Rising - Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India

magazine
april 2013
Rising
from the ashes
A Perspective on ITDC
Vol 13 Issue 04 Pages 72 `50
A MONTHLY ON HOSPITALITY TRADE
By DDP Publications
Eastern
flavours
‘Sakae Sushi’ for good
Japanese & Pan-Asian food
A fantastic
canvas
The Leela Palace New Delhi
Creating luxury benchmark
Tents &
Camps
Tented accommodations
evolving for niche travellers
on demand
Hospitality
Trends by
8Cornell

April 2013
Cover Story
Opting tents to stay
Distinct accommodation products have
made a mark in hospitality and tented
options are being considered unique. It is
one which is niche, offers a comfortable
stay in a remote location and are offered
with many facilities comparable to the
best of mid scale hotels.
44
Picture on the cover:
Monsoon Forest by Mohit Midha
CEO, www.ihatecities.com
44
Cover Story
contents
THIS MONTH
President’s Message
Secretary’s Message
FHRAI Desk
News Updates
Movements
Products & Services
Events
7
9
10
22
60
62
64
FEATURES
22 News You Can Use
50 Explore: Best Western Premier La Marvella
Report
Best rates at home
The Hotel Price Index (HPI) report
by Hotels.com states that Indians get
the best value at hotel room rates
domestically
Conference
Hi-Aim 2013
The second edition of Hi-Aim in 2013
was held in New Delhi on
March 21-22. The ‘conference +
exposition’ was aimed at creating a
knowledge base for the hospitality
owners, designers and architects
32
34
Dine Out
Eastern flavours
Singapore-based brand ‘Sakae Sushi’
fills the void of a good Japanese &
Pan-Asian restaurant which has
entered India with its first outlet in
the Capital
36
36 Dine Out: Sakae Sushi
6April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I

explore chef talk news updates events beverage
president’s message
Dear fellow members,
“
The launch of a
web Public Service
Delivery System
(PSDS) for Hotel
Approval and
Classification
will serve as a
milestone in
institutionalising an
efficient mechanism
for granting
approvals for
hotel projects and
classification status
to functioning hotels
in a time-bound and
transparent manner
“
At the outset, I would like to
congratulate the Ministry of
Tourism, Government of India, for
working closely with the Planning
Commission and convincing it to approve an
allocation of `15,190 crores for the Tourism
sector in the 12 th Five-Year Plan (2012-17).
This represents a near three-fold increase over
the outlay of `5,156 crores under the 11 th
Five-Year Plan (2007-2012) and had been the
key thrust of a high-level presentation given by
the Union Tourism Minister to the Hon’ble
Prime Minister in June 2011 on the economic
imperative of Tourism.
In another positive development for our
industry, the Hon’ble Minister of Tourism,
Dr. K Chiranjeevi launched a web-based
Public Service Delivery System (PSDS) for Hotel
Approval and Classification on April 3, 2013.
At the launch event, where I was requested
to articulate the industry’s perspective,
I expressed to the Hon’ble Minister our
confidence that this innovative initiative will
serve as a milestone in institutionalising an
efficient mechanism for granting approvals
for hotel projects and classification status
to functioning hotels in a time-bound and
transparent manner.
With the help of this system, all applicants
will henceforth be able to track the progress
of their cases online on a real time basis.
The Ministry has also announced that now
onwards, all applications will be examined
by its officials within 15 working days from
receipt to completion. Thereafter, all hotel
inspections will be scheduled within the next
15 working days. The recommendations
of the Hotel and Restaurants Approval &
Classification Committee (HRACC) will be
communicated on the spot to the applicant and
these recommendations will also be put on the
website along with the final decision within 10
days of the inspection. The new system will
effectively resolve the unnecessary delay and
uncertainties which our members often had
to face at the project approval stage and at
the time of classification/reclassification. This
would also pave the way for them to secure
timely approvals and requisite licenses from
other agencies as well.
The Minister has stated that in due course,
the Tourism Ministry would move towards
an e-regime and also accept e-applications and
online proposals. The MOT plans to explore
introducing such systems in other spheres as
well, to infuse greater accountability in its
own functioning and decision-making. We
welcome this commitment to cut red tape
and adopt the latest technology to streamline
delivery of Government-to-Business (G2B)
services.
I urge all members to take full advantage of
this unique facility, which is available on the
website http://tourismpmis.nic.in/scripts/
hotel/hotelhome.aspx and share your feedback
with us.
Hotel Classification, although entirely
voluntary, is a powerful tool for the industry
to provide assurance to our valued guests
and patrons on certain uniform standards
of amenities and services across various
star categories. This assists informed
consumer choice and enables hotels to offer
a differentiated value proposition to their
target market segments. With the growing
maturity of the Indian hospitality industry
and our increasingly discerning clientele,
it has been a shared goal of the Ministry of
Tourism and FHRAI to further strengthen our
system of hotel classification. Forward-looking
measures such as the PSDS which can fasttrack
the administrative processes involved
will incentivise even more establishments to
transition from the unorganised category to
the classified segment.
FHRAI is simultaneously pursuing with the
Ministry, the need to review its current
Guidelines for Hotel Classification/Reclassification.
Our detailed recommendations in this regard,
take into account widely accepted international
norms and best practices, and also address the
genuine practical constraints and technical
limitations which our members encounter
in adhering to certain provisions which are
mandatory as per the present criteria.
We are greatly heartened by the tremendous
support and encouragement extended by our
members to FHRAI’s strong, principled stand
in demanding a complete roll-back of the
service tax which has been imposed on all airconditioned
restaurants w.e.f April 1, 2013.
With the exemplary cooperation and assistance
of our Regional Associations, we have reached
out to top leaders across the political spectrum,
in order to seek a broad consensus in the
continued on page 10...

Chairman
Publications Sub-committee
Vijai Pande - vijaipandit@yahoo.co.in
Editor
Deepa Sethi - deepa@ddppl.com
Assistant Editor
Sanjeev Bhar - sanjeev@ddppl.com
sub-Editor
Ramya JS D’Rozario
creative Design
Ruchi Sinha
Advertising
Gunjan Sabikhi - gunjan@ddppl.com
52 GM Canvas: Tamir Kobrin, The Leela Palace New Delhi
Delhi
Prateek Sahay - prateek@ddppl.com
(+919650911388)
Shradha Kapoor - shradha@ddppl.com
(+919650196525)
Udit Pandey - udit@ddppl.com
FEATURES
Chef Talk
A delicious journey
Sireesh Saxena, Corporate Chef and
Vice President (Hotels), India Tourism
Development Corporation (ITDC) is
the proud recipient of the National
Tourism Award
Explore
Marvel in a city
The Best Western Premier La Marvella
in Bengaluru has cashed in on the south
Bengaluru landscape to emerge as a top
performing entity in the region
GM Canvas
A fantastic canvas
Tamir Kobrin, General Manager,
The Leela Palace Chanakyapuri,
New Delhi talks about the way he
approached his task of shaping the hotel
which completed two years of its
operation
Perspective
Rising from the ashes
A comparison drawn on how ITDC has
evolved in the last 22 years
Profile
Swosti@30
Swosti Group completes three
decades and continues to strive for
a successfull journey
40
50
52
56
57
Guest Column
Promoting sustainable
tourism & developing CSR
The development of tourism in the
Indian context lays emphasis on
sustainable tourism and the social
dialogue within the tourism and
hospitality sector
58
Mumbai
Harshal Ashar - harshal@ddppl.com
(+919619499167)
FHRAI - Marketing
S.P. Joshi
Production Manager
Anil Kharbanda
FHRAI
B-82, 8 th Floor, Himalaya House
Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi 110001
Tel: 91-11-40780780, Fax: +91-11-40780777
Email: fhrai@vsnl.com
FHRAI Magazine is published, edited and printed monthly
by DDP Publication Pvt. Ltd. On behalf of Federation of
Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India and published
from DDP Publications Pvt. Ltd. 72 Todarmal Road New
Delhi 110001 Email: fhraimag@ddppl.com
Tel : 91-11-23731971 Fax: 91-11-23351503
Printed at Cirrus Graphics Pvt. Ltd.
B 62/14, Phase-II, Naraina Industrial Area New Delhi 110028
This issue of FHRAI Magazine contains 68+4 pages cover
All information in the FHRAI Magazine is derived from sources,
which we consider reliable and a sincere effort is made to report
accurate information. It is passed on to our readers without
any responsibility on our part. The publisher regrets that he
cannot accept liability for errors and omissions contained in this
publication, however caused. Similarly, opinions/views expressed by
third parties in abstract and/or in interviews are not necessarily
shared by FHRAI Magazine or DDP. However, we wish to advice
our readers that one or more recognised authorities may
hold different views than those reported. Material used in this
publication is intended for information purpose only. Readers
are advised to seek specific advice before acting on information
contained in this publication which is provided for general use, and
may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances.
Contents of this publication are copyright.
No part of FHRAI Magazine or any part of the contents thereof
may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in
any form without the permission of the publication in writing. The
same rule applies when there is a copyright or the article is taken
from another publication. An exemption is hereby granted for the
extracts used for the purpose of fair review, provided two copies
of the same publication are sent to us for our records. Publications
reproducing material either in part or in whole, without permission
could face legal action. The publisher assumes no responsibility for
returning any material solicited or unsolicited nor is he responsible
for material lost or damaged.
This publication is not meant to be an endorsement of any specific
product or services offered.
The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw, amend or
otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All
advertisements must comply with the Indian and International
Advertisements Code. The publisher will not be liable for any
damage or loss caused by delayed publication, error or failure of an
advertisement to appear.
8April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I

cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
secretary’s message
Member activeness:
key to resolving tourism issues
Vijai Pande
Honorary Secretary
FHRAI
vijaipandit@yahoo.co.in
FHRAI for the last several years has been
painstakingly bringing out a monthly
magazine for its members and policymakers.
The magazine is simultaneously playing
several important roles. First and foremost, it is
disseminating information. It keeps all FHRAI
members informed and updated about the latest
happenings of the hotel and tourism industry.
Secondly, the magazine is our voice. FHRAI is an
excellent vehicle to reach out to those who matter
to us. The magazine is circulated not only among
hoteliers and restaurateurs, but also amongst the
policymakers of the country. Thirdly, the magazine
is a platform to air our views and problems.
Moreover, if we regularly read the magazine, then
we can provide better services to our guests.
It is a matter of happiness that the Centre and
Ministry of Tourism have decided to resolve
some issues that the FHRAI magazine had been
prominently taking up. We have been demanding
since a very long time that the rules for developing
and expanding the hotel industry be simplified.
The Ministry is finally on the course of accepting
our demand. The Ministry of Tourism has recently
declared that it will do away with red tape
and intends to make its own functioning more
transparent. FHRAI President Mr. Vivek Nair in
his message (page 7) has elaborated the issues that
the MOT has tried to resolve.
We stand united on the issue of imposition of
service tax on air-conditioned restaurants. FHRAI
has vehemently opposed burdening of restaurants
with a new tax. The magazine can keep hoteliers
and restaurateurs bonded and it is the need of the
hour. There is much room as far as response of the
members of FHRAI to the magazine is concerned.
In this issue, we are carrying an article elaborating
India’s need to market itself aggressively as a
tourist destination on the international platform.
The Ministry of Tourism can and must take a cue
on how to promote India as a tourist destination
in the world.
Another article says why tourism in Gujarat is
flourishing and other state governments should
also follow this example to promote tourism.
We have thrown light on the importance of the
Permanent Account Number (PAN) card, which is
vital for hospitality industry. I am happy to inform
you that FHRAI forged an exclusive arrangement
with the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research
to bring you some educative articles. In this issue,
we have featured an article on ‘Eight key trends in
hospitality’, which is an interesting read. A meeting
of All India Associations representing restaurants
was held in Mumbai on April 15, 2013. It was held
to deliberate on the issue of the newly imposed
levy of Service Tax on sale of food by all
air-conditioned restaurants.
While talking about tourism awards, it’s worth
ruminating that when the government has realised
the importance of tourism, then why is the
hospitality industry not being provided incentives
that are being given to other industries, like the IT
industry. It is yet to be realised that the tourism
industry has become a major source for earning
foreign revenue, and tourism along with the hotel
industry is one of the biggest source of employment.
Sadly, the country in the first quarter of the current
year has witnessed a slump of 25 per cent in
Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTA) as the recent survey
by Assocham’s Social Development says. This is
due to some untoward incidents that took place in
the last few months. We have to understand that
tourism can flourish with a strong law & order in
force. Also, there is a need to educate our children
in schools about the importance of tourism which
depends on secured and safe society. There is no
slackness on the part of the Home and Foreign
Ministry and the state police forces. We need to
sensitise the society so that no further unpleasant
incident takes place and adversely affects India’s
image in future.
We are happy to inform that Federation of
Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality
(FAITH) has actively and enthusiastically started
taking up the problems we have been facing over
the years. FAITH has classified our demands to
be taken up accordingly with the Central or State
Government. We should be hopeful that FAITH
will continue to work energetically and achieve
what all it has planned and will not lose its steam
midway. We are optimistic that FHRAI members
will come up with suggestions in the magazine to
make it more informative which will also help the
hotel industry and tourism in India to thrive.

fhrai desk cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
...continued from page 7
The Government’s recently released Economic Survey rightly
emphasises the importance of leveraging the untapped
potential of service sub-sectors such as hotels and restaurants
to augment GDP growth
industry’s favour. At various Post-Budget
interactions with senior Finance Ministry
officials, FHRAI has also highlighted that the
ambiguity which is inherent in the language of
the CBEC notification dated March 1, 2013,
could potentially open the floodgates for longdrawn
litigation and needless harassment of
restaurant operators. In the coming days, we
will continue with our assiduous efforts to
engage with various stakeholders and seek an
urgent review of the expanded ambit of service
tax, including carefully evaluating available
legal options. It is certainly gratifying to note
that FHRAI’s valid contention that the new
levy will contribute only a meager amount to
the exchequer but place an unfairly high burden
on both customers and the industry, has found
wide resonance in large sections of the national
media. On behalf of the industry, I would once
again appeal to the Hon’ble Finance Minister
to withdraw this tax.
Restaurants, be it large chains or independently
managed establishments, constitute a vibrant
part of the hospitality industry’s value chain.
They not only render indispensable services
to domestic and foreign tourists alike but also
play a vital socio-economic role in the local
economies of their individual cities. They
facilitate job-creation, foster skill development
and symbolise a much-needed spirit of
innovation and entrepreneurship. Presently,
our restaurant industry is being bogged down
by extraneous factors such as sluggish business
and consumer sentiment due to a slowing
economy, high inflation, incessant shortages
of inputs such as power and water, archaic
laws, an arduous licensing regime, apart from
multiple taxation.
The Government’s recently released Economic
Survey rightly emphasises the importance of
leveraging the untapped potential of service
sub-sectors such as hotels and restaurants
to augment GDP growth. The focus of the
Government’s efforts, both at the central and
state level, should be on providing an enabling
policy environment which can return our
industry to its trajectory of robust double-digit
growth. Viewing the industry simply as an
avenue for short-term revenue generation by
way of adding yet another tax to the existing
maze of complex and multiple taxes will indeed
be a myopic and retrograde policy. This would
also be contradictory to the Government’s
own stated objective of doubling India’s
Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) and Domestic
Tourist Visits (DTVs) and also expanding our
inventory of classified hotel rooms to a total
of 3,00,000 guest rooms by the end of the
12 th Plan Period, i.e., 2017. At every forum,
FHRAI lays particular emphasis on highlighting
that by employing 9.2 per cent of the country’s
workforce, tourism already serves as the single
largest employment generator. The sector has
the potential to create 25 million additional jobs
within the next five years, provided we receive
proactive support from the Government.
The Food Safety & Standards Authority
of India (FSSAI) has announced a strategy
aimed at harmonising India’s food safety
standards with those laid down by the Codex
Alimentarius Commission, established by the
United Nations’ World Health Organisation
(WHO) and the Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO). As part of this initiative,
the current standards and regulations are
proposed to be comprehensively reviewed,
taking into account the latest developments
in food science across the globe, consumption
patterns, use of new food additives and
ingredients required by food producers etc.
This process will commence shortly and is
expected to conclude by December 2014
with the notification and adoption of revised
standards. FHRAI has always maintained that
the Food Safety & Standards Act should not be
limited to just being a legislative overhaul of
our food safety laws but also usher a flexible
and industry friendly regulatory framework
for Food Business Operators, which reflects
contemporary business realities and is
consistent with international best practices.
Therefore, we welcome this ambitious
endeavour and have already assured the FSSAI
of our active participation.
Vivek Nair
President - FHRAI
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
10

fhrai desk cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
Changing
tactics
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
12
From Hon. Secretary’s Desk
Promoting India Aggressively
The returns from promotion of tourism in
India are as high as 36 times, said a report
of the World Travel and Tourism Council
released in November 2012. The report
said if India spent $1 for promotion of tourism in the
country, then it would have earned $36. This fact
notwithstanding, India’s track record in promoting
tourism in the recent past, both for domestic and
foreign tourists has been poor.
It was in the year 2002 that India for the first time was
marketed as a tourist destination throughout the world.
No concerted effort had been made to attract tourists
to India. The aggressiveness and professionalism to
promote tourism was missing.
It was in the same year that the ‘Incredible India’
campaign was launched jointly by the advertising agency
Ogilvy & Mather and the Ministry of Tourism. The
campaign was featured in print and electronic media of
all developed countries. The results
were incredible! In the very first year
of launch of the campaign, foreign
tourist inflow increased by 16 per
cent. The following year the campaign
focussed on spiritual tourism and
arrival of foreign tourists increased by
around 29 per cent.
In January 2004, Lonely Planet
conducted a survey in 134 countries to
select the world’s favourite destination
for individual travellers. India ranked
5 th among the top five favourite
international destinations in the global
survey following Thailand, Italy,
Australia and New Zealand. Much of
the credit for India’s emergence as a
favourite tourist destination went to
the campaign.
According to Dr K Chiranjeevi, Tourism Minister,
Govt. of India from 2002 (the year when the Incredible
India campaign was launched) to 2012 the Foreign
Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) to the country increased from
2.38 million to 6.65 million. During the same period,
Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE) increased from
`150.64 billion to `944.87 billion. The domestic
visits during the same period rose from 269.60 million
to 850.90 million. The campaigns are a regular
feature of the Ministry’s promotional activities and
are carried out keeping in mind the Ministry’s goal
of overall development of tourism to and within
the country.
While
the allocation for
tourism in the
Union Budget
2013-14 has been
hiked by `87.66
crore, its promotion
has found no
mention
The Ministry of Tourism, as part of its on-going
activities, releases print, electronic, online and outdoor
media campaigns in the international and domestic
markets, under the Incredible India brand-line. Besides,
the Ministry through its overseas offices organises
roadshows like ‘Know India Seminars and workshops’;
participates in various fairs, exhibitions and events
to promote various Indian tourist destinations and
products. The campaigns include holistic promotion
of various Indian tourism products and destinations of
the country. But a recent survey of countries as tourist
destinations by World Economic Forum has placed India
at the 67 th position.
The monetary allocation for the Ministry of Tourism in
the current financial year is `1,297.86 crore, which is
`88 crore more than the previous year’s allocation. But
promotion of tourism finds no mention in the budget.
The focus in this year’s budget is on infrastructure
development and upgradation of existing facilities.
“While the allocation for tourism in the
Union Budget 2013-14 has been hiked by
`87.66 crore, its promotion has found no
mention,” comments Kamlesh Barot, the
former President of Federation of Hotels
and Restaurants Associations of India
on a travel and tourism website. “The
Budget has no mention at all of tourism
promotion. What can I say?” he questions.
The Ministry of Tourism in 2011-2012
spent `355 crore for promotion of
tourism in the country. In the following
financial year – 2012-13, the figure rose
by just `2 crore and the amount spent was
`357.20 crore.
Other developing countries like Egypt,
Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia who are at par with
India are increasing their budget by manifold for tourism
promotion. Adel El Masry, Director, Egypt Tourism
Office, sometime back told a travel information website
that his country had doubled the allocation for promoting
tourism to Egypt.
Closer home, Sri Lanka is also investing heavily
in attracting foreign tourists to the country. The
Sri Lankan government recently organised a three-week
long tourism roadshow in Russia and Ukraine in order to
attract more tourists to the country. The roadshows were
held in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kiev. Since the end
of the internal strife in May 2009, the country has seen a
steady rise in tourist arrivals every year for the past four
continued on page 18...

fhrai desk cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
Boosting
tourism
From Hon. Secretary’s Desk
Reasons Galore
for flourishing tourism in Gujarat
We have
been allocated
`25 crore for
advertisements
and promotional
activities for the
existing year. Last
year it was around
`18 crore
When Amitabh Bachchan implores on
television – ‘Kuchh din to guzaro Gujarat
mein,’ in his signature sonorous voice,
people just cannot ignore his proposal. No
doubt, the number of tourists, foreign and domestic,
visiting the western coastal state of India is increasing.
That Gujarat is very serious to promote tourism in
the state can be gauged from the fact that the Chief
Minister Narendra Modi ended his address to the
Indian-Americans in New Jersey and Chicago by saying,
“Gujaratis are the best tourists but until recently, Gujarat
was never a tourist destination.” Asking members of the
Indian diaspora to make more frequent visits to Gujarat,
he repeated Amitabh Bachchan’s tagline.
It was in early 2010 that Gujarat roped in
‘Big B’ for promoting the State as a tourist
destination. Other states also promote
tourism but Gujarat was the first state to
cash in on the charisma of the Bollywood
superstar to attract tourists.
Kamlesh Patel, Chairman of Tourism
Corporation of Gujarat Limited at that
time had said the number of tourists
to Gujarat had increased after making
Amitabh Bachchan the brand ambassador
of Gujarat Tourism. Amitabh Bachchan
has endorsed Dwarka, Somnath, Kutch,
Saputara and Gir National Park.
The Gir Sanctuary has benefited from the
splurge, seeing a 30 per cent jump in tourists in two
years. The Rannotsav Festival in Kutch and the pilgrim
sites of Somnath and Dwarka too have become major
draws. “We have been advertising widely not only
on television and radio but also in in-flight magazines
of prominent international airlines. In the last two
years, there has been a flow of nearly 54 lakh tourists
to Gujarat, which is an achievement,” Vipul Mittra,
Principal Secretary, Gujarat Tourism recently said.
According to the figures provided by the Ministry of
Tourism, 18.8 million domestic tourists visited Gujarat
in the year 2010. The figure rose by 11.43 per cent the
following year. The number of tourists who visited the
State crossed the mark of 20 million. A little less than
that, 140,000 foreign tourists visited Gujarat in the year
2010. The number in 2011 was 166,042, a sharp rise of
21 per cent.
Since 2009, an aggressive Gujarat has seen a five-fold
increase in its budget for tourism promotion. A whopping
amount of `10 crore was spent on promotional activities
before the ‘Khushboo Gujarat Ki’ campaign kicked off
in October 2010. The tourism department is hoping to
spend around `55 crore by March 2013. Last year, the
State government had set aside just `2.5 crore in the
budget just for promotion.
Gujarat has surpassed even Madhya Pradesh, another
state that aggressively promotes tourism. The Madhya
Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation
(MPSTDC) has increased its budget by just `7 crore
in the promotional activities this year. “We have been
allocated `25 crore for advertisements and promotional
activities for the existing year. Last year it was around
`18 crore,” said Om Vijay Choudhary, Chief General
Manager (Operations and Marketing), MPSTDC. There
are no separate funds for television promos and social
networking sites. Tourism Corporation of Gujarat
Limited (TGCL) officials say that they are spending the
maximum within the country. The corporation will also
organise roadshows across the country and take part in
trade fairs.
The Gujarat government has taken a new initiative by
signing an MoU with Indian Oil Corporation. Tourism
Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) will set up
amenities for tourists at 50 petrol pumps of Indian
Oil Corporation on various highways of the state
with an investment of `40 crore. Tourism officials
believe that 80 per cent of tourists visiting Gujarat
come by road. These centres developed will be given
to organised food chain companies for operation on
third party basis. TCGL will develop amenities like
food courts, kiosks and toilets at IOCL petrol pumps.
The amenities will be given to organised food chains
for operations. The restaurants will also have logos of
IOC and TCGL on it.
“Close to 80 per cent tourists use roads to reach tourist
places in Gujarat. So, creating amenities on national and
state highways are very necessary,” Mittra told reporters
recently. Three categories of amenities centres will be
created over an area of 4,000 sqmt, 2,000 sqmt and
1,000 sq mt. Fifty petrol pumps have been identified for
the purpose. The first outlet will be operational in six
months, while the rest will be commissioned within a
year. Furthermore, Gujarat is also trying to attract film
producers to the State. No wonder, it has been achieving
success so effectively on the tourism front.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
14

fhrai desk cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
A key
document
today
From Hon. Secretary’s Desk
The importance of PAN Card
PAN card is your sole identity proof
in the financial world
The importance of Permanent Account Number (PAN) card has
grown over the years, and it is today an essential part of our lives.
The most important purpose of allotting PAN to an individual
is for the purpose of identification and to track all the related
monetary information of that person. Initially, the significance
of PAN was for filing income tax returns. Over time, PAN was
used in dealings with the stock markets, banks and purchase of
real estate and vehicles. Today, PAN has started finding use in
unconventional areas as well.
A detailed information on PAN is given below:
Payment to travel agents: Cash payment of more than `25,000
for travel to any foreign country (fare or purchase of foreign
currency) in a single payment requires you to produce a copy of
your PAN card.
Do NRIs require PAN?
As PAN is required for any financial transaction in India, an NRI
will need to have a PAN card if he has an income in India. He also
has to file returns if he wishes to invest in India, when he carries
out banking transactions, purchases/sells real estate or for any
transaction mentioned above.
Sale/Buy/Rent agreements: Nowadays, landlords demand a
copy of the PAN card of tenants, as the primary ID proof while
letting out/selling/buying property.
Bank Fixed Deposits: If you open a fixed deposit with your bank
for an amount exceeding `50,000, a copy of the PAN card needs
to be given. In the absence of a PAN card, the bank will deduct
TDS of 20 per cent or at the prevailing rate, whichever is higher
(instead of the normal 10 per cent). Further, the bank will not
issue a TDS certificate. Form 15G/15H and other exemption
certificates will be invalid in this case.
Payment in hotels and restaurants: You may be asked to
submit a copy of your PAN card if you pay cash in hotels or
restaurants against bills for an amount exceeding `25,000.
Jewellery shops: High-value purchase of jewellery in cash
should be accompanied by a copy of the PAN card of the buyer,
mainly as a means to curb black money usage. Other areas where
the PAN card is required include: Payment in second-hand car
dealings, installation of telephone and visa facilitation centres.
It is seen that quoting or producing a copy of your PAN card
is compulsory in practically every money transaction, and not
restricted to income tax dealings. The significance of PAN cannot
be questioned as this has become the primary document sought in
all important legitimate dealings.
PAN Frauds
The increasing importance of PAN has increased the likeliness of
PAN card identity theft. The safeguarding of the physical copy
of the PAN card no longer assures that your card is not being
misused. As a majority of transactions demand a photocopy of
your PAN card, or simply quoting the Permanent Account
Number, it is very easy for your information to be misused for
high-ticket purchases or benami property transactions. A copy of
your PAN card or simply its number can be quoted in transactions
which you are not even a part of.
Example of misuse of PAN: Recently, a consumer rights
activist group revealed that the PAN card copy used in railway
ticket tatkal bookings were misused by several jewellers.
When an individual produces his PAN to book tatkal tickets,
the information is fed in the Indian Railways system and also
displayed on the ticket, reservation chart and train coaches.
Unscrupulous jewellers use this information from such public
displays and use it to furnish tax collected details, while they sell
jewellery of very high value to high-net worth individuals who
do not wish to produce their PAN.
If this happens to you?
When your PAN card is illegally used, you may not even be aware
of this for at least six months after the illegal transaction. You can
check for such benami transactions by going through your Form
26AS, which is a consolidated statement of tax deducted, along
with other details. If you are a non-tax paying PAN card holder,
you may not even be able to check this form.
The Income Tax department will require the PAN card holder to
prove that the transaction was not carried out by him, and also
give details on his source of funds. This becomes very difficult
and time-consuming. As a PAN card holder, you should take care
while disclosing your PAN details to anyone. You must hand over
only signed photocopies and try to reduce using PAN in all casual
transactions as ID proof, like hotel booking, ticket purchasing,
meaning PAN is required in every sphere of life.
Phonetic PAN (PPAN)
The phonetic PAN (PPAN) is a new concept introduced
to prevent a single PAN being allotted to more than one
assessee with same or similar names. When PAN is allotted,
the PPAN of the assessee is compared with the PPANs of
all the assessees to whom the PAN has been allotted in the
country. A warning is sounded off if a matching PPAN is
detected. A duplicate PPAN report is then generated. A new
PAN can be allotted only if the Assessing Officer overrides
this duplicate PPAN detection.
Thus, PAN is a key document today and even takes predominance
over your name as far as the tax authorities are concerned.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
16

fhrai desk cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
industry
meet
Hospitality industry miffed
Over double taxation over and above VAT
The Associations of Restaurants
in India have decided to close
down their establishments
in protest on Monday, April
29, 2013. Accordingly all the
restaurants, eateries, bars in India
shall observe this closure for one
day to protest their demand
A
meeting of All India Associations representing
restaurants was held in Mumbai on Monday,
April 15, 2013. The meeting was held
to deliberate on the issue of the newly
imposed levy of Service Tax on sale of food by all
air-conditioned restaurants, including those partly airconditioned.
The representatives of all restaurants felt
the said tax amounts to double taxation over and above
the VAT being charged by the state governments. It
was further felt that the consumers will be subjected
to tax on 140 per cent of the total bill amount, which
is against natural justice and ultra vires of the
Constitution. Several representations have been
filed with the Union Government urging the
withdrawal of the Service Tax which will have
an adverse impact on the sales of all restaurants
in the country. The Associations of Restaurants
in India have decided to close down their
establishments in protest on Monday, April 29,
2013. Accordingly all the restaurants, eateries,
bars in India shall observe this closure for one day
to protest their demand.
...continued from page 12
years. To the east of India, countries like Myanmar and
Vietnam are emerging as major tourist destinations for
North American and European travellers.
It is high time that India once again markets itself
aggressively as a tourist destination of the world. It is a
known fact that tourism is a major sector that generates
a big amount of foreign exchange earnings (FEE).
According to a rough estimate, India’s FEE through
tourism is nearly one-third of what India earns through
exports.
It is well understood that a lot has to be done to give
a thrust to tourism in the country. Dr Chiranjeevi
on his recent visit to Berlin, pointed out that foreign
tourist arrivals to India constitute only 0.64 per cent
of the World Tourist Arrivals and foreign exchange
earnings account for 1.61 per cent of the World
Tourism Receipts. He said that it was a matter of
concern and efforts would be made to increase
India’s share to 1 per cent of the World Tourist
Arrivals by 2016.
Later, while presenting the National Tourism Awards
for 2011-12, he said that the tourism industry has
immense potential. He explained, “For this, we need to
constantly monitor trends and re-invent our products
for the marketplace.”
There is no doubt that the Ministry of Tourism has
taken some steps worth appreciation to boost tourism
in India. The Ministry has asked the Central Home
Minister to bring more countries under the ambit of
the Visa-on-Arrival Scheme. Many tourism experts
were feeling that the Incredible India campaign has
lived its life and lost its sheen. It’s commendable that
the Ministry of Tourism has come up with a new avatar
of the campaign.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
18

fhrai desk cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
Study
Eight Trends for the Hotel Industry
CHRS Chair Professor Rohit Verma and Glenn Withiam, Director of Publications,
Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, offer a summary of key trends shaping the
global hospitality industry
Trend 1: The Expanded Role of Travel Intermediaries and
Travel Portals
The hotel industry’s need to determine how to work with OTAs has
become only the tip of the distribution iceberg. The industry has seen
the growth of major intermediary sites such as Expedia and Travelocity,
properties have increased distribution through opaque sites (such
as Hotwire and Priceline), and hotel brands have built up their own
websites. The entry of Google has added a new dimension to hotel
room distribution, since users can book directly from the search results
page, instead of clicking through to another site. The challenge for
hotels is to avoid being distributed as if they were package goods. Many
guests will go to a travel purveyor for hotel rooms, just as they go to a
food market for groceries.
Trend 2: Mobile Apps and RFID
Social media continues to grow exponentially, but mobile devices
present another potentially big development for hotel distribution and
operations. Radio frequency identification (RFID) chips may be of
particular interest, since the cost of RFID has plunged. This can break
out as its own trend soon enough, and the combination of RFID and
mobile apps could allow guests to use their smart phones to book a
room, check in, open their guestroom door, and settle their folio—all
without direct contact with your staff. Even without RFID, guests’ use
of mobile devices will create opportunities for innovation by hoteliers,
including new services and operating efficiencies. Most critically, the
dominance of electronic distribution as summarized in trends 1 and 2
will solidify the major trend of access to and transparency of information.
Trend 3: Brand Management and Customer Relationship Building
Given the strength of third-party distribution portals and the push toward
commoditization, the hotel brand will become more important than ever,
particularly in the context of developing customers’ loyalty. A powerful
brand lineup can offset the equally strong forces for commoditization,
and the hotel industry can draw from package goods companies’ brand
strategies. A study of top brands found four critical elements of brand
building: having an ideal, focusing on fundamentals to remain true to
the brand’s heritage, recognizing the importance of leadership (in the
form of a brand champion), and seeking engagement with customers.
Trend 4: Customers’ Search for Value through Social Couponing
Value comes in all forms, but in the current economic environment,
it means special offers and discounts, which are a form of customer
engagement. The rise of the daily deal sites, notably Groupon, melded
social media with customers’ desire to get a “deal.” This trend will
continue regardless of whether Groupon survives, because dozens
of other websites are also offering social coupons. For hoteliers, this
means developing packages that will provide value for all stakeholders,
including both customers who seek a deal and those who are “regular”
customers, as well as the hotel itself. Strategies include creating
packages that are not directly comparable to existing services and
controlling cost structures so that the social coupon is not a money-losing
proposition. Although social coupons do involve some cannibalisation
of existing customers, recent research has demonstrated that they bring
in new customers and encourage infrequent customers to return.
Trend 5: Sustainability
Customers’ demand for sustainable hotel operations has taken root
and expanded. The hotel industry has taken notice, as demonstrated
by a push for consistent reporting standards and industry best practices
coming from our industry roundtables in both Asia and North America.
In that regard, meeting planners and corporate planners are now
requesting that hotels’ provide sustainability-related information (such
as energy use or recycling policies). Third-party certification of green
claims has become an important part of sustainability reporting, as
demonstrated, for instance, by Travelocity’s Green Hotel Directory,
which does not recognize self-certified hotels.
Trend 6: Blending of Hospitality and Health Care
Although health care structures and financing vary substantially
from nation to nation, it has become clear that the core principles
of hospitality management apply to health care and assisted living
facilities just as they do to hotels. In the U.S., for instance, we know
of two major hospitals that have managers who were formerly with
the Ritz-Carlton Company, and an offshoot of Hyatt Hotels is a major
operator of lifecare communities. To maintain profitability, the healthcare
industry maintains a tight focus on costs and revenues that the
hospitality industry could emulate.
Trend 7: Next Generation Globalization
Not long ago, globalization meant that hotel brands from highly
developed nations expanded into developing nations. Globalisation is
also flowing in the reverse direction, as brands from developing nations
are expanding globally. To give two examples, Jumeirah now manages
the Essex House in New York, as well as properties in London and
Frankfurt; and Taj operates U.S. properties in Boston, New York,
and San Francisco, as well as hotels in London and Sydney. Thus,
globalization will mean that hotel brands criss-cross the globe.
Trend 8: Economic Uncertainty
Although economic growth seems to have returned, it’s still not clear
that the world economy, which is intertwined to a great extent, has fully
recovered. Thus, it appears that economic and political turbulence will
continue, and the hotel and travel industry will constantly be facing a
“new normal” somewhere on the globe.
(Credit: This article is reprinted from the report ‘2012 Cornell Hospitality
Research Summit: Critical Issues for Industry and Educators’, through
an exclusive arrangement between FHRAI and the Cornell Center for
Hospitality Research. The article cannot be reprinted, in part or full,
without prior permission from the authors.)
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
20

news updates cover story chef talk gm canvas events beverage
enabling
efficiency
Ministry of Tourism
makes hotel clearances speedier & more transparent
In a quest to double its inbound and domestic arrivals,
as envisaged by the Ministry of Tourism (MOT),
estimates suggest that India needs more than double
the existing room inventory. As a facilitative measure to
speed up hotel projects, MOT has now launched a webbased
project monitoring information system powered
by the National Informatics Centre.
“With a view to bring in transparency in granting
approvals for hotel projects, we launched a web-based
Public Service Delivery System for hotel approvals,
classification and other allied services. All applicants
seeking hotel project approvals, hotel classification and
approvals for other related services will be able to track
the progress of their cases online on a real time basis,”
said Dr. K Chiranjeevi, Minister for Tourism.
“By putting this system in place, there will be a pressure
on the officers of the ministry to deliver on time and
increase accountability on their part. Now onwards,
all applications will have to be examined within 15
working days from receipt till completion. Thereafter,
all hotel inspections will be scheduled within the next
15 working days. The recommendations of the Hotel
and Restaurants Approval & Classification Committee
will be communicated on the spot to the applicant
and these recommendations will also be put on the
website with the final decision within 10 days of the
inspection,” he added.
Further, the Minister added, “We will align our PSDS
with the Hospitality Development Promotion Board
(HDPB). The Tourism Ministry will move towards an
e-regime and build such systems in other spheres of
functioning also.”
Present on the occasion, Vivek Nair, President,
Federation of Hotels & Restaurants Association of India
and Nakul Anand, President, Hotel Association of India
among others lauded the efforts of the ministry and
stated that this is a path breaking initiative taken to bring
transparency and speed up hotel projects.
Pic: Simran Kaur
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
22

news updates cover story chef talk gm canvas events beverage
new
look
New brand identity for The Leela
On April 5, 2013, for the first time since its
inception, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and
Resorts has unveiled a new brand identity,
including a new logo and a revamped website, designed
to express the brand’s transformation over the last 25
years. A comprehensive plan will guide the transition
of the new identity at existing and upcoming properties
which also includes signages, advertising creatives,
guest facing materials, sales and marketing collaterals,
stationery and amenities.
The group plans to double its portfolio in the next four
years, adding four new luxury hotels and two branded
Leela Residences to its portfolio. Commenting on
the initiative, Vivek Nair, CMD of The Leela Palaces,
Hotels and Resorts said, “The Leela Group’s new brand
identity is a tribute to The Leela’s past and future, and
articulates the brand’s promise to offer only the finest
luxury experiences, in settings that are the essence of
India. Now is the time to not only continue redefining
luxury which the Group is known for, but also to reflect
it in everything that bears our name.”
The new logo, designed by Landor Associates, Paris,
is a monogram - the timeless quality seal of luxury
expressed in traditional Indian calligraphy. The singular
L stands for Leela, luxury, legendary, lavish and lyrical.
Indian calligrapher Satya Rajpurohit gives a true Indian
character to the logo, which is further enhanced by a
copper hue as seen in a tail of a peacock, the national bird
of India. The symbol of infinity at the bottom is a salute
to the future of the new optimistic India - boundless,
limitless, everlasting.
The new identity is designed to reflect the brand’s
philosophy and commitment towards its four pillars
- grace, luxury, nature and India. The project was
based on an 18-month analysis of guest feedback and
satisfaction surveys as well as in-depth interactions with
key market influencers to identify brand perceptions and
expectations.
The Leela will undergo the change across its awardwinning
network of eight luxury hotels located in prime
destinations across India and new properties currently
under development. In addition, new upcoming
projects include a resort in Jaipur; a business hotel in
Bhartiya City, Bengaluru, strategically located near the
airport; a palace hotel at Supertech’s largest mixeduse
development in Noida; a palace hotel in Agra,
where every room will face the Taj Mahal; and Lake
Ashtamudi in Kerala. Further, the group is introducing
ultra-luxury residences in north and south India. The
Leela is developing The Leela residences in Bengaluru
at Bhartiya City and at Supertech’s largest mixed-use
development in Noida.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
24

guest column technology products & services travel explore fhrai desk analysis
branching
out
Four Points by
Sheraton to debut
in Ahmedabad
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide recently
announced the debut of its rapidly expanding
Four Points by Sheraton brand in Ahmedabad.
Owned by SAMHI Hotels (Ahmedabad), Four
Points by Sheraton Ahmedabad will be a
conversion from an existing hotel and will
be Starwood’s first managed Four Points
by Sheraton in India.
Brian McGuinness, Starwood’s Senior
Vice President, Specialty Select Brands,
said, “The Four Points brand offers
travellers seeking great hotels at great
rates, and has grown to become the
second largest in the pipeline among all
Starwood brands. We are excited to
open our 5 th Four Points by Sheraton in
India and believe the brand has immense
opportunity in the country. Our guests are seeking an
honest value, genuine service, and the amenities they
need to stay productive on the road.”
Asset ownership is challenging in today’s competitive
environment. “With Starwood’s distribution
capability, the power of its award winning loyalty
programme, SPG, and the strength of its brands
offers great value. We do believe this partnership will
prove fruitful in repositioning our hotel,” said Ashish
Jakhanwala, Managing Director & CEO, SAMHI
group. “The debut of the Four Points by Sheraton
brand in Gujarat will strengthen the brand’s presence
in the Indian market and is in keeping with our goal to
continue to expand our footprint in tier 2 markets and
in micro markets within larger metros. Our upscale
brands offer a great opportunity for us to be able to
do this,” said Dilip Puri, Managing Director India and
Regional Vice President South Asia for Starwood Asia
Pacific Hotels and Resorts.
Four Points by Sheraton Ahmedabad is a 104-room
hotel that is well situated in a visible location in the
city. The hotel will have one food & beverage venue,
approximately 2,500 sqft of meeting space and a
fitness centre.

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launch
JW Marriott Hotel launched in Pune
In a recent move, The Pune Marriott Hotel and
Convention Centre has now converted to the JW
Marriott Hotel, Pune. The property is not only the
first JW Marriott in the city and the 3rd in the country
after the JW Mumbai and the JW Chandigarh, but also
the first Marriott property in the Asia-Pacific region to
undergo conversion.
The conversion launch saw the presence of Rajeev
Menon, Area Vice President for the Indian Sub-
Continent, Maldives, & Australia for Marriott
International Inc. Speaking on the occasion Menon said,
“The hotel, which was the 500 th Marriott property, was
a HALO hotel under the Marriott portfolio. Through
the two and half years of its functioning, the hotel has
managed to effortlessly make its way beyond the MHRS
brand guidelines, thus proving to be a befitting choice
for a JW conversion. This change will see Marriott
International come together to ensure that we surpass
the hotels hospitality touchpoints, making it more
luxury driven, promising and splendid.”
The General Manager of JW Marriott Pune, Jatin Khanna
said, “JW Marriott Pune celebrates constant innovation
and will continue to offer to the city of Pune a life of
elegance. The hotel that is a wedding, lifestyle and F&B
destination will see the introduction of various luxury
touchpoints over the next one year.” The unveiling of
the Griffin marked the highlight of the launch evening.
new
hotel
Westin enters Chennai
Starwood Hotels and Resorts
Worldwide has launched its 215-room
Westin Chennai Velachery property
in Chennai. This is its sixth in India and first
of seven new Westin hotels opening this year
in the Asia-Pacific region. The property has
a 24-hour gymnasium, outdoor swimming
pool, Heavenly Spa and a group-running
programme called Run Westin. It has three
restaurants – all day-dining ‘Seasonal Tastes’,
‘Pan Asia EESTTM’ and the ‘Poolside Grill
and Barbeque’ along with a cricket-themed
Shrikant Wahkharkar
GM, The Westin Chennai
Velachery
lounge bar ‘Willows’. The hotel also houses more than
1,170 sqmt of meeting space, including two pillarless
ballrooms and 12 breakout rooms for MICE events.
said, “Chennai has tremendous potential for
MICE segment as the city has hosted some
high-profile international conferences in
the recent past. The lodging demand will
continue to be dominated by the business
segment, but MICE is bound to grow at
a rapid pace in the next few years. The
continued addition of branded rooms
inventory in the city, especially over the last
18 months has led to a compression in the
city, but we are optimistic that the strength
of our brand, the power of Starwood and
its distribution system and the value that our loyalty
programme, SPG brings will give us a definite edge to
ramp up our business and outperform the market.”
According to Shrikant Wakharkar, General Manager,
The Westin Chennai Velachery; after the successful
launch of the Westin brand in cities like Hyderabad,
Gurgaon, Mumbai and Pune, Westin brand’s entry into
Chennai as a major metro city had to follow.
According to Wakharkar, the hospitality scene in
Chennai has metamorphosed over the last year or so
with highly reputed new entrants across all brands and
categories opening hotels in the city. Explaining the
current scenario of hospitality sector in Chennai, he
Besides being an important IT hub, the retail sector is
also poised for quantum growth. “We want be a part
of this growth story and the exciting time in Chennai,”
adds Wakharkar. He informed that the average local has
a lot more spending power now than a half a decade back
due to the rise in income level. Hotels with innovative
F&B offerings have a great opportunity to tap into the
growing segment of locals who are spending more
on F&B. With Chennai airport modernisation, more
domestic and international flights are expected to be in
service to/from the city in coming years.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
26

guest column technology products & services travel explore fhrai desk analysis
Pic: Simran Kaur
branding
Priya Paul
Chairperson,
ApeejaySurrendra Park Hotels
The Park Hotels unveils a new brand identity
The Park Hotels have introduced a new brand
identity promising a refreshed approach to
their boutique hotels in India. The new logo
expresses The Park being the place to be and to be
seen at. The new identity is simple and draws strength
from its black and white
colour coordination.
Different from the
previous branding,
this is the fifth time
the ApeejaySurrendra
Group has redeveloped
its brand identity in
over 40 years.
Vijay Dewan
Managing Director,
ApeejaySurrendra Park Hotels
Discussing the new
identity, Priya Paul,
Chairperson, ApeejaySurrendra Park Hotels, says, “The
new design is black and white, but bold with lots of
depth and new layers to the identity. We are known for
creativity and innovation and as we continue to grow,
we realised the need to communicate boldly the strength
of our brand. The fresh design language strongly reflects
contemporary India and our ethos. It is striking and
captures our personality perfectly. It highlights our
leadership through differentiation and reinforces who
we are.”
The brand revitalisation exercise has taken more
than two years and has spends of about `12 crore.
This process also integrates the execution of unique
experiences that are present in the brand promise of
‘Anything But Ordinary’.
“The origin of the new identity comes from the vibrant
culture built around values of excellence, innovation,
teamwork, commitment, integrity, empowerment and
respect. Our creativity has been expressed in every detail,”
says Vijay Dewan, Managing Director, ApeejaySurrendra
Park Hotels. At present, the group is represented by 12
hotels across the country with three more scheduled to
open in the near future. Already having an inventory of
over 1,200 rooms, the hotel chain is awaiting an additional
800 keys in the next three to four years. The branding
roll out starts April 1, 2013 and ‘Anything But Ordinary’
experiences will be there throughout the year.

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new
segment
Rajat Sethi
GM, Hilton Garden Inn
Gurgaon Baani Square
Hilton eyes new segment of travellers
The newly-opened mid-priced Hilton Garden Inn
Gurgaon Baani Square is the second Hilton Garden Inn
brand hotel in the country. Cashing in on the location,
the hotel aims to cater to the business,
leisure and transit travellers in the region.
Rajat Sethi, General Manager, Hilton
Garden Inn Gurgaon Baani Square says,
“The convenient location of the property
is the prime differentiating factor. The
hotel is centrally located within the
quadrilateral of NH8, Sohna Road, Golf
Course Road and Golf Course Extension
Road and can be approached from either of
the roads within a 4 km radius. The hotel
is a 10-minute drive which is 8 km from
DLF Cyber City, the central business hub in Gurgaon
and is 30 km away from the Delhi city centre.”
The hotel is looking at working closely with the Indian
travel trade. “Our hotel is strategically located for
tourists transiting through Gurgaon to Jaipur and other
tourist destinations. Making an alliance with the B2B
segment, we aim to promote the hotel for the first night
and last night destination for tourists transiting through
Delhi as well,” he adds.
Talking about the USP of the brand, the GM remarks,
“Garden Inn is specifically targeted for the business
travellers. Being a business hotel, Hilton Garden
Inn Gurgaon Baani Square strives to ensure today’s
busy travellers have everything they need to be most
productive on the road. The features at the hotel include
the brand’s signature offerings of complimentary
Internet access, 24-hour complimentary business centre
facilities and complimentary remote printing service
from the guestroom to the business centre.” The 24-hour
business centre at the hotel is equipped with state-ofthe-art
audio-visual facilities, which will cater to all the
needs of business travellers. The four meeting rooms,
each with city views and natural light, can accommodate
from 20 to 150 people. The hotel offers 18,000 sqft
of conference and banqueting facilities with green lawns
and a courtyard, perfectly suited for all business events,
social gatherings, private receptions and weddings of up
to 400 people.
According to Sethi, there has been a tremendous inflow
of hotel investments in Gurgaon with both national
and international hotel chains vying for their footprint.
“There has been a phenomenal surge in number of budget
hotels leading to a correction in prices and average room
revenue in the region,” he pointed out.
new
brand
TUX Hospitality offers affordable luxury
Tux Hospitality introduces its first ‘Hive’ - the
affordable-luxury brand in Alwar, Rajasthan. After the
success in the National Capital Region with Mosaic
Noida, Tux seeks to deliver the best of facilities and
services at Hive Alwar. The hotel is
located at a convenient 3 hour drive
from both Delhi and Jaipur. Having
taken factors such as connectivity and
convenience into account, the property
is strategically placed not only in the
best of surroundings but just 3 km away
from the railway station and in close
proximity to the Matsya Industrial Area
(MIA).
Several attractions of rich history such
as the Alwar Fort, City Palace, Bala
Qila, Bhangarh Fort, City Palace and Museum, etc.,
are in close proximity to the hotel. The surrounding
attractions include the scenic beauty of rich natural
woods, valleys and splendid lakes such as the Siliserh
Lake. Hive Alwar is also conveniently located from the
famous Sariska Tiger Reserve for which Alwar is also
known as the ‘Tiger Gateway to Rajasthan’.
The hotel features 45 well-appointed rooms and offers
three categories - deluxe, club and suite. The rooms
offer amenities of great convenience, such as highspeed
wireless Internet access, electronic safe and LCD
television with national and international channels. The
24-hour guest room services include in - room dining
and laundry looked after by a team of well groomed
industry professionals.
Hive Alwar offers a specialised Food & Beverage outlet,
namely – ADD, a 24-hour access control gymnasium
and a meeting room. The hotel is soon coming up with
The Grill - a sophisticated Rooftop Grill Restaurant, The
Bar and a banquet hall for business and social gatherings.
It will also have a rooftop pool for the unwinding
experience in the picturesque backdrop of the Aravalli
Hills and has plans to come up with a spa as well.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
28

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bakery
Puratos India launches new range
of products
Dhiren Kanwar
CEO, Puratos India
S 500 Puff
Your puff / khari just got bigger, better and healthier
Puratos India, the fully owned Indian
subsidiary of the Belgium-based multinational
Puratos Group having a presence
in 68 countries, has increased its product line by
adding nine new products that were launched at
AAHAR 2013 in New Delhi last month. Talking
about the ambitious plan, Dhiren Kanwar, CEO,
Puratos India said, “Puratos India was launched in
2008 to bring specialist products for the bakery,
confectionery and catering industries. We have
launched 90 products in four years. This year we
are launching nine products in the three different
categories we operate in.”
The company has three product categories
viz., bakery, patisserie and chocolate.
It has launched four new products
each in the first two categories
and one in the chocolate
category. Kanwar informs,
“Interestingly, 98 per cent of
our products are vegetarian
i.e., eggless. We import
around 10-15 per cent of our
ingredients for manufacturing
the entire offering in India.”
The company has an R&D centre
for customising taste, functionality
and cost of the various products
that are manufactured in India, with its
manufacturing plant in Navi Mumbai that was
established in 2009. “We would like to use this platform
as an opportunity to introduce new products which are
The nine new innovative products
launched by Puratos India:
• Bakery
• Easy Ciabatta
• Easy Focaccia
• S-500 Puff
• Tigris Power
• Patisserie
• Easy Sponge Cocoa Egg free cake
• Hotfil Strawberry
• Creamfil Ultim
• Tegral Satin Red Velvet Cake Mix
• Chocolate
• Carat Coverlux white
unique and innovative. We look forward to bringing a
change in the Bakery, Patisserie & Chocolate industry.”
“We are the only company to provide bromatefree
products. We have focussed on enzyme-based
products,” remarked Kanwar. The company’s
marketing response has been good in eight states. “We
are educating the wide range of our target market by
organising seminars in about 34 cities that would cover
8,000 bakeries. Our approach is to offer an exquisite
taste with healthy products,” he added. The company is
expecting a triple digit growth following the extension
of product line.
showroom
Celfrost launches its 15 th Brand Centre
in New Delhi
Celfrost Innovations launched its 15th Brand
Centre at Jail Road, New Delhi to tap the
expanding West Delhi market. The company has
marked its Brand Centre presence in Mumbai, Delhi,
Goa, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad,
Gurgaon and other cities in India to promote a globally
acclaimed range of commercial refrigeration and food
service products. These products include popular
international brands such as Vestfrost of Denmark,
Manitowoc of USA, La Cimbali of Italy, Taylor of USA,
Merrychef of UK, Lincoln of USA, Hamilton Beach of
USA among others.
Neeraj Seth, Managing Director of the company said,
“The stores offer a wide range of products suitable
for hotels, restaurants, bakery shops, coffee shops,
bars & pubs, clubs & canteens, food retail stores and
so on. After receiving an overwhelming response to
our first 14 stores launched in India, we decided to
open our second Brand Centre in New Delhi. The
stores will enable us to reach a larger audience who
prefer to touch and feel the products before buying.”
According to him, the differentiating factor for the
company is its assured after-sales service support
which is missing in this sector.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
30

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expansion
Wyndham Hotel Group expands
India operations
Wyndham Hotel Group expanded its India
operations by announcing a new addition to
its portfolio, Ramada Chennai Egmore. The
opening of Ramada Chennai Egmore is an important step
in expanding the
group’s footprint in
south India and will
help strengthen its
existing portfolio.
Ramada Chennai
Egmore is Ramada’s
first operational
hotel in Chennai and
is owned by Ansari
Estate.
In India, the
company will have
17 operating hotels and approx., 1,800 rooms under
the Ramada, Wyndham Grand, Dream and Days Hotel
brands. The group also has 26 hotels under construction
with near 3,000 rooms, which will expand its India
portfolio significantly.
Ramada Chennai Egmore brings the famous world-class
Ramada experience to Chennai at affordable prices. The
hotel is Chennai’s preferred destination for business as
well as leisure travellers and is a perfect blend of comfort
and functionality. The hotel offers guests a complete
array of choices, including 113 elegant and spacious
rooms including Suites, Executive, Deluxe and Classic
rooms; state-of-the-art pool, world-class restaurants,
bar-cum-lounge, a fitness centre, conference rooms,
business centre and a salon-cum-spa.
The hotel also has great banqueting facilities which can
accommodate anywhere between 10 - 300 people,
making it ideal for corporate and social occasions. The
hotel is centrally located and is close to the airport,
railway station and key tourist hotspots including the
Marina Beach, Egmore Museum, St. Anthony’s Chruch
and Connemara Library among others.

eport cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
Best rates
at home
According to the latest Hotel Price Index (HPI) report by Hotels.com, the
global hotels expert, India beats other countries when it comes to getting the
best value at hotel room rates domestically. Excerpts from the report…
Travelling at
home
The report revealed that in terms of
the average price paid for a hotel room,
Indians found the best value at home at
`4,715, followed by the Portuguese
paying `4,846 and the Spanish -
`5,009.
Swiss travellers paid the most at `10,345
for a night travelling domestically
with the Singaporeans in second place
at `9,994 and Norwegians in third at
`9,899. The Australians were in the
fourth place at `9,531 and South Korea
at the 6 th spot at `8,319.
More at home
or away?
Of the 29 countries analysed, 20 paid
more abroad than at home with some
of them having a considerable gap
between the two sums. The Chinese
spent `3,513 a night more on average
when travelling abroad, followed by the
Argentineans who paid `2,866 extra and
the Indians shelled out `2,816 more.
Only nine nations paid more at home
than away. Travellers from Singapore
had the greatest difference, spending
`2,283 more domestically than
abroad, followed by the Swiss with
`1,233 variation and the Norwegians
with `958.
Top destinations:
When it came to overseas travel,
Southeast Asian destinations dominated
the top 10 list for Indian travellers.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
32
Top overseas destinations for travellers
from India in 2012:
Rank Destination
u Bangkok
v Singapore
w Dubai
x Pattaya
y Hong Kong
z London
{ Phuket
| New York
} Kuala Lumpur
~ Las Vegas
India specific
Free Wi-Fi trumps both free parking and
complimentary breakfast when it comes
to choosing a hotel for both leisure and
business travel, showing that access
to the online world is a necessity for
modern-day travellers with over a third
still looking to stay connected whilst on
their holidays. In fact, just 11 per cent
of global travellers said they would be
willing to pay for Wi-Fi when staying
in a hotel. Among Indian travellers, 26
per cent consider Wi–Fi as an important
amenity while looking for hotel
accommodation during leisure travel.
The demand for free Wi-Fi doubles
to 55 per cent for business travellers.
“With an increase in airlines and airports
offering free Wi-Fi, tech-savvy travellers
expect the experience to continue upon
arrival at their hotel,” said Zoe Chan,
Senior PR Manager APAC, Hotels.com.
“They are using their tablets, smart
phones and laptops to plan activities,
stay connected to family and even order
a delivery meal straight to their hotel
room, so it’s no surprise they require
free and fast Wi-Fi.”
The Perks of New Technology –
Favourite ‘Modern’ In-Room Amenities
It would seem that the technological
comforts of home are also high on the
priority list for travellers with 23 per
cent of global respondents choosing highend
coffee makers as their top, modern
desire in hotel room amenity. Fully wired
rooms controlled by a single remote
received 20 per cent of the votes. Guests
also indicated they would like to enjoy
free Wi-Fi on hotel-provided tablets for
guest information, room service and
local guides (15 per cent). However for
Indian travellers, the preferred ‘modern’
in-room amenity is massage chairs or foot
massagers (36 per cent) and 25 per cent
of them would like to have totally wired
rooms controlled by a single remote.
It’s the Little Things that Count – Most
Appreciated Simple Amenity
Staying hydrated when travelling
is important to hotel guests
globally with 43 per cent choosing
complimentary bottled water as the
most appreciated simple amenity.
Sharing the same sentiment, 42 per
cent of Indian travellers also appreciate
complimentary bottled water. Only
respondents from Taiwan, Hong Kong
and Brazil rated free power adaptors
above bottled water.
The Way to the Hearts of Hotel Guests’
– Through Their Stomachs!
• 48 per cent of Indian travellers would
like to see complimentary breakfast
as a standard offering at all hotels in
2013, while 19 per cent travellers
would like to enjoy the items in their
room refrigerator without being
charged for it.

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Five-Star Life – The Highs and Lows of
Luxury Perks
• Designer toiletries ranked
the highest among favourite
amenities while staying at luxury
hotels for Indian travellers (31
per cent) while high-end fitness
centre & spa was the second
choice (29 per cent).
City with best
hotels
• 37 per cent Indian travellers voted
the ‘sun & sand’ city Goa as the
best destination for hotels with
good facilities.
• Metropolitan business city - Mumbai
was the second choice among Indian
travellers (18 per cent).
• Other destinations popular among
Indian travellers for good hotels
include Jaipur, Hyderabad, Shimla
and Kochi.
Global price
change
The average price of a hotel room around
the world rose by 3 per cent during 2012
compared to the previous year, having
reached 107, just seven points higher
than when the Index was launched in
2004. The rate of increase has slowed
when judged against the 4 per cent rise
in 2011.
This highlights the fact that hotel prices
remained at a great value for travellers
throughout the year as the global Index
for 2012 was still ten points behind its
2007 peak of 117 and only just ahead of
its 2005 level of 106.
Prices rose in all regions for the year, apart
from Europe and Middle East, where there
was a slight fall. There were particularly
strong showings in the Caribbean, North
America and the Pacific.
Although not directly comparable, the
relative stability of global hotel prices can
also be seen in a less technical fashion by
comparing the fluctuation of the HPI with
other global commodities such as gold,
oil and coffee in an index. Swings there
have been considerably more volatile and
prices have risen substantially, reinforcing
the great value that hotel prices still
represent. At the end of 2012, the index
for gold, for instance was four times
higher than in 2004, with oil three times
and coffee more than double.
Asia on the rise
• Hotel prices in Asia rose 2 per cent
during the year, not keeping track
with the global rise but a more
robust result than in 2011, when
prices fell by 2 per cent following
the natural and nuclear disasters in
Japan which deterred travel both
within and to the region.
The Asia HPI stood at 109 for 2012 and
has the farthest ground to make up on its
2007 peak of 131. In fact, it is still behind
its 2005 level of 110, although individual
cities have performed well.

conference cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
Pic: Simran Kaur
Hi-Aim 2013 discusses
project implementation issues
The second edition of Hi-Aim in 2013 was held in New Delhi on March 21-22. The
‘conference + exposition’ was aimed at creating a knowledge base for the hospitality owners
who wish to delve deeper into the subject with designing and architecture possibilities to
make projects economically viable and operationally effective.
2013 was
themed – ‘Challenges
of Implementation’
Hi-Aim
– in order to address
the concerns of owners who invest in
hospitality projects. At the inaugural
session, Romesh Koul, CEO, Naaz
Hotel Consultants and Co-Founder,
Hi-Aim said, “A decade back, with
less hospitality events, the focus was
primarily on conferences that deliberated
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
34
on operations but projects and their
implementation issues. That is why,
Hi-Aim was created as a forum to
address an owner’s issue like design
development, ROI, architecture, project
implementation and challenges of
implementation.”
The two-day seminar concentrated on the
owners, their relations with architects,
interior designers and facilitators of
projects and challenges thereon. Koul,
talking to TravTalk, said, “The themes
set up an apt debate between the two
concerned parties which was informative
and delved on the challenges they face
as they go on to invest in projects. The
primary objective was to find out costing
and return on capital invested.”
On the other hand, Anil Sharma,
Founder, A Sharma Associates and

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Co-Founder, Hi-Aim remarked,
“Over 300 people participated at the
event. We tried to be specific and
find issues that are problem areas
for hospitality owners. More than
just a conference and exposition, we
have emerged as a workshop where
we found solutions to core issues.
Professionals sharing a common
platform in Hi-Aim 2013 discussed the
future course of better performance
and raising benefits.” The list of
attendees included speakers, hospitality
owners, architects, designers, business
delegates, sponsoring companies and
exhibitors. “We have definitely grown
as a platform offering sound quality
deliberation on hospitality.”
The next edition of the conference is
scheduled from March 20-21, 2014 at
JW Marriott, New Delhi Aerocity. “We
will try to raise topics that would talk
on the operational efficiency or could be
related to an environmentally sensitive
approach. Owners are taking a keen
Business
sessions
The two-day Hi-Aim 2013
conference highlighted the needs
of owners, developers, architects,
interior designers, consultants,
project managers, etc., through
some critical topics as follows:
• Return on Capital Deployment
– Bang for the Buck
• Adaptability of Brand Standards
• Challenges of Implementation
– Midscale Hotels
• Multiple Stakeholders – Who
Calls the Shot
• Design vs Function
• Design Overkill – Heart of the
House – Midscale Hotels
• Relevance of PMC
• Running the Last Mile
interest after getting a vivid perspective
on the subject of design, architecture
and interiors,” Koul added. Sharma
informed, “Following positive feedback
from owners, we wish to take Hi-Aim
to other Indian cities and possibly to
neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka.”
According to Koul, the year 2014-15
will be promising for the hospitality
sector. He said, “This year will see a
similar growth like last year. In fact,
there will be growth which will be
accommodated by supply inventories
that will be added up this year. Hence,
we will be at the same level of market
expectations like last year. Though,
investors should not be demoralised
by the dull phase where occupancy and
RevPAR have dipped. These have to
be seen on a long term basis with key
considerations and focus on location,
categories and brand. Owners need
to do homework thoroughly to
minimise costs for a positive result,”
he summed.

dine out cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
There are not many Japanese
and Pan-Asian food joints
in India yet. Keeping an
eye on the void that exists,
Singapore-based brand ‘Sakae
Sushi’ has entered the Indian
market by having a joint
venture in order to expand
its footprint. Keeping up
with what the international
chain does, it has customised
the menu to suit local taste.
Sanjeev Bhar
q Agedashi Tofu
Eastern
flavours
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
36

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A
series of bamboo columns
gives the restaurant’s décor
a touch of elegance. There is
a feel of the Oriental as one
enters Sakae Sushi in the upmarket
Ambience Mall of south Delhi.
The ceiling of this renowned restaurant
chain with red-brown decorative art has
dragons sprawled all over, reminiscent
of the Japanese architecture, depicting
a Japanese poem. Designed by an international
firm, the ambience set for the
restaurant outlet has been kept subtle that
which is aptly complimented by the lighting
and décor.
Having a capacity for 120 pax, the
restaurant is located on the third floor
of the mall. It has a set-up divided into
two floors which adds a dimension to
it since the upper section is an open-air
terrace space. The ‘Roof Terrace’ has
a green ambience created with the use
of artificial grass, with the open sky to
give an apt setting for enjoyable cocktail
evenings. A small bar addresses the
Chander Agarwal
Executive Director, TCI
Lilian Foo
Promoter & Vice President,
Sakae Sushi
need of this exclusive space, and adds a
portion of creativity accommodating a
maximum gathering of 30 pax. Further,
there is a private dining area which
can accommodate 8-10 pax giving an
exclusive dining experience in the
lower level.
A new
avenue
One of the leading players in the Indian
logistics sector - Transport Corporation
of India (TCI) has forged a Joint Venture
(JV) company with the Sakae Holdings
Singapore, which promotes the brand
Sakae Sushi. This is the first venture
into hospitality for TCI through this
JV. Chander Agarwal, Executive
Director, TCI says that hospitality is
a service industry and food is seen as
the foremost service element attached
to it. Food business is very much
dependent on logistics and therefore,
it was an easier way to approach the
restaurant business and fulfill his lure
for good food. He says, “I particularly
chose Japanese cuisine as it is interesting
and people like it a lot. Also, you will
find only up-market Japanese restaurants
in the city. Further, there are too many
Chinese, Italian… restaurants. But a
Japanese restaurant is a rarity. It has been
a missing link and we want to capitalise
on this gap,” he adds.
Though this joint venture company did
not reveal any investments made in the
restaurant business so far, it would look
forward to grow simultaneously through
ownership and the franchisee route in

dine out cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
q Salmon Cheese
q Salmon Carpaccio
Food choices
Sakae Sushi is amongst the most prominent and fastest growing restaurant
chain in Asia. The restaurant has pioneered the concept of having tiered-plate
pricing, incorporating built-in hot water taps for a fuss-free and efficient dining.
Its elaborate Japanese menu includes signature dishes like Spicy Kimchee
Seafood Kaminabe, Salmon Yuzu Shirataki, Spicy Sumiyaki Udon, Sakae
Blossom, Sakana Isshi and Hotate Mentaiyaki to name a few. There is a also a
seasonal menu and a kids’ menu, for tasty and healthy Japanese bites for tots.
The team of global chefs specialises in an authentic menu.
p Salmon Mentaiyaki
India. “In the next three years, we plan to
have a total of three outlets operational,”
Agarwal says. “The franchisee option will
be used for expanding our horizon but
it would be through the JV company in
India,” informs Lilian Foo, Promoter &
Vice President, Sakae Sushi.
The restaurant has been positioned
between low and mid-market by bringing
the most famous Singapore brand
in Japanese and Pan-Asian cuisines.
According to Foo, India was on its radar.
“We want to be a globally strong brand
by extending beyond the 200 outlets that
the company has in 10 countries. We
spent a lot of time in looking for a right
market and India is a perfect place in this
respect. Here, people are looking for
more international cuisines and there is a
lot of scope for Japanese cuisine. In other
countries, we have expanded by having
set our master franchisee and looking for
inorganic growth. But, India happens to
be our first joint venture market, where
we are inventing,” she says.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
38

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Localising
flavours
Majority of food served in the restaurant
has been as per the authenticity of the
cuisines. Japanese and Pan-Asian cuisines
have been becoming quite popular in
the Indian market following a set of
diners who prefer these cuisines. “Yet,”
says Agarwal, “We have tried to add
some element of local taste in order to
appeal to all tastebuds. “You have to
understand that Japanese food would be
bland otherwise to the Indians. But just
by adding a bit of flavour by using spices
we have been able to attract the attention
of customers and have received great
feedback,” he says.
The dining
experience
According to Foo, Sakae Sushi is a
well known throughout Asia for it is
premium food served in an innovative,
fun and engaging setting, all at
affordable prices. She says, “In addition
to serving fresh, healthy and delicious
food as can be expected from our
kitchen, the speed and ease with which
our customers can have their food served
via the conveyor belt is also the signature
of our business. I am extremely excited
to celebrate the opening of our restaurant
in India now.” She is right. The conveyor
belt approach that divides the entry level
q Sakae Blossom
into two halves is something new. The
concept – Kaiten – gives the convenience
of picking up the sauces, etc., as it moves
on the conveyor belt.
Further, a nice bar set up at the lower
entry level has been designed aesthetically
with a dragon tattoo adding a distinct
charm to the restaurant outlet.

chef talk cover story dine out news updates events beverage
A Delicious
Journey
p
Chef Sireesh Saxena receiving the National
Tourism Award from the Hon’ble President
of India, Pranab Mukherjee as the Minister
for Tourism, Dr. K Chiranjeevi and Secretary
Tourism, Parvez Dewan look on.
With over three decades
of sheer excellence as a
food professional, Sireesh
Saxena, Corporate Chef and
Vice President (Hotels),
India Tourism Development
Corporation (ITDC)
has scored many miles.
Now, the proud recipient
of the National Tourism
Awards wishes to share his
knowledge and experience
with the upcoming
generation of hospitality
professionals.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
40
Q
How does it feel to be
recognised with the ‘Best
Chef’ award at the National Tourism
Awards 2011-12?
It is a proud moment for me and it
certainly feels wonderful. Even though
every award is special, this one is the
biggest of them all, being recognised at
the national level.
Q
You oversaw production &
catering services to State
guests at Hyderabad House, The
Ashok and Vigyan Bhawan. How did
you take up these challenges?
When you are catering to the highest
office, there really is no room for error.
You know it and you accept it as a
challenge. With each function/event, it is
a new challenge with a new set of issues.
Planning needs to be done independently
for each event and that is the essence of
the challenge. Executing it to the delight
of the dignitaries is the satisfaction point
that you work towards.

chef talk cover story dine out news updates events beverage
Sireesh Saxena
Corporate Chef and Vice
President (Hotels), ITDC
Q
As Corporate Executive Chef
of the Group, how have you
developed your team to meet the
strenuous requirements of banquets
at the President’s House, etc. How
was your experience?
From amongst the large team that we
have, we pick up the right person for
the right job. The right person needs not
only the right skill but also the mental
toughness and presence of mind. It does
sometimes happen that you are in a tight
spot due to an unforeseen incident.
On such an occasion, the chef needs to
stay calm and find solutions to not only
come out of the crisis but also execute
it equally well. At this level, there is no
second chance. Hence, constant training
for the team is critical – not just for skill
enhancement but also for mental agility
and adaptability.
Q
How did you go about
motivating your team as the
F&B department is a demanding
sphere with no scope for error?
The team that works towards the success
of such important events is highly
skilled, responsible and understands the
seriousness of such occasions. This does
not happen in a day but is a result of years
of training and experience. The team
knows and takes pride in the fact that
they are providing services to the highest
level of bureaucrats.
The very fact that they
are catering to people
who are the ‘who’s
who’ of the country is
itself a big motivator.
Q
How do you
manage
the operational
responsibilities that
come to you with
your role as Vice
President of ITDC?
As Vice President,
ITDC, the additional
responsibility entails
looking after all the
units of ITDC spread
across the country.
When you are
catering to the
highest office, there
really is no room
for error. You know
it and you accept
it as a challenge.
With each function/
event, it is a new
challenge with new
set of issues
However, the task of being the Corporate
Chef remains ever so important. Of
course, the team at the next level has
been trained to get into the nitty-gritty.
However, a desired amount of focus is
kept on catering for the VVIPs and
other guests.
Q
What would be
your advice for
a budding chef? What
are the few things to be
kept in mind to succeed
in this highly dynamic
and challenging field?
Before you enter the
industry, be ready for
long and excruciating
working hours. You
can’t work by the clock
in this profession. It is
a highly creative field
and not everything goes
by the book. You need
to carve out new paths
on your own. Creating/
innovating on an everyday
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
42

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It does sometimes
happen that you are in
a tight spot due to an
unforeseen incident.
On such an occasion, the
chef needs to stay calm
and find solutions to not
only come out of the crisis,
but also execute it
equally well
basis. And, you learn
everyday. The budding
chefs also need to be
ready to meet the
guests, which will make
them understand and
evaluate the worth and
value of their product.
No food is good unless
it is relished and
appreciated by the
guest for whom it is
meant for.
Q
Which are the
characteristics
vital to make a chef
a true ambassador of
food?
An eye for detail,
creativity on your mind
and a love for food… if you have them, you are a
‘food ambassador’.
Q
How do you recall your career journey so far?
As you are about to hang up your boots in
about three months, what is your aim now?
The journey has been ‘delicious’ – to put it simply in
‘culinary’ term. I do wish to share my knowledge and
experience with the coming generation of hospitality
professionals so that they benefit and do well to serve the
industry in the coming times.
Q
As Vice President,
ITDC, the
additional
responsibility is of
looking after all
the units of ITDC
spread across the
country. However,
the task of being
the Corporate Chef
remains ever so
important
Any unfulfilled wish in your career that you
would like to pursue...
My 37-year career has given me everything that I have
ever aspired for and I am extremely happy and satisfied
at this stage of my career. My hard work and sense of
commitment have been suitably recognised in
the industry.

cover story f&b services chef talk news updates events beverage
Opting tents
to stay
Offering a comfortable stay in a remote location with all facilities has been a
niche mantra of hospitality that is offered through tented accommodations.
Be it a casual camp or a luxury tent, there is something unique about this
proposition that has struck a chord with travellers who are increasingly
looking for options. Though the path of setting up a tented accommodation
is riddled with operational issues and cumbersome marketing hurdles
afterwards to attract customers, the scope is immense and the industry
should explore this horizon of hospitality more. SANJEEV BHAR
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
44

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p Inside view of Manvar Desert Camp
p Kinner Camps
Pic: Ameya Gokaran

cover story f&b services chef talk news updates events beverage
p The cultural
evening at the camp
Pic:Manvar Resort & Camp
Would anyone give away
the comforts of sofas,
plush interiors, decorative
arts and well cushioned
beds for something
basic like charpoys (khaats), offering basic
needs to stay? Yes. The new age travellers
see experience in nothingness and limited
services that are available through tents
and camping facilities.
This sort of stay facility arguably started
with backpackers heading for isolated
locations and choosing to set up tents for
camping purpose. With time, organised
players picked up the trend and ensured
that tents offer not only a comfortable
stay but a luxurious one as well. Facilities
from hot water, wash basins to western
commode… all find place in tents these
days. Interiors can give competition to
best of mid-scale hotels having properly
arranged beds by refurbishing traditional
‘charpoys’, designed interiors and so on
that add a glamour quotient to the tents
and lure travellers to opt for it.
Critical issues
Thinking of tented accommodations,
one directly relates the facility with
weather conditions. The usual question
that pops up is how safe will it be to
keep it hospitable. Anshul Mediratta,
Managing Director, Virgin
Travel Spots & Co Founder Kings
Jungle, Sohna agrees, “Upkeep &
maintenance, proper caretaking etc.,
are critical issues. Also, the same
licensing issues as the other hospitality
projects would have, is faced by the
tented accommodations.” He also
says that one can club tented facilities
with eco-tourism/farm tourism and
can avail state loans for the projects.
“Different states have nice prospects, like
nice interest schemes, tax holidays, etc.,
to lure the investors. Interestingly, we
have not faced any major hurdle in setting
up tents. As a matter of fact, the State
governments turn supportive in such
kinds of projects,” he says.
Abbas A Zaidi, Owner, Jungle Niwas,
Ranthambore, ironically feels that
the government departments don’t
do anything to promote tented
accommodations. That said, there are
other hurdles of workmanship and
material related to tented camps which
are confined to some very limited places.
“Expert tent installers are difficult to get,
standards for construction (platforms,
bathrooms, etc.), ventilation are not
existing yet,” he explains. According to
him, tented accommodations do have a
Anshul Mediratta
Managing Director
Virgin Travel Spots &
Co-founder, Kings Jungle
Abbas A Zaidi
Owner
Jungle Niwas
Ranthambore
high operational cost owing to the need
of installation, de-installation and proper
storage in each season. That requires
mobilising of personnel and specialising
in these activities. Additionally, he
adds, to give the feel of nature in such
accommodation to tourists, the ‘pucca’
construction has to be maintained at the
bare minimum - which makes storage in
off-season more expensive.
The tents also face an issue of climatic
condition, which is of paramount
importance. Zaidi says, “We are open
in the cooler period - October till April
- which more-or-less coincides with the
peak season in Ranthambhore. There are
a growing number of ‘green’ tourists,
including nature photographers who
prefer to stay in tents. Foreign tourists
actually look forward to staying in tented
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guest column technology products & services travel explore fhrai desk analysis
accommodation as they feel closer to
nature than in a brick construction.
On the environment front, tents can
withstand moderate dust and rainfall.
On the other hand, Pradeep Negi,
Owner, Kinnercamps has never had
any trouble with licenses and other
permissions as such. “We got our licenses
pretty easily having Himachal Pradesh’s
tourism friendly policies. The biggest
hurdle rather in tented accommodation
is the weather condition as an off-season
snowfall can damage our tents. Also,
sometimes locals create problems because
they feel tourists can cause security
problems in these remote villages where
thefts are unheard of.” This is an area
where the government has a role to
educate the locals.
Business dynamics
The Indian hospitality industry
contributes around 2.2 per cent of India’s
GDP. The industry is expected to reach
`230 billion (approx. US$ 5.2 billion) by
2015, growing at a robust CAGR of 12.2
per cent. India will be investing around
`448 billion (approx. US$ 10.1 billion)
in the hospitality industry in the next five
years, according to a report ‘The Indian
Hotel Industry Report - 2011 Edition’
by CYGNUS Business Consulting &
Research Firm. In the next two years,
a total investment of US$ 12.2 billion
(approx. `545.2 billion) is expected that
will add over 20 new international brands
in the hospitality sector. Referring to the
report, Mediratta says, “I feel that there
is an urgent need for more rooms and
more concept tourism to include large
and tented accommodation, since with
The best part is that tents can be erected
in minimum time and anywhere, provided
you fulfill all necessary requirements.
States like Rajasthan, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Haryana, down south to
northeast etc., have in fact indulged in
promoting this avenue of accommodation
its offbeat travel pitch it would play a
very important part in this scenario. The
tourism department demarcates areas
in different landscapes such as deserts,
riverbanks, forest reserves, etc., and
therefore it is one avenue that is going to
get bigger in the times to come.”
The business dynamics for tented
accommodations is growing. Negi says,
“To my knowledge Ladakh, Uttarakhand,
Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh
actively promote tented facilities. Any
natural environment near a water body is
an ideal spot for tented accommodation,
which should be explored far more.” He,
nonetheless, feels that the only deterrent
is the maintenance cost which is very
high. “Since tents can get easily damaged
in bad weather and also, seasonal
dismantling and putting it together back
again is a cost, the operational aspect
becomes tedious and an expensive affair.
A constant supervision is desired to make
sure that the water and electric supply is
fine to make the proposition profitable,”
he elaborates.
Rajasthan as a state offers an interesting
mix of hospitality products, and tents
have been quite successful there too.
To keep customers happy as they stay,
special attractions are created for them.
Bhanu Vikram Singh, Owner, Rajasthan
Royal Desert Camp says, “We mainly
organise fairs and festivals, cultural
activities like puppet show, Kalbeliya
dance, magic shows, etc. So, for a few
days of tourist traffic one needs to make
a lot of effort. And this can only be done
if a good number of advance booking has
been received, otherwise it could led to
revenue loss.” Similarly, Negi organises
campfires, treks, rock climbing, river
crossing and other activities to engage
travellers. There are no operational
hurdles as such in maintaining tents. All is
good, according to Singh, if one has good
number of advance bookings, trained
persons to assemble tents, set up proper
water and electric connection in tents.
Looking at the brighter side of these
accommodations, Mediratta says, “The
best part is that tents can be erected
in minimum time and anywhere,
provided you fulfill all necessary
requirements. States like Rajasthan,
p Kinner Camps
Pic: Ameya Gokaran

cover story f&b services chef talk news updates events beverage
q The Jeep Safari Camp
With all the trouble and uncertainty,
tented facilities are still liked by many as
an investment proposition. The growing
number of customers is good news. New
sets of customers, though skeptical, try to
make sure about the safety parameters
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, down
south to northeast etc., have in fact
indulged in promoting this avenue of
accommodation. These days, tents
offer the best of services with all the
modern amenities and having them in
‘naturesque’ location would be a key for
the hospitality sector.”
Yet there are instances where companies
are shutting down tented facilities.
In south India, a company which was
operating in tented accommodations
refused to comment officially. Reason
- closing the tents. The tents were not
doing well and it warranted a closure
of the facility in order to reduce the
group’s losses. Not ready to come
on record, the company has now
withdrawn its plan and is replacing
the same with cottages. According
to the spokesperson, the business
viability of tents is not helping much.
Mediratta agrees. He says, “Yes, it is
tough on pockets. Regular upkeep and
maintenance is important to match up
with the standards of hotels as every
traveller seeks comfort during his/her
stay. Being made up of fabric rather
than concrete it becomes essential to
take extra care so as to prevent damage
and losses.”
Offering perfect
hospitality
With all the trouble and uncertainty,
tented facilities are still liked by many
as an investment proposition. The
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guest column technology products & services travel explore fhrai desk analysis
q Jungle Niwas
availability, it will also make operation of
tents more cost-effective.
growing number of customers is good
news. New sets of customers, though
skeptical, try to make sure about the
safety parameters. Negi explains, “The
first question people ask is – ‘Is it safe?’
Secondly, people want to know if the
toilet and bathing area are inside. Also,
questions like ‘Will they get hot water?’
to funny questions like ‘Are wild
animals likely to enter the tent?’ arise
apart from standard of room service.”
People also want discounts since it is
not a brick and mortar construction, he
laughs, forgetting that tents are costly
too. Singh says, “A Swiss luxury tent
costs around `75,000 - 1,00,000.”
The basic necessity for a good tented
accommodation is a good safe location,
tents made of good material, hygienic
waste disposal system and clean toilets.
Zaidi feels, the mainstream tourists in
India still prefer ‘pucca’ accommodation
but the younger generation, being
more open to experimentation, is more
amenable to tented accommodation.
To that Mediratta argues, “It all
depends on which part of the segment
tent owners are targeting. We have
luxury tented options near NCR, which
targets mostly corporates and youth.
We give them the best of adventure
with sumptuous food options and a
comfortable stay.”
Future course
As tourism shifts from ‘popular’ to
‘green’ (the trends are already indicating
this), Zaidi feels that such camps/tents
will become more common. “And with
better techniques, material and personnel
Pic: Manvar Desert Camp
This is a niche segment. Hence,
Mediratta explains, it would require a
lot of marketing skills/initiatives and
know-how of the trend to make projects
successful. “In this context, we run a
resort consultancy wherein we help
people find out places and set up this
kind of facility clubbed with loads of
fun. We also make an ROI chart, where
people can break-even in a shorter time
horizon. We have a JV in the luxury
tented accommodation segment clubbed
with adventure facility in the NCR.
For future, we also plan to set up more
resorts in the lap of nature, alongwith the
best of tented accommodation facilities,”
he adds.
Tented facilities will have its ups
and downs. Negi says, “We have
received good response to our tented
accommodation. In our experience so
far, people love staying in tents in spite
of their initial apprehensions. It brings
them closer to ‘Mother Nature’ and that
is an enriching experience for them to
explore on more such opportunities.
We even have more and more student
groups coming.”
This avenue of accommodation brings a
unique sense of joy for the owners and
operators. Till the time people feel the
need to stay connected to nature and
prefer to stay that way while travelling,
tented facilities can expect to grow and
offer unique hospitality that they are
known to offer.

explore cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
Establish yourself, gain confidence,
increase the brand
awareness and then move
on to new highs with more
expansion. This has been the mantra of
La Marvella, a boutique five-star luxury
hotel in the heart of south Bengaluru. The
hotel that opened in mid-2010 is now
the best performing hotel, claims Sudhir
Sinha, President & Chief Operating Officer,
Best Western India.
On the hospitality front, Bengaluru’s
landscape was initially limited only
to its north side. However, with
hoteliers making a beeline to the
south region to set up shop, the
demarcation between the north and
south area has blurred in recent times.
South Bengaluru is slowly but steadily
acquiring the glamour tag with rapid
transformation in recent times.
Talking about the opening days of the
hotel, Sinha reminisces, “When we first
established our presence in this side
of the city, we did manage to raise a
few eyebrows. People thought it was a
stupid decision to come to this side of
the city as the action in Benagluru back
then was limited to the northern part of
the city. But we looked at it differently.
This is the IT hub. There was demand
for accommodation and we realised that
supply needed to flow in.”
The hotel opened in the middle of the
recession. “Most hotels were cutting
down costs when we commenced
operations. But that did not make us
Marvel in a city
Luxury does not necessarily need to come with a price. With this motto,
Best Western Premier La Marvella has cashed in on the south Bengaluru landscape to
emerge as a top performing entity in the region. MEGHA PAUL
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
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guest column technology products & services travel explore fhrai desk analysis
lose heart. The hotel began with a huge
marketing campaign for spreading
awareness. This showed results when
business picked up in mid-2011. In the
last three quarters of last year, the hotel
performed extremely well with 8-10 per
cent growth,” he reveals.
Nearer to business
The hotel now is growing with leaps
and bounds. However, the real
revelation is not that the hotel is a
commercial success. From a hotel
industry perspective, the message
from the hotel is that it is re-inventing
the paradigm of luxury hospitality in
India. One interesting new trend is that
unlike in the past, when hotels were
at the city centre, a large number of
new hotels started coming up where
their clients were based. There are
three main reasons behind this, says
the General Manager. “Availability
of land, lower land price outside the
central business district and huge
catchment areas for customers, thanks
to IT parks scattered outside the CBD
are the primary causes. This hotel has
positioned itself near the IT hub and
thus, gets a huge chunk of corporate
clientele,” he adds.
The F&B edge
With 49 rooms, the hotel is currently
luring customers with its F&B
offerings. “Generally, in January F&B
and conferencing drop. They pick up
in the latter half of February. Unlike
other business hotels where business
drops during December, this hotel did
exceptionally well last December, and
the credit goes to our F&B segment.
“F&B is the driving factor of the hotel.
With hoteliers making a beeline to
the south region to set up shop, the
demarcation between the north and south
area has blurred in recent times. South
Bengaluru is slowly but steadily acquiring
the glamour tag with rapid transformation
in recent times
Being close to the IT hub,
we witness a number
of corporate dining on
weekdays,” Sinha says.
In terms of performance,
45 per cent of the
hotel’s revenues is
garnered from ARRs
and 55 per cent comes
from F&B. “We do an
occupancy of 60 per
cent. Almost 40 per
cent of our clientele are
foreigners. The Best
Western tag has helped
us in grabbing eyeballs,
in terms of inbound
travellers,” he opines.
Meetings
unlimited
Conveniently located with ample
parking facility, La Marvella’s banquet
halls are the perfect venues to induce
guests. The spacious halls come with
every modern amenity. Apart from a
boardroom, the 49-room boutique fivestar
property sports two grand banquet
We do an
occupancy of 60
per cent. Almost
40 per cent of
our clientele are
foreigners. Thus,
the Best Western
tag has helped us in
grabbing eyeballs,
in terms of inbound
travellers
halls – Colosseum and
Aurum. The Colosseum
is the biggest conference
facility, which can
accommodate up to
300 people in theatre
style. With a capacity
to accommodate 100
guests, Aurum is the
second largest banquet
venue.
Expansion
spree
After having established
its presence, the hotel is
now looking at expanding
its property. “We plan
to increase the number
of rooms by another 50. Thus, we are
looking at almost doubling our room
inventory. As banqueting and F&B are
huge in the area, the new expansion
would include at least two more banquets
and one F&B outlet. We are also planning
to double the size of the pool and spa.
The hotel will start with restructuring
of banqueting and lobby followed by the
expansion of the rooms,” he points out.

gm canvas cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
canvas
A fantastic
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
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As a new entrant two years
ago, The Leela Palace New
Delhi at Chanakyapuri has
now grown into business
reckoning in a manner that
every entity is taking notice of
it. Tamir Kobrin, General
Manager of the property, feels
that the New Delhi market
offered a challenge that has
been met and surpassed
creating a benchmark in luxury
hospitality. SANJEEV BHAR
Coming to India and being
here for five years has
been an experience that
Tamir Kobrin, General
Manager, The Leela Palace
Chanakyapuri in New Delhi relishes.
He came to India immediately after the
26/11 attacks in Mumbai in 2008 and
took charge of the Leela Palace Udaipur
as its General Manager. He recalls, “The
hotel was pitted against two established
brands in the city, but now we are among
the top performing hotels.” After that
he was asked to take charge of the Leela
Palace Chanakyapuri in New Delhi.
“It has been a stupendous journey for
two years here. In fact, this hotel has
changed the dynamics of Delhi hospitality
completely,” he remarks.
Capturing the
mindset
The hotel raised many doubts as it
entered at a premium cost in the city
and offered premium room nights.
Kobrin says, “We can only succeed
through excellence in service and
quality. Following our efforts, we are
commanding the highest rates in the
city. I am the lone player in the rates
we are operating. We are charging a

gm canvas cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
p The Lobby Lounge
premium. But why should people then
come to me? The fact is we have been
able to skim the top end of each hotel
in Delhi.” According to him, with
growing aspirations of people, they are
ready to pay a bit more for even better
quality having positioned as the premium
product and sustaining it.
Service
deliverance
The hotel has been steadily raising its
occupancy and RevPAR, both of which
has doubled, confirms Kobrin. He says,
“The city occupancy was at mid 70s last
year, which came down to higher 60s.
Considering just two years in operations,
we are at low 50s and expect to go better
by the end of this year.” From the days
of infancy, this hotel was sustained by
the F&B revenue, but now
room revenue has outgrown it.
“For every `1 crore of room
revenue, we earn `90 lakh
from F&B. With expectation of
occupancy rising, we are going
to get better,” he adds. The
occupancy of the hotel touched
65 per cent in January 2013
and it is expected to close the
FY2012-13 at low 50s with the
highest rates in the city. “Now,
we have a target to close at low 60s for
the current fiscal,” Kobrin asserts.
Empowerment
mantra
His simple philosophy to lead the team
is to empower staff to deliver the best
of service. “They should be able to take
Anything above and beyond an achievable
goal is not good. We have to live in reality
where we can exceed or meet it. Four
things are vital in meeting reality i.e.,
occupancy, market, relationship with
customers and expanding our success in
the leisure segment
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
54
Tamir Kobrin
General Manager, The Leela
Palace Chanakyapuri in
New Delhi
decisions and interact with
guests at a personal level.
Instant result can be achieved
only if guests’ concerns are
addressed immediately.
This is possible when we
can reduce the protocols of
taking permissions to deliver
service. It is vital to curtail
the delivery time to serve
guests better,” explains Kobrin.
According to him, hospitality is about
bringing the best in people. And India is
the best place to showcase hospitality.
“A hospitable nature is ingrained in
Indians that they bring from their home
environment. It allows you to paint a
wide empty canvas,” he adds.
He recalls, when I joined this hotel,
it needed a leadership. “Capt. Nair
had told me that ‘you have made the
Udaipur property the best; now I want
this property to be the best as well in the
city’. I wanted to give this vision to my
staff. A vision where we are the best,
we are premium and for what reasons
and finally, guests should feel that they
get value-for-money,” he elaborates. He
wanted that feeling to percolate down
to the 1000-staff. Operational efficiency
creeps in gradually with time and one can
achieve consistency in performance far

guest column technology products & services travel explore fhrai desk analysis
more effectively. Due to this reason, the
hotel now has 900 staff to manage it all.
Motivation is a quality that can do
wonders. If Kobrin has to be believed,
he did wonders by motivating his staff to
create a benchmark unprecedented for
a city hotel. “I made sure that my sales
& marketing team was not just selling
an expensive hotel of the city, but also
an experience and luxury for its guests
which come at premium value. Initially,
there was skepticism for selling rooms at
a high rate but now, they are not selling
anything less than `14,000 a night,” he
exclaims. He feels that the premium
factor comes with service deliverance
and quality.
In today’s dynamic
scenario, the SOPs
have to be flexible to
adapt themselves, he
feels. “Adaptability is
acceptability. We can
only do better if we
listen to what customers
have to say about our
service. It is vital to
evaluate customers’
experiences with the
hotel,” he emphasises.
It is also crucial to set
targets realistically.
“Anything above and
beyond achievable goal
is not good. We have
to live in reality where
we can either exceed
the target or meet it.
Four things are vital
in meeting reality i.e., occupancy,
market, relationship with customers
and expanding our success in the leisure
segment,” Kobrin professes.
On the other hand, the hotel has been
recognised by people for its standard
of service. “The hotel is awarded as
the top big & luxury hotel in Asia and
the top big, luxury & service hotel
in India by TripAdvisor. It tells you
what customers have to say about
you; whether you choose to look at
it or ignore it completely. We chose
to learn from it,” he points out.
“The hotel gets 43 per cent repeat
customers. Also, according to the law
Hospitality is
about bringing
out the best in
people. And
India is the best
place to showcase
hospitality. A
hospitable nature
is ingrained in
Indians that they
bring from their
home environment
p TripAdvisor Accolades for The Leela Palace New Delhi. Brian Payea, Head of Industry Relations,
TripAdvisor for Business (left) and Tamir Kobrin, General Manager, The Leela Palace New Delhi (right).
of average, if one is
topping TripAdvisor
then the chances
of getting business
increases by threefold,”
he adds.
But all was not rosy.
The hotel had its share
of bad comments too.
That did not deter
Kobrin. He says, “I
always made sure
to respond to those
customers individually
with sincerity and
acknowledged our
mistake if there was
any. Guests seek
honesty and a sense
of security from us.
Acknowledging mistakes is equally
important as is patting your back in
times of success. Therefore every
morning, there is a team meeting
for 20 minutes where we review
TripAdvisor comments and get to hear
the managers and their thoughts.”
Scoring on the
international
market
Delhi’s business is interesting as it
ranges from leisure to corporate to
diplomats and so on. He says, “Our
business mix consists of 75 per cent
international customers and remaining
domestic. Of the international pie, 60
per cent business comes from America
and then Britain, Europe, Southeast Asia
and so on. “We have been selected to
join the list of luxury properties featured
in Virtuoso. Also, Preferred Hotels &
Resorts is our marketing and operational
partner. These associations have uplifted
our luxury brand position in the US
markets. In fact, now FTOs from those
destinations are inquiring about our
brand from DMCs operating in India.
My thoughts are clear. The margins are
high in the leisure segment and this is
where I wish to command. We have
been able to take out some chunks of
leisure business from other leading hotel
brands in the city,” claims Kobrin.
“Delhi is also one of the markets
where State officials visit and 60 per
cent of the total business coming to
Delhi and Mumbai is shared by The
Leela Chanakyapuri and The Taj Mahal
Mumbai,” he claims. In December
2012 and January 2013, there were
four and five State guests visits in the
city respectively, and in each of these
months the hotel hosted three of them.
The hotel claims to have been profitable
since the first year of its operations
with an aim where every Re 1 spent
brings back Rs 2. “We want to achieve
exceptional guest satisfaction. We
started with a sense that we will do good
and we have achieved the desired results
for all to see and wonder,” Kobrin
chuckles to sum up the conversation.

perspective cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
Then & Now
ITDC rises from the ashes
held press conference on March 19, 2013, Lalit K Panwar, Vice
Chairman & Managing Director, ITDC evoked the need to use
the power of being a public enterprise with absolute strong
fundamentals of the private institutions that have changed the
landscape of Indian hospitality.
It aimed to become a pioneer in tourism and Panwar recalled the
days where The Ashok came into the picture way back in 1955-
56. He believes that ITDC still has in it to be at the forefront.
But, comparing to the scenario 22 years ago, ITDC is again going
through the same pages of history. After enough slogging for
years under losses, it is showing some positive results. At a press
conference held recently, Lalit K Panwar said, “We have evolved
as a group by strengthening our performance in the last two
years, which is also getting reflected with the positive outcome
at the stock exchange where ITDC share has shown a strong
gain. We are extremely happy with our performance.” The
group is expecting to close the year as on March 31, 2013 at a
profit of `30 crore with an aim to reach `50 crore in the current
FY. Now it is a zero debt company.
Courtesy: TravTalk
22 years on…
Things have changed. It wants the best of both worlds;
public as well as private. Now ITDC wants to capitalise
on the front that it is a public sector enterprise and
simultaneously, cashing in on the key stalwarts of the
industry (in the private sector) who are ex-ITDC. At a recently
The company is focussing on non-hotel avenues like Event
Management, Duty Free/Travel Retail, Light & Sound shows,
etc. Renamed as Ashok Events (erstwhile Ashok Reservation
& Marketing Services), this event management arm has been
managing the flagship events of Ministry of Tourism, but is now
getting offers of managing events of other ministries. “In the last
two years, Ashok Events have managed events of 20 different
ministries, nationally and internationally,” Panwar said. ITDC
has trained 7,000 youths in the last two years under ‘Hunar Se
Rozgar Tak’ scheme by providing two months skill training, and
aims to train 10,000 students per year for the entire 12 th Five
Year Plan through our 16 hotels. Further, it is conducting ‘light
& sound’ shows at 20 heritage monuments and there are 20
additional requests to look into. It is also going aggressive in the
Duty Free/Travel Retail division where it has opened seaport
shops and adding airport shops at Coimbatore and Goa.
Someone in the conference asked if ITDC (or MOT) needs a
brand ambassador to promote itself more… the answer to that
was Minister of Tourism himself; a popular actor from the south,
said ITDC head. Now the question is - can Dr. K Chiranjeevi really
give a performance for a tourism and hospitality blockbuster?
Travel trade will have to again wait or watch, hopefully for not
another 22 years.
By Sanjeev Bhar
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
56

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profile
Swosti@30!
Completing three decades in the hospitality industry is no small feat. The Swosti Group has achieved
this not only to boost its business horizon but also to take forward the message of Odisha’s hospitality.
Turning 30 for many might
be a sign of ageing. But for
Swosti Group, it is a sign of
maturity. It showcases a ‘fresh’
feel through its refurbished Swosti Hotel
for the last three decades in the temple
city of Bhubaneswar. An ISO 9001-2008
accredited hotel, it has gone through remodelling
and is being presented as the
finest boutique hotel of the city.
The facade as well as the interiors now
give a magnificent look which is new
and modern. The lobby and guest rooms
have been redesigned, along with the
reception area, giving a completely
different ambience to what existed. It
appears far more beautiful and luxurious.
The hotel now has a comfortable,
intimate and welcoming setting.
Further, the property boasts Aqua – a
brand new multi-cuisine specialty
restaurant; Galeria – 24-hour Coffee
Shop and Oceana – a world-class pub.
J K Mohanty, Managing Director of the
group recalls, “Those days were amazing
when Swosti started its operations way
back in 1982. It was the first four star
hotel in Odisha. We offered the best of
facilities, the largest conference hall, and
of course, great food. The wonderful
guests we used to receive then continue
to be a part of the Swosti family even
today. It makes me nostalgic as I go back
to those days.”
Looking back
With Swosti Hotel coming to the fore
in 1982, it marked a new beginning
for Odisha hospitality. Since it offered
world-class services, Swosti had to make
no extra effort to become a popular
name. “I am very happy that Swosti
has again bounced back as a leading
hotel and the centre of attraction in
Bhubaneswar,” he says.
Recognition
Meanwhile, the Swosti Group took
up a new avatar and came up with
Swosti Premium Ltd. (erstwhile
Plaza), arguably eastern India’s largest
convention hotels in 2006. This
property has secured a fine position in
the market. The hotel was renovated
and it hasn’t looked back since then. In
2005, the group launched Swosti Palm
Resorts at Gopalpur-on-Sea.
Hotel Swosti, in particular, has had
many awards in its kitty including
the OASME Gold Star Award 1994,
International Trophy 1994 for the
promotion Touristique, Hospitality
India International Award 2007 and
many more. Similarly, Swosti Premium
had many recognitions coming its way
including the CSR Award by Tefla
2009. This apart, JK Mohanty has to his
credit awards like Rashtriya Samman
Puruskaar by India International Council
for Industries and Trade and the Global
Samman Award.
Creating a
brighter future
The group is eyeing a new goal of
expansion, but is concerned about the
shortage of manpower. Mohanty says,
“Having spent 30 years in the industry, I
feel it was all through a Iearning process
and establishing contacts worldwide.I now
feel that I must give back to the industry
my years of experience and contacts.”
Hence, Swosti Group is foraying into
the hospitality education sector and will
start our first institute in the hospitality
business this academic session.
Swosti Institute of Management &
Social Studies (SIMSS) has been formed
understanding the need to provide
high quality trained manpower for the
requirement of the hospitality sector and
the modern traveller. “Our experience
is based on the analysis of the feedback
received from our valuable guests staying
in our hotels from within India and
abroad, we wish to mould the students
into high quality professionals, fulfilling
requirements of the international
hospitality sector,” Mohanty sums up.

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Promoting sustainable
tourism and developing CSR
The development of tourism in the Indian context lays emphasis on
sustainable tourism and the social dialogue within the tourism and hospitality
sector. These form a vital aspect for attracting international cooperation for
promoting tourism. GAURAV M J NEGI
Sustainable Tourism refers to
a level of tourism activity that
can be maintained over a long
term because it results in a net
benefit for the social, economic, natural
and cultural environments of the area
in which it takes place. The objective
of sustainable tourism is achieved by
balancing the needs of tourists with those
of the destination.
For sustainable tourism development
to prosper, we have to involve the
most important actor - the tourist.
However, the image of tourism as an
economic activity and the tourist as a
client seriously hampers any effort to
get the social factors count, involving
future generations. Tourists have to start
to understand that something is being
expected from them. (See Figure 1)
According to UNWTO, sustainable
tourism should “make optimal use of
environmental resources that constitute
a key element in tourism development,
maintain essential ecological processes
and help to conserve natural resources
and biodiversity. It should respect
the socio-cultural authenticity of host
communities, conserve their established
and living cultural heritage and traditional
values, and contribute to inter-cultural
understanding and tolerance. It should
also ensure viable, long-term economic
operations, provide equal socio-economic
benefits to all stakeholders, including
stable employment, income opportunities,
social services to host communities, and
contribute to poverty alleviation.”
Sustainable
development
A sustainable enterprise is a business that
does not negatively affect the global or
local environment, community, society
or economy. It is a key source of growth,
wealth creation, employment and decent
work; and takes into consideration
the differentiated impact of its policies
and practices on men and women.
Cooperation among governments,
businesses, employee and society
is required to promote sustainable
enterprises and guarantee the quality of
employment in a sustainable manner.
The competitiveness and capability
of enterprises within this fast-paced
globalising environment depends on
mutual trust, respect, non-discrimination
and good employee - management
relations among workers and employers.
Employees who are qualified and satisfied
with their working environment will
produce a better outcome both in
terms of enterprise performance and
enterprise engagement with social and
environmental issues.
Investing in workers includes the
development of training and the
promotion of decent and efficient work
environments by concentrating on the
human dimensions of productivity and
competitiveness.
CSR
We now discuss the concepts that
underline good stewardship for both
the natural and social environment.
This is Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR). CSR is a voluntary, enterprisedriven
initiative. Such programmes have
emerged as a way for enterprises to
Figure 1 Components of sustainable tourism
Ecology Environment,
Natural Resources
Business Profitability
Customer
Business
Satisfaction
Profitability
S U S T A I N A B LE TOURISM
Socio economy
Social Culture
Local and National
Monuments
Economic and Social DECENT WORK Cultural Heritage
Development
Ethnic Groups
Job Creation
Living Culture
Working Conditions
Local Cultures
Indigenous Groups
Fig 1 Source: Diagram prepared by the ILO based on K. Langenfeld: ‘Tourism and Sustainable
Development’, GTZ, Sector Project, ITB Convention, Berlin, 2009.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
58

guest column technology products & services travel explore fhrai desk analysis
consider the impact of their operations
on society and affirm certain principles
and values within their own internal
processes and interactions with
external stakeholders. Companies
are responsible for their products,
services and the conditions under which
they produce them. CSR initiatives
go further than the minimal legal or
contractual requirements, but they do
not replace the role of the government,
collective bargaining or effective
industrial relations. Key factors of CSR
are transparency and accountability.
Different organisations have established
principles related to CSR that among
others, cover environmental and social
responsibilities (see Table 1).
Many companies including Carlson
Rezidor, Four Seasons and Hilton
have implemented skill enhancement
programmes, employee empowerment
and recognition initiatives, and mobility
opportunities for their employees.
(See Fig 3)
Aim to promote tourism sustainability
There is a wide range of international
instruments and agreements that
are designed to promote tourism
sustainability and have clear implications
in employment and decent work arenas.
In May 2010, 42 governments committed
to certain guidelines that provide
voluntary principles and standards
for responsible business practices in
accordance with applicable laws. Their
main objectives are:
• To ensure enterprise operations
remain consistent with government
policies,
• To enhance mutual confidence
Figure 3
Areas of Engagement
in Corporate Social
Responsibility Actions
Customer service 3%
Stakeholder involvement 6%
Supplier relations 17%
Host community support 34%
Internal management 40%
Figure 3 Source: Figures prepared based on
UNWTO: ‘CSR in Tourism Study’, Tourism
and the Millennium Development Goals,
Madrid, 2010, p. 11.
between enterprises and societies in
which they operate
• To assist the development of foreign
investment environments and to
strengthen contributions made
to sustainable development by
multinational enterprises.
Table 1
Main areas in which
CSR comes into play
Accountability
Including stakeholder engagement,
reporting on environmental and human
rights issues, performance related to
standards
Business conduct
Competitive conduct, corruption,
bribery, intellectual property rights,
political activities, proprietary
information
Community involvements
Community economic development,
employment of local and/or
underutilised workers, philanthropy
Corporate governance
Shareholders’ rights, conduct of
executive boards
Environment
Precautionary principles, input/
output, engagement of shareholders,
employee training, management
systems, public policy, sustainable
development
Human rights
Indigenous people’s rights, health
and safety, child and forced labour,
freedom of association, wages
and benefits, working conditions,
discipline
Marketplace/consumers
Marketing and advertising, product
quality and/or safety, consumer
privacy
Workplace/employers
Non-discrimination, training,
harassment/abuse, downsizing, child/
elder care, maternity/paternity leave
(Source: A. Kalisch: ‘Corporate
futures, social responsibility in
the tourism industry’, in Tourism
Concern, London, 2002.)
The Working Conditions (Hotels
and Restaurants) Convention,
1991 (No. 172), and the Working
Conditions (Hotels and Restaurants)
Recommendation, 1991 (No. 179),
set minimum standards to improve
working conditions, training and career
prospects in hotels, restaurants and
similar establishments, and noted that
collective bargaining is required to
enhance job security. This Convention
stipulates that the minimum standards
adopted at a national level should not
exclude workers. As of July 2010, only
15 countries had ratified this Convention.
The European Commission reported,
“CSR is the concept that makes an
enterprise accountable for its impact
on all relevant stakeholders. It is the
continuing commitment by business
to behave fairly and responsibly and to
contribute to economic development
while improving the quality of life of the
workforce and their families, as well as
the local community and society at large.”
(See: www.bsdglobal.com/issues/
eu_green_paper.asp, (accessed 24 Mar.
2010); C. Beddoe: Labour standards,
social responsibility and tourism,
Tourism Concern, 2004.)
To conclude, tourism, by definition,
involves a journey, a passage through
time, space and through a diversity
of cultures, peoples and pasts. In the
Indian context, tourism has a critical
role to play in generating knowledge,
dialogue and understanding across and
between cultures. It also has a critical
role in the development process. At
one level, the journeys of tourists may
be individual in nature, but on another
level the journeys of tourism forms a
part of exchange for development that is
inextricably linked.
Therefore, this on-going journey of
humanity is common for all and should
be made accessible to all. This common
journey needs research, reflection,
mediation, and coordination to ensure
that it functions as a creative and positive
force that works in harmony and balance
with the cultures that shape it.
(The writer of the article is a Research Scholar.
Views expressed by the author are personal.)

movements cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
new
faces
movements
within the hospitality trade
P K
Mohankumar
MD and CEO
Roots Corporation
Limited
iP K Mohankumar has been
appointed as the Managing
Director and Chief Executive Officer
of Roots Corporation Limited (RCL),
subsidiary of The Taj Group. In his
new role, Mohankumar will lead the
Management Team in consolidating
current operations of Ginger Hotels pan
India and spearhead fast track growth
and development in the domestic
market.
Prior to this new appointment,
Mohankumar served as Chief Operation
Officer of The Gateway Hotels & Resorts.
He brings a wealth of experience and
knowledge to the table after serving
more than 39 years in the hotel
industry. He will also be responsible
to bring in sharper focus to customer
engagement and deliver excellence in
all Ginger moments. At present, Ginger
Hotel has 27 properties across India.
Rajeev Babbar
Vice President –
Finance & Planning,
South Asia
Premier Inn
iRajeev Babbar joins Premier
Inn, a budget hotel chain in UK
and part of Whitbread PLC, as Vice
President – Finance & Planning, South
Asia (India, Sri Lanka and Maldives).
Prior to joining Premier Inn, Babbar
was working with Emaar MGF Land
Limited as Assistant Vice President
Finance – Hospitality and Treasury.
Babbar brings with him substantial
expertise, knowledge and experience
in several key areas of Finance and
Strategic Planning. At Premier Inn,
his core responsibilities will include
interaction with the capital markets
and leadership of the finance,
accounting, corporate mergers,
acquisitions and divestitures for
the company. In this role, he was
responsible for business development,
acquisitions, management tie-ups,
financial reporting and budgeting.
Sharad
Datta
General Manager
Hyderabad
Marriott Hotel
&Convention
Centre &
Courtyard
by Marriott,
Hyderabad
iSharad Datta joins Hyderabad
Marriott Hotel &Convention
Centre and Courtyard by Marriott,
Hyderabad as its General Manager.
He brings with him a rich and versatile
experience gained from having
worked with reputed brands such as
The Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt
Hotels and Carlson Rezidor Hotels.
Over the years, Datta has worked
with The Regent, Renaissance, The
Hyatt (all in Mumbai) and The Oberoi
Hotels. His last assignment was with
Radisson BLU Dwarka, New Delhi as
its General Manager.
He is also an enthusiastic golfer and
thoroughly enjoys his Sunday morning
rounds of golf. Datta is also extremely
passionate about music and loves
playing classics such as the Beatles
on his guitar.
60
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
Shane Krige
General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore
iThe Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company announced the appointment of Shane Krige as General Manager of The Ritz-
Carlton, Bangalore which is set to open in summer 2013. He is responsible for all the pre-opening stages of
development and for the daily hotel operations of food & beverage, rooms and sales & marketing divisions once the
hotel is launched.
With over 15 years of experience, Krige joins The Ritz-Carlton from his role as the General Manager of The
Plaza New York. Prior to this, he distinguished himself in leadership roles in London and Dallas. He re-joins The Ritz-
Carlton Hotel Company after previously holding a senior management position at The Ritz-Carlton in Washington DC.

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Raman Deep Singh
General Manager
Mosaic Hotels, Noida
iMosaic Hotels, Noida has recently
announced the appointment of Raman
Deep Singh as the new General Manager.
He comes with 14 years of experience
in the hospitality sector and brings with
him an extensive pool of experience from
implementing new food and beverage
concepts to building strategic alliances
with various key figures and corporations in
the hospitality industry. Singh will play an
active role in the overall management of the
property with particular attention towards
maintaining and developing high quality
service and superior experiences.
Singh has worked with domestic and
international brands such as The Imperial
- New Delhi, Marriott, ITC, Clarks, Speke
Group of Hotels & Sodexo Food Solutions
India to name a few.
Sanjoy Kumar Das
General Manager
Radha Regent – A Sarovar Hotel, Chennai
iSanjoy Kumar Das has been
appointed as the General Manager
of Hotel Radha Regent – a Sarovar
Portico Hotel, Chennai. Prior to joining
Hotel Radha Regent, Das has led the
team at The Raintree Hotel, Chennai and
earlier worked at the Hilton Warwick,
United Kingdom, Taj Hotels and Resorts,
The Park Hotel Kolkata and Park Plaza
Ludhiana.
As GM of The Raintree, he renovated
and upgraded the F&B outlets making
them more thematic and competitive to
up-coming competition in Chennai’s 5-star
scenario. He was associated with Hilton
Hotels Worldwide in UK, where he spent
two fruitful years learning the nuances
of the European hospitality industry at
Warwick’s finest luxury hotel.
Sanjay Gupta
General Manager
Le Meridien Jaipur
iSanjay Gupta has joined the team
of Le Meridien Jaipur as the General
Manager of the hotel. Prior to joining
Le Meridien Jaipur, Gupta had been
instrumental in establishing Le Méridien
Coimbatore, the newest hotel in India by
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and
the 100th Le Méridien hotel globally for
the brand.
With a successful term at the Coimbatore
property, Gupta is keen to replicate his
significant work at Le Meridien Jaipur.
Having spent almost 19 years in the
hospitality industry, Gupta has also
worked at The Royal Orchid Group of
Hotels in Bengaluru. In his previous roles,
he has worked with The Oberoi Hotels and
Resorts and Trident Hotels, Mumbai in the
capacity of Food & Beverage Manager.
Sheetal Iyer
Director Sales &
Marketing
Sheraton Bangalore
Hotel at Brigade
Gateway
iSheetal Iyer has recently been appointed
the Director - Sales & Marketing in
the Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade
Gateway. With over 10 years’ experience in the
hospitality industry, Iyer has been associated
with brands like Zuri, Le Meridien and The
Oberoi. Her key expertise lies in developing
and implementing sales strategies in sync with
market conditions.
With a multi-faceted approach of open
mindedness, transparency and an experienced
leadership style, she helps her team to share
their thoughts, feel important and celebrate
success as a team. Speaking from a team
parlance, her primary focus is to keep the team
motivated and keep them from getting bogged
down by pressures and stress.
Rakesh
Chauhan
Executive Assistant
Manager
Hotel India Awadh,
Lucknow
iRakesh Chauhan has recently
joined Hotel India Awadh
Lucknow as an Executive Assistant
Manager. He brings with him over
14 years of experience in the
hospitality industry and possesses
notable expertise in revenue, costing,
management control and hotel
operations. Prior to joining Hotel India
Awadh, Chauhan was associated
with Peppermint Hotel as a Food &
Beverage Manager.
Chauhan brings with him 14 years
of experience in the hospitality
industry. He is a hotel management
graduate from the Institute of Hotel
Management – Chandigarh.
Dr. Jojy
Abraham
Manager – Siddh Spa
Hyatt Regency
Chennai
iDr. Jojy Abraham has been
appointed as Manager – Siddh
Spa at Hyatt Regency Chennai.
Hailing from Kerala, he brings along
an industry experience of more than
12 years from various renowned
properties.
In his new role, Abraham will be
supervising all activities related to
the spa, anticipating, identifying and
ensuring guest needs are met in the
best way possible, developing spa
marketing strategies by studying the
market, ensure costs are controlled
as per budget figures, manage
inventory effectively and assist the
team in their growth.

products & services cover story chef talk news updates events beverage
SUFI skincare range
Riding on the premium segment post the launch of SUFI essential oils
and Eau de Toilette in early 2012, The Imperial Spa and Salon launches
SUFI’s second phase of skincare range, its own brand of botanical and organic
skincare. The retail products have been expanded to include a vibrant new
selection and offering a tribute to women on the occasion of women’s day.
All the ingredients are ethically sourced and packed in recyclable airtight
containers that are lightweight and perfect for daily use or for travelling. Also
to pamper the non – resident guests with the goodness of the all new range
and the oils, an exclusive SUFI ‘Massage room’ was launched at The Imperial
Salon on the occasion.
Greenways Foods & Beverages
launches ‘Lounge Myx’
Greenways Foods & Beverages introduces Lounge Myx, a range of
non-alcoholic mixes created by a crew of professional bartenders
who are sticklers for perfection. All these recipes of cocktail mix has
been approved and
certified by Beverage
Testing Laboratory,
Chicago, USA (BTI
Chicago). These cocktail
& mocktail mixes are
the exact replica of the
internationally known
cocktails & mocktails.
Cocktails have been
around forever, and now
consumers can enjoy
ready-mixed cocktails at home, at dinner parties and functions without
spending the whole night behind a blender. Lounge Myx is priced at Rs 75
in 250 ml cans.
Costa Coffee
introduces
‘Mocha Berry’
Leading international
coffee chain Costa Coffee
has introduced Mocha Berry,
an innovative coffee based
beverage, across its outlets in
India. The new Mocha Berry
was the winning entry created
by Sachin Chawrsia, the
winner of Costa ‘Barista of the
Year 2012’.
Barista of the Year is a unique
initiative from Costa Coffee to
promote talent and creativity
among their Baristas across
countries of presence. Sachin
Chawrsia won the latest Indian
edition of the competition
with his innovative creation
- Mocha Berry. This coffee
combines the taste of the finest
Mocha with rich strawberry
sauce and chocolate, giving a
unique aroma, taste and body
to the beverage.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
62

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Victorinox knives & stand block
The legendary Swiss Army Knife manufacturer, Victorinox
brings its latest ‘Ceramic Line’ and ‘Knife Block XV’.
Ceramic Knives are becoming increasingly popular. The benefits
are the best possible cutting quality, the blade remaining sharp over
a very long period and the blade’s neutrality with regard to taste.
The Ceramic Blades (12 cm, 15 cm and 17 cm) are manufactured
from high purity Zinconium Oxide powder compressed at very
high pressures and sintered in furnaces at temperatures of 1500°C,
resulting in an extremely hard blade that is comparable to the
hardness of a diamond.
Victorinox offers three sizes of ceramic knives - the 12-cm paring
knife, the 15-cm carving knife and the 17-cm Santoku knife (a wellbalanced,
all-purpose knife that originated in Japan). Thanks to the
ceramic material, the knife is very light and weighs only half as much
as a steel knife of the same size would.
Baby Saffron for aroma
and flavour
Baby Saffron, a market leader of saffron in India, launches
the all new 1gm pack of powdered saffron for instant
effect with the same mesmerising aroma, colour and flavour.
Powdered saffron is just plain saffron highly recommended
for everyday users and busy chefs looking for powerful saffron
qualities and enchanting essence within a fraction of seconds.
The extra smooth powder is deep red in colour, which signifies
their high mixing power in all kinds of recipes.
The powder is stored in airtight glass jars with par to
international packing standards to preserve potency. Thus, if
stored properly it will not absorb moisture and the quality
will remain intact for a long time. Powdered saffron is by no
means inferior to saffron stigma and many gourmands enjoy
the convenience and economical advantage of using Baby
Saffron powder.
Cocoberry Sugar Free
Frozen Yogurt
The delectable sugar free and low fat frozen
yogurt, that is part of Cocoberry’s latest
offerings, goes a step further in pleasing the taste
buds of the calorie conscious. Now Cocoberry offers
not just low cal, but also sugar free yogurt.
With its new Sugar Free variant, Cocoberry serves
as the perfect heat busting delicacy for people of all
ages. The company will also shortly introduce sugar
free chocolates.

events cover story chef talk news updates explore beverage
National
Tourism Award
for Rajasthan
t Rakesh Srivastava, Principal Secretary and
Commissioner, Tourism, Govt. of Rajasthan,
receiving the National Tourism Award from
Pranab Mukherjee, Hon’ble President of India.
Rajasthan was awarded the
National Tourism Award for
the year 2011 – 2012 for being
the Second Best State in the category
of Comprehensive Development of the
Tourism Sector. Furthermore, the award
for Best Heritage Hotel was also given to
the State’s, Jaipur-based Samode Haveli.
The Hon’ble President of India,
Pranab Mukherjee presented awards to
all the winners of various categories.
Rakesh Srivastava, Principal Secretary
and Commissioner, Tourism, Govt. of
Rajasthan received the award from the
President. Dr K Chiranjeevi, Union
Minister for Tourism, and Parvez
Dewan, Secretary, Tourism,
Govt. of India, were also present at
the occasion.
The Rajasthan Relief Riders
Programme was also conferred with
a special award at the ceremony for
the most ‘Innovative and Unique
Tourism Project’.
HICC bags
the National
Tourism Award
for ‘Best
Standalone
Convention
Centre’
Hyderabad International
Convention Centre (HICC)
has been awarded the ‘Best
Standalone Convention Centre’ for
the year 2011-12 by the Ministry of
Tourism, Government of India. Pranab
Mukherjee, Honorable President of India,
presented the award to Peter Frawley,
General Manager - Delegate, Accor
Andhra Pradesh at the award ceremony
held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
64
Ministry of Tourism, Government of
India annually presents National Tourism
Awards to recognise and award the
contribution of various players in the
travel, tourism and hospitality industry.
Speaking on the occasion Peter
Frawley said, “We are delighted
to receive the award and this is
indeed a moment of great pride
for the Hyderabad International
Convention Centre (HICC) to win this
prestigious award for the fourth time
in a row. With the growing MICE
(Meetings, Incentives, Conventions &
Exhibitions) tourism sector in India,
HICC has established itself as the
preferred ‘convention destination’
in India and this award will further
strengthen our efforts to
position Hyderabad as the convention
capital of India.”

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National Tourism
Award for
disabled-friendly
monument
Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi,
President of India Pranab Mukherjee,
Sminu Jindal Managing Director
Jindal Saw, Founder Svayam and Abha Negi
at Nation Tourism Awards being awarded for
Making Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, Best maintained
and disabled friendly monument.
Best Hotel
in Five Star
Category
Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi,
President of India Pranab Mukherjee
giving away Nation Tourism Awards
to Rajindera Kumar of Vivanta by Taj
Ambassador New Delhi for the ‘Best Hotel’
in Five Star category. The award was given in
recognition to its significant contribution to
hospitality excellence.
National Tourism
Award for The
Oberoi, New Delhi
The Oberoi, New Delhi has been
recognised for its significant
contribution to tourism in the country
and unremitting commitment to excellence.
The luxury hotel has been awarded the
prestigious National Tourism Award in the
Best Five Star Deluxe category.
t (From left) Dr K Chiranjeevi, Minister of State for
Tourism, Pranab Mukherjee, President of India with Jay
Rathore, VP & GM, The Oberoi, New Delhi; Reuben
Kataria, EAM, The Oberoi at the event.

events cover story chef talk news updates explore beverage
HOTREMAI organised seminar during AAHAR 2013
On March 16, 2013 during
AAHAR-2013, the Hotel
& Restaurant
Equipment Manufacturers’ Association
of India (HOTREMAI) organised a
seminar on ‘Transformation of Hospitality
Supply Chain Management’, a panel
discussion by Hospitality Purchasing
Managers` Forum (HPMF) at Pragati
Maidan, New Delhi.
The core members of the HPMF
were present on the occasion. They
highlighted the importance of the supply
chain management in the perspective
of the industrial arena in general and
the hospitality sector in particular. The
seminar was knowledge-oriented and
was followed by a question-answer session.
The event was well attended by the
representatives of HOTREMAI member
companies and ITPO officials.
HOTREMAI ‘Get-Together’
As a part of its promotional
activity and with a view
to boost the recognition
and brand building of Hotel and
Restaurant Equipment Manufacturers
Association of India (HOTREMAI),
a ‘Get-together over Cocktail
and Dinner’ was organised by
HOTREMAI on March 15, 2013 after
the AAHAR exhibition hours in the
VIP Lounge at Pragati Maidan, New
Delhi. HOTREMAI exhibitors of
AAHAR-2013, professionals from the
hospitality industry and ITPO officials
were present on the occasion.
Earlier in the day, a jury comprising
of reputed professionals from the
hospitality industry was formed to
adjudge display in stalls of HOTRE-
MAI participants under three sizes of
stalls and pronounce awards. The stall
of M/s Ramsons Garments Finishing
Equipments, New Delhi was adjudged
the best stall in 100+ sqmt stall
category, while the best smaller stalls
(

events cover story chef talk news updates explore beverage
Women’s Day
celebration
at The Suryaa,
New Delhi
The Suryaa, New Delhi in
association with the Cancer
Patients Aid Association
organised a colourful and vibrant
afternoon on the occasion of International
Women’s Day. An initiative by Greesh
Bindra, VP & GM of the hotel, the event
was held at Sampan with the strong cause
of breast cancer awareness attached to it.
Cancer specialist Dr Kanchan Kaur spoke
about breast cancer awareness and modes
of self examination.
Talents awarded @ Culinary Art India
2013 competition
The Suryaa, New Delhi’s talent displayed and proved their culinary skills at the
Culinary Art India 2013 competition. Culinary Art India is a five-day event hosted
by the Indian Culinary Forum, held alongside AAHAR – an international food fair
at Pragati Maidan. Culinary Art India is an internationally-modeled annual chef
competition, where chefs from various properties are pitted against each other in
various categories and cuisines. This year it saw more than 250 chefs from all of north
India contesting for 16 different categories.
The Suryaa, New Delhi won medals in Artistic Pastry Display – where Chef
Anoop Paul won the Bronze Medal. Chef Rajesh Katoch won the Bronze Medal in
Three Course Set Dinner Menu. Chef Amar Singh Bisht won the Bronze Medal in the
Desserts category. Greesh Bindra, VP & GM of the hotel seen with the winners in
ther picture below.
The afternoon was complete with a lavish
spread of Pan Asian Cuisine and fun
activities like nail art and skin renewal
therapies at the venue. Guests seen
enjoying the afternoon were Sita Raina
(theater personality), Shefali Talwar
(actor and model), Neeta Mehta (author
of famous cook books), Dr Kanchan
Kaur (breast cancer specialist), Anuradha
Bindra, Rachna Kohli and Kiran Hukku
(CPAA) to name a few.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
68

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Venus celebrates its 50 th anniversary
Venus Industries celebrated its 50 th year of its existence in the hospitality industry by organising a grand
celebration party on March 16, 2013 at the hotel Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon. Keeping in view its long lasting
relationship with the industry stakeholders, Venus Industries expressed its gratitude by congratulating others
for its success. J K Khurana, Chairperson of the group welcomed the gathering. His two sons and directors of the
company, Bimal Khurana and Vicky Khurana also played hosts for the evening.

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Grand Steinway Piano at The Imperial
Nostalgia at 1911 Brasserie
known for classic European
evenings with old world
western fare and live music, unveiled
‘The Grand Steinway S -155’,
synonymous with the finest pianos
since 1853. World renowned for
its high levels of craftsmanship and
painstaking attention to detail, each
handcrafted piano is an instrument
to reckon with. The Steinway is now
a part of the iconic heritage at The
Imperial New Delhi and it is now the
only five star deluxe hotel in India
to be a proud possessor of this
legendary piano.
Sharing his views, Vijay
Wanchoo, Sr. Executive Vice
President and GM said, “Nostalgia
imbues reflections of the era gone by
with exquisite specialties flambéed
on tables, coupled with vintage
and new wines in a picturesque
setting. The launch of ‘The Grand
Steinway S -155’ will enrich the
Nostalgia experience and will throw
a spotlight on unmatched piano
music, unearthing the soul, while
enchanting diners.
April 2013 I www.fhrai.com I
70

RNI No. DELENG/2000/1230
Posting Date 15-21 (Every Month)
Postal Reg. No. DL-(C)-01/1294/2012-2014 at MBC-1
Date of Publication 12-04-2013