A bejewelled ‘Crowne’

Nivedita Avasthi, General Manager, Crowne Plaza New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida, talks about competition in the region and changing trends in the industry.

What makes the property unique?

Our hotel is strategically located, close to the corporate hub of Noida, which gives us an edge over other hotels for MICE. Accessibility is also a hallmark that makes us an ideal hotel for the corporate and leisure segments.

According to you, how has the hospitality market of Delhi evolved?

Over the past 20 years, many facets of the hotel industry have shifted to adapt to new technology and changing consumer behaviour, which have in turn changed how hoteliers conduct business. Intermediaries are being welcomed as a new, innovative channel to market hotels and reach guests. OTAs have also had a huge impact, effecting consumer behaviour and creating a hole in the hotelier’s pocket. Third-party operators also emerged due to the willingness of investors to pool equity.

It is simpler and more productive for a third-party manager to operate.

How was 2018 for the hotel?

It has been a great year! GST impacted transparency in the billing process for vendors through an advanced online portal. Due to the rate increase coming through events at Expo Mart, the market has shown growth in REVPAR by eight per cent.

What kind of challenges do you face?

Consumers are price-sensitive and have multiple options, and that’s a major challenge. For a hotel like ours, it becomes difficult to drive weekend occupancy.