGM, Hard Rock Cafe; Nikhil Agarwal, director, All Things Nice and Rishi Kumar, F&B manager, Vivanta by Taj Cuffe Parade, Mumbai. Basu added that the segment has gone through a lot of ups and downs in the last 10-12 years and part of it was everyone who joined the ranks behind the bar and called themselves mixologist.

Then who is a bartender and who is a mixologist? The consensus was that a mixologist is a more evolved version of the bartender.

Kumar calls them liquid chefs, “They are able to spontaneously create a new drink based on their interactions with the guest.

This is simply because they have a better understanding of the variety of flavour profiles that exists.” A bartender on the other hand is skilled and adept in recreating the perfect Martini time and again, something that takes years of practice and hard-work; mixology therefore is the next step in

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his/her career progression.

The group also expressed their thoughts on how exposure to various cultures and countries opens up horizons for young bartenders and the need for people skills and friendliness are key attributes in a career of bartending.

In a race to cater to a dramatically fast paced and evolving consumer there is often a feeling that innovations are taken to ridiculous levels.

Basu broached the subject, “People today are willing to drink almost anything. It is

L to R: Nikhil Agarwal, director, All Things Nice; Rishi Kumar, F&B manager, Vivanta by Taj Cuffe Parade, Mumbai; Shatbhi Basu (founder of Stir Academy of Bartending) and Ernest Wu, AGM, Hard Rock Cafe

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no longer a man-woman thing or about sweet syrupy drinks. New styles are becoming stronger with evolution of new flavour profiles. But there is so much that is there which is just for shock value.” Spice based cocktails, flavoured wines, flavoured beers were some examples that came up.

There seems to be a sense of saturation and hence these experiments. “The consumer has travelled far and has a lot more exposure with the internet. It would be foolish to underestimate the Indian consumer; they are looking

for world class experiences and that cannot be taken for granted,” said Agarwal. He also added that quality of cocktail at the end of the day is the defining factor for its success and the number of refills. Wu agreed, “Customer is the king. If he wants jalapenos in his Bloody Mary, we will give it to him; there is nothing wrong with experimenting.” But two words of caution from Basu – subtle and judicious together with a very good understanding of who your customer is.

Understanding the customer requires the ability to interact with the guest.

Indian bartenders are still not up to the mark, they lack confidence and communication skills. Basu blames a lot of it on the Indian social make up, especially of the guest.

“There is a big distinction between serving someone and being a servant, in India no one is defining that line,” she said. Wu added that crass behaviour like finger snapping and whistling to get a server's attention is only found in India and it does not matter if you are a bus boy or the manager. At the Taj, Kumar explained that only degree holders are hired as bartenders. This allows the recruit to better understand the work culture of the hotel.

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He added, “Only people who have passion and are self motivated stay back.” Things are bound to change in the future as more and more skilled talent comes into the market and only the passionate will survive. The increase in the number of alcoholic beverage players in the market is also showing their influence. They conduct bartending competitions as a method of brand promotion but at the same time they are allowing more and more young professionals to be under the limelight in the world of bartending.

Picking up on the

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bartenders' survival rate Basu queried as to why the industry is such a bad paymaster and why there is no differentiation between a fresher and experienced bartender when it comes to salaries.

There are professionals who would rather work abroad than to stay in India and work.

Agarwal said, “The importance of the F&B industry in India is slowly growing and it will take time for it to reach the levels we are talking about.” Chefs have already garnered a favourable position and bartenders are not far behind. “Bartending is

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a profession that needs skills and is driven by passion,” he adds, “not everyone can do it.

Another challenge in growth of these professionals is the fact that due to their low spending power, they are not able to go out to experience and witness what is happening in the industry.”

The trouble is that not many places allow talent to be nurtured. While hotels like Taj are doing their bit, business owners and entrepreneurs are looking for value for money on their investment. “What they can consider is employing two good bartenders who can multitask

instead of four mediocore ones. A smart business owner is looking for quality, he just needs to incentivise it better,” said Agarwal.

Basu added to that formula, “With three good people behind bars, owners can then hire freshers for other smaller roles. These youngsters are looking for opportunities and exposure.”

Kumar agreed that the ability to multitask and be more cost efficient has become the need of the hour today.

Wu then emphasised on the fact that quality is of the utmost importance. He gave an example of an exemplary team member who was rehired by his company, against its policy, simply because of his skills.

This lack of dignity in terms of service and pay scale leads many of the skilled bartenders into illegal activities giving rise and boost to the adage 'bartenders are always cheats'. Basu passionately expressed that if the hospitality industry does not cater to these issues, they are being penny wise and pound foolish. “It is a vicious circle and if it is not broken it will be difficult for this segment to progress.”

February 1-15, 2013

Changing dynamics of hotel sales The Hospitality Think Tank on ‘Hotels Sales: How Savvy is your Strategy?’ organised on the second day of Food Hospitality World 2013, in Mumbai brought into focus how the function has evolved in the last decade, increasing significance of social media and key strategies to acquire business. By Sudipta Dev

he sales and marketing division has emerged as one of the most critical driver of a hotel’s business, particularly in the last decade. To understand how the function has evolved with the times, the changing dynamics of business and what will the future hold for this division, a panel discussion was organised in the Food Hospitality World exposition - the Hospitality Think Tank on ‘Hotels Sales: How Savvy is your Strategy’.

The panel members comprised an interesting mix, representing divergent hotel segments – one of the best known boutique hotels in Mumbai (Waterstones Hotel of Mars Enterprises); a family run property with an interesting legacy (Sun-nSand Mumbai); and a representative of one of the world’s leading hotel chains (Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport).

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Each property had witnessed a different evolution as far as the growth of the sales division is concerned, but there were many common grounds when it came to strategy.

Talking about the evolution of his hotel’s sales division, Ameet Wagh, corporate head – sales and marketing, Sun-n-Sand said, “Sun-nSand opened in 1962 and it is 60 years now. All this while there was no sales team, in 2000 they felt the need for a sales team, and a two-member division was set up. Now we are a team of five people. From traditional selling, things have changed. Factors like OTAs and social media helps drive in sales.” At the other end of the spectrum is the Marriott Group that opened its first property in Goa in 1999, and has always had a very strong sales team.

“There was a process sales team then cluster sales team, these are sometimes www.expresshospitality.com

crucial changes,” pointed out Chandrashekhar Joshi, director of sales and marketing, Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport.

Mars Enterprises has had a sales team from the time it was an F&B company. “The team had grown from two to ten, times have changed,” stated Saket Gupta, head – sales and marketing, Mars Enterprises. Gupta agreed that pricing plays a very important role to clinch a deal but there is always an option to say ‘no’. “We have to ask ourselves if it makes sense. We are not just competing with our type of hotels but also five star properties,” he mentioned, remembering to add that one of the important developments for the sales and marketing function has been the aspect of SQ or the Social Quotient, which has to be very high.

Acknowledging that

social media is a double edged sword, Joshi revealed that they have been late to join the social media bandwagon.

“The first question that Marriott asked us was why we wanted to be on social media. Every hotel should ask why it wants to be on this platform. It depends on each property of the hotel group on how engaged it wants to be on social media.

We are given a docket of best practices,” he stated.

For every hotel, the social media is a vulnerable platform. Conceding the fact, Gupta said that Waterstones finds LinkedIn and YouTube useful mediums.

Sun-n-Sun outsources its social media management and has received a good response.

“We have 8000 fans in two years. It is pertinent to F&B promotions than rooms as the age group active on Facebook wants to go out and eat,” remarked Wagh.

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Chandrashekhar Joshi

Saket Gupta

Ameet Wagh The RoI is however difficult to judge for a single property.

The panel members agreed that TripAdvisor is the most effective medium and the motherbook of tech savvy travellers. “We are proud to say that we rank number 14 among 332 hotels in Mumbai. We wait for feedback when the guest checks out. Our general manager replies to each and every feedback – it is a personalised message. We make sure our services are at par with the best,” said Gupta. Joshi stressed on the need for reputation management, “Three-four per cent of our sales comes from TripAdvisor and other channels.”

The year 2012 saw the market dip by 10 per cent though 2013 looks positive.

Every hotel has its strategy worked out for lean period.

“You have to evaluate how you have performed over the years so right price is a very important factor,” stated Wagh, adding that, value added packages, length of stay packages were important.

Waterstones has a club besides weekend and other packages that help domestic business. The inbound packages are generally pensioners. “As far as the inbound market is concerned it has changed from earlier times, now the lead time is hardly a month and that too the local travel agency keeps negotiating with different hotels till the last minute,” informed Gupta.

The fact however remains that Mumbai is predominantly a business city and while there might

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be some special packages during the lean period, the focus of the hotel business is the business traveller. One of the important segments for all hotels is the MICE market. While Sun-n-Sand has a strategy for MICE, it mostly holds small meetings in its conference rooms that can accommodate 20-30 people. The hotel however has a unique outdoor space and is very popular for the wedding crowd who also stay in the property during the celebrations. “It is a business that has been growing naturally. We’ve had successive generations who’ve been married at Sun-n-Sand,” said Wagh.

Even for a boutique property like Waterstones, MICE remains a significant part of the sales strategy.

Courtyard by Marriott has a strong team selling conferences and meetings.

“Hoteliers have realised that you cannot put all the eggs in one basket. Almost 15 per cent of our business comes from meetings and conferences, it even comes in lean business periods and is emerging very strongly,” asserted Joshi. The RoI is also very high.

Talent management For any industry, more so in the hospitality sector, getting the right people, training and retaining them is a big challenge.

Not surprisingly, attrition is high even in sales and marketing divisions of most hotels. “The day they start performing, they start demanding. I have good people in my team, but keep my eyes and ears open for those who are the good people in the market. I ask my clients to suggest the right people,” said Gupta, adding that, it is difficult to survive without the right people in the team. It is essential for every team to have a balance of experienced and young blood.

Joshi agreed that good talent is always in demand.

“Marriott has built a reputation of being a preferred employer. The expectations today are of course very different, however we have to constantly evolve.

Good talent brings in more money but there is always a threshold as you cannot just give any salary – it is not

money that drives people but career growth. It is important to develop a culture where good talent is taken care of,” he said.

Wagh admitted honestly that it is not always easy to get the right people for they sometimes come at a price which is a challenge.

Looking ahead While business looks good in 2013 but customers know that there are other options to go to in a place like Mumbai. Joshi's hotels sales strategy is based on this factor. Regarding future trends he predicts that while earlier the inbound comprised on 75 per cent and 25 per cent domestic, now it is 50 per cent each.

The domestic market will continue to grow stronger.

There will also be growth from Asian markets like Japan, Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong. “European market will be down but the domestic and Asian market will take care of it,” he pointed out.

Courtyard by Marriott is also working out a policy for single woman travellers, as a result of the bad publicity that India has been getting lately. “We realise that it is an important issue to address. We are working on a docket for this segment,” stated Joshi. Waterstones already has some rules in place for this segment – ensuring that the room given to the single lady traveller is near the elevator, not putting them up on the same floor if a group is present there, etc.

Interestingly, the panel members agreed that the sales and marketing division will reduce in size in the future with functions like channel management and revenue management getting important. “There will be correction in the market with more hotels coming up and the sales team reducing by 50 per cent,” felt Gupta.

The function will move towards relationship and partnership management.

“The element of sales and marketing will stay in India as we are wired in that way, we want to connect to people. Technology will continue to shape up the way we are,” maintained Joshi.

February 1-15, 2013

Eco(logical) measures Hotel companies have lately been realising that it is imperative to ‘going green’ for business to prosper in the long run. Delving on this trend was the Power of Purchase panel on ‘Green Procurement: Is It Really Important?’ witnessed serious brainstorming on certain initiatives and challenges faced by hotels.

By Kahini Chakraborty

L to R: Gautam Dandekar of Aqua Engineering; Mohan Deshpande, chairman, Hospitality Purchasing Managers' Forum; Bharanidharan Ramaswamy, director of procurement India, Marriott Hotels India; Mukund Vichare, associate director procurement, JSM Corporation; Harvey Rodrigues, purchase manager, Rodas-an Ecotel Hotel and Nitin Shankar Nagrale, director of procurement, Sofitel Mumbai BKC s the cost of nonrenewable energy continues to rise, 'Green practices' in the hospitality industry are becoming the baseline requirement nowadays. And as a bonus, hotels that revolve around these green practices have the strongest opportunity to achieve a competitive advantage by being ahead of the emerging 'sustainability' curve. The Power of Purchasepanel on ‘Green Procurement: Is it really important?’ was organised by Hospitality Purchasing Managers' Forum (HPMF) on the third day of Food Hospitality World 2013 which was moderated by Gautam Dandekar of Aqua Engineering, and the panelist

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included Mukund Vichare, associate director procurement, JSM Corporation; Harvey Rodrigues, purchase manager, Rodas-an Ecotel Hotel; Bharanidharan Ramaswamy, director of procurement India, Marriott Hotels India; Mohan Deshpande, chairman, Hospitality Purchasing Managers' Forum; Nitin Shankar Nagrale, director of procurement, Sofitel Mumbai BKC. Dandekar opened the panel discussion by focussing on the challenges faced by hotels while incorporating green practices. Taking the lead Rodrigues answered, “Whatever the company does, it keeps in mind the benefits rendered to the environment.

By inculcating green practices, the hotel has been able to save almost `6 to 7 lakh on electricity. Another initiative has been the use of cloth bags rather than plastic. We have also been doing rain water harvesting. These are some of the initiatives which we have been religiously following.”

Giving a different opinion, Ramaswamy added, “Today the awareness of adopting green practices is limited among many companies but we still have the opportunity to improve ourselves. It is more about going back to our roots and working for the benefit of the environment.”

Financial savings are one of the most significant factors that influence the implementation of environmental initiatives in a hotel. This is evident for hotel businesses that operate in a highly competitive market where the cost of energy, water and waste disposal are high.

One crucial measure on why most hotels are adopting 'go green' concept these days is with regards to energy efficiency through the utilisation of energy management systems, motion sensors for public areas, incorporation of LED lighting and so on which significantly reduce the hotel’s spend on www.expresshospitality.com

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energy. Similar measures have also been taken by many towards recycling and reuse of waste water to economise on water bills. The overall impact on the bottom line of the establishment is hence significant.

Waste management is another critical element that not only reduces the environment footprint of the hotel establishment but also ensures a clean and safe environment for staff and guests.

Progressing further, when questioned on how has the supply chain management been looked at so far and how could it be changed for a better tomorrow, Ramaswamy

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opined, “With regards to Marriott, many initiatives have been taken at each of the properties in India and globally. I believe these initiatives cannot be done from one procurement department, hence there has to be a committee formed for smooth decision making.

There is definitely an opportunity but the initiative should come first from the d e p a r t m e n t itself for the scenario to change.” While Nagrale added that Accor has its sustainable development initiative called Planet 21 which refers to agenda 21 which is followed by the brands worldwide.

“Every small step will lead to green procurement stage,” he firmly expressed.

Many hotels have started conducting environmental programme activities for employees that go a long way in motivating them. These programmes have proved to be an effective means of generating enthusiasm and motivating staff to work as a team to achieve a common purpose.

Also hotel companies have started using environmental programmes as a staff incentive – the financial savings earned are translated into cash or other rewards.

Employee turnover rate in the hotel sector which is relatively

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high therefore increasing the retention rate will also save the business money in training of new staff. When asked on the challenges faced while implementing green procurement in training, Ramaswamy said, “Adopting green practices is costly initially but in the long run it is beneficial to the group.

Apart from the financial aspect, the total life cost of the product also needs to be looked at and taken into consideration. We need to have committees to direct the teams on green implementation.”

While Sofitel keeps on constantly working on the guidelines for

green procurement; according to Vichare, “Once volumes for green products are seen increasing, the cost will lower down.”

Hence on a concluding note, it was noted that with regards to green initiatives, many hotel chain companies have been addressing this concept by doing their bit, be it changing their habits from using plastic to biodegradable products, to using LED lights and incorporating rain water harvesting. No doubt the initial investment is higher but if looked at long term, the benefits reaped by the companies have been exponential.

February 1-15, 2013

The taste test ood Hospitality World is home and host to one of India's acclaimed chefs competitionGreat Indian Culinary Challenge (GICC). In the 2013 edition, GICC, a contest of skill, finesse and presentation saw participation of more than 150 chefs from various leading hotels and hotel management institutes. “This year’s focus of GICC was on Indian main course cooking which is a move away from the regular live cooking we did in the past. This year there is a visible increase in the quality of participation. The competition is also more difficult and challenging this year,” said Chef Salil Fadnis, executive chef, Sahara Star Mumbai and secretary of WICA. There were more than 35 medals given out to chefs across gold, silver and bronze categories and Grand Hyatt Mumbai was adjudged as the best team. The competition was supported by Western India Culinary Association (WICA).

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Chef judges Chef Sudhir Pai Chef Vernon Coelho Chef Vivek Kadam Chef Salil Fadnis Chef Kainaz Messman Chef Anil Rohira Chef Nowzer Iranpour Chef Sitaram Shetty Chef Milind Sovani Chef Sudhish Pandey Chef Rajdeep Kapoor Chef Bhaskar Sankhari Chef Ajay Chopra

Winners' List Individual Artistic Display

Plated Desserts Silver

Rajeev Jaiswal

The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Bronze

Amit Kumar

The Westin Mumbai Garden City

Sahara Star

Javed Shaikh

Grand Hyatt Mumbai

Nigel Creado

The Leela Mumbai

Rahul Michael

The Leela Mumbai

Omkar Kulkarni

The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Chocolate Showpiece Gold

Santosh Mohite

Grand Hyatt Mumbai

Silver

Rajesh Paramashivan

Bronze

Individual Hot Cooking Individual Cold Display

Professionals

Plated Appetizers

Gold

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Ajay Chaudhary

The Westin Mumbai Garden City

Rushil Sachdeva

Grand Hyatt Mumbai

Hira Ram Chowdhari

Aamby Valley

Sushil Multani

The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Prashant Penkar

The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Alafia Galabhai

The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Sumit Bist

Sahara Star

Sameer Karkare

The Westin Mumbai Garden City

Pravin Pandey

Grand Hyatt Mumbai

Mandar Kotekar

Sahara Star

Lalit Hadkar

Grand Hyatt Mumbai

Hussain Shahzad

The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Mandar Sawant

Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre

Vishnu Prasad

Grand Hyatt Mumbai

Souvik Ray

The Lalit Mumbai

Jagannath Saha

Sagar Satghare

The Westin Mumbai Garden City

Ashok Chand

Grand Hyatt Mumbai

Vivek Khedekar

Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport

Ashish Thapliyal

Grand Hyatt Mumbai

Vivek Unniyal

Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport

Silver

Bronze

and Hotel Aamby Valley

Apprentice/Trainee/Students Second Runners-Up Harsh Chhabria and Parthiban Nadar

Petit Fours or Pralines

St Andrew's

Gold

Akshay Dhumal

The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Bronze

Santosh Rawat

Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre

First Runners-Up

Dhruv Khanna and Abhishek

IHM Mumbai

and Hotel

Winners

Fredi Thomas and Molankal Rakesh

Culinary Academy

Ajit Jadiyar

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College

Grand Hyatt Mumbai

of India

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Glimpses of Great Indian Culinary Challenge (GICC) 2013 The Winners of GICC 2013

The winning team: Grand Hyatt Mumbai

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COMMERCIAL KITCHEN AND REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT

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HOUSEKEEPING

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LIST YOUR COMPANY FOR FREE Amusement, Leisure & Health Club Equipment A01 Advertising Balloon A02 Air Hockey A03 Amusement Park / FEC Equipment A04 Beauty Salon Equipment A05 Boats A06 Bowling Alleys A07 Chemicals for Swimming Pool A08 Coin Operated Toys / Electric Cars A09 Electronic & Battery Filtration Plants A10 Fountains A11 Garden Furniture A12 Garden Umbrella A13 Golf Equipments A14 Guest Amenities (Refer F20-Guest Amenities) A15 Guest Transportation A16 Health & Fitness Equipment A17 Inflatables A18 Juke Box A19 Playground Equipment A20 Pool Table Manufacturers A21 Redemption Machine A22 Ride Stimulator A23 Swimming Pool Equipment & Supplies A24 Walkway Tents & Marquees Bakery B01 Automatic Pillow Pack / Biscuit Packaging Machines B02 Bakery Enzymes B03 Bakery Equipments B04 Bakery Fats B05 Baking Pans B06 Biscuits B07 Blenders B08 Bread B09 Bread Slicer B10 Cake Decoration B11 Cakes B12 Confectionery B13 Dough Kneader B14 Dough Sheeters B15 Ingredients & Additives B16 Moulds B17 Ovens B18 Planetary Mixers B19 Ready - Made Cake Mixes B20 Sugar & Sweetener B21 Wheat Flour & Rice B22 Yeast B23 Zero Calorie Sweetener (Refer C46 - Zero Calorie Sweetener) Food & Beverage C01 Beverages-Alcoholic C02 Beverages-Non Alcoholic C03 Canned Foods C04 Cashew C05 Cocoa & Chocolate Products C06 Coconut & Coconut Milk Powder C07 Coffee C08 Custard Powder C09 Dry Fruits C10 Dry Tea C11 Edible Oil C12 Flavour C13 Food Paste C14 Fresh Fruits & Vegetables C15 Fresh Meat, Poultry & Sea Food

C16 Frozen Foods C17 Fruit Pulp Concentrate C18 Grocery Products C19 Health Products C20 Ice Cream C21 Instant Custard Powder C22 Jam & Jelly C23 Milk & Dairy Products C24 Mukhavas & Supari C25 Natural Foods C26 Noodles C27 Olive Oil C28 Pasta C29 Rice C30 Ready to Eat Food C31 Roasted / Salted Almonds C32 Salt C33 Sauces C34 Snacks C35 Soups C36 Speciality Foods C37 Spices C38 Sweets & Savour C39 Tea / Tea Bags C40 Vanaspati Oil C41 Vegetable Oil C42 Vermicelli C43 Wheat Flour & Rice (Refer B21-Wheat Flour & Rice) C44 Whipping Cream C45 Wines C46 Zero Calorie Sweetener F & B Service D01 Aluminium Foil D02 Aluiminium Foil Containers D03 Ash Trays D04 Badges & Signages D05 Bags & Caps D06 Banquet Frills D07 Bar Equipment & Accessories D08 Candle & Candle Stand D09 Casserole D10 Chafing Dishes D11 Chafing Fuel D12 Chafing Pan D13 Coasters D14 Coffee Machine D15 Crates D16 Chocolate Fountain Machine D17 Crockery D18 Cutlery D19 Dining Table Accessories D20 Dinner Set D21 Disinfectants (Refer F13-Disinfectants) D22 Disposable Plates & Containers D23 Foil Rolls & Cling Film D24 Fuel {Solid, Liquid & Gel} D25 Glassware D26 Holloware (Refer H27 - Holloware) D27 Hotelware D28 Insulated Boxes D29 Kitchen Accessories D30 Kitchenware D31 Knives D32 Marking & Coding Material D33 Matches & Lighter D34 Melamine Crockery D35 Menu Folders & Covers D36 Microwave Dishes D37 Microwave Ovens D38 Non Stick Cookware D39 Packaging Materials

D40 Paper Napkins / Tissues D41 Paper Products D42 Pepper Mills D43 Plastic Food Containers D44 Polythene Bags D45 Portion Packed Sachets & Blisters D46 Restaurant Linen (Refer G41 - Linen) D47 Sign Board (Refer E60 - Signages) D48 Silverware D49 Straws D50 Table Mats D51 Tableware {Ceramic} D52 Tableware {Porcelain} D53 Thermoware D54 Tinplate D55 Tongs D56 Toothpick D57 Trays D58 Trolley D59 Vending Machines Tea / Coffee (Refer H15 - Dispenser-Vending Machines) D60 Water Coolers (Refer H63 - Water Coolers) D61 Weighing Scale D62 Wine Chillers Engineering & Technology E01 AC Plant & Boiler Maintenance Chemicals E02 AC Repair & Maintenance Service E03 AC Spare Parts & Refrigerant Gases E04 Access Control System E05 Air Conditioning E06 Air Pollution Control Systems E07 Air Purification E08 Audio / Visual Equipment E09 Auto Water Level Controller E10 Automatic Sliding E11 Blowers E12 Boilers & Geysers E13 Building Management Systems (BMS) E14 Cable Accessories E15 Cables E16 Cash Registers E17 CD ROM E18 CRM Solutions E19 Chilling Plants E20 Computer-Hardware & Software E21 Conferencing Equipment E22 Cooling Systems E23 Cooling Towers E24 Data Centre / Infrastructure Management E25 Data Mining / Business Intelligence E26 Disc Jockey Equipment E27 Drain Cleaning Equipment E28 Dryers & Dehumidifiers E29 Earth Moving Equipment E30 Electrical Equipment & Supply E31 Electronic Ballast E32 Electronic Door Locks E33 Electronic Safes E34 Elevators & Escalators E35 Energy Conservation Systems E36 Energy Control Systems E37 Fire Fighting Equipment E38 Generator Sets E39 Hotel Management Software E40 Hotel Online Reservation Systems E41 In-room Entertainment Systems E42 Insulation Materials E43 Internet Service Provider E44 Key Tags E45 Kiosk E46 LCD / LED TV

E47 Locks E48 Luminaries E49 Mobile Applications E50 Office Automation Products E51 Online Marketing E52 Peripherals E53 Point Of Sale {POS} E54 Process Control Instruments E55 Property Management E56 Pumps & Spare E57 RFID Solutions E58 Safes E59 Security Equipment & Supplies E60 Signages E61 Solar Energy Equipment E62 Sound System E63 Steel E64 Survillence Equipments E65 Switch Gear E66 Telecommunications E67 Television / Interactive TV E68 Temperature Control System E69 Thermal & Acoustic Insulation E70 Touch Monitors E71 Trackball E72 Tube & Pipe Fitting E73 UPS System E74 Valves E75 Video Conferencing Equipments / Softwares E76 Web Services E77 Wi-fi E78 Workforce Management Housekeeping F01 Air Curtains F02 Air Fresheners F03 Bed Spring / Rollaway F04 Bird Control Systems F05 Blanket / Duvets F06 Brooms F07 Brushes F08 Brushes / Mops / Scrubbers F09 Cleaning Products & Equipments F10 Contract Housekeeping Companies F11 Curtains F12 Cushion & Cushion Covers F13 Disinfectants F14 Disposal Hand Gloves & Aprons F15 Down & Feather Products F16 Dryers-Hair & Hand F17 Floor Cleaning Machine F18 Fly Traps / Killers F19 Garbage Bags F20 Guest Amenities F21 Hangers F22 Housekeeping Services F23 Irons / Ironing Boards F24 Kitchen Towels Rolls F25 Ladders F26 Laundry Equipment F27 Laundry / Newspaper Bags F28 Linen Bath (Refer G41 - Linen) F29 Linen Bed (Refer G41 - Linen) F30 Madeup F31 Mattress (Refer G46 - Mattress & Cushion) F32 Mini Bars F33 Mirrors F34 Napkins F35 Napthalene Balls F36 Odour Control Systems F37 Pest Control

F38 Pest Repellent F39 Pillow F40 Polishes F41 Sensor Tap F42 Shoe / Slippers / Footwear F43 Shoe Shining Machine F44 Soap Dispenser F45 Soap, Detergent & Chemical F46 Stationery Items F47 Suitings & Shirtings F48 Tissue Papers F49 Toilet Tissue Rolls F50 Towels F51 Uniforms F52 Urinal & Toilet Flusher F53 Vaccum Cleaners F54 Waste Bin F55 Weighing Scales (Refer D61 - Weighing Scales) Interior G01 Aluminium Products G02 Artificial Lawns & Plants G03 Automatic Door Closer G04 Awnings, Canopies & Shades G05 Bathroom Equipment & Sanitaryware G06 Bathroom Sealants G07 Brassware G08 Building Material G09 Cane Furniture / Products G10 Carpets G11 Ceramic Tiles G12 Chairs G13 Chandeliers G14 Clocks G15 Curtain Drapes / Rails G16 Decorative Glass G17 Decorative Light Fittings G18 Doors & Windows G19 Drapery Rods & Curtains G20 Energy Saving Lamps G21 False Ceilings G22 Fans G23 Floor Covers G24 Floorings G25 Frameless Glass Showers G26 Frames G27 Furnishing & Fabrics G28 Furniture & Fixture G29 Fusion Glass G30 Gate Automation G31 Gates & Grills G32 Glass Block / Silicon Sealants G33 Glass for Door & Window G34 Glass Tile G35 Granite G36 Hardware G37 Laminates

G38 Lamps & Lamp Shades G39 Light & Light System G40 Lighting Control Solution G41 Linen G42 Locks G43 Marble Tables G44 Marbles G45 Matting System G46 Mattress & Cushion G47 Mirrors Cabinets G48 Paintings G49 Paints G50 Pavers & Tiles G51 Plating G52 Plywood G53 Rubber Wood / Solid Wood Furniture G54 Spiral Staircase G55 Stained Glass & Related Products G56 Switches G57 Tent & Roofing Fabrics G58 Venetian Blinds G59 Vertical & Roller Blinds G60 Wall Covering / Paper G61 Wall To Wall Carpets G62 Weather Sheets G63 Window Covering G64 Window Tracing Products G65 Wood Lacquers G66 Wooden Floorings G67 Wrought Iron Furniture Kitchen Equipment H01 Automatic Gas Operated Pizza Ovens H02 Bain Marie (Refer H10 - Commercial Kitchen Equipment) H03 Bar Equipment (Refer D07 - Bar Equipment) H04 Bottle Coolers H05 Bottled Water Dispenser (Refer H64 - Water Dispensers) H06 Can Openers H07 Catering Equipments H08 Centrifugal Blowers H09 Combi Ovens H10 Commercial Kitchen Equipment H11 Cutlery (Refer D18 - Cutlery) H12 Deep Freezer (Refer H51 - Refrigeration Equipment) H13 Dish Washer H14 Dishwarmer H15 Dispenser-Vending Machine H16 Display Counter / Refrigerated Display H17 Dumb Elevator H18 Electric Chimney H19 Electric / Gas Deep Fryers H20 Exhaust Fans & Ventilators H21 Fryers H22 Garbage Processing Machine

H23 Gastronorm Pans H24 Gelato H25 Griller H26 Grinder / Mixer H27 Holloware H28 Hot Plate (Refer H10 - Commercial Kitchen Equipment) H29 Ice Box H30 Ice Carving Sets H31 Ice Cream Bags H32 Ice Cream Dispenser H33 Ice Cream Freezer H34 Ice Cream Machine H35 Ice Cube Machine H36 Induction Cookers H37 Industrial Mixers H38 Kitchen Cleaning Solution H39 Kitchen Design & Planning H40 Kitchen Equipment Maintenance & Service Kitchen Exhaust System H41 Kitchen Utensils (Refer D30 - Kitchenware) H42 LPG H43 Mincer H44 Noodles & Pasta Machines H45 Ovens (Refer B17 - Ovens) H46 Popcorn Making Machine H47 Portable Cabins H48 Pressure Cooker (Refer H10-Commercial Kitchen Equipment) H49 Refrigerated Display Counters (Refer H51 - Refrigeration Equipment) H50 Refrigerated Transport Containers H51 Refrigeration Equipment H52 Sauce Pans (Refer H10 - Commercial Kitchen Equipment) H53 Shawerma H54 Slush Machine H55 Softy Machine H56 Stoves & Burners (Refer H10 - Commercial Kitchen Equipment) H57 Tandoor H58 Thick Shake Machine H59 Turnkey Project Consultancy (Refer J19 - Turnkey Project Consultancy) H60 Utility Vehicle (Refer H10 - Commercial Kitchen Equipment) H61 Vegetable Cutting Machine (Refer H10 - Commercial Kitchen Equipment) H62 Walk-In-Cold Rooms H63 Water Coolers H64 Water Dispensers Waste Management & Water Treatment Technology

I04 Food Waste Treatement System I05 Non-Chemical Water Treatment I06 Reverse Osmosis Plants I07 Sewage Treatment Plants I08 Solid Waste Management (Wet/Dry) / Garbage Disposal Systems I09 Water Chlorinator I10 Water Disinfectant I11 Water Filtration Plant I12 Water Purifiers I13 Water Related Technologies I14 Water Tanks I15 Water Treatment Chemicals I16 Water Treatment Plants Consultants J01 Acoustic Consultants J02 Architect J03 Bar Consultants J04 Civil Consultants J05 Environment Consultants J06 F& B Consultants J07 General Insurance for Hotels J08 Hotel Consultants J09 Interior Consultants J10 Kitchen Consultants J11 Landscape Consultants J12 Laundry Consultants J13 Leisure & Amusement Park Consultants J14 Project Consultants J15 Real Estate Consultants J16 Recruitment Consultants J17 Spa Consultants J18 Technical Consultants J19 Turnkey Project Consultancy Spa & Wellness K01 Aromatherapy Diffusers K02 Beauty Care Products K03 Chill Shower Equipment K04 Cosmetology Equipments K05 Essential Oils K06 Hair Styling Equipments K07 Hot Water Generators K08 Hydrotherapy Equipment K09 Indoor Air Quality Equipment K10 Jacuzzi Equipment K11 Massage Chairs K12 Massage Tables K13 Nail Stations K14 Nutrition Supplements K15 Sauna Equipment K16 Spa / Salon Toiletries K17 Steam Equipment

I01 Drain Cleanng Equipment I02 Drinking Water Plants I03 Effluent Treatment Plants

Listing facility also available online at www.expresshospitality.com/hpf Company Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Contact Person: ______________________________________ Designation: _____________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________ City: __________________________ Pin code: ______________________________ State: __________________________ Tel.: _________________________________ Fax: ________________________ Mobile: ___________________________ Email: ______________________________________________ Website: _______________________________________ Product Codes: _____________________________________________________________________________________ *Please attach extra sheet if contact details do not fit in the area provided.

Yes I am intersested in paid advertising in HPF 2013 ONLY TEN FREE LISTINGS PER COMPANY WILL BE PERMITTED ENTRIES SHOULD REACH BEFORE 20TH FEBRUARY, 2013 Mail all forms to: Darshana Chauhan, Express Hospitality, Global Fairs & Media Pvt. Ltd., 2nd Floor, Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai - 400 021.

For any other queries, Contact - Darshana Chauhan on Tel.: +91 22 67440499 • E-mail: express.hpf@gmail.com

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INTERIOR & DESIGN

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Edge

T E C H N O L O G Y F O R H O S P I TA L I T Y

TECHTALK

You've got ZMail ZDirect is helping to keep mobile travellers organised by developing new integration that links directly from a hotel's property management system to the Apple iOS 6 Passbook digital wallet

sing the ZMail electronic communication platform, a guest's hotel confirmation becomes a mobile 'pass' that is sent to an iPhone or iPod Touch and added to the mobile Passbook file. Since Passbook is time and location based, hotel confirmations automatically appear on the lock screen when and where the information is needed. As travellers get close to the hotel, their confirmations pop up for easy viewing.

ZDirect is a hospitality provider of electronic customer-relationship management services. Via ZMail, hotels send personalised emails and text messages to guests before, during and after their stay to improve hotelto-guest communications, build customer loyalty and increase onsite spending. Today more than 2,000 hotels spanning six continents are using ZMail to better connect with guests.

"Apple's Passbook helps keep everything organised for the mobile traveller. Passbook organises gift cards, tickets, coupons, boarding passes, etc., into a digital file. By customising this functionality for hotel confirmations, ZDirect is improving

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the overall guest experience and adding more value to our eCRM solution. ZDirect's mobile integration to Passbook does what paper can't - it alerts travellers to real-time changes in their reservations,� says Shayne Paddock, chief information officer, Zdirect.

He adds, "The hotel 'pass' actually pops up through the mobile lock screen to be accessed with just a touch as guests get close to the hotel.

Directions to the property can also be added so finding the hotel is a breeze."

ZDirect attaches Passbook files to emails or creates a link to download the 'pass' from a confirmation email or SMS text message. The look and feel of the hotel's 'pass' can be customised for each hotel and configured for any PMS. Once the 'pass' is stored on the mobile device, a data connection is not needed to retrieve it, so roaming charges are not assessed.

"First there was iCal, then TripIt, and now Passbook," says Paddock.

"By continually adding functionality to the ZMail platform, ZDirect continues pushing the envelope for enhanced eCRM. ZDirect’s integra-

tion to Passbook means no more printing of hotel confirmations which tend to get lost. To update their reservations, guests simply 'pull down' on their 'pass' to receive the latest reservation information. It's a convenience tool that is so important to today's mobile-dependent travellers, and it's a logical add on for hotels that use ZMail for hotel-to-guest communication."

Serving six continents Zdirect's customer base now spans six out of seven continents, and 2,000+ hotels and resorts using its ZMail electronic communication platform. With more than half of hotels (58 per cent) projecting marketing budget increases by at least 10 per cent this year and more than 56 per cent of marketers planning to grow their email marketing budget, ZDirect is positioned to grow exponentially in 2013.

"Reports are substantiating that reliance on email marketing to boost business and maintain customer loyalty is growing by leaps and bounds," says Caren de’Ath, ZDirect vice president of sales. "Combine this with ZMail's proven ability to help hoteliers

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E|D|G|E during tight economies and 2013 is positioned to be a very good year. Hoteliers have been exceedingly successful with ZDirect because our technology makes it easy to uncover the real person behind every reservation. We deliver dynamic, real-time profiles of today's diverse guests; streamline and centralise a hotel's electronic marketing initiative by tracking guest behavior and preferences across multiple platforms; and provide multiple, personalised touch-points between the hotel and the guest.

"From up-selling a hotel's amenities online - or via

mobile device - with personalised pre-arrival emails, to creating offers specifically tailored to meet the individualised needs of one’s guests or groups of guests, ZDirect is helping hotel owners, operators and marketers achieve maximum profit from unsold perishable room inventory," de'Ath adds.

"Our online tools are always accessible, and our team is always available to work side-by-side with hoteliers to build brand loyalty and trust, and ultimately generating new revenue streams and measurable results."

"ESPs typically perform list marketing to fill unsold

rooms, but sending one email to an entire database of past guests can potentially jeopardise your relationship," de'Ath expalins. "If a consumer receives an email about a topic or purchase request that they have no interest in, chances are they will opt out of receiving future emails. This can be detrimental to your entire emarketing efforts. Instead, ZMail uses profile and behavioral marketing to identify the best possible candidates to increase occupancy, revenues and loyalty."

Profile marketing uses rich, targeted data to match what a hotel wants to sell with whom will buy it. For exam-

ple, if it is Wednesday and a hotel needs to fill unsold rooms for the upcoming weekend, ZDirect can perform a profile search to identify past guests who booked four to five days out, arrived on a Friday or Saturday, and live within a 500 mile radius (as the likelihood of someone flying to a destination last minute is slim). Behavioural marketing searches for customers based on purchase history from within the PMS and identifies how much money they spent on past stays, how many times they stayed, and in which market segments to create promotional offers based on that criteria.

Streamlining revenue management With India being a potential market for eRevMax International, Andrew Morsi, co-founder & president, e-RevMax talks about the various products launched for the travel and hospitality sector and how the company plans to expand its footprint.

By Joy Roy Choudhury RevMax International, global software and services provider has drawn up ambitious growth plans for India in the coming years. It is looking at tapping the Indian hospitality sector in a big way to expand its business. “India's online travel market has tremendous scope and potential.

The market is growing and expected to grow significantly over the coming years. So, India is and would be an important market in our future scheme of things. We will be focusing on both the multi-locational luxury segments as well as standalone independent four and threestar hotels to sell our slew of products,” says Andrew Morsi, co-founder and president, eRevMax. The company, owns two leading products 'RateTiger' Suite of products and 'SimpleDistribution'.

The first is a full service online distribution management solution for the travel and hospitality sector and SimpleDistribution, which is for hotel businesses only, is a web-based tool for market intelligence and channel management for cost sensitive businesses.

The company, currently has leading hotel groups, like Oberoi, Leela Group, Ginger and others, as its clients in India. Recently, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India, the vacation ownership players with over 147,000 members, has installed 'RateTiger', to automate and streamline its

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revenue management and online distribution process across its multiple sales channels.

Morsi informs, “The company recently launched its third full edition of 'RateTiger RTSuite', with a new user interface and automated inventory distribution controls. The hotel technology specialist in distribution and channel connectivity has been working for the last few months reworking and further developing the channel management product to simplify online rate and inventory management for hotels.

RTSuite 3.0 has been redesigned incorporating 'Online On-Demand Shopping' for quick room rate data collection and consolidating multiple update features to enhance efficiency. It has been developed to provide users throughout the hotel property with role responsibility based access to meet their individual requirements in managing third party channel updates.

Another important addition of the 'RTSuite 3.0' is allocation management, an advanced automated pooled inventory distribution system, supported by an intelligent alert mechanism that proactively notifies user of inventory changes. The user interface further simplifies the integration of RMS data feeds. The new version will also support 'Reservation Delivery' from OTAs to property management system www.expresshospitality.com

(PMS) to reduce the manual error-prone task of reservation and guest data entry.

The third edition also features allocation management, an advanced automated pooled inventory distribution system, supported by an intelligent alert mechanism that proactively notifies user of inventory changes. The user interface further simplifies the integration of RMS data feeds.

The new version will also support reservation delivery from OTAs to PMS to reduce the manual error-prone task of reservation and guest data entry. e-RevMax specialises in revenue and distribution solutions for the hospitality industry for more than a decade now, having launched one of the very first electronic, online and hotel website room rate shopping services way back in 2002. The company was founded by two visionaries, Reuel Ghosh and Morsi, who sought to help the hotel industry define, control and better manage the then upcoming internet sales channel.

Incorporated in 2001, in New Jersey, eRevMax caters to over 5000 customers in over 100 countries and 1800 cities worldwide with offices and R&D centres across continents. With a diverse product portfolio, eRevMax provides premium full service technology solutions and services across the hospitality and travel spectrum. In the coming year, eRevMax plans to expand into new

territories. Recently, it has entered into new territories like Australia, New Zealand, China and South Africa.

Meanwhile, in India the company recently opened their new development centre in Bengaluru, the second in the country after Kolkata, to meet the growing demand of its hospitality technology solutions and increase service delivery capabilities to existing clients. It also has a marketing set up in Mumbai.

“India is a big market for us.

Over the years, we will build the market and expand our footprint in the hospitality sector,” Morsi adds.

Though he does not share any financial details, Morsi says that the company is looking at increasing its share of business from India and is growing at a rate which is above the industry average. He opines that online travel market in India, which currently constitutes about 15-17 per cent of the entire travel market in the country, will grow at a much faster rate in the coming years as the internet penetration in the country is spreading rapidly.

The constant focus on technology innovation and customer centric approach of eRevMax has been recognised with several awards and certifications, including the European Seal of eExcellence for the Marketing of Innovation for the last three years (2009, 2010 and 2011) and ISO 27001:2005 as well as PCI-DDS certification.

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Hospitality EDUCATION

Life

Sixty years of hospitality training The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) has kept pace with the education and training needs of the hospitality industry for six decades and still continue to explore new avenues for delivering professional development content that will help the industry to thrive

Robert Steele

he American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The training arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association since 1953, EI is committed to providing hospitality professionals with industryfocused training, professional certification, workforce development programmes, and online learning.

“At a time when there were very few professional development opportunities available for hotel workers, EI stepped in and filled a need,” says Robert L Steele, III, CHA, president and COO, EI. The idea for EI was first proposed in 1949, when

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Arthur Landstreet, a Tennessee hotelier and chair of the American Hotel Association’s Education Committee, requested an independent training organisation to prepare hospitality personnel.

Industry response was lukewarm.

Finally, Hilton vice president J B Herndon embraced education as the focus of his AHA presidential platform, announcing the formation of the American Hotel Institute (EI’s original name) when he accepted the presidency in 1951.

The actual organisation did not become a reality until 1953, when EI had its beginnings at Mississippi State University.

The school’s faculty worked

closely with hospitality leaders to determine the industry’s training needs, developing a 12-course home-study curriculum for middle managers. EI moved to Michigan State University in the late 1950s, drawing on the expertise of professors at MSU’s hospitality school. In 1997, the company’s headquarters moved to Orlando, Fla., while maintaining an office in Michigan. Since 1994, EI has also had a field office in India.

Over the years, EI’s offerings have grown from home-study courses (now offered in both print and online formats) to include professional certification, training videos and DVDs, www.expresshospitality.com

compliance training, online learning, and even a mobile training app. Resources are offered in multiple languages to serve the needs of EI’s global customers on six continents.

EI’s first customers were hotel supervisors and managers who wanted to get ahead, but who didn’t have the time or money to enroll in a college programme. In the 1970s, EI developed its first professional certification programme for general managers, the Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA).

Other certifications followed. EI textbooks began to be used in college and university hospitality programmes worldwide, and in the 1990s, EI reached out to

the high school and workforce markets, as well as to military hospitality operations. International customers include schools, hotel associations, tourism ministries, and hotel groups.

“EI has kept pace with the education and training needs of the hospitality industry for six decades and we continue to explore new avenues for delivering the professional development content that will help our industry thrive,” says Steele.

“Our anniversary is an occasion both to reflect on the past and to commit to the future, as we work with schools, hospitality organisations, and international partners to achieve our goals,” he adds.

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L|I|F|E

Movements The Westin Chennai Velachery

Hilton Worldwide

Anoop Mullath has been appointed as the finance manager. He started his métier with hotels in 2002 in Le Meridien, Cochin (Starwood Hotels and Resorts). He was also instrumental in pre-opening of The Westin Sohna Resort & Spa. In 2008, he undertook an international assignment by joining Emirates Group, UAE where he was in charge of New Builds and Transition of new line of Hotels being opened by Premier Inn Hotels.

Hilton Worldwide has announced the appointment of Guy Hutchinson as vice president, operations, for India. Prior to taking charge in India, Hutchinson was regional general manager for North China, where he was responsible for all brands in the Hilton Worldwide portfolio that have a presence in North China and Mongolia, including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts and DoubleTree by Hilton.

Animesh Barat has been appointed as the director of F&B for soon to open Westin Chennai Velachery. He started his career as a management trainee in 1999 with Marriott Hotels & Resorts in Goa. In his long association with Marriott, he has worked with hotels like Renaissance Mumbai Convention Center Hotel, Hyderabad Marriott Hotel & Convention Center

Deepak Dodani has been appointed as the director of sales and marketing.His current role entails him to establish the sales and marketing pre-opening team to cater to various industrial segments of Chennai and other markets. He will have to source, secure and maximise all sales opportunities in line with annual business plan.

Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal Elton Hurtis has been appointed as general manager of Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal.

Prior to this, he was the director of operations at Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai International Airport. His foray into the hospitality industry began with the Oberoi Center for Learning and Development in 1997. From there on, he moved to the Oberoi Hotels Mumbai where he spent five years. In 2002, he became a part of the Marriott family when he joined the JW Marriott, Mumbai as chef de cuisine.

Sterling Holiday Resorts (India) Miguel Munoz has been appointed as head of resort operations of Sterling Holiday Resorts (India).

During his career, he has worked across segments of the leisure hospitality industry, with stints in internationally recognised hospitality chains such as Meliá Hotels International, Steigenberger Hotel Group and large Vacation Ownership players such as Vacation Care International, Club La Costa Resort & Hotels, Interval International and Petchey Leisure.

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Amol More has joined Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal as director of F&B. Prior to joining Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal, he was the director of events in JW Marriott Mumbai. He started his career in 1998, with Accor Hotels as a kitchen executive trainee.

He worked his way up and graduated as junior sous chef.

In 2001, he joined Orchid Hotels with an opportunity to open a boutique hotel with virtuous food and beverage.

Mangilal Kurly, an Indian specialty chef, joined Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal as the executive chef. Chef Kurly started his career with Kempenski Hotels in Mumbai in 1994. After eight years with the company, he joined the Marriott International through JW Marriott, Mumbai.

One&Only Ocean Club

InterContinental Hotels

One&Only Ocean Club has announced the appointment of John Conway as general manager for One&Only Ocean Club on Paradise Island, The Bahamas. In his new role, Conway will be responsible for the overall operations of the legendary resort.

With almost 30 years of experience in the luxury hospitality industry, Conway acted as senior vice president and general manager of The Cove Atlantis.

Prior to that, Conway served as senior vice president and general manager of Royal Towers at Atlantis, Paradise Island.

Keith Barr will take up the new role of chief commercial officer at InterContinental Hotels Group, effective from June 1, 2013. The role takes responsibility for IHG’s global sales, marketing and brands functions, to drive consistent brand strategies across all geographies and leverage IHG’s scale and systems to deliver continued industry outperformance.

Kenneth MacPherson will be taking over from Barr as chief executive, Greater China. MacPherson joins IHG from Diageo, where he is currently general manager and board director of Sichuan Shuijingfang Company.

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Praveen Sharma has joined Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal as director of sales. In this role, he will be responsible for establishing the first Marriott branded hotel in Madhya Pradesh. Prior to this, Sharma worked with Marriott International’s Global Sales Organisation based in Delhi.

Mövenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa Mövenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa has appointed Roland G Svensson as general manager. Svenson, a Swedish national, has been with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts for two and a half years working in a variety of positions across properties in Thailand. In his most recent position as the general manager of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Mae Nam Beach in Koh Samui, and Mövenpick Suriwongse Hotel Chiang Mai, Thailand, he has been instrumental in planning for the opening and re-branding of these properties.

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Express Hospitality Business Avenues Ideal for Hotels, Restaurants, Bakeries and Fast Food Restaurant

From the popular Marcato Pasta and Noodle Machines Introducing the Biscuit Maker

2-A2 Court Chambers, 35,New Marine Lines, Mumbai 400 020, INDIA. Phone: +91 (0) 22-22 00 64 77, +91(0) 22-66 34 68 16. Fax:+91(0) 22 22 00 65 56.

E-mail: indiaeatspasta@gmail.com, Website: www.indiaeatspasta.com

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Bouillon Strainer

Wire Skimmers

Spoon Rest

Tongs

Tea Pots Food Covers

Cutlery Chaf fing Dish Spoons

Salad Tong & Fork

Cake Server

Sword & Stand

Whisks

Chopping Board Rack

MANUFACTURERS & EXPORTERS OF STAINLESS STEEL

Napkin Holder

KITCHEN WARE

TABLE WARE

Trays 1/1 - 2/1 - 60/40

BAR WARE

Prerana Metals, 111/C, Govt. Industrial Estate, Charkop, Kandivali (W), Mumbai - 400 067.

Office: +91-22-2867 4915 / 17 | Fax: 91-22-2867 4945 | E-mail: preranametals@gmail.com | Website: www.preranametals.com

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Express Hospitality Business Avenues To Advertise in

Business Avenues Please Contact: ■

Mumbai: Rajan Nair - 09821076065 ■

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Delhi Associate : Manoj - 09818073441

Chennai & Hyderabad : Shukla : 09849297724 ■

Bangalore: Sreejit : 08867574257

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Delhi: Pranshu - 09810841431

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Kolkata: P Basu - 09830130965

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February 1-15, 2013

W|E|E|K|E|N|D

Put into focus he second edition of F in Focus at F bar celebrated designer Manish Malhotra’s 23 years in the fashion industry. Guests enjoyed the designer’s signature chicken kathi roll without onions and the apple lychee martini and the music. Sheetal Mafatlal, Queenie Singh, Avanti Birla, Pooja Makhija, Lubna Adam, Shamita Singha, Carol Gracias, Binal Trivedi, Candice Pinto and Alesia Raut were all there. You heard that F in Focus is a property that aims at applauding and celebrating the achievements and accomplishments of established and upcoming talent from the fashion and other creative fields.

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WEEKEND SCENE AND HEARD

Marcellus Baptista

Binal Trivedi, Manish Malhotra and Carol Gracias at the F in Focus night at F bar

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MUMBAI’S HOTELS? A PEEK INTO THE PARTY CIRCUIT AND EVENTS IN THE CITY...

In the spotlight

Enigma once more ack in action was Enigma, the nightclub at JW Marriott with Krishika Lulla hosting the re-launch that turned out to be an opulent opening with the choicest of drinks from the Diageo bar and hors d’oeuvres plus a musical performance featuring Ranjit Barot and others. Guests like Shilpa Shetty, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sushmita Sen, Sharman Joshi, Gulshan Grover, Prabhudeva, Sangeeta Bijlani and Anita Dongre had a good look at the living room concept suitable for private function, personal milestones, celebrations and achievements. This transformative, multifunctional space was well appreciated by everyone on the opening night. And the talk was on the club nights and the combination of cultural elements such as music, fashion, art and live acts.

Night and day arty people who had experienced Cheval on the launch night were happy to come back for a sunshiny brunch hosted by Sudheer and Rashmi Bahl. Guests like Nisha Jamvwal, Chhaya Momaya, Raell Padamsee, Lata Patel, Niranjan Hiranandani, Arun Hitkari and Meena Raheja thoroughly enjoyed the premium drinks and cocktails at the bar and the buffet selection of the very best of classic European dishes prepared from local and seasonal produce. The bare concrete walls replete with texture and finished to a subtle gleam were admired as was the natural light that filtered through the afternoon. All in all, it was a sunny side up experience.

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Ravi Bajaj at the Chivas Spotlight at Four Seasons Hotel he Mansion at Four Seasons Hotel was the splendid setting for the Chivas Spotlight that celebrated Ravi Bajaj’s 25 years in the fashion industry. What you witnessed was a live-sized fashion installation by male models and Lisa Haydon that showcased the designer’s masterpieces. Music by Merlin D’Souza, Nicola Johansson and Rhys Sebastian pepped up the proceedings as guests enjoyed the Chivas cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and dinner.

Guests were happy to experience this Chivas Spotlight that is an eclectic amalgamation of fashion, music, culture, glamour and entertainment that integrates fashion and luxury.

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Jacqueline Fernandez at the re-launch of Enigma February 1-15, 2013

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Rashmi and Sudheer Bahl at the brunch at Cheval

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WEEKEND E V E N T S

Historical journey

Step towards wellness

L-R: Rani Vidya Devi, Maharaja Jai Singh and author Dharmendar Kanwar at the launch of the coffee table book 'Rambagh Palace, Jaipur' at The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai

Indian cricketer Naman Ojha with Mohit Kanwal, director of sales, The Westin Mumbai Garden City at the run organised to celebrate the global roll-out of Westin Hotels & Resorts’ Gear Lending Programme in partnership with New Balance

New arrivals

Sparkling creativity

L-R: Michel Négrier, export director, Domaines Barons de Rothschild and Gaurav Singh, resident manager, The Leela Mumbai at the wine tasting session from the House of DBR at the hotel

L-R: David J Williams, chief, US Agriculture Affairs, US Consulate, Mumbai; Manasi Ahuja, SCS Group; Peter Haas, consul general, US Consulate General, Mumbai and Naini Setalvad, nutritionist and lifestyle diseases management consultant at the launch of month long US fresh fruit festival held in Big Bazar store in Mumbai

New role

Spirit of style

Michael Romei, chef concierge, The Waldorf Astoria/The Waldorf Towers, New York, USA with members of Concierge Association of India, Western Region at the networking and pinning ceremony held in Trident Nariman Point

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Manish Seth, director sales and marketing Barcadi India and Zdenek Kastanek, Grey Goose brand ambassador at the launch of Grey Goose Style du Jour in collaboration with the country’s leading fashion and lifestyle magazines

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February 1-15, 2013

REGD.WITH RNI NO.MAHENG/2005/21391, REGD.NO.MH/MR/SOUTH-44/2013-15,PUBLISHED ON 2ND & 17TH EVERY FORTNIGHT, POSTED ON 3,4,5 & 18,19,20 OF EVERY FORTNIGHT POSTED AT IND.EXP.PSO.