Turn of the decade
Industr y stalwar ts talk about the lessons learnt in 2019
J.B. SINGH President & CEO InterGlobe Hotels
OUTLOOK 2020
We enter 2020 with enthusiasm and hope. We expect the operating performance to generally improve as the fundamentals of the industry remain strong with a slowing supply graph and an improving demand curve which has historically been in the 8-10 per cent range.
We have 6 hotels with a total of 1000 rooms under active development and are currently pursuing some very promising fresh deals in Pune, Goa, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
On the policy front we have been in dialogue with the government and the Ministry of Tourism on several aspects of the industry, especially around the GST levied on civil structure (which does not allow for input credit) and parking norms (which are very onerous across the country).
SENTIMENTS 2019
2019 for us started with the opening of Ibis Kolkata, the 19th ibis hotel in the country with a total count of 189 operational rooms. This was a much-anticipated addition in our portfolio because it was the roll out of our new generation design which has completely refreshed the look of both our public areas and our rooms. Our rooms now boast of a large panoramic window (to let in ample sunlight), a sofa instead of a long work table so that the guest has a place to sit while working or for entertaining guests, a tactile finish wardrobe with a space within it for tea/coffee maker and large wall unit for our television (32’’ instead of 28” earlier).
Now our rooms are practically paint free with all walls having wall papers giving it a cleaner and more agile finish. The accent wall in particular has 7 different wallpaper designs throughout the hotel (giving each room a different feel) and is reflective of things which are unique to the city of joy from fishes to hand pulled rickshaws. Our public areas are very trendy with cozy corners and chic and young designs. Key elements of the city have also found its way into these areas in the form of artwork and décor. The same design elements have also merged into our façade which for the first time has been painted in vibrant bold colours that stand out.Operational performance in the first quarter of the year was also very heartening and we grew over 10 per cent y-o-y. With the general elections looming we had anticipated a weak 2nd quarter but with the Jet Airways closure and general slowdown of the economy the performance of our operating properties remained muted and flat until October this year and November was a strong month. December performed better than the last year.
We aim to expand the brand’s footprint in other parts of the country and foreign destinations”
We have a 252-key five star deluxe property in the pipeline which will be operational by 2021”
ROOP PRATAP CHOUDHARY Managing Director Noor Mahal
2020 OUTLOOK
2020 is going to be a turning point in our expansion story. The group has aggressive expansion plans, we aim to expand in other parts of the country and prominent foreign destinations in the next couple of years. We aim to become the royal abode and an ideal getaway option for every millennial traveller of the world. 2020 is expected to be a brilliant year for the hospitality industry.
SENTIMENTS 2019
2019 has been a great year for the brand, we have had excellent occupancy rate round the year and the guest satisfaction has yet again stayed at 97 per cent. Also, towards the end of the year, we expanded our existing hotel. We added three more royal convention as well as wedding spaces to Noor Mahal, which are already getting back to back bookings.
PRADIPTA MOHAPATRA Asst.Vice President (Sales & Marketing) MAYFAIR Hotels & Resorts
2020 OUTLOOK
Travel and tourism sector, in the face of importance attached to it at the policy level, is set to grow by leaps and bounds in the days to come. It will, invariably facilitate the expeditious growth of hospitality industry contingent upon the condition that the industry proactively aligns as well as diversifies its offering to suit the growing and changing requirements of the guests. As a brand we enjoy a distinct repute of offering nature-themed luxury and as a part of our upgradation and diversification drive, we are coming up with a Tea Resort in Siliguri which will be around 100-Key property set amidst hundreds of acres of plush greenery. The work for it is expeditiously underway and we look forward to opening it for guests in 2020. Other projects in the pipeline include a 252-key five-star deluxe property in Kolkata- the work for which is also underway, and we plan to make it operational latest by early 2021. Further, we are also actively progressing in process of establishing a Golf Resort in Satapada region of Puri, Odisha wherein our group will be investing ` 125 crores. It will be a five-star deluxe property featuring facilities like helipads.
SENTIMENTS 2019
2019 commenced on a very positive growth note for our brand. Carrying forward the legacy of success driven by warm hospitality, personalised services, and authentic cuisines- all wrapped in the stunning beauty of nature, MAYFAIR made a grand entry in the central Indian hospitality landscape with a palatial 124- key property “MAYFAIR Lake Resort” at Raipur. A destination unto itself, the resort with state-of-the-art luxury facilities, soothing panoramic views of the pristine Jhanjh Lake, gratifying greenery & elegantly decorated event spaces’ ranging from 9,000 sq. ft. to 94,000 sq. ft. has been exquisitely designed as an ultimate M!CE and destination wedding venue.
We have signed 100-plus hotels, currently operational and under various stages of construction”
We have signed a few hotels in Lonavala, Vyara, Rajkot (three hotels), Lucknow and Udaipur”
NOSHIR A MARFATIA Senior Vice President - Sales & Marketing The Fern Hotels & Resorts
2020 OUTLOOK
With 72 hotels in 57 locations and 3500+ rooms, the brand captures domestic and international business and leisure guests looking for hotels in central locations offering the perfect blend of luxury and coexistence with nature. Our hotels cover metro cities, hills and beaches, jungle safaris, temple towns, and more. While the current economic downturn may continue well into 2020, our hotel price points are well-suited to both business and leisure travellers. The domestic market is growing as is the conference M!CE market, especially with the pharmaceutical, banking and insurance sectors. Our strong travel trade relationships ensure we get a good share of the inbound leisure business to our resort and leisure locations. And we are also very strong in the OTA segment. This ensures we achieve strong occupancy levels across the group. With a stronger growing presence in resort and leisure destinations in 2020, we are looking forward to bringing the Fern brand of environmentally responsible hospitality to more and more guests.
SENTIMENTS 2019
In 2019, we have opened 18 new hotels in places like Aurangabad, Bhopal, Goa, Karad (Maharashtra), Kolhapur (Maharashtra), Lonavala, Manali, Morbi (Gujarat), Navi Mumbai, New Delhi, Polo Forest, Sarnath, Satara (Maharashtra), Sawai Madhopur, Surat, Bharatpur (Nepal) and Kathmandu (Nepal). In January 2020, we will open another 4 new hotels in Bengaluru, Kevadiya (Narmada-Statue of Unity), Noida and Vijayapura (Bijapur), with another 8 hotels scheduled to open later in the year. In all, we have signed up 100+ hotels, currently operational and under various stages of construction.
PUSHPENDRA BANSAL COO Lords Hotels and Resorts
OUTLOOK 2020
The hospitality industry in India is set to witness a better performance in 2020. As demand is outpacing the supply, there is a clear indication that hotel occupancy, ARR and RevPar will see an increase. Lords Hotels & Resorts eyes 40 hotels by 2020. The group will foray into new geographies including East and South. We have identified potential projects in the East where we have not made a mark yet and in South where we see tremendous growth in coming years. Lords Hotels & Resorts has recently added a new property in Guwahati, Assam. To be launched under the ‘Eco Inn’ branding, the property is expected to commence operations after implementation of brand standards and refurbishment. Guwahati is a gateway to seven sisters in North East and increasingly emerging as a commercial and tourism hub. We see immense potential for business and leisure tourism in Guwahati and are proud to introduce Lords Eco Inn in this region.
SENTIMENTS 2019
The year 2019 has been very favorable for the brand. We opened hotels in Birgunj – Nepal, Kurnool, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Goa, Nathdwara, Morbi and Jamnagar. We also signed up few hotels in Lonavala, Vyara, Rajkot (three hotels), Lucknow and Udaipur. Also, the government’s initiative in reduction of GST has increased room bookings mainly from FIT’s across the Lords Group.