Neesa Leisure to launch five new projects by 2010

Cambay hotels and resorts, the flagship brand of Neesa Leisure Limited (NLL), is all set to enter the the tourism hubs of Rajasthan and Kerala, by announcing the launch of 5-star properties, Cambay Spa & Resort in Jaipur and Cambay Palm Lagoon in Kollam.

The launch of spa resorts at Kukas, Jaipur and Kollam, Kerala will make the group a 367 room chain. Cambay shall become a chain of 10 hotels and three golf courses by year 2010. This would include a 5-star hotel in Ahmedabad, golf resort and academy at Jaipur, a business hotel at Jodhpur, a spa and resort at Udaipur and a deluxe hotel at Neemrana.

 

NLL currently has three operational properties with an inventory of 255 rooms — Cambay Spa & Golf Resort at Gandhinagar; Cambay Sapphire, a business hotel at Ahmedabad and Cambay Boutique Apartments at Gurgaon. With an investment of Rs 350 crore for the five upcoming projects, the company plans to expand its room capacity to 1000 rooms by 2010.

"While the golf resort at Jaipur will be launched by March 2009 and the hotel at Ahmedabad will be open by April 2009, we have procured land for the Jodhpur and Neemrana projects and will begin construction. We would be raising the investment from private equity, bank approvals and internal accruals," said Arvind Gupta, managing director of NLL.

The hotel industry's revenue would witness a growth rate of 7-8 per cent for 2009-10, which is believed to have climbed down compared to the last three years, that has seen a topline growth of 10-15 per cent, according to data compiled by a research agency associated with the company. The data further states that the industry is expected to add 60,000 rooms to its current 85,000 certified rooms by 2012. But the slowdown may bring the expected rooms down to 45,000 by 2012.

The company is also ready to launch the Cambay Institute of Hotel Management in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in two months' time. With an aim to begin with a diploma course in an area of 10,000 sq.ft in the first year, there are further plans to scale it up later.

Currently the company is considering affiliations with Indian and foreign universities, including Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar University.