The Radisson Hotel Group on Wednesday said it has accelerated its growth in India by signing 21 hotels under a portfolio of nine brands in 2023. These 21 hotels also include the signing and opening of the group's first property at Ayodhya, in Uttar Pradesh -- Park Inn by Radisson Ayodhya, as the destination gained a lot of national and international attention following the consecration of the Ram Temple last month, Radisson group said in a statement. In India, the Group continues to enjoy a first-mover advantage in the country's key pilgrim destinations. It will soon introduce branded hotels in Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh and Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, the statement added. Globally, Radisson Hotel Group added over 30,000 keys to its international portfolio. In the Indian market, Radisson Hotel Group is one of the largest international hotel operators with over 165 hotels in operation and development. It continues to be the largest hotel operator in tier I markets like Delhi NCR ...
Hotels' Association of India (HAI) on Monday said the hospitality and tourism sector expects to create 50 million direct and indirect jobs in the next 5-7 years but government support is required for getting the full industry and infrastructure status in states to tap the employment potential. The infrastructure status for the hospitality sector can push up investments not only to create accommodation, but also in the process boost income and employment generation, HAI President Puneet Chhatwal said while speaking here at the 6th HAI Hoteliers' Conclave. Chhatwal, who is also the Managing Director and CEO of Indian Hotels Company Ltd, said while tourism is a pillar of development creating about 10 per cent of the total employment and contributing 8 per cent to GDP with a huge multiplier effect that can help inclusive growth, "there is often a gap between this realisation and the actual policy implementation". Addressing a press conference, HAI Vice-President K B Kachru said in the .
India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant on Monday asked hospitality and tourism sector players to tell politicians about creation of 25 million jobs by 2030 while seeking their help for the demand of industry and infrastructure status. Speaking at the 6th Hoteliers' Conclave organised by the Hotel Association of India (HAI), Kant said somehow the tourism industry has failed to tell the politicians that it is a big creator of jobs, while agreeing with their demand for industry status. "If you look at tourism, I think from a perspective of a political lens, the politician only understands one thing and that is how many jobs is the tourism sector creating," he said. Kant further said, "Tourism has a huge multiplier impact for every direct job that you create, you create seven indirect jobs, but I think somehow the tourism industry has failed to tell the politicians that we are a big creator of jobs." In terms of employment, Thailand creates close to 20 million jobs, Malaysia about 15 million
Global hospitality group Marriott International on Wednesday said they added 12 properties in India in 2023 and over 60 in the Asia Pacific region, excluding China. This addition has brought the company's presence to more than 560 operating hotels and residences, and exceeded 10 per cent net rooms growth compared to 2022, the hospitality group said in a statement. In the last year, Marriott added over 60 properties to its portfolio, particularly in key travel markets such as Japan, India, and Vietnam, it said. The 12 hotels in India have approximately 1,431 rooms, as per the statement. The company also signed over 80 deals across 13 markets, representing approximately 18,000 rooms. At the end of 2023, Marriott's development pipeline for the region stood at over 320 hotels with over 69,000 rooms, it said. In 2023, 15 per cent of the deals signed in APEC were in the luxury segment and a record nine luxury hotels were opened in the region, including The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne, whic
The Kerala government has affirmed its commitment to align beach tourism projects with current demands, leveraging the significant potential of this specialised sector while enhancing hospitality standards. Speaking after opening the renovated Samudra Kovalam, the beachside resort of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) that now flaunts a whole range of world-class features on Tuesday, Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas said that it is important to adopt novel ideas in the tourism sector. "The refurbished sea-front resort will boost Kerala's standing as a fast-emerging hub of destination weddings and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourism," the Minister was quoted as saying in a release here. He said at a time destination weddings are becoming a global trend, the state has picturesque locations for promoting this niche area, with the government making all efforts to create the best facilities for that segment. In his presidential address, KTDC
Hospitality tech platform OYO on Wednesday said it has opened 65 homestays and hotels in Ayodhya for pilgrims ahead of the Ram Temple consecration. The newly opened properties include 51 OYO homestays and 14 hotels in the city. These have been added to support the anticipated surge in visitors after the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple on January 22, the company said in a statement. "To ensure smooth and timely operations, OYO has partnered with the Ayodhya Development Authority and the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation," it added. The properties were inaugurated jointly by UP Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak; BJP National General Secretary B L Santosh; UP Minister for Tourism & Culture Jaiveer Singh; and state Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi. "These newly inaugurated properties will increase our accommodation capacity and ensure a smooth experience for the pilgrims," the statement said, quoting Pathak. He further said, "OYO's focus on local ..
Hospitality tech platform OYO on Monday said it is planning to launch 400 properties in major spiritual destinations like Ayodhya, Varanasi, Tirupati, and Katra-Vaishno Devi by the end of this year. The planned expansion in major spiritual hotspots across the country has been fuelled by a surge in domestic travel and rising interest in spiritual tourism, OYO said in a statement. The hospitality platform has selected various destinations, including Ayodhya, Puri, Shirdi, Varanasi, Amritsar, Tirupati, Haridwar, Katra-Vaishno Devi, and Char Dham route, to launch properties. There has been a 350 per cent increase in searches for Ayodhya on the OYO platform over the past year, driven by the upcoming opening of the grand Ram Mandir on January 22, 2024, it added. "Spiritual tourism in India is on the precipice of a monumental surge, poised to be one of the biggest growth drivers of our industry in the coming five years. The opening of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya stands as a testament to thi
The market cap of listed hotels, at Rs 1.2 trillion, is expected to reach 1.5 trillion by the end of 2024
As per analysts' estimates, Chhatwal, who is also the Managing Director and CEO of Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL), said the sector had clocked a 14 per cent growth in Revenue Per Available Room
The company currently earns 99% of its revenues from providing technology solutions connecting banks (and their debit and credit cards) with airport lounges
Kumar will replace Abhishek Gupta, who will continue with Oyo in "an advisory and mentorship capacity
The Indian hospitality and tourism sector is expected to see accelerated hiring going forward after witnessing a robust growth this year with domestic travels leading the way, according to industry players. With a report by the Hotel Association of India (HAI) projecting the hotel industry's direct contribution to India's GDP to reach USD 1 trillion by 2047, experts believe there will be a minimum of 25 per cent rise in the need for workforce, with the adjacent industries like travel, aviation, ticket booking, travel guides, and consultants to be increasingly in demand. "The hotel industry's direct contribution to India's GDP reaching USD 1 trillion by 2047 is a significant milestone. This substantial growth will undoubtedly bolster job creation within the sector, providing employment to millions of individuals across diverse skill sets," HAI Vice President K B Kachru told PTI. Kachru, who is also Chairman Emeritus & Principal Advisor, South Asia Radisson Hotel Group, further said
As part of the program, OYO will secure annual, long-term management contracts on a revenue-share basis for 200 premium hotels across Indian metros
A significant number of Indian hoteliers have expressed optimism over the current economic scenario and future prospects, as occupancy rates have increased over the past six months, a report said on Wednesday. Business sentiment among Indian hoteliers continues to remain strong, with nearly half (49 per cent) reporting an increase in average room rates, and an even higher number (55 per cent) said there has been an increase in occupancy rates over the past six months, the report titled Indian Accommodation Barometer 2023 by Booking.Com said. The gradual return of international travellers, along with the opportunities presented by digitalisation and interest in sustainable travel, also add to this upbeat mood, it noted. The report is based on a survey conducted between July 17 and August 25 via telephonic interviews. Around 250 executives and managers from the Indian travel accommodation sector (hotels and holiday rental providers) participated in the survey. The report also found t
Zubin Saxena will take charge in January 2024; he was previously working at the Radisson Hotel Group for over eight years
The restaurateur inherited the business from his father Mohan Singh Oberoi, the pioneering founder of the group that now operates 32 hotels and has presence in seven countries under multiple brands
Born in 1929, Biki Oberoi was the executive chairman of EIH Limited, the flagship company of the Oberoi Group, from 2002 to 2022
In 2008, Oberoi was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honour for his contributions to the hospitality industry
A combination of asset-light and asset-heavy is the right formula, driving absolute returns in its owned portfolio where the operating leverage is currently higher, he said
India's retail inflation remained above the Reserve Bank of India's 2%-6% tolerance for most of the reporting quarter, and eased to 5.02% only in September