More hotels here than China

Carlson Rezidor’s transformation into a company focussed on management contracts in Asia instead of franchising agreements is moving at a rapid pace with India leading the charge.

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a testament to the group’s growing presence in India, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group will open 13 hotels in the country this year. According to Simon Barlow, President- Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor, India is a priority for the group. “We have more hotels here than in China,” he adds. Despite economic turmoil in India, we performed decently well in India. We managed to open 13 new hotels last year. Out of which 11 are managed properties and only two are franchised properties,” Barlow reveals.

The domestic market in India is becoming the real opportunity where mid-market hotels will flourish, he opines. The chain, which started operations near the Delhi airport with its four-star property Radisson in 1998, is bullish on Country Inn and Park Inn by Radisson. “While there are 28 Country Inn hotels, the company is in the process of re-launching Park Inn by Radisson. With around 20 of these hotels expected across India, the company has come up with a new design concept for Park Inn targeting the aspi- rational young traveller,” he points out. The company has customised its room size and F&B options to suit the Indian consumer. Barlow adds the idea is not to give a “bland hotel” just because it is mid-market.

Throwing light on the way forward for the group in India, K B Kachru, Executive Vice President – South Asia, Carlson Rezidor confirms, “We have signed a strategic partnership with Bestech Group, giving it the exclusive development rights to develop 49 Park Inn Hotels by 2024. Carlson Rezidor will also invest

213 crore in Gurgaon and Mohali by 2015.”