Expressway boost to hotels
Hoteliers in the city feel the recently-unveiled Yamuna Expressway will offer a double bonanza for them to boost occupancy while increasing their F&B revenues.
With
the recent opening of the new toll road that has greatly helped in reducing the travel time between the Delhi and Agra, the hoteliers in Agra are expected to get a boost. Agra hoteliers are confident that erties have been designed and we are highly confident about the increase in traffic to Jaypee Palace, Agra with the opening of the Expressway.” Today, corporates prefer to break away from closed offices and opt for off-sites to strategise and churn out ideas. This whole
We are expecting a significant and sustainable growth in the domestic, leisure and MICE segment
connectivity promises to deliver a splendid package to hold business meetings along with a leisure trip to one of the wonders of the world. The connectivity promises to encourage companies to combine business meetings with a leisure trip to one of the wonders of the world. Thus, MICE movements are bound to see a steady increase, she adds.
The first five-star in the state and the third five-star established in India, Hotel Clarks Shiraz considers the recent development of the new expressway from Delhi to Agra as a boon to the property. Opines Debasish Bhowmik, Senior Vice President, Hotel Clarks Shiraz, “We are expecting a significant rise in domestic, leisure and also the MICE segment. It is too early to put a figure as target but the industry is expecting significant and sustainable growth.” Development in good infrastructure is an integral part of tourism promotion and for its subsequent development and growth as well. The entire tourism and travel trade will benefit from this. Business inflow and customer’s overall experience would increase manifolds. Talking about the threat this new development might pose in the long run, Bhowmik says, “There are also speculations of falling room nights as this may also encourage more day trippers. My suggestion is, in case the traveller wants to enjoy or experience the beauty of the heritage monuments in Agra, one need to spend a considerable amount of time in the city. Agra is not all about the Taj Mahal and one need to give time to explore Agra beyond the Taj.”
The day trippers, however, are certainly expected to increase and there is a likelihood that Food & Beverage (F&B) revenues will jump now. “We expect an increase in the Coffee Shop/Fast Food business through more number of day trippers in the near future,” he adds.
In the very first week of its opening, the Yamuna Expressway has also emerged as a hot investment destination for domestic and international hoteliers. Land, along the 23 km NoidaGreater Noida Expressway has generated huge interest from the hotel industry. According to Kamlesh Barot, President, Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI), this region holds a great potential for the hotel industry as domestic and international tourists will flock this place en route to the Taj Mahal. This stretch is now being called as the ‘hot belt’. As compared to any other tourism destination in the country, it promises huge returns in the future.