New Members - Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India

Transcription

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Publisher’s Note
Dear readers,
The year kick-started on a good note, with a positive wave of tourism gripping all. There is optimism in the
air and hope in all our hearts that the hospitality industry in India will ‘bloom’ and ‘boom’ like never before.
Well, there is no doubt that things are definitely looking up for the hospitality industry with not only inbound
tourism growing at a rapid pace, thanks to visa on arrival, but hospitality too brimming at all ends. Adding
to this, the inbound MICE segment is on the upward curve, growing by 15 to 20 per cent annually. All these
factors together make the current time in the hospitality industry a highly exciting time to be in.
Ravi Sharma
[email protected]
• HRANI Organizes Seminar on How Social Media Works For Hospitality – Pg 6
National Workshop Make in India – Pg 13
•
Budget 2015-16, A Missed Opportunity for Hospitality – Pg 18
•
Hotel Connect – Pg 21
•
First Research Online, Then Visit the Restaurant – Pg 28
•
Re-Imaging Restaurants – Pg 30
•
Healing through Panchkarma – Pg 32
•
State News – Pg 38
•
Industry Update – Pg 46
note
Dear readers,
The industry is, understandably,
a little upset with the increase
in service tax announced in the
recent budget. However, that has
not dampened its spirits upped by
the increase in footfalls after the
announcement of TVoA enabled
by ETA. It is heartening to note
that Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs)
during 2014 were 74.62 lakh with a
growth of 7.1 per cent as compared
to the FTAs of 69.68 lakh in 2013.
The
ministry
of
tourism,
according to sources, has already
issued 65,000 e-visas in the last
three months to promote foreign
travels and proposal for visa on
arrival, for the remaining countries
is under active consideration so
that each pocket and spot relating
to tourism and heritage that exists
in India is exposed to visiting
tourists.
contents
•
EDITOR’S
Happy Reading!
Priyanka Saxena Ray
[email protected]
HRANI Hospitality Volume X Issue 1
Team Sampan
HRANI representative on the editorial board
Editor-in-Chief : Ravi Sharma ([email protected])
Group Editor : Priyanka Saxena Ray ([email protected])
Secretary General : Renu Thapliyal
Regd Off: 406/75-76, Manisha Building,
Nehru Place, New Delhi-110019
Sr. Assistant Editor :Sudipta Saha
Ph: 011-26468103, 26433590
Reporter : Rachita Sehgal
Designer : Shivnath
Email: [email protected]; Web: www.hrani.net.in
For advertisement related queries contact:
011-41076690, 09560264441 Email: [email protected]
HRANI Magazine is published, edited and printed quarterly by Sampan Media on behalf of Hotel & Restaurant Association of Northern India and published from:
Sampan Media Pvt. Ltd., 124, 3rd Floor, Shahpur Jat, Opp. Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi – 110049,
Ph: 9560264443, [email protected]
The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omission contained in the publication however caused. The opinions and views contained in the publication are
not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in the publication, which is provided for general use
and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances.
2 HRANI Hospitality | March 2015 | www.hrani.net.in
President’s Message
Dear Fellow Members
This is my first communication to you as the
President of HRANI, as I took my present duties. I
am overwhelmed with happiness and am humbled to
have been chosen to preside over HRANI’s activities
with you for the next two years.
A forum such as ours, within the hospitality industry,
puts ‘service’ above everything else.
We are presently in a pivotal and great challenging
phase of our industry. My colleagues, who have been
elected as office bearers and I, are deeply committed
to assiduously working towards ensuring that HRANI
continues to grow from strength to strength and
consistently deliver on the high expectations of all
our stakeholders.
Luv Malhotra
President, HRANI
“The Government has helped
the Hotels and Restaurants
by increasing the base but
making it more expensive as
a destination.”
The Government has given new direction and
introduced a number of measures to reignite a higher
growth rate in the years to come. On behalf of
Hospitality & Tourism fraternity, I also express my
gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minster for having started
Implementation of ‘Make in India’ at the grass roots
and improving ease of doing business to enhance
employment opportunities and help MSME’s to scale
up.
I must compliment the Ministry of Tourism,
Government of India for launching several laudable
and visionary initiatives. The most significant one
was the launch and extension of Visa-on-Arrival
enabled by Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).
The other initiatives include Incredible India Helpline;
Introduction of welcome cards at our nine International
Airports where Tourist Visa on Arrival enabled with
ETA facility is Operational; Swachh Bharat Swachh
Smarak and start of web based e-ticketing for
monuments like Taj Mahal & Humayun Tomb and
on behalf of HRANI and our parent body FHRAI, we
reaffirm our strong commitment and support for these
programmes. The information on these initiatives has
been covered in this issue.
The budget 2015 is again a missed opportunity
for Hospitality Industry. Development of Heritage
Sites and announcement of E-visa extension to 150
countries may stimulate the tourist inflow but hike in
service tax has made India more expensive destination.
All in all this leaves a large amount of work which
the Central Government needs to undertake for this
sector.
Friends, we need to diversify our tourism product
portfolio in order to successfully attract more tourists
from newer markets. We also need concerted efforts by
the industry and Government to tap the lucrative MICE
segment. A greater emphasis must be laid on forgoing
innovative Public-Private-Partnerships to address wide
range of complex challenges confronting the sector,
particularly capacity building for skill development and
alleviating infrastructure bottlenecks.
Through this communication, I request you to help me
update what your desired expectations are from this
industry body. On my part, I am keen to sketch up a
‘task list’ for us to follow and to accomplish, based on
all your suggestions.
I along with my team are working on the areas like
Skill development; Brand Building; Knowledge drive
through works shops and seminar in all states and quick
address and advocacy of the issues which concern our
members. I am ably supported by team members who
will be working with me towards this objective.
To start with, a seminar was held on January 16, 2015
at The Suryaa Hotel, New Delhi with an objective to
disseminate information on Sustainable Technology for
Water Pollution and to develop a water management
frame work for Hotels & Restaurants. Prof. Sirajuddin
Ahmed, Ph.D (Env. Engg), Wales, U.K. presently with
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
& Technology, Jamia Millia Islamia University was the
guest speaker. The Seminar was well attended and very
successfully concluded.
The second seminar on How Social Media works for
hospitality was organized on February 20, 2015 at
Fortune Park Klassik, Ludhiana. Mr Sanchil Babbar, a
Digital Marketing Evangelist at Internet Moguls took
the session. The seminar was well attended by the
members of Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana
and Punjab.
We have various Sub-Committees and the representatives
of each wish to solicit whatever support you can
contribute, with your involvement towards any of them.
For this and all else to come, I would appreciate if we
could continue to remain connected and write to me
directly [email protected]
With warm regards,
Luv Malhotra
President
HRANI Hospitality | March 2015 | www.hrani.net.in
3
Hony. Secretary Message
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Garish Oberoi
Hony. Secretary, HRANI
Dear Fraternity Members,
the industry will be addressed under his regime.
The travel and tourism industry has emerged as
one of the largest and fastest growing economic
sectors in India. Its contribution to the global
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment
has increased significantly. As a result, travel and
tourism has emerged as an important area of focus
for the Indian government.
Continuing with vision of informing our members
of the latest trends in Industry and after the success
of Seminar on “Sustainable Technology for water
pollution in Hotels & Restaurants” at Delhi on
January16th, a seminar on “How Social Media
works for Hospitality” was held on February
20,2015, at Hotel Fortune Park Klassik, Ludhiana.
It was well attended by members from Panjab,
Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh besides
the members of executive committee of HRANI.
Interactive Session were conducted by Mr.Sanchit
Babbar, Digital Marketing Evangelist of Internet
Moguls.
The Northern part of India holds ample potential for
tourism. Bestowed with natural beauty and home to
several archaeological monuments, the north Indian
region is a one of the top destinations in India. As
a result, tourism is a major revenue generator for
some of the north Indian states. This part of India
has witnessed increase in tourist visits, boosted by
government initiatives to promote tourism in their
states. Trends such as medical and adventure tourism
are driving tourism in the north Indian states.
Efforts need to be made to quicken the growth of the
industry, Challenges around tourism infrastructure
need to be addressed simultaneously with designing,
marketing and promotional campaigns for tourism in
north India to flourish.
Collaborative efforts on the various measures
such as Projection of India’s image as a safe and
secure tourist destination: Development of tourist
destinations across states: Uninterrupted travel
within circuits; Human Resource Development and
Use of Technology are required to be addressed
between the government and the private sector.
Unfortunately, this year’s budget was a
disappointment for the tourism & hospitality
industry like for many other industries. Apart from
the announcement on the extension of the E-visa to
another 150 countries in a phased manner, we feel
this budget has missed out a unique opportunity for
addressing many of the pain points of the Indian
tourism & Hospitality industry. Hike in service tax
and additional cess of 2% will further burden the
already heavily taxed industry.
The Capital of India now has a stable Government
under the leadership of Sh. Arvind Kejriwal and
Tourism is in the mainstream of state Government’s
agenda which is definitely a positive sign for the
industry. We are hopeful that the issues concerning
Active state associations go hand in hand with the
initiatives of HRANI and FHRAI. Uttar Pradesh
Hotel & Restaurant Association jointly supported
the first U.P.Travel mart held at Lucknow on
22st to 24rd February along with Department of
Tourism, government of Uttar Pradesh and FICCI.
Inauguration was graced by the Chief Minister
Akhilesh Yadav and the Tourism Minister Om
Prakash Singh; Chief Secretary, Alok Ranjan ;
Director General UP Tourism Amrit Abhijat along
with senior officials of UP Government. While on
14th March a conclave on Pilgrimage & Spiritual
Tourism “Opportunity abounds along the Ganges”
at Hotel Taj Gateway, Varanasi is planned with CII,
were Shri Mahesh Sharma, Hon Minister of Tourism
will be the chief guest.
Regional convention of HRANI is gradually
becoming a much awaited event for our members
and associates and planning for the same has started.
Delhi National Capital Region has been shortlisted
by Executive committee and details will be updated
in the coming weeks.
We have planned an eventful year ahead to serve
our members as well as stay committed to furthering
the needs of the industry. Our constant endeavour
will be to enhance the functional capacity of the
Association. It is always a pleasure to interact with
members and I welcome your suggestions.
With warm regards,
Garish Oberoi
Hony. Secretary
Perspective
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DELHI LOOSES OUT TO MUMBAI ONCE AGAIN
Mumbai Hoteliers and Restaurateurs are celebrating
the decision of Mumbai Police to have all night bars
and restaurants in commercial areas.
You cannot blame the restaurateurs of Delhi from
feeling jealous of their Mumbai counterparts.
Continuously, Delhi Police has denied licences after
1pm to these establishments on the pretext of law and
order. Every time an unfortunate incident happens
on the streets of Delhi, it is used as an excuse to
deny Delhi its night life which it deserves.
As per the Licensing Authorities, there are more
than 4000 establishments in the state of Delhi. Even
if we take roughly a figure of 50 people visiting
them daily it means that 2 lakh people are visiting
these restaurants. I am sure all of them do not serve
liquor. But even if 1000 of them do so, it means
that 50000 people are visiting restaurants which
serve liquor everyday which means 15 lakh in a
month and 1.8 CR in a year. Even if we say that
75% of them are regular restaurant goers, which
means same people visiting different restaurants,
we have about 5 million people visiting restaurants
in 365 nights which includes visitors, tourists etc,
who come to Delhi. All it takes is one incident on
one night for the request for the late night bars to
be denied.
The point I am trying to make here is that whether
it is Mumbai, Delhi or any other city in the world,
99.9% of the people drink and enjoy themselves
without getting into trouble. But one or two cases
will happen that will shake us all and also put
pressure on the local police. But is it fair that we
deny 99.9% of the people the right to a decent
night life because of this minority. Is it fair that
unfortunate incidents like these should be used as an
excuse to deny Delhi a legitimate night life.
In the Delhi Assembly elections, we saw a unique
way of campaigning in the form of flash dance. It
not only brought to fore a new style of campaigning
but made it fun to watch while it conveyed a serious
message. If this novel way of campaigning made it
so enjoyable why can’t people of Delhi be allowed
to dance in these licensed establishments to escape
from their stressful day to day life and enjoy the
nights.
Delhi has come a long way. Twenty years ago
when I opened my first restaurant it was only star
hotels that were given liquor license. The logic then
was that it is meant for the foreigners and not for
Indians. Twenty years later we have gone through a
massive change. A large number of establishments
have come up and the majority of the population
of Delhi is young. It is therefore time that those in
power and those who administer wake up to this
fact. The least they can do is to allow establishments
to operate till 4am on weekends and the night before
Gazetted holidays.
Tourism zones can be created in areas like
Connaught Place, Hauz Khas, Khan Market and in
Malls, Hotels etc. where these establishments can be
permitted with their private security to run, CCTVs
can be installed at the parking lots. Most importantly
the police must respect the right of admission of
these establishments and take their side if they
refuse admission to anyone whosoever he or she
may be if they feel that they can cause trouble or
have had too much to drink.
Mr. Bassi the Police Commissioner of Delhi has
an impeccable reputation. I am sure he knows that
every society evolves with time and learns to exist
in harmony with its differences. Therefore, we must
get out of the mindset of closing establishments eg.
On New Year’s Eve instead of providing security
to establishments in Connaught Place we close its
access at 8pm and cordon off the area so that no
untoward incident happens. So instead of keeping
the bad guys out, we keep the good guys out and the
bad guys in. Imagine a scenario where Hauz Khas,
Khan Market and the 5 star hotels are cordoned
off and access to these areas is made difficult on
the pretext of maintaining Law and Order on New
Year’s Eve. If you do not have bars and discos, the
young will never learn to enjoy themselves in public
while respecting the right of others to also do so.
S M Shervani
Immediate Past President, FHRAI
Mr. Shervani is a Restaurateur
/ hotelier with 30 years of
experience and Former President
of Federation of Hotel and
Restaurant
Associations
of
India & Hotel and Restaurant
Association of Northern India
He opened the first fun casual
dining Restaurant in the early
1990s called the Rodeo which is
still popular.
So at least make a beginning and allow weekend
late night operations of restaurants and bars and then
maybe we can, progress to all night bars.
Let’s start somewhere.
S M Shervani
Immediate Past President, FHRAI
5
HRANI
Xyz News
HRANI Organizes Seminar on How Social
Media Works For Hospitality
(L-R) : Pawan Aggarwal, Naresh Sethi, Paramjit Singh, Sanjay Sood, Pradeep Narain Singh, MC Member HRANI; Luv Malhotra, President, HRANI; Renu Thapliyal,
Secretary General HRANI; Sanchit Babbar, Guest Speaker
A
s part of the initiatives taken for the
benefit and awareness of Association
Members, the Hotel & Restaurant
Association of Northern India had
organized a Seminar on How Social Media
works for Hospitality on February 20, 2015
at Fortune Park Klassik, Ludhiana.
Social Media is a powerful tool for
improving the brand visibility and is
also the need of hour. Seminar on this
topical subject will be organized in various
cities of northern region in the interest of
the members said Luv Malhotra, President,
HRANI.
Important Trends of Social
Media
Welcoming the Participants at Seminar,
the Secretary General of HRANI Renu
Thapliyal said that Social Media has proved
effective mode of communication and
Marketing the products in many industries
and Hospitality is one of them. Certainly
it’s a cost effective accountable way of
marketing if the Marketing concerns of
the Brand are vigilant onto the social
media it may provide boom to the profit
margins for the owners. A must try for all
Brands in hospitality Industry for its result
oriented efforts on social media as Brand
Recall, Sales Promotions, PR Activity and
improved Brand image & positioning.
The seminar received an overwhelming
response from the members of Punjab,
Haryana, Himachal and Chandigarh.
The seminar was concluded with vote of
thanks to the Guest Speaker, Mr Sanchit
Babbar, Internet Moguls HRAP and
Fortune Park Klassik for hosting the same.
The Secretary General also thanked the
participants for making it success.
Mobile (Tabs or Smart Phones)
More & more people are sensing this as their
comfort zone. Keep your Apps or social networks in place. Want to grow, your phone/
tab is your weapon.
Mr. Sanchit Babbar a Digital Marketing
Evangelist at Internet Moguls addressed
the sessions on the latest trends of Social
Media; Improving Brand Visibility;
Planning a Successful Social Media
Marketing Campaign and Identification of
target markets.
Photo sharing (pinterest, instagram or
face book)
Images will be playing a vital role.
Google+ :
This one Social Network is going to become
strong, so pay attention to it.
Customer Service
More & more customer service will be handled via social media. It is happening already
& definitely will get bigger & stronger.
Stay on top of your game by internally formulating a management strategy on how to
respond & how often.
Statistics
Need to know which social Networks work
for you and get you traffic for your website or
turn into a sale/ customer in some other way.
HRANI News
Relationship for your brand
Help solve
problems
Develop a givers
gain philosophy
Be Genuine in
your responses
Watch for right moments
to connect with your guest
Building Relationships
& Personal Connections
Loyalty Trust
Recommendations
Face book fans
Re-tweets Video Views
Get to Know your
guest by paying attention
Give guidance and
provide information
Contribute to conversation
conversations
Listen to your guests
needs in social channel
SALES
Mr. Sanchit Babbar, Digital Marketing Evangelist at Internet Moguls
7
HRANI
Xyz News
Accord Industry Status
to Hospitality business
in Punjab
moratorium on payment of certain local and state
levies etc
This will significantly lower the operating cost
structure and enhance the overall competitiveness
of the tourism industry.
L
udhiana: North India offers a host of
opportunities for market participants and tourist
alike. However, at the same time, a lot needs to be
done to tap these.
In a vast country like ours, with its multi-dimensional
Tourist attractions across the length and breadth of
the country, substantial efforts must be made by the
Central and State Governments to further attract
Tourists to India and showcase the canvas of our
diversity.
The hospitality industry is inherently capital
intensive and more vulnerable to global cyclicality
and economic downturns.
Hotel & Restaurant Association of Northern India
(HRANI) demands and advocates for the following
concerns hindering tourism in the state of Punjab.
Reduction in VAT: Punjab has the highest rate of
VAT (14.30%) in comparison to other neighbouring
states. It is pertinent to mention here that during
the 1st HRANI Convention held in Amritsar in
2011, Sh. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Hon’ble Deputy
CM who was the Chief Guest has announced to
consider the industry request of reduction.
Industry Status: The State Government has
declared tourism as industry in 1996 but the
hospitality industry can not avail incentives and
concessions under the Industrial Policy of the
State. It is submitted that hotels and restaurants
should be relaxed by
Double Taxation: The Hotel & Restaurants are
required to pay VAT on the total invoice amount i.e.
even on the amount on which service tax has been
paid. This apparently results into double taxation
which is bad in law. This application of double
taxation is hurting the industry as the clients are
objecting to pay VAT on 100% of invoice value.
Property Tax, electricity and water tariff to be
charged as per industrial and not commercial
rates. Land Bank for budget hotels Interest
subvention schemes/ capital subsidies/ Exemption/
Ceiling of Luxury Tax to be enhanced: Ceiling of
Luxury Tax to be enhanced from Rs 200 to at least
Rs 3000/- as no luxury is available in the rooms
with a tariff of Rs 200/-.
HRANI holds MC Meeting in Ludhiana
T
he meeting of Managing Committee of
HRANI was held in Ludhiana. This meeting
was hosted by Majestic Park Plaza on Feb 20,
2015 with the support of Mr. Amarvir Singh. The
priorities and activities of HRANI in the current
year were discuused by the Committee
This meeting was a part of the initiative being
driven by the new President, Mr. Luv Malhotra
to hold meeting all nine states on rotation basis.
The President and Managing were graciously
hosted to an excellent dinner by Mr. Naresh Sethi,
MC Member at FBC whereby the members got the
opportunity to meet and interact with Ludhiana
Fraternity.
(L-R Standing) : Renu Thapliyal, Secretary General; Paramjit Singh, Sanjay Sood, Maharaj Kumar
Lakshyaraj Singh ji Mewar, Pawan Aggarwal, Amarvir Singh, Naresh Sethi, MC Members;
(Sitting) : Bharat Aggarwal, Treasurer, Garish Oberoi, Hony Secretary; Luv Malhotra, President;
Rajindera Kumar, MC Member; Arun Dang, Hony. Jt. Secretary at the Managing Committee Meeting
HRANI News
Xyz
HRANI envisages the Roadmap for 2015
A
meeting of Administrative Committee of
Association was held at HRANI Secretariat
in New Delhi recently wherein action plan
of all the Sub-Committee was discussed and
decided.
The top most priority of the committee will be
creating awareness on Campaigns launched by
MoT, Close interactive Sessions with Members
through Meetings, Knowledge Drive on the
topics related Environment, Health, Finance
and Skills in all states of Northern India.
L-R, Renu Thapliyal, Secretary General, Bharat Aggarwal, Treasurer, Luv Malhotra, President, Garish Oberoi,
Hony Secretary, R.D. Anand & Arun Dang, Hony. Jt. Secretary at the Managing Committee Meeting
T
he meeting of Managing Committee of HRANI
was held in New Delhi. Matters concerning
the hospitality industry were deliberated by
the Committee. The notification issued by
Excise & Taxation Department, Union Territory,
Chandigarh in regard to prohibiting hotels/
restaurants to levy Service Charge in Chandigarh
was addressed. The legal opinion sorted on the
subject was discussed by the Committee and
it was decided to challenge the notification in
Punjab & Haryana High Court after submission of
representation to the Government.
The Committee also deliberated the issue in regard
to 3 star and above category hotels categorised
under Red Category Industry by Central
Pollution Control Board resulting into stringent
rules, compliance monitoring regime and
exorbitant consent fee by all state Pollution
Boards. It was decided to represent the same
in coordination with FHRAI with Ministry of
Environment & Forest and Central Pollution
Control Board including Ministry of Tourism. The
meeting was preceded by a visit to the renovated
office of HRANI.
To start with a Seminar on Sustainable
Technology for Water Pollution in Hotels &
Restaurants has been scheduled in New Delhi.
Next Seminar has also been scheduled for
February 20, 2015 in Ludhiana, Punjab.
Agenda of the new working committee for the
year 2015
• I ncrease in Membership
•K
nowledge Drive
•Better Align All Levels of Association
• Promote MoT Initiatives
• Expand Use of Technology
See Issues of the
Magazine online at
www.hrani.net.in
To promote
your product or services
to HRANI members
Call: 011-26468103,
41306628
9
Hrani News
Seminar on Sustainable Technology for
Water Pollution
As part of ongoing endeavour to facilitate the members of Association,
Hotel & Restaurant Association of Northern India (HRANI) and National
Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) jointly organized a Seminar on Sustainable
Technology for Water Pollution in Hotels & Restaurants.
(L-R) : Renu Thapliyal, Secretary General; R.N. Kukreja, Vice President; Luv Malhotra, President, HRANI; Prof. Sirajuddin Ahmed, Guest Speaker; Bharat Aggarwal, Treasurer, HRANI
and Jaspreet Kaur from NRAI
T
he current economic growth and development
has not only resulted in the urgency to address
issues such as climate change and natural resource
scarcity, but also underlined the need for efficient
utilization of waste water, demand for clean &
sustainable technology, and the conversion of
‘waste to wealth’.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT STEPS
reliminary Treatment: Removes materials that could damage plant
P
equipment or would occupy treatment capacity without being
treated.
Primary Treatment: Removes settleable and floatable solids.
With an objective to disseminate information on
the above and to develop a water management
frame work for Hotels & Restaurants, the seminar
was organized on January 16, 2015 at The Suryaa
Hotel, New Delhi.
S econdary Treatment: Removes BOD, dissolved and colloidal
suspended organic matter by biological action.
dvanced Wastewater Treatment: Uses physical, chemical and
A
biological processes to remove additional BOD, Solids and nutrients.
Prof. Sirajuddin Ahmed, Ph.D (Env. Engg), Wales,
U.K. presently with Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Jamia
Millia Islamia University was the guest speaker.
isinfection: Removes microorganisms to eliminate or reduce the
D
possibility of disease when the flow is discharged.
S ludge Treatment: Stabilizes the solids removed from wastewater
during treatment, inactivates pathogenic organisms and reduces the
volume of the sludge.
Dr. Sirajuddin leveraged on the concept of innovation using various level of knowledge and technological capabilities in water management. He
Hrani News
addressed the issue of wastewater and effluent
generated from Hotel Rooms, Kitchen, Laundary
to Restaurants.
He deliberated on the major categories of treatment steps which include Preliminary treatment;
Primary treatment; Secondary treatment; Advanced wastewater treatment; Disinfection and
Sludge treatment.
While addressing the Participants, President
HRANI Luv Malhotra said “We all
know, Tourism is
a most important
ecnomic
activity for growth of
economy and Hotels and Restaurants are the integral part of Tourism. Clean environment is equally
important and preservation, reuse and recycle of
resources is need of the times.
The real art is creating a balance in such a manner that meeting environmental challenges are
converted in to an opportunity for economic development rather than these being allowed to be
impediment for growth”.
With a vast teaching experience of 18 years,
Dr. Sirajuddin Ahmed is Professor with Department of Civil Engineering, Jamia Millia Islamia
University.
A PhD in Environmental Engg. from University
of Wales, United Kingdom. He has been awarded ‘Young Scientist Research Award’ from Department of Science & Technology (Govt. of
India) amongst many other recognitions.
Prof. Sirajuddin Ahmed
Ph.D (Env. Engg)
He has published 41 research publications and organized several workshops. He
has been amongst the Jury Members of International events / research organizations across Europe, USA and many other countries. He has received Research
funding of Rs 16 million.
His Major Research Interest subjects include Sustainable development, Constructed wetlands and other natural waste water treatment, technologies, Recycling &
Reuse of wastewater, Urban utilities and services, Air Pollution Modeling and Environmental Economics.
Glimpses
Since the performance and evaluation of a country’s Hotels and Restaurants wastewater management system cannot be simply attributed to the
presence of Acts, policies and guidelines, there is
the need for appropriate implementation strategies. This can be enhanced through the utilization
of technologies that are most economically useful
efficient. However The hotel industry is alre ady
doing much to improve its performance in terms
of sustainable Technology for water pollution in
hotels and restaurants but the participation of
Prof. Sirajuddin in distributing information among
the important dignitaries from Hospitality Industry
and encouraging participation made it success.
The
session
was well attended by the
members of
both the Associations.
The Secretary
General Renu
Thapliyal concluded the session with vote of thanks to the
Guest Speaker, Sponsor Syndicate bank, Suryaa
Hotel and all the participants including members
of Managing Committee for their esteemed presence at the event.
11
Government Initiatives
An Initiative to Bridge The Gap of Skilled Workforce
L-R : Ms. Sunita Bharihoke, HOD & Course Codinator (Standing), Mr. Ravi Prakash Principal DIHM, Mr. Arun Srivastava, Regional Director Tourism,
Mr. Rajindera Kumar, Director, Vivanta by Taj, Ambassador, Ms. Renu Thapliyal, Secretary General, HRANI, Mr. S.K Beri, Expert faculty
D
elhi Institute of Hotel Management (DIHM),
Lajpat Nagar IV, New Delhi Inaugurated
the Event Facilitators Course under “Hunar Se
Rozgar Tak” Programme of Ministry of Tourism,
Government of India scheme of “Capacity
Building for Service Providers” on 12th January,
2015 .The Institute received a hearty response of
around 80 Applications, that lead to the start of
the first batch under this course comprising of 35
students. The selection criterion for this course is
a Minimum educational qualification of being 8th
pass and an Age limitation of 18-28 years as on
the year of Applying.
The objective of Events Facilitators course is
to supply to the Tourism Sector, base-level skills
needed for the organization of various hospitality/
tourism related events. Also it aims to upgrade
sector specific service standards by infusion of
skills.
The Inauguration ceremony was marked
by the registration of the candidates that was
followed by a presentation given to them by the
Institute’s faculty Mrs. Shweta Mathur to brief
the candidates about the course and the career
opportunities after the successful completion.
The inauguration was graced by the presence of
Regional Director Tourism, Mr. Arun Srivastava,
Ms. Renu Thapliyal, Secretary General, HRANI,
Mr. Rajindera Kumar, Director, Vivanta by Taj,
Ambassador, Ms. Viniti Behl, Senior HR Manager,
Learning and Development, Taj Group of Hotels ,
Mr, Sajith Sathyadas, Training Manager, Crowne
Plaza and Holiday Inn Mayur Vihar and Mr. S.K
Beri, Expert faculty, DIHM. Mrs Sunita Bharihoke,
HOD and the course coordinator, explained the
candidates about the course followed by brief
motivational speech by the esteemed Guests of
Honour. The vote of thanks was given by Shri
Ravi Prakash, Principal DIHM.
L-R : Mr. Arun Srivastava, Regional Director Tourism, Mr. S.K Beri, Expert faculty, Mr, Sajith Sathyadas, Training Manager, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn
Mayur Vihar, Mr. Rajindera Kumar, Director, Vivanta by Taj, Ambassador, Mr. Ravi Prakash Principal DIHM, Ms. Viniti Behl, Senior HR Manager, Learning and
Development, Taj Group of Hotels, Ms. Renu Thapliyal, Secretary General, HRANI
Government has set a target to achieve one percent share
in global tourism arrivals by next year
G
overnment has set a target to achieve one
percent share in global tourism arrivals by
next year.
The Government of India held a day-long National
Workshop on ‘Make in India’ to formulate
short term (1 year) and medium term (3-year)
sectoral action plans in consultation with Indian
Industry and improve the ease of doing business
in consultation with Chief Secretaries of States.
Speaking at ‘Make in India’ National Workshop
on Tourism, Media, and Entertainment in New
Delh, Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that to achieve this
target a multi- pronged strategy is being worked
out. The focus of the Government is on improving
the cleanliness, hospitality and safety aspects of
Tourism, he added. Also the synergy of the three
Ministries i.e., Tourism, Culture, and Civil Aviation
will be improved substantially to take tourism
to new heights, he said. He also stated that the
Government has set a target to achieve one
percent share in global tourism arrivals by next
year.
Highlighting the aspect of accessibility, the Minister
said that good connectivity to tourist destinations
is the key factor for improving tourism. The
Ministry of Tourism has allotted Rs. 500 crore for
the development of theme based tourist circuits.
Accordingly, the Tourism Ministry has drawn plans
for the development of five important circuits
i.e., Ganga circuit, Krishna circuit, Buddha circuit,
North East circuit, and Kerala circuit, the Minister
explained.
“Five theme based-circuits
i.e., Ganga , Krishna , Buddha , North East and Kerala
circuits being developed by
the Ministry of Tourism”
Elaborating the new initiatives, Dr. Sharma said that
a ‘Cruise plan’ will be ready for implementation
soon. Similarly, a comprehensive plan will be
prepared with the Ministry of Environment and
Forests for promoting wild life tourism.
Dr Sharma said that since Dhabas along the
highways are very popular among tourists, the
Dhaba owners will be trained to provide hygienic
food to tourists and travelers. Similarly, the
souvenir industry should be developed to give fillip
to local skills and craftsmanship.
Among the steps taken recently, the Government
has identified 25 monuments for Adarsh Smarak
Campaign, in which they will be developed as
model monuments. The path breaking initiative of
E-Ticketing at monuments has already begun with
the launch of E-Ticketing at the Taj Mahal at Agra
and Humayun’s Tomb at Delhi. Dr. Mahesh Sharma
said that his focus will be to promote both foreign
as well as domestic tourism. He urged the leaders
in the tourism sector to take bold decisions to
improve the Tourism industry.
Secretary (Tourism) Shri Lalit Panwar said that
the Ministry is taking several new measures to
re-launch tourism and taking India’s rich cultural
heritage to all corners of the world.
The Minister of State for Commerce &
Industry (Independent Charge), Smt. Nirmala
Sitharamanwas also present at the workshop.
The national workshop took a close at various
sectors of the economy. FICCI was the partner
industry association for Oil & Gas, Capital Goods,
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech, Food Processing,
Leather & Leather Products, Gems &Jewellery,
Tourism, Media & Entertainment, ICTE
Manufacturing, Textile & Apparels and MSME.
For Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Basic Metals
& Cement, Automobiles & Auto Components,
Aerospace &Defence, Railways, Energy and Aviation
& Shipping, CII was the partner association. It was
also the industry partner for the State sessions. The
sectoral sessions were chaired by the secretaries
of the ministries concerned.
13
Civil Aviation minister urges airlines to engage more
with tourism
Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Civil Aviation and FAITH conducts first ever meet
to bring tourism and airlines to join forces to promote country
I
nvoking the Prime Minister’s vision of taking
India’s great story of heritage and culture through
tourism globally, Minister of State for Tourism &
Culture (Independent Charge) and Civil Aviation
Mahesh Sharma said that it cannot be a one-way
traffic when we talk of increasing tourism to India.
“It has to be a win-win situation for all of us,” he
said sending out a strong message to everybody
present in the audience that his ministries, both Civil
Aviation and Tourism, means business and is willing
to accommodate the concerns and suggestions of
the stakeholders.
The minister was speaking at the ‘Interaction
Between Tourism and Airlines’, a first of its kind
move by Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry
of Tourism and Federation of Associations
in Indian Travel and Hospitality (FAITH), un
umbrella body of ten national associations
representing various sectors in the tourism
industry in New Delhi at Le Meridien,
New Delhi.
A historic move to bring travel industry and
airlines together, the very high-powered
meeting was attended by about 50 top
national and international carriers and
stakeholders from travel and tourism industry,
MoS for Tourism & Culture (IC) and Civil
Aviation, Secretaries of the two ministries,
Additional Secretary, Additional Director
General, Joint Secretary from Tourism and a
number of other top officials of Ministry of
Civil Aviation and Ministry of Tourism.
The meeting was aimed at bringing tourism and
airlines sector closer and devise a ‘draft of working’
where both the industries work together for the
growth of Indian aviation and tourism and create
opportunities for India tourism, for the stakeholders
and unleash sector’s massive potential for the socioeconomic development of the country. It however
also served as the platform for the airlines to raise
their various issues and concerns. The airlines also
offered their valuable inputs in bettering experience
‘India’ for tourist and how can they co-operate.
The minister also gave a very uncharacteristic and
strong assurance to the airlines that their issue and
concerns will be addressed in a single-window, timebound manner from “today onwards.” “Give us
three days to have the house organised and we will
declare the time frame within which the issues will
be addressed,” he said in response to issues raised
by an airline executive.
“We seek to power every wheel of tourism, and
aviation is one such significant wheel to help the
country accomplish its tourism goals. Now it’s
Proposals
time for us in the private sector to compliment
the efforts of the government by coming
•Airlines join forces with FAITH in order to raise
together and set the wheels in motion,” said
sector’s concerns at the policy level.
Nakul Anand, Chairman, FAITH while extending
his earnest invitation to the airlines operating in
•Joint promotions between the airlines and
India to join hands with FAITH.
tourism sector to promote India.
•Familiarisation trips to be jointly conducted by
the airlines and tourism sector.
•Sharing responsibility on conducting GET India, a
tourism mart as part of first Global Services Mart
in April this year.
•In-flight promotion of India on airlines’ various
route networks.
•Joint road shows in potential source markets.
•Joint bidding for big-ticket events in overseas
market.
The meet also proposed MoU in this regard that
can be explored between MoT and Airlines. The
modalities could include complimentary tickets,
screening Incredible India movies, against spaces
in various international travel marts like ITB,
WTM and others, invitation to airlines’ officials to
India evenings, featuring logo in MoT collaterals,
linking of airlines’ packages to Incredible India
website, sharing the annual MoT calendar
among others. The meey also proposed that the
airlines come on board of FAITH platform and
explores possible areas of jointly working with
the central government on policy planning.
Formation of inter-industry task force to address
issues and concerns between the travel and
aviation sector was also proposed.
The airlines concerns and suggestions included
creating demand in various markets, friendly
bilateral regime, making airport and immigration
experiences better, airport infrastructure at the
smaller cities and making available night landing
facilities at these airports, reducing VAT and
rationalise taxes. Hitting the nail on its head,
one of the youngest airline CEOs, Air Asia’s Mittu
Chandilya, emphasised that things need to be done
in a lot more structured way. “We could build a task
force where the airlines, in collaboration with FAITH
and the Union Government, have an opportunity
to talk to the states,” he stressed, while adding that
the States need to decide whether they want 100
per cent of zero or 50 per cent of a hundred. Sarab
Jit Singh, Vice Chairman, FAITH and Chairman,
GET INDIA 2015, pointed that the handling part of
familiarisation tours, organised by the government,
has been handed over to the industry where all
segments of FAITH have come together to handle
such tours. “Now we want the airlines to also come
forward and join hand with FAITH so that we can
take it to greater level. And it is not about the
free tickets. The moment the airlines are part and
parcel in selecting tour operators being brought in,
the purpose is well served,” he said.
While concluding, Usha Sharma, ADG, Ministry of
Tourism, Government of India said, “We will cull
out the actionable points from today’s meeting and
see how these actionable points are converted into
deliverables. We need to form a task force sort of
committee. I will request Faith and Ministry of Civil
Aviation to give us names from the participants
who would volunteer themselves in order to take
the agenda forward. It should not be limited to
just a one show platform. We need to meet more
often.”
Tourism Minister emphasizes synergy among stakeholders for speedy implementation of schemes
T
he first meeting of National Steering Committee
for new plan schemes of PRASAD and Integrated
Development of Tourist Circuits of Ministry of
Dr. Mahesh Sharma
Minister of State for Tourism & Culture
(Independent Charge) and Civil Aviation
Tourism was held in New Delhi recently. The meeting
was chaired by the Minister of State for Culture
(Independent Charge), Tourism (Independent Charge)
and Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahesh Sharma.
The meeting was attended by the representatives
of various ministries like M/o Railways, M/o Water
Resources, M/o Rual Development, M/o Urban
Development, M/o Power, M/o Transport and
Highways and Culture Ministry among others. The
various stakeholders gave details of some of the
projects to promote Tourism being implemented by
them and how they can be fit in with PRASAD as
well as scheme of Development of Tourist Circuits
implementing those portions of the scheme which are
within the ambit of the Central Government. He also
urged the officials to launch within a week the projects
already identified and in which a substantial ground
work has already been done. Secretary (Culture),
Ravindra Singh pointed out that the locations for
the Buddhist circuit, which will form a good project
to be taken up under the scheme, should also be
developed.
Addressing the participants, the Minister
emphasized the need for inter-ministerial cooperation
and coordination to create proper synergy for the
success of the schemes. Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that
there is a need to promote rural tourism since even
urban India is not familiar with the rural life. “Apart
from this, India has rich resources like rivers which
can be beneficial for developing Cruise Tourism which
is nonexistent in the country at present,” he said.
Secretary (Tourism), Dr. Lalit Panwar highlighted
the importance of Cruise Tourism saying that it
comprises a negligible percentage of total tourism in
the country and has a great potential
Suggesting the need for speedy implementation
of PRASAD and Development of Integrated Circuits,
the Minister said that there should be no delay in
The representatives of various ministries promised
to send their proposals as discussed in the meeting in
writing to the Ministry of Tourism. They suggested
that there is not only a need to focus on infrastructure
but emphasis should also be placed on soft skills
like training of guides and generating livelihood and
employment among local communities.
Ministry of Tourism to soon have its headquarters at Mandir
Marg, New Delhi
T
he Ministry of Tourism which currently operates
from Transport Bhawan will soon have its head
quarters at Mandir Marg, New Delhi. The Ministry
has roped in New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC)
to construct an office-cum-commercial complex to be
called as ‘Paryatan Bhawan’ near Birla Mandir spread
over an area of nine acres.
‘PARYATAN BHAWAN’ PROJECT
TO BRING ALL STAKEHOLDERS
THE MINISTRY UNDER ONE
ROOF
It has been long enough to be at Transport Bhawan
and running around between Transport Bhawan and
C-1 Hutments for the officials and industry partners as
this project of having a separate building for Ministry
of Tourism has remained pending for long.
The plan also includes constructing a 4 storey
building with two or three basement floors for
parking. The 150-crore project will have parking
space for about 700 cars. The civic agency is planning
to construct the building as per green norms.
15
New Initiatives Launched by Ministry of Tourism
Celebrating Good Governance Day
In order to mark the celebration of Good Governance Day,
the new initiatives had been launched by Dr. Mahesh Sharma, the Union Minister of State for Culture (Independent
Charge), Tourism (Independent Charge) and Civil Aviation at
Hotel Samrat, New Delhi.
Dr. Lalit K. Panwar, Secretary, MoT; Usha Sharma, Additional
Director General, MoT; Ravindra Singh, Secretary, Ministry of
Culture and Rakesh Tewari, Director General, Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI) were also present at the function.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sharma said that the new initiatives taken today have started the process of re-launching
tourism and taking India’s rich cultural heritage to all corners
of the world
The Minister stated that 2014 will remain a historic year
for tourism industry since the Government implemented
the first phase of Tourist Visas on Arrival (TVOAs) enabled
by Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). As a result of this,
nearly 16,000 visas were processed since its launch.
The Government will develop 5 Tourist circuits around specific themes i.e., Ganga circuit, Krishna circuit, Buddha circuit, North East circuit and Kerala circuit under the Rs 500 cr allocation in the Budget this year,
he added. Highlighting the importance of spiritualism related tourism; the Minister said that the government has formulated two new schemes PRASAD
and HRIDAY for pilgrimage rejuvenation and spiritual augmentation as well as heritage city development. He once again emphasized that there will be no
compromise on security, cleanliness and hospitality in the areas of tourism and culture. It is the vision of the Government to combat terrorism by Tourism,
he added.
Initiatives
Swachh Bharat Swachh Smarak E poster: Taking a cue from “Swachh Bharat”, an initiative to
see a cleaner India for protecting and preserving
the sanctity of monuments of national heritage.
To aid the same this, Ministry of Tourism has
launched a special poster with Prime Minister’s
message requesting the tourists and the people
of the nation to wholeheartedly engage themselves in the cleanliness of their surroundings and
help create a Swachh Bharat, Swachh Smarak.
Launch of Booklet on “Badte Kadam”, a Hunar
Se Rozgar Tak (HSRT) initiative: In order to allow
participation of the private sector in the HSRT initiative on a higher scale, higher so as to enhance
the programme’s reach and delivery, it has been
decided to allow the following agencies/organisations to implement the programme:
DD Industrial units, associations of industries
and professional / skill developing agencies
with proven credentials; and
DD Hospitality Institutes approved by the AICTE
/ National Skill Development Authority /
State Governments / Union Territory Administrations.
Launching of Web based E-Ticketing : To facilitate visitors to the monuments in getting better access, the facility of E-ticketing has been
launched. This facility will be available at some
of the monument which are frequently visited
by a large number of tourists. In the first phase,
the facility for E-ticketing for Taj Mahal, Agra and
Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi is available from
25.12.2014.
Swachh Bharat Swachh Pakwan (Hunar Zaika):
The street food vendors constitute a significant
percentage of the hospitality service providers, are
part of the Indian milieu through the ages and have
a pan India presence. This program is aimed at upgrading the skills and hygiene standards of Street
Food Vendors, so that they become a distinctive
aspect of the Indian tourism. The Ministry of Tourism is partnering with the National Association of
Street Vendors of India (NASVI) for the specific purpose of orientation, skill testing and certification of
the vendors.
Welcome Cards: India is known universally for its
hospitality. Going a step further, the Ministry of
Tourism launched the special welcome cards that
will be handed to all the tourists, landing at our
nine International airports where Tourist Visa on
Arrival Enabled with Electronic Travel Authorization facility is operational.
This card will carry the information of the local
India Tourism office along with online and offline
contact information which the tourists can use in
case of any queries. The main idea behind this being to make the experience of exploring the country
hassle free.
Incredible India Helpline: On a pilot basis, the
Ministry of Tourism has set up the ‘Incredible
India Help Line’ to be operated in-house to
address and guide the tourists during any
emergency which may include medical, crime
natural calamities or on being stranded. This
service will be available as toll free on telephone
1800111363 or on a short code 1363.
Calendar 2015: The much acclaimed and sought
after “ Incredible India” Calendar 2015 turns back
the pages of history and showcases some of the
country`s greatest architectural marvels as they
were years before. The evocative pictures tell us
about our illustrious past and remind us of our
responsibility to preserve it for the generations
to come.
Mega Project- Destination Development
of Gwalior :
Gwalior is abundant in natural
resources and forests, but lacks tourism
facilities required to open new vistas of tourism
in the state and facilitate local artisans in
sustainable development of their skills for their
livelihood. The State Govt. had therefore proposed
a Mega Destination Development Plan for
development of tourism in areas which are least
developed. The project for an estimated amount of
Rs. 24.93 cr has been sanctioned by the Ministry
of Tourism.
Braille Book on Delhi Monuments: The
Archaeological Survey of India has produced a
Braille Book on the monuments of Delhi. This
book will be of great assistance to the visually
challenged to read about the monuments
of Delhi.
25 Model Monuments (Adarsh Smarak) :
ASI has identified following 25 monuments to be included under Model Monuments from among the 3680 monuments & sites of national importance under its protection:-
Leh Palace, Leh, J&K
Rani-ki-Vav, Gujarat
Martand Temple, Kashmir
Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi
Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, UP
Thanjaur-Brihadeshwar, Tamil Nadu
Qutb Complex, New Delhi
Hampi, Karnataka
St Angleo Fort, Kerala
Red Fort, Delhi
Jageshwar Temples, Uttarakhand
Hazarduari Palace, Murshidabad, WB
Sravasti, UP
Masrur Rock-cut Temple, Himachal
Pradesh
Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram
Sarnath, UP
Elephanta Caves, Mumbai Maharashtra
Vaishali-Kolhua, Bihar
Taj Mahal, Agra, UP
Khajuraho, MP
Kumbhalgarh Fort, Rajasthan
Mandu, MP
Rang Ghar, Sibsagar, Assam
Konark Temple, Odisha
Daulatabad Fort, Maharashtra
These monuments would be provided necessary tourist facilities including wi-fi, security, signages, encroachment free area, interpretation centres showing short films about the importance of monuments and signboards of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan mentioning
the slogan ‘Swachh Smarak: Swachh Bharat’.
17
Exclusive
Union Budget 2015
U
nion Budget 2015 was presented
in parliament on 28th Feb 2015.
Budget has a long term view for
economic development of India. Budget has
focus on social development, infrastructure
development and aligning the Indian
economy with international economy.
Important tax proposal of the Budget
2015 are summarized as under:
Direct Tax Proposals
• Personal income tax rates unchanged.
• Corporate Tax Rate is proposed to be
reduced from the current 30% to 25%
over the next 4 years.
• Additional surcharge of 2 per cent on
the super rich with the taxable income
of over Rs.1 Crore on Individuals, HUFs,
AOPs, BOIs, artificial juridical persons,
firms, cooperative societies and local
authorities imposed i.e. 12% vs. 10%
earlier.
• Surcharge in the case of Domestic
companies having income exceeding
Rs.1 Crore and up to Rs.10 Crore is
proposed to be levied @ 7 per cent and
surcharge @ 12 per cent is proposed to
be levied on domestic companies having
income exceeding Rs.10 Crore.
• Foreign companies the surcharge will
continue to be levied @ 2 per cent if
the income exceeds Rs.1 Crore and is up
to Rs. 10 Crore, and @ 5 per cent if the
income exceeds Rs.10 Crore.
• Wealth tax is proposed to be abolished
• Domestic transfer pricing threshold limit
increased from Rs 5 crore to Rs 20
crore
• Section 194LD of the Income Tax Act
to extend the period of applicability of
reduced rate of tax at 5% for income of
foreign investors including FIIs and QFIs
from corporate bonds and government
securities. The period of applicability is
proposed to be extended from 31.05.2015
to 30.06.2017.
• Tax benefit under section 80JJAA of the
Income Tax Act will be available to a
‘person’ deriving profits from manufacture
of goods in a factory and paying wages to
new regular workmen. The amendment
seeks to reduce the eligibility threshold
from minimum 100 workmen to 50
workmen.
CA Sunita Umesh
• For New plant and machinery installed
by a manufacturing unit or a unit
engaged in generation and distribution of
power an additional depreciation of 20
% is proposed by the Finance Minister.
However, only 10 % of additional
depreciation is proposed to be allowed if
the asset is installed after 30th September
of the previous year with the remaining
10 % to be allowed in the subsequent
previous year.
• Rate of income tax on royalty and fees
for technical services will be reduced
from 25 per cent to 10 per cent.
•
Applicability of General anti avoidance
rules (GAAR) to be deferred by two
years
• There will be prohibition on acceptance
or payment of an advance of Rs 20,000
or more in cash for purchase of any
immovable property.
• Quoting of PAN is being made mandatory
for any purchase or sale exceeding the
value of Rs.1 lakh
• Evasion of tax in relation to foreign
assets to have a punishment of rigorous
imprisonment upto 10 years, be non
compoundable, have a penalty of 300 %
and the offender will not be permitted to
approach the Settlement Commission.
• Non filing of return/filing of return
with inadequate disclosures to have a
punishment of rigorous imprisonment
upto 7 years.
• Undisclosed income from any foreign
assets to be taxable at the maximum
marginal rate.
• Mandatory filing of return in respect of
foreign asset.
• Entities, banks, financial institutions
including individuals all liable for
prosecution and penalty.
• Concealment of income/evasion of
income in relation to a foreign asset to
be made a ‘predicate’ offence under PML
Act, 2002
•
PML Act, 2002 and FEMA to be
amended to enable administration of new
Act on black money.
• Extension of benefits to Individual class
tax payersI. Increase in the limit of deduction in
respect of Health Insurance Premium
from Rs.15,000 to Rs.25,000.
(a) For senior citizens the limit will stand
increased to Rs.30,000 from the existing
Rs.20,000.
(b) For very senior citizens of the age of 80
years or more, who are not covered by
health insurance, deduction of Rs.30,000
towards expenditure incurred on the
treatment will be allowed.
II. The deduction limit of Rs.60,000
towards
expenditure on account of
specified diseases of serious nature is
proposed to be enhanced to Rs.80,000
in case of very senior citizens.
III. Additional deduction of Rs.25,000 will
be allowed for differently abled persons
under Section 80DD and Section 80U
of the Income-tax Act.
Exclusive
IV. The limit on deduction on account of
contribution to a Pension Fund and the
New Pension Scheme is proposed to
be increased from Rs.1 lakh to Rs.1.5
lakh.
V.
To provide social safety net and the
facility of pension to individuals and
additional deduction of Rs.50,000 is
proposed to be provided for contribution
to the New Pension Scheme under
Section 80 CCD. This will enable India
to become a pensioned society instead
of a pension less society.
VI. Investments in Sukanya
Samriddhi
Scheme is already eligible for deduction
under Section 80C. All payments to the
beneficiaries including interest payment
on deposit will also be fully exempt.
• Applicant seeking registration for a single
premises in service tax shall be allotted
within 2 days.
• CVD and SAD are being fully exempted on
specified raw materials for use in the manufacture
of pacemakers.
Excise and Customs• The general rate of central excise duty of
12.36 per cent including the cesses will
be rounded off to 12.5 per cent. The Advalorem rates of excise duty lower than 12
per cent and those higher than 12 per cent
with a few exceptions are not proposed to
be increased
• SAD is reduced in Metal scrap of iron &
steel, copper, brass and aluminum from 4%
to 2% to address problem of CENVAT credit
accumulation.
• Basic custom duty on certain inputs,
raw
materials,
intermediates
and
components in 22 items is proposed to be
reduced to minimize the impact of duty
evasion. All goods except populated printed
circuit boards for use in manufacture of ITA
• Basic Customs Duty is increased for metallurgical
coke. Tariff rate is increased on iron & steel and
articles of iron or steel. Tariff rate on Commercial
Vehicles is increased from 10% to 40% and
effective rate from 10% to 20%.
• Excise duty is restructured on certain goods such
as Wafers for use in the manufacture of integrated
circuit (IC) modules for smart cards from 12% to
6%,
Summary of Budget 2015 -16
VII.Transport allowance exemption is
being increased from Rs.800 to
Rs.1,600 per month.
VIII. For the benefit of senior citizens, service
tax exemption will be provided on
Varishta Bima Yojana
IX. Donations (other than CSR contributions
under the Companies Act 2013) to the
Swachh Bharat Kosh (by residents and
non residents) and Clean Ganga Fund
(by residents) will be 100 % deductible
under section 80G of the Income-tax
Act.
X. Donation made to National Fund for
Control to Drug Abuse (NFCDA) to be
eligible for 100% deduction u/s 80G of
Income-tax Act.
Service Tax• GST will be implemented from 1-4-16 and
it will reduce the cascading effect on the
cost of goods and services.
• Service tax plus education cess is proposed
to be increased from 12.36 per cent to 14
per cent to facilitate transaction to GST.
• CENVAT credit on inputs and input
services to be increased from 6 months to
one year.
bound items are proposed to be exempted
from SAD.
• Excise duty on foot-wears with leather
uppers and having retail price of more than
Rs.1,000 per pair is proposed to be reduced
to 6 per cent.
• On-line central excise and service tax
registration will be done in two working
days.
Reduction in Custom Duty• Basic Customs Duty is being reduced on
certain raw materials used in lathe machines
from 7.5%, to 2.5%, medical video endoscopes
from 5% to 2.5 %, telecommunication grade
optical fiber cables from7.5% to
Nil and LCD/LED TV panels from 10% to
Nil.
• Inputs for use in the manufacture
of LED lamps from 12% to 6%,
specified raw materials for use
in the manufacture of pacemakers to
Nil
• Solar water heater and system from
12.5% to Nil and Tablet computers from
12% to 2 %.
• Excise duty on chassis for ambulances is
being reduced from 24% to 12.5%.
• For
inputs
for
use
in
the
manufacture of LED driver and
MCPCB for LED lights, fixture
and LED lamps SAD is reduced from
4% to Nil.
Summary of tax deductions /exemptions proposed are as follows:
•
Deduction u/s 80C
:
Rs 1,50,000
•
Deduction u/s 80CCD
:
Rs 50,000
•
Deduction on account of interest on house
property loan (Self occupied property)
:
Rs 2,00,000
•
Deduction u/s 80D on health insurance premium :
Rs 25,000
•
Exemption of transport allowance (1600/pm)
:
Rs 19,200
Total
:
Rs 4,44,200
Hence, Individual tax payer will see tax benefit upto Rs 4,44,200.
Indirect Tax Proposals
19
Cover Story
Budget 2015-16
A Missed Opportunity for Hospitality
The Union budget 2015-16 is a missed
opportunity for the hospitality and tourism
industry. The budget gave tourism some
mention and indicated plans for long-term
growth by way of increasing purview of TVoA
scheme to 150 countries under different stages
and to make world heritage sites more tourists
friendly has been welcome initiatives but it
has not addressed many of the key pain points
that impact the competitiveness of the Indian
tourism & hospitality industry. The increase in
service tax from 12 plus education cess to 14
will be a deterrent to the Tourism & Hospitality
Sector.
Increase in Service Tax from the current rate
of 12.36% to 14. This is a huge negative and
would impact the price competitiveness globally and demand domestically in the industry.
Service Tax applicability: Service Tax has
been removed on Museums, Zoos, and National
Parks and has been made applicable on Amusement Parks and Entertainment Activities.
25 heritage sites: Facilities around key heritage
sites would be increased in terms of making
these sites more friendly & attractive to tourists.
Funds / REIT tax pass through: Tax pass
through on investment funds such as REIT has
been allowed / enhanced which could make
them more amenable to investing in hospitality
projects.
Corporate tax rate to start reducing to 25% from
next year onwards.
What we got
GST proposed to be implemented from 2016
onwards.
Visa on Arrival enabled E-visa extension: The
list of 43 countries has proposed to be increased
to 150 countries in a phased manner. This will
reduce visa barriers & boost the attractiveness
of Indian tourism to many markets globally.
“The extension of Electronic Travel authorisation (E-visas) to 15O Countries in
phased manner is a postive step for tourism as this sector contributes 7% of India’s
GDP but at the same time increase in service tax will be deterrent to the Industry”
What we Expected
To Permit and Classify the Hospitality Sector
as a permissible Infrastructure activity for accessing Tax free Bonds under Section 54 EC
through Notified Financial Institutions.
Eliminate multiplicity of taxation through the
early introduction of the unified goods and service tax (GST) that will subsume all Central and
State, indirect levies. The composite tax rate applicable on the tourism sector under GST must
not exceed eight per cent. Till the finalisation of
the GST regime, hotel accommodation and restaurants should be included in the negative list of
tax services.
Low cost funding: Reducing the minimum project
cost mandated for inclusion of hotels in the RBI
infrastructure lending list from Rs.200crore to the
threshold of Rs.20 crore. This would give an immediate impetus to additional capacity creation in
the budget and mid-market segment wherein the
country is expected to face a shortfall of 1, 20,000
hotel rooms.
For effective and transparent Single Window
mechanism, constitute an empowered hospitality
development promotion board in all states under
the Chairmanship of respective chief secretaries
with a mandate to fast track the requisite approvals from its licenses which are required from various departments and agencies.
Develop infrastructure in terms of strengthening
the country road network and rail connectivity in
Tier II and Tier III cities.
Facilitate the availability of affordable Land
Banks for hospitality projects, with the liberalised
FAR and car parking norms. To make long gestation and capital-incentive hotel projects economically viable.
Eligibility to avail the 5:25 scheme of RBI: This
scheme should not be limited only to new borrowers but also be available for refinancing the debt of
existing and under implementation projects in all
eligible sectors.
Industry Status: The Union Govt through an appropriate legislative amendment should ensure
that all states must recognize tourism as an industry
so that hospitality establishments can avail incentives and concessions under the industrial policy
of state Governments viz property tax, electricity
and water tariff on industrial tariff, Land banks
for Budget hotels, Interest Subvention schemes
and capital subsidies etc.
Hotel Connect
Lemon Tree Hotel: Fresh, spirited & youthful
Lemon Tree Hotel Company (LTH) is India’s fastest growing chain of upscale, midscale and economy
hotels. This award winning Indian hotel chain was founded in September 2002 and currently owns
and operates 26 hotels in 15 cities aggregating 3000 rooms with over 3000 employees. This speedy
growth has made the group the 3rd largest hotel chain in India by owned rooms, currently.
B
y 2017-18, Lemon Tree will own and
operate over 8000 rooms in 60 hotels
across 30 major cities of India including
Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh,
Chennai, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Ghaziabad,
Gurgaon, Goa, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata,
Muhamma (Kerala), Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune,
Shimla and Udaipur to name a few.
Our Brands
The group offers three brands to meet hotel
needs across all levels:
1. Lemon Tree Premier
(Upscale segment)
2. Lemon Tree Hotels
(Midscale segment)
3. Red Fox Hotels
(Economy segment)
1. Lemon Tree Premier
The plush and spacious interiors at Lemon Tree
Premier take the zing up a notch. This chain of
upscale business and leisure hotels elevates the
Lemon Tree experience while retaining the same
freshness, quirkiness and energy that Lemon Tree
is well known for. Lemon Tree Premier pampers
the style conscious and upbeat traveller with its
personalised services, premium in-room amenities,
award winning restaurants and fun experiences.
2. Lemon Tree Hotels
Lemon Tree Hotels are the only midscale business
and leisure hotels that uplift your spirits at the end
of a long day. Like the fruit they are named after,
Lemon Tree Hotels are fresh, cool and sparkling
with zest. Cheery greetings, a friendly smile and
a whiff of the signature lemon fragrance welcome
you at Lemon Tree. This stylish business hotel
with fresh and bright interiors refreshes you with
its witty humor and spirited environment.
Lemon Tree’s ‘close to home’ comfort helps you
unwind with its smart in-room amenities, vibrant
café, recreation bar, pool and fitness center. All this,
at an unbeatable value.
These two brands offer:
• An exciting range of dining options:
• Citrus Café (all hotels) the bright and inviting
24x7 (most hotels) coffee shop offers an eclectic
Indian and international menu
• Slounge (select hotels) the recreation bar, offers
a fun memorable way to chill and have a spirited
night out
• Republic of Noodles (select hotels) the award
winning pan Asian restaurant offers the best of
popular food from Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore,
Cambodia, Indonesia and Myanmar
• Kebab Theater (select hotels) brings you
traditional mouth watering kebab delicacies
from provincial cuisine across India
• A fitness center (Life Fitness equipped), a
refreshing swimming pool (where available)
and a rejuvenating spa-Fresco (where available)
promise to keep you feeling as fresh-as-alemon.
• A well equipped business center and meeting
rooms make business on the move more
productive.
3. Red Fox Hotels
Red Fox Hotels welcome you with its fresh bold
interiors as well as crisp and clean rooms. These
economy hotels delight you with its unbeatable
value and reliable safety standards. Here friendly
smiles and a lively environment go hand in hand
with professional service.
The business facilities at Red Fox include hispeed WiFi, Cyber Kiosk, Clever Fox Café, an
efficient meeting room, a well-equipped gym and
laundry service.
Hotels that are young at heart, Red Fox let you
be yourself whether you are working on your laptop
or winning a game of carom in the lounge. Add
to this, Clever Fox Café’s scrumptious food and
the hotels’ ‘close to home’ environment - these
hotels become the first choice for price conscious
travelers.
Management Team
LTH is run by a group of experienced hotel
professionals who have worked with leading
luxury hotel brands and across industries including
Consulting, FMCG, Banking and Insurance,
Telecom, Automobiles and offshore business
processing.
Learning and Development
The company has implemented a rigorous plan
for learning and development in order to deliver
on its brand promise and has developed tailormade content and training processes for LTH that
are world class as well as benchmarked across
industries.
Wealth Creation Opportunity
Notably, LTH is the first hotel company in India to
offer significant wealth creation opportunities to its
employees through a broad based employee stock
option program.
Sustainability
Lemon Tree focuses on delivering a healthy ‘triple
bottom line’ i.e. Planet, People and Profit through
its sustainability initiatives.
Planet: current efforts include energy efficiency
and conservation; water efficiency and conservation;
use of CNG instead of LPG; use of green building
material; planting of trees and shrubs on hotel
premises; building hotels in accordance with
Universal Design concepts - for greater access for
differently abled people and building our hotels to
Leadership in Energy and Design (LEED) Gold
Standards.
In the medium term to long term, we will focus
on wind power; agro power i.e. burn agricultural
waste; recycled water for AC cooling tower (target
21
Hotel Connect
replacement of fresh water by 15-20 per cent); heat
pump for energy conservation; solar photo voltaic
(PV) system for lighting; extensive use of LED light
fittings (post cost reduction); geo thermal energy.
People: We are very focused on our culture
and on keeping our people engaged. Lemon Tree
Hotels have been ranked four years in continuation
(2011 | 2012| 2013| 2014) as one of the Top 100
Great Places to Work For in India by the Great
Places to Work Institute and Economic Times.
Also, LTH is an equal opportunity employer and
actively invites job applications from people with
disabilities. The company ethos is that persons with
disabilities must be provided the same opportunities
as others to realize their full potential. By creating
an environment in the organization that allows them
to deliver their best, LTH is able to play a part,
however small, in social inclusiveness and nation
building. We currently have over 275 Employees
with Disabilities (EWDs) in our team, who are all
hearing-and-speech impaired. They work across
different areas of our hotels e.g. Housekeeping,
Kitchen Stewarding and Food & Beverage service.
This is currently ~10 per cent of total staffing across
India. Further, we have set a target of 4010 per
cent of our expected employee strength of 8000
being either ladies, EWD’s or from economically
underprivileged sections of society by 2016. The
work done in this area has been continuously
recognised and rewarded at a national level (details
below).
Profit: Our main focus is on being best-in-class
in our cost structure, both in building and operating
hotels. This will enable us to offer the best Return
on Capital Employed to our investors, over the long
term.
Awards and Citations
2014:
• Cornell University Exemplary Practice Award
2014 for Lemon Tree Hotels’ companywide
inclusion program and initiative of hiring and
supporting People with Disabilities.
• National Tourism Award 2012-13: Best Class
fied hotel under 2 Star Category - Red Fox
Hotel, East Delhi
• Nipman Foundation ‘Equal opportunity Award’
2014
• Ranked #86 in the Top 100 Great Places to
Work For 2014
• 16 hotels out of 22 operating hotels awarded
TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence
2014:
• Lemon Tree Premier Bengaluru, Gurgaon
Hyderabad, Jaipur, New Delhi
• Lemon Tree Hotel Ahmedabad, Aurangabad
Bengaluru – Electronics City and Whitefield
Chennai, East Delhi, Indore
• Red Fox Hotel East Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur,
New Delhi.
• Republic of Noodles, Goa, Bengaluru – Ulsoor
Lake
• Best Budget Hotel Award at CNBC AWAAZ
Travel Awards 2014: Lemon Tree Vembanad
Lake Resort, Muhamma
• Goa Food & Hospitality Awards: Best Hotel
– Mid market Lemon Tree Amarante Beach
Resort, Goa
Fortune Park starts at Dahej SEZ
A
n all-weather natural deep water port
situated on the South West coast
of Gujarat in the Gulf of Cambay
at the junction of Guljaria and Ban Creek,
Dahej is one of Gujarat’s rapidly developing
industrial hubs.
Fortune Park Dahej is a contemporary,
full service business hotel conveniently
located in the port town of Dahej in Special
Economic Zone-1, which is known as one
of the best global economic zones providing
world-class infrastructure for the industries.
With an imposing façade and tastefully done
interiors, the hotel offers an excellent range
of guest facilities including comfortable
accommodation, a selection of quality
meeting and dining options, elegant banquet
space, well equipped wellness centre along
with efficient service, making it a preferred
destination for the modern day business
traveler.
Located on a 6 lane State Highway
connecting Bharuch with NH 8, Fortune
Park Dahej provides easy access to the
nearby cities of Vadodara, Ahmedabad and
Surat with connectivity to New Delhi and
Mumbai.
Hotel Connect
Fortune Park Hotels Ltd.
unveils, Fortune Park Moksha, McLeod Ganj
Fortune Park Hotels Ltd., expanded its bouquet
of hotels with the opening of the brand’s 43rd
hotel, ‘Fortune Park Moksha’ in McLeod Ganj.
Nestled in the scenic Strawberry Hills and surrounded by a thick cover of pine trees with
beautiful view of the snow-capped Dhauladhar
mountain range, Fortune Park Moksha is conveniently located just 6 km from the town’s main
square.
Owned by M/s Moksha Health Resorts, Fortune
Park Moksha provides an ideal retreat to travelers looking for leisure
and peace. The hotel
offers easy access
to all main tourist attractions
in and around
M c L e o d
Ganj, the
picturesque
Himalayan
town
known
f o r
its natural
a b u n dance, forming a perfect
backdrop to a stay
in the lap of nature.
Commenting on the launch, Suresh Kumar, Chief
Executive Officer, Fortune Park Hotels Ltd., said,
“We are extremely happy to announce our 43rd
property, Fortune Park Moksha in McLeod Ganj.
Since its inception, the Fortune Hotels chain
has provided contemporary accommodation
and great value for business and leisure travellers. Now amongst the largest and fastest growing in the country, the chain caters to a wide
spectrum of travellers, through its various subbrands. With the launch of this hotel, Fortune
Hotels has further strengthened its position in
the leisure segment.”
The guest rooms at Fortune Park Moksha are
spread across three blocks, each with its own
charm. The 59 well-appointed rooms include 36
Standard Rooms, 20 Fortune Club Rooms and
3 Suites. All the rooms have been done up in
contemporary design and are equipped with a
range of modern amenities. Amenities include
room service, Satellite LCD TV, Hi-speed Wi-Fi
internet connectivity, Working desk, Direct dial
STD/ ISD, Electronic safe, Mini bar, Tea/ coffee
maker, Iron and ironing board, Hair dryer and
Daily newspaper.
The hotel also offers state-of-the-art meeting
and banquet facilities that can accommodate
up to 175 guests.
The dining options at the hotel include Orchid
– a multi-cuisine restaurant offering 3-meal
buffets and all day dining, Neptune bar that
serves some of the
finest
premium
spirits in a relaxed
atmosphere
and Fortune
Deli featuring
light
snacks
a n d
sumpt u o u s
confectionery. Other
offerings at
the hotel include
a
Wellness
Centre with a Swimming Pool, Spa
and a well-equipped Gymnasium
and
Champion’s Zone that offers a range of recreational facilities.
Fortune Park Hotels Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITC Ltd. and is India’s fastest growing
chain of first class, full service business hotels,
with 71 signed alliances and 5632 rooms, across
55 cities in the country.
The ‘Fortune Hosub-categorised
Fortune Park,
Fortune
c a t e rc i f-
tels’ brand is further
as; Fortune Select,
Fortune Inn and
Resort-each
ing to spei
c
needs.
‘ M y
Fortune’,
the latest
addition to
the Fortune
brand portfolio,
is positioned at
high end of pyramid, with the second hotel under the
brand now open in Bengaluru.
Fortune Park Hotels Ltd. brand philosophy is
driven by its objective to provide contemporary
accommodation that makes ‘Good Business
Sense’ to business and leisure travellers through
its wide range of accommodation in pertinent
destinations, with emphasis on efficient service
and great value.
Fortune Hotels is a member of ITC’s hotel group.
ITC’s hotels business is inspired by its vision to
promote India’s rich tourism heritage. One of
India’s largest hotel chains, with a collection of
100 hotels in over 70 destinations, ITC’s hotels
have redefined the fine art of hospitality. ITC
operates its hotels under four distinct brands;
‘ITC Hotel’ at the Luxury end, ‘WelcomHotel’ in
the 5 star segment, Fortune in the mid-market
to upscale segment and ‘WelcomHeritage’ in
the heritage leisure segment.
23
Hotel Connect
Supply dominating demand?
With hotels mushrooming (nearly every day) in NCR, is there
really enough demand or has supply taken over? We clear the
air.
ªSubani Saxena
I
n India, due to land acquisition that
comes with huge challenges,
a higher level of due
diligence is required and
potential restrictions on
the usage that may be
there. High land cost, title
issues, slow bureaucratic
processes, archaic laws,
a maze of licenses and
lower tenures for loans are
some of the major issues.
Despite of all these hurdles,
every now and then, one sees a
hotel coming up in NCR. But not
to forget, as per some key facts, India’s
pitifully low hotel room inventory is definitely
rapidly rising but there is a long way to go
as cities such as Las Vegas and Orlando each
have more rooms that the 100,000 guest rooms
in all categories across the 28 states of India.
NCR gets a new address,
Aerocity
Aerocity is a new destination; a hospitality
district comprising international hotel
brands, retail space and a convention
centre in the 43-acre expanse. The idea
behind a hospitality district near the
airport is primarily to make Delhi a transit
destination for travellers on the lines of
international formats and also attract the
attention of city population to make it an
ideal destination for business and leisure.
It’s a project was delayed by almost three
years and Delhi’s ambitious ‘aerocity’
finally took off last year in the month of
August. At present, only few hotels with
about 802 rooms are ready, while another
523 rooms are almost complete. Work on
approximately 3,750 rooms in 12 hotels is
underway. Several hotels fret about losses,
amounting to several lakhs every day,
with hotel authorities claiming that they
were not informed of these roadblocks and
clearances.
24 HRANI Hospitality |
March 2015 | www.hrani.net.in
We are now seeing development
in all categories from foreign
and domestic players
and this can only be
good for business
and
recreational
travellers. Is there
really
enough
demand for so many
rooms in NCR? Or,
has supply overtaken
demand?
“For
India
to
experience
additional
supply is always good as it
shows the opportunities available.
Additional supply will also lead to creating
demand in the market. Accor is therefore
investing in India because we see long-term
potential in the country thanks to its vast size,
emerging middle class, cost-competitiveness
and massive talent pool. We see these factors
contributing to a rapid growth in travel and
therefore hospitality, and we have seen an
increase in domestic travel. Increased domestic
travel and its positive effect on hotels for leisure
purposes will open up new opportunities for
development. Urbanisation and high domestic
travel to new cities and tier II cities beyond the
top three is also expected to grow. Travel and
hotel needs will also increase beyond business
travel to domestic leisure tourism,” opined
Jean-Michel Cassé, Senior Vice-President,
Operations, India, Accor.
Some key recent researches and reports
Hotel Connect
revealed, Shanghai, China, reported the largest
number of rooms under construction with
9,028 rooms in 37 hotels. Five other
markets also reported more
than 5,000 rooms under
construction: Manila,
Philippines
(6,456
rooms in 21 hotels);
Jakarta, Indonesia
(6,152
rooms
in 26 hotels);
Chengdu, China
(5,869 rooms in
22 hotels); Bali,
Indonesia
(5,798
rooms in 42 hotels);
and Delhi-NCR, India
(5,297 rooms in 28
hotels).
Anil Madhok, Managing Director,
Sarovar Hotels admits, “It is true that last few
years have been tough for the hotel industry.
There has been over supply in the market and
pressure on the rates. In most places we did
not see a great pressure on the occupancy inspite of the supply, but rates have been under
pressure.”
K B Kachru, Chairman, South Asia,
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, also added
saying, “The good news is that demand in
India has been consistently going up, however,
the industry is going through a supply demand
imbalance across many cities and it will take
time for market forces to adjust and find
the equilibrium. Meanwhile, the hospitality
industry needs to avoid knee jerk reaction
with only a short term outlook in mind. As
the number one International hotel operator in
India by number of hotels, we remain bullish
on India and our growth here.”
Brands such as Westin, continue to grow
in India and have announced that it will be
opening The Westin Delhi NCR Noida next
year, as the brand remains on track to grow
its portfolio in the country by 50 per cent in
the next three years. Emerging markets now
account for nearly 70 per cent of the Westin
development pipeline, fuelled by accelerating
demand in China and India, where rising wealth
and rapid urbanisation have generated a fierce
appetite for strong global brands. Demand
for Westin continues to surge in China and
India, the world’s two fastest growing travel
markets.
Well, few of the veterans such as Rattan
Keswani, the newly appointed Deputy
Managing Director of the Group disagree
with the fact that supply is more than demand
and highlights saying, “I don’t think that the
growing number of rooms is a fear and would
not create a mis-balance as once the
economy revives, things would flow
smoothly.”
Amit Modi, Vice President,
The Grand New Delhi feels,
“Supply creates its own
demand. The upcoming
Aerocity is a boon. It has
opened doors for large
MICE and convention
movements, which is going
to increase the tourist influx in
the city. The supply is actually
going to help Delhi and I am
very optimistic with the inventory.
Due to this supple, the average stay of the
traveller will increase, which has gone down
in the recent past. However, there will surely
be some rate correction in the market.”
“Besides business travel, non-resident Indian
travellers are also fuelling travel demand in the
summer months. The hotel industry, however,
is still waiting for the winter months to drive
up average room rates. The demand has
increased but so has the supply. We have seen
only slight improvement over last year,” says
S M Shervani, President, Federation of Hotels
and Restaurants Association of India.
In Delhi alone, there has been an addition
of over 1,000 rooms, with a part of Aerocity near the Delhi airport - becoming operational.
While foreign tourists may not be spending
enough to please the hotel industry, the bigticket corporate traveller has led to an increase
of 17 per cent in foreign exchange earnings,
cementing India’s standing as a destination for
the quality tourist.
Marriott has made a quite a breakthrough
this year, climbing six places to emerge as one
of the top three great places to work. How
did it achieve this? “We made a special effort
to bring home the Marriot culture, which is
our single biggest strength. It’s now taken firm
root in India,” says Rajeev Menon, South Asia
head, Marriott Hotels.
For those in management, Marriott India’s
pace of growth — it launched six hotels last
year — provides ample avenue for advancement.
Foreign postings are another route to career
growth. “As a matter of policy, we promote
from within rather than recruit from outside,”
says Gurmeet Singh, area director for human
resources.
Menon was transferred to India from
Marriott Australia in 2007, when the Marriott
had just 14 hotels in the country. Today, the
India operation is much more complex and the
hotel industry’s fortunes have declined from
the heydays of 2007. Last year was particularly
difficult, but Marriott India still managed 12 per
cent profit growth and employee satisfaction
scores, as measured by Hewitt, were far above
the industry average.
25
Interview
It’s all about the ‘art of hosting’
Been associated with the property for over two
years now, Rohit Dar, General Manager, Jaipur
Marriott, is a true hotelier at heart whose warm
conduct is reflected in the service of his property.
A management trainee who was picked up by The
Oberoi’s in the campus interview, Rohit, in his
current profile, maintains that MICE is the way
forward for their hotel as in a short span of time,
they have already outdone the expectations and
carved a niche for themselves. Here’s how…
ªPriyanka Saxena Ray
I
spent the best years of my life, ‘my
childhood’ in Kenya. I returned to India to
complete my secondary education. I have
always liked meeting and interacting with people
from all walks of life, this is what attracted
me to the hotel industry. After graduating in
Business Studies from Delhi University in
1990, I found myself in an unfamiliar yet an
exciting territory as a management trainee
with the Oberoi Group. My experiences in the
business from food and beverage to front office
and from Business Hotels to a luxury property
have been instrumental in my development
as a hotelier. I have held various leadership
positions in hotel operations at The Oberoi,
New Delhi; Trident,
Cochin and The Oberoi
Rajvilas, Jaipur.
My passion for
developing
people
encouraged me to take
a different path within
the Oberoi Group. For
a few years I moved
into the learning and
development
space
as an integral part of
the OCLD (Oberoi
Centre of Learning and
Development)
team.
Interview
After leaving Oberoi in 2009, I was working as
the General Manager at the Oakwood Premier
Prestige, Bangalore, and General Manager –
Hospitality for Fortis Hospitals prior to joining
Jaipur Marriott as General Manager in 2012.
Jaipur Marriott displays a blend of
contemporary architecture with subtle ethnic
design elements inspired from the local flavour.
The 31,000 sq ft of flexible meeting space,
comprising of multiple breakaway venues and
huge ballrooms make it an ideal destination for
Meetings Incentives, Conferences and Events.
The property offers 317 well appointed rooms
featuring Marriott signature Revive bedding,
four fixture bathrooms and plush interiors to
make each stay memorable.
Marriott’s marketing efforts reflect the
global nature of the hospitality industry.
Through integrated marketing, public relations
and global advertising plans; we connect and
reach out to the world. We as a brand strongly
believe in activating the company’s profound
knowledge of travellers and delivering the
right message to the right customer at the
right time.
People often ask me what distinguishes
Mariiot from other brands and I feel delighted
to share that Marriott’s foundation is built on
legacy of hospitality and tradition known
worldwide. With regards to our property we
obviously imbibe the same tradition; therefore
this has made us an iconic brand. Also our
flexible meeting spaces and award winning
F&B outlets help us stand out amidst all.
I also feel that F&B today is the face of
any of the many 5 star hotels in a city. While
most of the hotels have similar room layouts,
F&B becomes a deciding factor for the guest.
Many people consider the dining options or the
bars in the hotel, having an excellent meeting/
conference venue or a reception ballroom is a
criteria for large groups and MICE business
in choosing a hotel. So F&B plays a big role
when we showcase the hotel. I personally
believe F&B credits more to the reputation of
the hotel especially for guests in that city.
F&B is a core revenue generating
department and contributes to almost 45-50
per cent of the total hotel revenue. I dedicate
considerable time to F&B in strategizing and
positioning the F&B offerings. F&B brings
more people in the hotel than rooms and its
about the overall impression we create through
F&B for the hotel without them trying other
facilities like rooms, health club, spa etc. So
I take great deal of personal interest and get
involved completely for anything related to the
F&B at the property.
Our hotel has made the start of
“Contemporary F&B” in this Heritage City.
Modern Design, Innovative F&B concepts
and friendly service has set us apart from
the competition and helped us establish our
name in the market. Our F&B Philosophy is
innovation, modern, simple and great quality
of product. We believe in efficient service
along with a warm and friendly team which
gives us an edge on other hotels.
I am a contended man today. I have a
beautiful family with my wife and two young
boys (Age 15 and 7). I enjoy playing golf, love
travelling and reading books. My vision for the
future is to make the hotel the most preferred
wedding and MICE destination. We have all
it takes to achieve this and we are in the
right direction given the experiences we have
created for some weddings and international
conferences. We will continue to offer new and
innovative F&B concepts and experiences to
tap the local business. We are known for our
quality of food and the modern approach to
the F&B culture in the city and we intend to
build on the same.
On the operational front, I would say that
hiring and retention of the right talent will be
the most crucial issue in the coming years.
All industries are now looking for employees
with the same service ethic as hospitality
professionals have and it will be challenging
to keep youngsters excited about our business.
Being at the helm of the operations at the
property, I desire to see the business grow
through the changes and decisions one initiates.
Also the thrill of building relationships with
hotel associates and guests every day keeps
me motivated.
Professionally, my strength lies in my
positive outlook to work and people, attention
to detail, focus on problem solving and
continuous desire to learn, though I must
confess that I get emotional when making
decisions about associates, which can be
termed as my weakness.
A hotelier’s, and a GM on top of that, is
a challenging profile to handle. To de-stress
myself, I take a beach holiday with my family.
Listening to the waves with a book in one
hand and a beer in the other, is my ideal way
of relaxing. I love watching movies, playing
golf, reading and discovering new places to
eat especially street food. I have a beautiful
family with my wife and two young boys
(age 15 and 7).
27
Report
First research online, then visit the
restaurant
A recent survey reveals that 73 per cent of Indian travellers read online reviews formaking a restaurant
choice, yet 77 per cent rarely or never make a reservation.
T
ripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel
site, recently announced the results
of its ‘Dining out on vacation survey’
conducted amongst 1200 Indian travellers. The
survey highlights how Indian travellers have
consciously started working towards enhancing
their dining experience when on vacation. Over
70 per cent travelers research dining options
before taking a trip and 72 percent of them rely
on online reviews for making a choice, asking
local residents (57 per cent) and friends and
family (48 per cent) are closed next choices.
Despite extensive research only four per cent
travelers make reservation in restaurants of their
choice. The low percentage can be attributed to
the shift in choices of restaurant type with only
a dismal seven per cent preferring to dine at a
chain restaurant (which encourage reservations)
vis a vis whooping 92 per cent experimental
Most preferred cuisine
Most preferred cuisine
Indian - 48 per cent
Italian - 12 per cent
Continental - 10 per cent
Most preferred restaurant setting Family style – 31 per cent
Casual – 18 per cent
Fine dining – 15 per cent
diners who go for independent local outfits.
Hunger Pangs!
Majority (74 per cent) Indian travellers are selfacclaimed foodies who prefer taste over healthy
choices while on vacations, 64 per cent admit
Least preferred cuisine
Least preferred cuisine
American –two per cent
Japanese - 0.67 per cent
French - 0.50 per cent
Least preferred restaurant setting
Fast food – 1 per cent
Pop-up restaurant – 0.50 per cent
Food truck - 0.33 per cent
indulging in non-healthy options when eating
out while on vacations. 92 per cent respondents
firmly believe in the power of food to connect
them to the local culture and they make it
a point to experience a destinations famed
dish. Yet, Indians are still warming up to the
concept of ‘foodie vacation’, as only 33 per
Report
Indian traveller, they do not mind shelling big
bucks on quality dining options when on
a vacation - Over 63 percent ready to
spend between Rs 600-1500 per person
per meal. The indulgent Indian travel refuses
to settle for poor standards of food quality
and service. 58 per cent get annoyed if the
food quality isn’t up to the mark, followed
by 23 per cent for who slow or poor service
is a mood spoiler. And, more than half
the travellers (57 per cent) have sent a meal
back to the kitchen owing to the above
factors.
Additional interesting
nuggets
cent have taken such trip to experience regional
cuisines.
Commenting on the findings Nikhil Ganju,
Country Manager, TripAdvisor India says,
“Food is definitely one of the most important
elements on a traveler’s itinerary. An authentic
culinary experience enrichesone’s connection
with the locals and culture of a region. It is
interesting to see how Indians have started
planning their dining experience well in advance.
Genuine travel reviews have fueled this trend
and empowered a traveler with choices. Yet,
we see Indians being safe in picking options
when it comes to cuisine and restaurant type
as 47 percent prefer Indian cuisine at a Family
style restaurant (31 per cent), and the value
for money aspect driving this number with
60 per cent getting influenced by a restaurant
promotions or deals.”
Indians ready to pay, but
for quality
While deals do attract the value seeking
Dining out is a must: 99 per cent people dine
out when on vacation Frequency of dining out:
Over 30 per cent people dine out over 10 times
when on a week-long vacation, seven times
(14 per cent), five times (13 per cent) Eat it,
flaunt it: 55 per cent people have taken a photo
of their food and posted on a social network.
Chef, who’s he? For 75 per cent chef of a
restaurant does not influence one’s decision to
dine there Dining out intensions get stronger:
30 per cent people plan to dine out more than
last year.
29
Interiors
Re-imaging restaurants
Recent social and technological change has prompted architects
and designers to adapt their work to meet the expectations of the
modern traveller. The indispensable norm being followed in hotel
architecture is that they no more design spaces they believe in
designing experiences.
P
eople want to go beyond their usual
routine and they desire to experience
something new. In order to accommodate
this new reality, architects and designers are reimagining all areas of a restaurant’s operation.
Hotel restaurants are being turned into
memorable spaces through imaginative design,
pushing creativity to new heights and turning
each venue into a destination in itself. These
are just a few of the exciting developments of
architecture and design that are being explored
in the field of architecture.
Green Features
Sustain ability is a delicate issue for the
restaurant owners, as they are doing their best
to minimise short term costs. But being ahead
of the game is important, which sometimes
leads to innovative ideas. Over-sized windows
for natural lighting, green walls and green
roofs, recycling bins for guests, electronic water
faucets, organically grown food for cooking and
graywater recycling are just a few of the trends
for staying green.
A very successful practice overseas is
utilising the gray water in various forms in a
commercial kitchen. Several tactics include after
washing a round of pots, dishes or utensils in
the compartment sink, save the final rinse water
and use it for soaking or pre-rinsing the next
round of dishes. This method could save about
18 gallons from being dumped prematurely.
Steam-clean the floors. Water from steam tables
and some types of other steaming equipment
is stored in a reservoir to be dumped out later.
Instead of dumping this clean water down the
drain, use it for cleaning the countertops or
floors at the end of the day or anytime the steam
table water is changed.
Moreover by installing a water saving device,
it can regulate water used for grinding and can
reduce total water use by up to 70 per cent.
In fact another resourceful facet is mounting a
pulpier. Not only do they compact your garbage,
they use recycled water to do so.
Interior Ornamentation
It is not enough for a restaurant to label itself
as a professional getaway or leisure; people
are doing business over meals, and they are
cavorting while they are travelling for business.
There has to be a degree of escapism, in every
restaurant.
The interiors of an eating joint is always
envisioned as dynamic, multi-use spaces which
have the capacity to host both formal and casual
talks, providing both intimate and social zones,
and yet can also be a place where individual
work can be accomplished. In fact the rest
rooms are also designed spa-like that endows
in alluring the guests through sublime luxury
and relaxation.
The dimension of design has transformed
from the times where the eateries were
considered as the mere place for eating out.
But today the facet of tranquillity and ambience
is a majorly considered. Wood embellishments,
theme inspired decorating items, carpets, drapes,
a chimney corner, a TV set and the possibility to
play your guest’s favourite musicals these adds
up to an impressive outing.
Bespoke Cosmoses
The contemporary architecture focuses highly
Interiors
on keeping the décor simply elegant by
incorporating fewer patterns. More colour and
texture is not in vogue as it visually affronts
the visitor. Embracing soothing textures instead
enables to explore your senses, endowing with
the feel of enthralment and immerse into a
distinct realm. The idealist approach is to
integrate a few bright colours to animate spaces
and a soothing joyful atmosphere that works
splendidly.
Focus on local art
The current inclination in architecture is towards
focusing on coalescing local origins. To develop
an assertive perception of the place and create
a genuine experience, small sculptures and
photography to integrating an art project into
the image of the hotel and fresh panting could
be the best way to depict contemporary yet
traditional designs.
Technological
proficiency
Another salient feature being implemented in
the modern day architecture is compatibility
with technology. The corporate populace prefers
the technical know-how at restaurants to be in
place to ensure their fidelity with the place for
long run. The spaces offer the possibility of
adjusting lighting, air conditioning and even
window blinds through smart phones, which
often turns out to be a good business approach.
Another trend is to make certain the placement
of PC tablets that aid registrations through
online connection.
Inference
The reminiscence of a good restaurant stays
with visitants for long time if the experience
is inimitable. Bearing this in mind, the hotel
owners and architects strive to personalize
spaces as never before. Themed hotels are the
new concepts slowly gaining interest in the
industry thereby leaving a lasting impact in the
minds of the people.
(This article is written by Sudhir Thorat,
MD, 3D Architecture)
31
Spa Review
Healing through Panchkarma
In the modern-day age of spa, Panchakarma therapies, which aids bio-detoxification, forms one
of the most specialised group of treatments that is widely practiced in Ayurveda, and offered by
specialised therapists at The White Lotus.
T
he White Lotus – an initiative of Vishwa
Jagriti Mission (VJM) is one of the
finest integrative healthcare destinations
in the country and was established with the
vision of rendering world class services in
the field of integrative healthcare. The White
Lotus is a social and cultural organisation
engaged in reviving the spiritual and cultural
richness of India. The mission has established
a number of free hospitals, orphanages, old
age homes, meditation centres and places of
worship spread all across the globe. VJM is
actively involved in humanitarian and religious
activities.
His Holiness Sudhanshuji Maharaj the
founder of VJM with the vision of making
Ayurveda and other holistic systems a viable
healthcare system for today’s illnesses and
with a hope that Ayurveda reclaims its rightful
status as an important holistic healthcare
system came up with the idea of the white
lotus, which is an Ayurveda centric global
integrative healthcare centre. “This is the
age of pluralistic medicine. Every system of
medicine is uniquely beneficial and we at ‘The
White Lotus’ try to find solutions for dayto-day health problems through a judicious
blend of Evidence based Complementary and
Alternative systems of Medicine,” says the
head doctor at The White Lotus.
Ayurveda is not just a system of medicine
rather it is the ‘Knowledge of life’. The
uniqueness of Ayurveda lies in its holistic
approach towards understanding health and
disease and seeking solutions from nature
for healing. Ayurveda system today, is one
of the most sought out complementary and
Alternative Medicine for many chronic
disorders and as a preventive and promotional
healthcare system.
The Ayurveda system of healthcare is
very much in sync with the nature. The basic
principles of Ayurveda are derived from the
same 5 basic elements that are responsible
for the existence of the World namely earth,
water, fire, air and either collectively known
as Panchamahabhuta. The understanding of the
physiology, pathology, pharmacological action
of the drugs and the rationale of treatment are
all based on the ‘Tridosha theory’ which is
sub-derived from the Panchamahabhuta theory
.Tridoshas are functional aspects, when in a
state of dynamic equilibrium maintain health
and disturbances in this equilibrium lead to
several disorders both acute and chronic. The
concept of treatment involves restoring the
equilibrium of the Doshas, repairing the damage
Spa Review
Homoeopathy
Homoeopathy is one of the distinguished
evidence based complimentary system of
medicine, based on the hypothesis that a
substance that causes the symptoms of a
disease in healthy people possess the power
to cure that disease in sick people with similar
symptoms.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a branch of healthcare science
that mainly concentrates on the physical aspects
of an individual’s healthcare, by treating
their physical ailments. At The White Lotus
they provide wide range of physiotherapy
and Rehabilitation services with all modern
amenities in our sister concern Karuna sindhu
Hospital.
Contact Details
The White Lotus
Global Integrative Healthcare Destination
ANAND DHAM,
Nangloi-Najafgarh Road, Bakkarwala Marg,
New Delhi- 110041,
Helpline: +91 9999908484/ +91 9560792792
Marketing Helpline: +91 8826891959
E-mail: [email protected],
Website: www.thewhitelotus.co.in
that has happened to the Dhatus (tissues) and
rejuvenating the tissue so as to stop further
recurrence of the disease. The uniqueness of
Ayurveda is its personalised approach in treating
each individual considering the constitution of
the body and other influencing factors such as
the environment, climatic changes, food and
activities.
Naturopathy
Naturopathy is a drugless system of medicine,
based on the principle of the existence of vital
forces or the Panchmahabhuta within the body.
Naturopathy treats human body as a whole and
eliminates the root cause of the diseases rather
offering just symptomatic relief.
Services @ The White
Lotus
Ayuveda
India has a rich heritage of medicine that can
be dated back to the Vedic period. Ayurveda
is not just a system of medicine rather it is
the ‘Knowledge of life’. The uniqueness of
Ayurveda lies in its holistic approach towards
understanding health and disease and seeking
solutions from nature for healing.
Yoga
The prime focus of Yoga is to abstain the
mind of all its activities and reenergise the
body, mind and soul. Yoga is an excellent
way of achieving total health through physical
postures called Asanas.
33
Chef Interview
Around the world with multiple
cuisines
He is a uniquely multicultural chef with experience in working in hotel kitchens around the world.
For Chef Alvarez creativity and innovation are important but consistency is really the key that
unlocks all doors to success…
E
xecutive Chef Ramon Salto Alvarez,
who has just joined The Leela Ambience
Gurgaon hotel, is the quintessential
creative chef with immense people’s skills as
well. A Spaniard, he has lived and worked in
many countries and is thus both multilingual
and multi-skilled! He excels at Asian fusion
and made a name for himself as the man
behind Qatar’s Spice Market and Market at W
Hotel, Doha. That besides working at several
acclaimed and Michelin Star restaurants in a
career spanning two decades.
Describe your upbringing and culinary
background. How have these shaped your
cooking philosophy?
I was 11 years old when I had the first contact
with the culinary world, I met one of my
classmate’s father who had worked for many
years as a chef in a ship. And his stories about
travelling and cooking captivated me. Ever
since then I knew that I wanted to be a chef.
I started my career at Michelin star restaurants
--- first in France in LA BARBACANE at
Carcassonne (2 Michelin stars with Michel
del Burgo), and later in Spain in el Raco de
CanFabes (3 Michelin stars) and L’esguard
(1 Michelin star). I then moved to the US,
where I worked in a small Relais Chateux in
California and eventually moved to contract
sport catering events like F1, Moto GP and
big corporate events.
My first job in a 5 star hotel was in
LONDON --- a 700 room hotel with MELIA
as Executive Sous Chef. Then I moved to the
Middle East and was asked to open the first
MISSONI hotel with the chef Giorgio Locatelli
(1 Michelin star in LONDON) as a consultant.
I was in charge of the culinary operations of the
signature property of Starwood in the Middle
East --- the W DOHA, were we achieved many
awards and success. After all these travels, I
have finally came to Gurgaon
My cooking philosophy is very much
focused on quality and team-development:
only when you give the best experience to your
guest and have the best people in the team you
will achieve success.
Chef Interview
What is your sense of the global and Indian
F&B scene? What do you make out of the
changing Indian palate?
Indian has a diversity of cuisines that is very
complex, so it will be a challenge to satisfy
the diverse tastes of the people here. The
India culinary scenario is changing and there
are many celebrity chef and concepts in the
pipeline and I’m looking forward to helping
change the culinary scene here and taking the
culinary operation at THE LEELA GURAGON
to the next level.
What are the main challenges that confront
a chef working in a hotel today? How are
you addressing these?
The biggest challenge is consistency –
everything from training staff, assembling
teams and getting the best produce. We have
to deliver a good experience in a consistent
manner. To create a good concept is not as
difficult as maintaining it at a high level for a
long period of time.
In order to keep consistence you have
to work the best ingredients and get always
the basics right, sometimes hoteliers then to
complicated easy things and at the end guest
enjoy when simply things are done in the right
way.
How important is experimenting/pushing
the envelope versus giving diners dishes that
they are comfortable with or expect from a
particular restaurant brand?
Like I mentioned, the most important thing is
to get the basics right and the most prestigious
brands in the world are famous because of that.
It is important to innovate and experiments but
often constant change leads to confusion and
the guest ends ups suffering. My advice is to
experiment only when you concepts and basic
skills are pretty well set.
The top five things that make a restaurant
brand successful according to you?
Focus in Customer service – satisfying the
guest is what hospitality is all about Marketing
– it is very important to create awareness in the
market and target the right segments, the third
is work with the best products –to provide
good culinary experiences you need good
ingredients, fourth is training – everybody in
the team should understand the concept and
their roles from A to Z and the last but not the
least is, manage your budgets – a successful
restaurant has to be financially healthy.
How important is it for a chef to be hands
on and personally cook rather than be an
efficient manager?
I’m an executive chef by title but in reality
I’m a cook by devotion. Passion for cooking
is the most important thing in our field. If you
love your food and put all your sense in your
cooking your team will do it as well, you can
be the most efficient manager but if you are
not able to reflect your passion in what you do
you, your restaurants will be empty.
What are your signature dishes?
In a multi outlet operation we have many
signature dishes but I will mention few of them
that reflect the food concepts of our Italian
restaurant Zanotta: Scallop crudo with lime
and coriander marination. Truffle cappuccino
with caramelized pumpkin and nuts. Red
wine braised lamb shank with saffron risotto.
Tuna tartar with picolini olives, avocado and
balsamic ginger emulsion. Crab ravioli with
scampi and marinara sauce. Reinvented Onion
soup with poach egg and black truffle.
What are the cuisines that you enjoy?
My favorite style of cuisine is Catalan.
Catalonia is where I’m from and we have a
very diverse cuisine. I’m also a big fun of
Peruvian cuisine. I enjoy eating I love Indian
cuisine, a good Chinese meal, sushi, sashimi,
pasta pizza, I believe that a good chef should be
able to enjoy food from all over the world.
Tell us something about the restaurant you
are working on?
At the LEELA GURGAON, we are working
to provide new experiences to our guest. At
ZANOTTA, our Italian restaurant, where
Chef Cristian recently joined the team, we
are working on a new menu that will provide
authentic, seasonal, creative Italian signature
dishes. At DIYA, our Indian restaurant, where
Chef Angshuman, who trained under Atul
Kochar, we are preparing a new menu selection
that will provide an authentic experience with
signature modern dishes that reflect the iconic
flavors of HINDUSTAN. At SPECTRA, the
multicuisine outlet, we are working on a new
world cuisine menu that will reflect our 6 show
kitchens, from sushi to dim sum going up to
the best pizzas and pastas.
In such a competitive environment, what
makes a restaurant successful, according
to you?
Honesty – to provide the best meals you have
to use the best produce available Consistency
– as I said before, consistency is the biggest
challenge and the key to success.
Team work – in the restaurant business,
working alone is not possible. Every successful
chef has a team to back him or her up
35
F&B
Thought for food
Books on food are a great eye opener to cultures beyond our own.
ªSuman Tarafdar
I
ndians can write well, witness their
excellent literary output across cultures
and languages. They can also eat well,
as just any gourmand can tell you. Yet they
have not combined their skill in any effective
or even sub-standard-ly prodigious way.
Honourable exceptions notwithstanding, all
we as a nation have to show for books about
food are a rather limited plethora of recipe
books. A recent book, Charmaine O’Brien’s
The Penguin Food Guide to India only brings
back to focus the lacuna.
Compare the availability of books to the
global scenario. Even in these heathen times,
when most marketers will tell you that reading
is on a terminal decline (for them, sure; for
readers – not so much), there is a whole
plethora of increasingly amazing books on
food that are getting released all the time.
Again, no, I do not mean books full of
recipes, though interestingly done, those can
be fascinating too.
Who can forget Ruth Reichl’s Tender at the
Bone, which draws on her upbringing, seeing
her mother in the kitchen, her own culinary
awakening beyond the prescribed rules of ‘good
food’. Cooks have written a lot, and well. The
recently much troubled Nigella Lawson wrote
her entertaining How to Eat long ago, and it still
can entrance the reader. Anthony Bourdain’s
Kitchen Confidential remains a must read, if
only for possible Masterchef contestants to
F&B
get an
insight into
his mind! Food
critics have been
exceptionally
well
placed to pen memorable
tales as well, witness The
Man Who Ate Everything
by Jeffrey Steingarten or Born
Round by Frank Bruni. Former
food critic for The New York
Times, Bruni’s book details
his long struggle, his lovehate relationship with food.
Every one of these books
traverses ground well beyond just
food, going into lifestyles, emotions,
even economy – capturing slices of
social history, of lived lives, at a time.
How people lived and ate is an eternal title.
In The Food of a Younger Land, author
Mark Kurlansky documents a project started
during the Great Depression under the FDR
(Franklin Delano Roosevelt) presidency to
give employment to writers. The result was
‘America Eats’, a collection of regional recipes
about food traditions across the US, which also
brings alive how people coped during those
challenging times.
Just the previous year has seen such
memorable, and diverse books on food
globally. In Salt Sugar Fat, Michael Moss not
just explains why American fast food is so
full of too much salt, sugar and fat. A similar
subject, differently handled more than a decade
ago, was Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser.
Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes
from The House That Herring Built by Mark
Russ Federman is about one of New York’s
most iconic food stores. Samira Kawash
takes you on a journey of candy in Candy: A
Century of Panic & Pleasure, tying it in with
the history of dieting. From Scratch: Inside
The Food Network by Allen Salkin takes the
reader on a journey of how food networks –
that mainstay of television. There were food
anthologies, specific cuisine books and much
more.
It isn’t as if Indians haven’t written about
food, and from times of yore. However the best
known
b o o k s
about food may still
be by non Indians eg
Gordon Ramsay’s Great Escape:
100 of My Favourite Indian Recipes, Rick
Stein’s India: In Search of the Perfect Curry,
Christine Manfield’s Tasting India. Mainly
pictorial books such as Street Food of India by
Sephi Bergerson help to an extent. This may
only partly be explained by the need for first
world approval. Indians based abroad have also
contributed, though they have been more in the
mould of Foolproof Indian Cooking: Step by
Step to Everyone’s Favorite Indian Recipes
by Madhur Jaffrey. Veterans KT Achaya and
Pushpesh Pant have contributed immensely in
recording food stories. Books such as Hour of
the Goddess: Memories of Women, Food, and
Ritual in Bengal by Chitrita Banerji and The
Joy of Vegetarian Cooking by Jasleen Dhamija
have creditably established the deep linkages
of food in shaping Indian lives. Creditably,
newer Indian names are documenting food
traditions from different parts of India, though
these initiatives are entirely private, with no
institutional support.
O’Brien’s book, spanning the length and
breadth of India – she mentions having visited
all but three states in India – that makes it
comprehensive in scope. Added to it the
way she has woven in local history, culture,
tradition and geography, and the result is a
book rivalled only by a few. Well, it took her
four intermittent years of travel and research,
but that is probably the kind of dedication that
is needed to churn out quality.
Beyond clichés, Indians are fairly ignorant
about cuisines in other parts of the country.
Mention Chettinad or Mangalorean
or Moplah cuisine, and request
someone to connect them to
‘south Indian cuisine’, and
Indians beyond the south
of India are going to stare
dumbfounded. Very few
anywhere will be able
to distinguish between
Mughlai or tandoori or
Awadhi cuisines. Books such
as this one definitely help in
getting more aware of our
own nation and its diversities.
Not many would know what
Srinagar’s
Qayyam
Chowk
specialises in charcoal fired
kebabs, or for biryanis in Bhopal,
one needs to go to Laziz Hakeem Hotel near
Filfora! Not many Indians could correctly
guess in which state they could have paan roti
(Chhattisgarh and, no there is no trace of betel
in the recipe).
Food and books – for many a good
combination of these two can be orgasmic.
These books also help us understand others
- why Mrs Ramamurthy is fixated on coconut
oil, or why the Banerji home is going to be a
bit fishy! Food books sell excellently – ask any
publisher. Go read, or better still write some!
37
State News
U.P. Gets Heritage Arc Of Agra-LucknowVaranasi And Air Connectivity
T
he maiden Uttar Pradesh Travel Mart
(UPTM) kick-started in Lucknow in
a colourful inaugural ceremony that
showcased the myriad cultural diversity
of the state. The inaugural ceremony was
organised on Feb 22, 2015 in La Martiniere
College grounds, against the backdrop of
the iconic school building. Being organised
by the UP government in association with
FICCI and supported by the Uttar Pradesh
Hotel & Restaurant Association, it is for the
very first time that a travel mart has been
held by a north Indian state. The focus of
the travel mart was to promote The Heritage
Arc on the banks of Yamuna, Gomti and
Ganga, that is the cities of Agra, Lucknow
and Varanasi.
Inaugurating the travel mart, the Chief
Minister Akhilesh Yadav said, “The Heritage
Arc was a suggestion of Travel and Tourism
trade bodies and we decided to promote the
same. It is the travel trade that understands
tourism, so we welcome suggestions from
the industry. Tourism is a priority for us.”
Among the major new initiatives being taken
by the government is the Agra Lucknow
Expressway which will be the longest in
the country, intra state air connectivity
(Lucknow-Agra-Varanasi-Allahabad) which
is starting soon, Lion Safari in Etawah,
beautification of Gomti river in Lucknow,
Lucknow Eye, and many other projects.
The Heritage Arc website and a book on
the same were also released by the Hon’ble
Chief Minister.
President UPHRA Mr. Surendra Kumar
Jaiswal in his address thanked the Chief
Minister for taking keen interest in
development of Heritage tourism in the state
and especially promoting the Heritage arc in
a big way. He also thanked the Chief Minister
on starting the Air connectivity and suggested
to further connect the heritage arc by the
modern expressway in the interest of tourist
travelling by road. He assured the Hon’ble
Chief minister that UPHRA along with the
entire travel and tourism fraternity of the state
will work hand in hand with UP state tourism
to promote these initiatives. He also informed
that UPHRA has started triple “C” initiative
from Lucknow promoting Culture, Craft and
Cuisine of the heritage city.
The inaugural ceremony was graced by the
Tourism Minister Om Prakash Singh; Chief
Secretary, Alok Ranjan ; Director General
UP Tourism Amrit Abhijat along with senior
officials of UP Government. The ceremony
also witnessed Bollywood Film Maker &
Director Muzaffar Ali; FICCI President
Jyotsna Suri; State President of FICCI L K
Jhunjhunwala; President UPHRA Surendra
Kumar Jaiswal, Hony Secretary Garish
Oberoi, and Treasurer Ravi Khanna. The
inaugural dinner was hosted by Uttar Pradesh
Hotel & Restaurant Association.
Uttar Pradesh Travel Mart-2015 was held
from February 23-24, 2015 at Indira Gandhi
Pratisthan in Lucknow to promote all important
strategic area of tourism in a substantial way
for the state of Uttar Pradesh. It was attended
by 76 international buyers and 22 domestic
buyers and 60 sellers. It was a focused effort
for awareness of the fact that there is a great
tourism potential in the state beyond the Taj
Mahal and the Ghats of Varanasi. All the
participant buyers and sellers were honoured
by UPHRA.
Post Travel mart , a fam tour of the
Heritage arc was organised for the foreign
delegates/ Buyers, which was greatly
appreciated by all.
State News
LMB receives Dainik Bhaskar Readers’ Choice Awards -2014
The Laxmi Mishtan Bhandar (LMB) received
Dainik Bhaskar Readers’ Choice Awards -2014
for the City’s Landmark Sweet Shop. The
event was held on February 24, 2015 in Jaipur.
The award was received by Smt & Sh. Ajay
Agarwal.
Lakshmi Misthan Bhandar popularly known as
just LMB, is a well-known hotel, restaurant and
sweet shop in Jaipur city. Sh Ajay Agarwal, CEO
is running LMB under the dynamic leadership
of his father Shri Radhey Shyam Agarwal since
1954. The Restaurant serves pure vegetarian
food and is known for its Rajasthani cuisine
Inauguration of The Royal India Luxury Show
Mr. Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Executive Director, HRH Group of Hotels with His Highness Yuvraj Sambhaji Chhatrapati Maharaj, Indian Ambassador to the UAE
- His Excellency T.P. Seetharam inaugurated the second edition of The Royal India Luxury Show at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai. The ceremony was attended by
diplomats, corporate tycoons, celebrities and other distinguished guests from India and the UAE.
Supported by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India in association with
Cox & Kings, the luxury show focused on showcasing the luxury aspects of
India with the participation of 22 hand-picked Indian exhibitors representing
travel, hospitality, leisure, luxury homes, fashion, weddings, jewellery and
entertainment.
The exhibitors include Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism, Government of
India; Cox & Kings; Ramoji Film City; Air Aura; MEHAIR; Sansha; Woodland;
Anantham by EMGEE Group; Jaypee Green Golf Course & Spa Resort; Six
Senses Spa; UAE Exchange; PNG Jewellers; Sobha Developers; Rocky Star;
Archana Kochhar, Neeta Lulla, Monapali, Rohit Verma, HRH Group of Hotels,
Reve by Khushali Kumar and Satya Paul.
HRH Group of Hotels was represented by Mr. Adityaveer Singh, General
Manager Group Operations and Mr. Kunal Singh, GM Sales - Travel Trade.
Beckoning the next-gen family businesses at CII-FBN
Mr. Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar of Udaipur, Trustee, Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation was the gracious host of the CII – FBN
II Next Generation (NXG) International Convention 2014. The convention was held at Sabhagaar Conference Hall, The Durbar Hall,
Fateh Prakash Palace Convention Centre, The City Palace, Udaipur. The theme of the event was ‘Managing Paradoxes in the Family
Business – enabling the Next Gen to apply their Intellectual, Emotional and Spiritual Quotient’.
Lead Faculty of the Convention was Mr. Albert Jan Thomassen, from Netherlands, a specialist on governance and succession issues
of enterprising families. He conducted the key sessions over the two days.
The international convention, organised by the India
chapter, drew participation of young family business leaders
from the age bracket of 18-40. The convention provided a powerful platform to Next
Generation Family Business leaders from across the country to discuss some of the
most pressing issues concerning their role in Family Business. Attention was focussed
on diverse themes of interest to young business leaders, with sessions focusing
on Governance and Succession, Leadership focusing management, Innovation,
Marketing, and Spirituality in Family Business etc. There were panel discussions on
topics like ‘Entrepreneurship within the Family Business’ and “Women and Emotions
in the Family Business’.
39
State News
Tourism dept proposes
new guidelines to
boosts Goa
T
he Department of Tourism has framed new
guidelines in order to issue permissions for
tourism related events. The aim is to simplify
and encourage people to organise events all through
the year. This will also encourage transparency while
granting such permissions. The Department shall be
the authority to grant permissions to tourism related
events such as beach weddings, handicrafts, night
bazaars, music festivals, cultural events, MICE events,
and other tourism related festivals. All such events
organised in private or public lands outside licensed
premises will come under the purview of this single
window permissions.
Mumbai joins flydubai’s
growing network
D
ubai-based flydubai recently announced the
launch of flights to Mumbai, bringing the total
number of destinations served by the carrier in
India to seven, with 25 flights a week. In June, flydubai
doubled its network in India with the start of flights to
Delhi, Kochi and Trivandrum. The new flights were a
result of the expanded bilateral agreements that India has
signed with Dubai over the past 12 months. Commencing
on 28 October 2014, flydubai will operate direct flights
five times a week between Dubai International’s Terminal
2 and Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, while
also increasing the frequency of its flights to Delhi to five
weekly.
Gujarat Tourism to accredit,
assist and promote private tour
operators and private hotels
T
here needs to be a political will and a burning desire to develop tourism
in any region, and Gujarat, having recognised its potential has initiated
a unique model of public private partnership to further strength tourism
growth in the region and offer better facilities to the tourists. Tourism Corporation
of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) will be facilitating private tour operators from across
the country, wherein they can now register themselves with Gujarat Tourism as
certified operators. Further to this, TCGL will also be offering facility of online
booking of private hotels that will be registered with it. The Tourism Corporation
of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) has successfully attracted an increasing number of
tourists, both domestic and foreign to the state of Gujarat. The gross tourist flow
during the year 2013-14 was 287.88 lakh which is 13.30 per cent higher than the
flow in 2012-13.
State News
Nirwana Hometel Jaipur opens
S
arovar Hotels recently
announced
the
opening of Nirwana
Hometel in Jaipur. This will
be the group’s third hotel
in Jaipur and fifth property
in Rajasthan, in addition
to Sarovar Portico & Park
Inn in Jaipur; Park Plaza in
Jodhpur and Optus Hometel
in Bhiwadi. Nirwana Hometel
is architecturally designed
to give its guest a sense of
adequate spaciousness by
brilliantly managing the areas
and facilities. Its intelligent
amenities, essential services
and
affordability
make
it stand apart from array
of similar hotels in the city. Nirwana Hometel will rejuvenate the
concept of budget hotels with its services. Each of the 82 welldesigned guest rooms and suites at the hotel are modern in appeal
and offer all contemporary amenities for a comfortable stay.
Premier Inn announces its
first property in Mumbai
P
remier Inn, UK’s biggest
hotel chain announced
their plans to establish
their footprint in the financial
capital of the country today at
a press conference in South
Mumbai. This edition will mark
the debut of Premier Inn hotels
in Mumbai, catering to the
vibrant city’s mid-scale market
segment. Premier Inn Mumbai
Worli, which will feature 350
rooms, is strategically located
in the Lower Parel district,
between the Central Business
District, Santacruz Airport and the North Mumbai Business Districts.
Premier Inn Mumbai Worli joins Premier Inn’s growing portfolio of
properties worldwide as it plans to have around 50 hotels in India,
Southeast Asia and Middle East by 2018.
Uttar Pradesh CM launches ‘First
Ever’ City Branding Initiative
A
one-of-a-kind city branding initiative launched by Uttar Pradesh Tourism along
with The Design Village as knowledge partner and Kingdom of the Netherlands
as jury partner witnesses an overwhelming response. February 14, a day that
symbolises love globally was dedicated to express gratitude to the city of Agra by
presenting it with a distinct identity of its own—a logo, that was unveiled by Akhilesh
Yadav, Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh. The logo was an extension to the Meragra-graphic
design competition where participants were welcomed from across the world. From
over 7,000 entries, 10 winners were felicitated by Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister
Uttar Pradesh at the Taj Nature Walk earlier this morning. A gala award ceremony was
commemorated to acknowledge the creativity that came in through this exercise.
Chhattisgarh to develop
tourism
C
hhattisgarh is rapidly emerging as one of
the top tourism destinations on the national
and international tourism map. The unique
initiatives, new plans and schemes pertaining to the
tourism development and related activities are getting
support from Government of India. From less explored
tourism destination to top 10 preferred tourism
destination of the country, the state is now aiming
high for the top tourism destination rank. The central
government has recently assured all the required
support to develop Tourism as an effective means to
combat Naxalism in Chhattisgarh.
41
State News
ITDC signs an MoU with Assam
down town University
A
dding new affiliation to its list of collaborations, India
Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) has signed an
MOU with Assam down town University, Guwahati. The
joint endeavour is to conduct a three year Bachelors course in Hotel
Management at the Assam down town University, Guwahati, with
Industrial Training at ITDC Hotels. The MoU was signed at Hotel
Brahmaputra Ashok, Guwahati. The MoU was signed by Cmde (Rtd)
Ratan Kumar Okhandiar, Director Commercial & Marketing, ITDC
and Dr Narendra Nath Dutta, Chairman cum Managing Trustee,
Assam down town University. ITDC will provide its expertise in
developing the curriculum for the three Bachelors course in Hotel
Management enabling students to cope up with the new trends
emerging in the hospitality sector.
The Leela Palaces enters Nepal
T
he Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, India’s premier luxury
hospitality brand and Summit Group of Nepal have signed
a Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of Prime
Minister of Nepal, Shri Sushil Koirala, to collaborate on the first
of four hotels, to be established across Nepal, marking a new era of
partnership in tourism between India and Nepal. The Leela Kathmandu,
the first of the series, a 5-star deluxe hotel to be built in the heart of
Kathmandu, is expected to be completed within 36 months. At the
signing ceremony, Prime Minister Koirala welcomed the entry of
The Leela and urged the Group to establish hotels in other parts of
Nepal. Both Prime Minister Koirala and his Indian counterpart, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, have shown serious intent in developing
their tourism across the member nations of South Asian Association
for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
DoubleTree by Hilton opens in Agra
H
ilton Worldwide recently
announced the opening
of DoubleTree by Hilton
Agra in one of the leading tourist
destinations in India, renowned
for its many Mughal-era buildings,
most notably the Taj Mahal. With
this launch, Hilton Worldwidehas
a presence across the Golden
Triangle,the most popular tourist
circuit in the country, with hotels
in Delhi NCR,Jaipur and Agra.
The hotel is owned by Archer
Hospitality Private Limited and
managed by Hilton Worldwide.
Set in the heart of the bustling city
and minutes from the Taj Mahal,
the trendy DoubleTree by Hilton
Agra is among very few hotels
offering views of the magnificent
mausoleum.The hotel is also near
popular attractions and shopping districts including the Agra Fort, Akbar’s Tomb, Jama Masjid and Kinari Bazaar. The hotel is located10
kilometers from the Agra Airport and seven kilometers from the Agra Cantonment Railway Station. Guests driving from Delhi can also easily
access the hotel from the Delhi - Agra Yamuna Expressway.
Hotel Review
ALOHA ON THE GANGES
Laxman Jhulla Rishikesh
Leisure Hotels expands its bouquet of hotels adding one on the banks
of the holy Ganges at Laxman Jhulla Rishikesh. Contemporary
architecture, pristine natural surroundings at ALOHA gives you a
unique opportunity to Live Inspired.
A
t Rishikesh there have been few
accommodation options for the high
end tourist who wants luxury as
well as adventure. The Aloha on the Ganges
with an extension of Beach accommodation
in swiss tents is an attempt to bridge this
gap.
Aloha on The Ganges, Rishikesh has been
especially designed resort not only to soothe
your mind, but relax your body and soul.
Spread over 20,000 sq. yards and situated
right on the banks of Ganga opposite the
Rajaji National Park, Aloha on The Ganges,
Rishikesh is a perfect blend of contemporary
architecture, pristine natural surroundings
and a supremely holy ambience.
The Resort offers accommodation of 50
(30 rooms at Aloha on the Ganges plus 20
Beach Tents)
Latitude is a specialty multi-cuisine
restaurant offering a wide and varied choice
of both International and Indian cuisine.
An Al Fresco dining restaurant, overlooking
the fast flowing Ganges River to enjoy a great
outdoor dining experience.
The Resort offers Confereance facility,
Ayurvedic Spa and other facilities like nature
shop, library, swimming pool, Pool Table, WiFi, Kids Zone, Yoga session, Bhajan Sandhya,
bonfire, Shiva Tandava Stotram ( is a stotra,
hymn of praise in the Hindu tradition that
describes Shiva’s power and beauty) and Aarti.
43
Hotel Review
Gurgaon gets its first Gateway Resort
The Gateway Hotels & Resorts in association with SamakDhoot Resorts & Spa recently launched the
first Gateway branded resort in India. The launch of The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake Gurgaon
marks entry of The Gateway Hotels & Resorts in the NCR region, taking the total number of hotels
under the Gateway brand to 25.
N
estled in the lap of Aravalli Hills and
spread over 20 acres, The Gateway
Resort Damdama Lake Gurgaon is an
urban sanctuary inspired by nature. The resort
offers 78 spacious rooms including two suites;
each with serene views of the landscape.
“We are delighted to launch the country’s
first ever resort under The Gateway brand
at Damdama. India’s tourism potential is
unmatched in terms of its uniqueness, culture
and heritage. The industry has become one
of the key growth drivers for the economy
generating employment and nurturing
communities. The rapid increase in domestic
as well as foreign tourists has created a
need for developing newer destinations and
innovative service offerings; a concept that the
Taj has pioneered in India” said Rakesh Sarna,
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer,
Indian Hotels Company Ltd.
Prabhat Verma, Chief Operating Officer,
Hotel Review
The Gateway Hotels & Resorts added, “The
launch of The Gateway Resort Damdama
Lake Gurgaon is a significant milestone for
the Gateway brand. With the addition of this
hotel, the brand’s portfolio now includes 25
hotels.”
The Architecture and Interior Designs have
been done by the Delhi based firm Rajeev
Agarwal Architects who specialise in ecofriendly leisure developments combined with
a passion for Art and Crafts. Sprawling over
20 acres with nearly 1000 trees, the resort is
designed as a weekend retreat in the outskirts of
Gurgaon, creating a rustic homely atmosphere
nestled in the natural environment.
The architecture attempts to dissolve the
literal boundaries of the building to integrate
the inside and outside. The artwork including
scrap metal sculptures, embroidered and hand
– painted textiles and studio ceramics were
conceived to lend a similar experience by
reflecting the essence of the a rural habitat.
“The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake
Gurgaon offers a quick getaway for the
residents of Delhi and Gurgaon to relax and
unwind amidst nature. The resort also offers a
host of interesting activities such as adventure
sports for guests.’’ said General Manager,
Pulkesin Mohan.
The adventure sports complex nestled
within the resort includes activities such as
Zorbing, Rock Climbing, Balloon Bursting,
Blind Mine Field, Spider Web and more. The
fitness center Active Studio, Celsius the pool,
The Spa and the sports park provide perfect
unwinding options. With banquet space spread
over 930 sq.mt, the resort makes for an ideal
event destination be it conference, meetings or
weddings.
Guests can indulge in a cosmopolitan mix
of international cuisine and authentic regional
home-style delicacies at the all-day diner
Buzz, savour contemporary Chinese and Thai
cuisine at the Sianor relax over a few drinks
at Swirl the high energy lounge bar. For the
wellness seeker, Buzz offers an Active Foods
Menu.
From the fertile soils of Haryana, meaning
‘the Abode of God’, The Gateway Resort
Damdama Lake Gurgaon brings Haryanvi
food in its simplest form. The austere cuisine
inspired menu includes gravies and pulses
made with locally sourced produce paired
with a selection of breads. Guests can savour
delightful rice preparations with Bajre ki
khichri being a must-try.
The hotel offers convenient access to
Damdama Lake, a popular picnic spot that
is home to more than 190 species of birds.
Guests can also make trips to the hot springs
at Sohna, the ancient Shiva temple or the Suraj
Kund tourist complex.
45
Industry Update
Young Chef Challenge -2015
(Culinary Competion)
A
n excellent showcase of culinary art was
presented in the “Young Chefs Challenge
– 2015” organized by Association
of Hospitality Professionals at Indian Hotel
Academy, New Delhi. The Chef Competition
- 2015 is an opportunity for competitors from
different Hospitality organizations to prepare a
predetermined menu and have their work judged by
a panel of professional chefs. The prime objective
of the event was to provide a professional platform,
where culinary professionals could display their
skills, creative talent and share experiences in a
competitive environment.
The competition was inaugurated by Mr.
Rajindera Kumar, Director Vivanta By Taj
Ambassador and Managing Committee Member
of HRANI who is the President of Executive
Committee of Indian Hotel Academy, with the lamp
lighting ceremony, in presence of Mr. G. P. Gautam
(President, Indian Hotel Academy), Mrs. Devipshita
Gautam (President, AHP Society) and the executive
members of the association. The successfully
organized competition witnessed excellent blend of
art and talent demonstrated in the various categories
like International Cuisine, North Indian Cuisine,
Indian Mithai, Confectionary, Kababs, South Indian
Cuisine & Kitchen Artist etc.
The competition was closely monitored by Mr.
Rajindera Kumar & Mr. Sireesh Saxena, Ex. Vice
President, Hotels – ITDC.
Association of Hospitality Professionals
(AHP) is a non profit organization & has been
established with the aim of increasing the
networking among hoteliers & to recognise
the achievers and performers of the hospitality
industry. AHP five years back started awarding
professional of the hotel industry for their
outstanding work & contribution to the industry.
The award function is held once in a year and
the awards are given under various categories.
Industry Update
5th India International Hotel, Travel and Tourism Research Conference
R
ajindera Kumar, Working Director of Vivanta By
Taj Ambassador, New Delhi, and former President
of Hotel & Restaurant Association of North India
Association as well as the Federation of Hotels and
Restaurant Associations of India, has asked students and
scholars of the hospitality and tourism industry, to have a
strategy for career development and to act on it so that they
can achieve their goals.
The veteran hotelier was speaking as chief guest at the 5th
India International Hotel, Travel and Tourism Research
Conference in New Delhi on February 11, organized by
the Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management
and Catering Technology.
The three-day conference is being organized in
collaboration with the New Zealand India Research
Institute and the Victoria University of Wellington.
Among the topics being discussed at the conference are
eco-tourism, green practices, the role of gastronomy as a
resource for creative tourism, museums as an attraction, managing human resources in hospitality, the role of education institutes in tourism and hospitality,
and food service. Scholars from various universities are presenting case studies at the conference
Faith to organise first GET India in April 2015
I
n an effort to promote and market India
as a global trade destination, the Ministry
of Commerce (MoC) has embarked upon
organising a Global Exhibition on Services of which
Tourism will be a major part and the Federation
of Association of Indian Tourism & Hospitality
(FAITH) has been given the responsibility to
organise the Global Exhibition on Tourism-India,
(GET-India). GET-India, supported by the Ministry
of Tourism (MoT) is scheduled to take place from
April 23-25, 2015 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
About 250 tour operators and 175 exhibitions will
be a part of this event.
Elaborating on the upcoming travel mart, Sarab
Jit Singh, Vice Chairman, FAITH, said, “The three
day event will be showcasing not just the private
stakeholders but also the various Indian states to
international buyers.”
The board of the directors of FAITH met with
members of the media to share the many initiatives
and interventions undertaken with key stakeholders by
the Association, since its formation in may 2013. In
keeping with its vision to be the one common voice
of the tourism industry, FAITH has not only actively
engaged with industry and policy makers at both, state
and central government level, enumerating the benefits
of tourism, but also partnered with the government
to play a key role in ensuring the implementation of
some milestone achievements like the implementation
of the E-visa, among others.
Elaborating on their expanding role in the various
tourism and hospitality related policies, Nakul Anand
Chairman, FAITH said, “For the first time an invitation
was extended to FAITH and the various tourism
industry stakeholders for the pre-budget discussions
with the finance Minister for the Union Budget
2015-16, wherein we made various suggestions and
recommendations and will keep on following up on
the same.”
Aashish Gupta, Consulting CEO, FAITH, talked
about a proposal put forth to conduct an interministerial Conclave, which has been accepted by
the Ministry and it will be held on February 9, 2015.
“The Tourism Ministry will invite around 15 other
ministries for the conclave, which are essential for
tourism growth in India. The Conclave will focus on
developing a clear action plan for tourism development
and better traveller experience for visitors to India.”
he said.
Over the past 18 Month since its launch, FAITH
has undertaken structured interventions with three
major stakeholders who impact the growth of the
Indian Tourism and Hospitality industry. These include
policy makers at the Central and State Government
and the members of the 10 member associations have
been fourfold:• To sensitise awareness about the immense macroeconomic potential of tourism
• To align towards a shared vision on the growth
drivers of the tourism and hospitality industry
• To aid Government with strategic knowledge on
some of their key ongoing interventions
• To stimulate action for fast tracking growth of the
tourism and hospitality industry
Addressing the Civil Aviation and Tourism
development concerns, Gupta also informed that
FAITH is looking at organising a joint meeting
between the various airlines spokespersons and the
union ministries of tourism and civil aviation.
In line with the fourfold vision with State
Governments, FAITH has undertaken joint round
table brainstorming with local stakeholders and
government officials in Delhi, Maharashtra, Rajasthan
and Karnataka. FAITH has also undertaken structured
interventions on an ongoing basis with Executive
Committee member and overall members of many of
its member associations including IHHA, TAAI, TAFI
IATO, FHRAI, ITTA ICPB and ATOAI.
47
Industry Update
TajSATS partners with
Air India
T
ajSATS, the country’s leading airline catering company,
recently announced its partnership with Air India for the
launch of its new in-flight dining concept called ‘Table setup’. The launch is in line with AirIndia’s endeavour to offer a
superior on-board dining experience, as part of the improved
offering from Air India on joining the Star Alliance. First and
business class guests flying Air India on select domestic and
international routes will be able to enjoy a superlative meal
experience on-board. This innovative concept, developed by
the well-known Chef Satish Arora, Director - Food Production
at TajSATS, provides more options to the passengers to
visually examine and taste a variety of dishes.
Accor India
ranked 20th Best
company to work
F
or the 2nd consecutive year, Accor
India has been recognised amongst
the ‘Top 50 Best Companies to Work’
by the Great Places to Work Institute in
India. This year, the leading international
hotel group ranked 20th in India’s
largest annual study of workplace
excellence that identifies the top 50 best
companies to work for in the country.
The institute also recognized Accor with
a special category award as the Best
Companies in Diversity and Inclusion.
The award was presented at a glittering
ceremony held in Mumbai.
Aamod Resorts launches
new property-Alwar Bagh
A
fter the successful launches of luxury resorts in
Narkanda (Shimla District) and Bhimtal (Nainital
District), Aamod Resorts recently expanded its roots of
out-of town exotic locations with the launch of
a 38 room resort near Sariska Tiger Reserve
(Alwar District), Rajasthan to its bouquet of offerings.
Set amidst a rural setting with a backdrop of the
Aravali Mountains, Alwar Bagh by Aamod is a
tailored experience for those who want to unplug,
unwind and rejuvenate. Spread over a lavish 5 acres of
green, the resort is conveniently located between Sariska
National Park and Alwar City, under 2.5 hrs drive from
Gurgaon.
Industry Update
Abu Sarovar Portico opens in
Kilpauk, Chennai
S
arovar Hotels, the fastest growing hotel management company in India, announced
the opening of Abu Sarovar Portico in Kilpauk, Chennai today. This 4 Star hotel
will be the group’s second hotel in Chennai after Radha Regent. The hotel is owned
and promoted by Abu Estate. Abu Sarovar Portico is strategically located near Mount
Road, the commercial and shopping hub of Chennai, and is easily accessible from the
Central Railway Station just 2kms away while the Chennai International Airport is
18kms away. In close proximity are local tourist destinations including Government
Museum, Marina Beach, Guindy National and Snake Park, making it a perfect
accommodation choice for business and leisure travelers to the city. Moreover, Abu
Sarovar Portico is also ideal for those visiting Chennai for medical assistance as it
is located on the Poonamalee High Road also known as the Med Street of Chennai
housing a number of medical centres.
Internet Moguls
executes mobile site
for the Lemon Tree
Hotels
B
ringing the entire hotel chain of the fastest
growing Indian hotel company, Lemon Tree
Hotels on mobile, Internet Moguls has made a first
ever feat in India. Introducing a mobile website
that’s equipped with unique features such as location
detection and user interface aimed at converting
traffic into direct sales, the freshly revamped mobile
website of Lemon Tree Hotels is a first-of-its-kind
in the Indian hospitality industry. The new mobile
website, revamped by the Internet Moguls, presently
has all the 25 operating Lemon Tree hotels across
15 cities of India on this platform.
Keys Hotels launches its16th property @Jaipur
K
eys Hotels, a leading chain of business hotels, recently
launched its 16th property — Keys Hotels Marigold at
Jaipur. With this, Berggruen Hotels, which operates in India
under the brand name of Keys Hotels and Keys Resorts,
promises their guests a unique experience at its hotel. The hotel
is based on management business format. Keys Hotels Marigold
is located at Sitapura industrial area, the future business hub
of Jaipur is spread over an area of 2000 square meter and its
interiors depict a perfect harmony of traditional and modern
décor. There are 70 spacious rooms and 5 suites, each equipped
with modern amenities and well appointed work desks to suit
the needs of contemporary travellers.
49
Appointment
Welcome Aboard
Aloft Bengaluru Cessna
Business Park
T
he Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park
has announced the appointment of Faiz
Alam Ansari as General Manager of the hotel.
He has been associated with Starwood Hotels
& Resorts since October 2006 and has over 20
years of experience with leading hospitality
brands. He has established his position in
the industry as an innovative manager in the
hospitality space. Faiz is driven by a quest for
excellence and this has been his signature in
each of his assignments. Faiz’s proficiency
lies in Innovation, people management,
creative out of the box thinking, providing
easy solutions and detailed planning.
JW Marriott Mumbai
S
tephanie D’Silva is the newly appointed
Director of Sales and Marketing at JW
Marriott Mumbai. She has a career span of 12
years in the hospitality industry. At JW Marriott
Mumbai, she will be in charge of organising
and directing all sales and marketing efforts to
achieve objectives and operational goals for the
property. Enhancing talent in the team, member of
the executive committee, fostering a co-operative
work environment and upholding the Marriott
culture through consistent involvement with
all the aspects of the hotel are among the many
activities that Stephanie has been entrusted with.
As an individual, she is self-motivated, aggressive
and highly passionate about her work.
Marasa Sarovar Premiere,
Tirupati
S
arovar Hotels, the fastest growing hotel
management company in India,has
announced the appointment of Rishu Roshan, as
General Manager of Marasa Sarovar Premiere,
Tirupati. The hotel is scheduled for launch in
October 2014. With over 14 years of experience
from around the world, Rishu joins Sarovar
with expertise in operations, food & beverage
operations, personnel management and much
more. Prior to joining Sarovar Hotels, Rishu
was the Operations Manager at The Holiday
Inn, UK. He has also worked with Heathrow
Windsor Marriott International in London,
Oxford Thames Four Pillars in Oxford and The
Park, New Delhi.
The Leela Palace Udaipur
T
he Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts
announced the appointment of Abhishek
Sahai as General Manager of The Leela Palace
Udaipur, a modern palace inspired by the
magic and grandeur of Udaipur’s royal past.
He brings with him over 14 years of experience
in core hotel operations and has worked at
senior positions at The Oberoi and The Leela.
Prior to joining The Leela Palace Udaipur,
Abhishek was Rooms Division Manager at
The Leela Mumbai. In his new role,
Abhishek will manage the award-winning
Leela Palace Udaipur which has been named
one of the ‘World’s Top Resorts’ and ‘The Most
Exclusive Retreat’ on Earth by Robb Report
USA in 2012.
Courtyard by Marriott Pune
P
ushkaraj Mungale has been appointed as
the new Director of Sales at the Courtyard
by Marriott Pune City Centre. With over
13 years of experience in the hospitality
industry, Pushkaraj has worked with some
of the country’s most prominent hospitality
brands. In his capacity as the Director of Sales
for the city centre business hotel, Pushkaraj
is responsible for the overall strategic
planning of the sales department. He will
lead the sales team in increasing overall
market share of the hotel, establishing
and
maintaining
client
relations,
identifying avenues for growth and mentoring
his team.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
S
tarwood Hotels & Resorts recently
announced that Thomas B. Mangas has
been named Executive Vice President, Chief
Financial Officer. Mangas will be a member of
Starwood’s Senior Leadership Team and report to
President and Chief Executive Officer Frits van
Paasschen. In his most recent role at P&G,
Mangas oversaw finance and accounting for
the company’s Global Beauty and Grooming
business with responsibility for six of P&G’s
businesses units and a global team of over 1,300
people. He led strategic planning and analysis,
resource prioritization, cost management, and
acquisitions. In addition to his significant
consumer brand experience, Mangas worked in
many global markets.
Appointment
JW Marriott Mussoorie
C
handrashekhar
Joshi
has
been
appointed as the General Manager
of the 115 room JW Marriott Mussoorie
Walnut Grove Resort and Spa that is
slated to open in October 2014. In the
subsequent 10 years with Marriott;
he gained a varied hotel experience
with exposure in operation and Sales
and Marketing. In 2007 he decided to
switch to the exciting world of sales
and marketing as Sales Centre Manager
at Renaissance Mumbai and grew as
Associate Director of Sales there and
was later promoted as the Director of
Sales at JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai.
His results in this profile ensured
that the hotel continued to be a
favourite of the glitterati of Mumbai and
a favoured destination for the corporate
traveller.
Carlson Rezidor
C
arlson Rezidor Hotel Group has
announced
the
appointment
of
Andreas Flaig as Executive Vice President,
Development, Asia Pacific. In his new role,
Andreas will be responsible for driving
the development strategies for Carlson
Rezidor in Asia Pacific to further grow its
hotel portfolio and enhance its presence in
this region. He will oversee the regional
teams based in Singapore, China, India
and Indonesia securing new management
contracts as well as franchise and conversion
opportunities. Andreas has been in the
hospitality industry for more than 20 years,
of which 16 years were in Asia.
Hilton Jaipur and
DoubleTree by Hilton Agra
W
ith almost two decades of experience in
Operations and Sales within the hospitality
industry, Pramod Dahiya is Director of Sales for the
recently-opened Hilton Jaipur and DoubleTree by
Hilton Agra, scheduled to open in Q4 2014. In this
role, Pramod oversees Sales for both hotels with an
endeavour to position the two upscale properties as
the preferred choice of leisure and business travellers.
Pramod joined Hilton Worldwide in 2010 as part of
the Sales team responsible for the leisure segment
overseeing domestic and international markets for hotels
in the India portfolio. In 2014, Pramod was assigned
charge of Hilton Jaipur and later assume additional
responsibility of DoubleTree by Hilton Agra.
Grand Mercure Bangalore
G
rand
Mercure
Bangalore
announces
their
appointment
of Gaurav Shiva as the General
Manager of the Hotel. Gaurav has over 17
years of experience in the hotel industry
and has been associated with a wide
gamut
of
departments
within
the
hospitality space. He has been associated
with the pre-opening of the Grand
Mercure
hotels
in
Goa
and
Bangalore. Gaurav comes with an
illustrious background having worked
in Europe, America and Asia. During
his previous appointments he developed
and implemented procedures ensuring
standards
and
high
commitment
to quality. ‘Passion for profession’
is a core value he lives up to every single
day.
Shervani Hospitalities
S
hervani Hospitalities, a chain of Hotels, Resorts
& Restaurants in Uttrakhand and Delhi,
recently announced the appointment of Manoj
Mathpal as the new General Manager-Sales &
Marketing. Mathpal comes with an experience of 10
years in the travel and hospitality industry. Armed
with Bachelor in Commerce from DSB Campus,
Nainital and Hotel Management from YMCA New
Delhi degrees, he was serving as Deputy General
Manager- Sales & Marketing at Country Inn Hotels
and Resorts prior to joining Shervani Hospitalities.
He started his career with Alpcord Network, after
which he worked with Yatra.com, SITA Travels
(Kuoni Destination Management) and Indian
Vacation and Conferences.
Novotel Kolkata Hotel and
Residences
N
ovotel Kolkata Hotel and Residences
has appointed Jai Kishan as the
General Manager. Jai is a well-rounded
hotelier with more than 17 years of work
experience in Hospitality Industry spanning
India, Switzerland, Taiwan, Singapore and
Australia. Prior to joining the Accor Group
Jai was at The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata as the
Executive Assistant Manager. Because of
his dynamic personality, management skills,
positive attitude and language proficiency, he
is highly regarded in heading multi-cultural
teams.
51
New Members
New Members
HOTEL CATEGORY
1.Ginger Rail Yatri Niwas
IRCTC
Bhav Bhuji Marg, Ajmeri Gate
New Delhi Railway Station
New Delhi
2.
The Gateway Resort
Damdama Lake
PO. Damdama
Off Sohna -Gurgaon Highway
Gurgaon
3.
Hamilton Hotel P Ltd
S-153
Panchsheel Park
New Delhi
4.
Hotel Apple Inn
Shree Govind Kripa Infrastructure
P. Ltd
E-7, 36 Nirman Nagar
DCM Ajmer Road
Jaipur
5.
Chandra Mahal Haveli
Wellmont Realty P. Ltd
Pharsar, Jaipur - Agra Road
Nadbal
Bharatpur
6.
Suryauday Haveli
An Amritara Resort
Anantara Hotels & Resorts P. Ltd
B -4/25, Nepali Khoti
Shivala Ghat
Varanasi
7.
Royal Residency Hotel
Annapoorna Luxury &
Automation P. Ltd,
M.P. Buliding, Golghar
Gorakhpur
8.
9.
10.
Golden Tulip BDI Club & Suites
BDI Sunshine City,
Alwar By Pass
Bhiwadi
21.
Hotel Sewa Grand
12/4, DM Road
Sector 36
Faridabad
11.
Hotel Sobti Continental
Quick Designers & Builders P.Ltd
Greenpark Bisalpur Road
Bareilly
22.
Golden Tulip The Galgotias
Galgotias Hotels & Resorts P.Ltd
SCO -4, Sector 23 A
Palam Vihar Road
Guragon
12.
Hotel Sobti Continental
Quick Designers & Builders P.Ltd
Near Rudrapur Railway Station
Kashipur Road
Rudrapur
23.
24.
Raas Jodhpur
Tunwarji Ka Jhalara
Makrana Mohalla
Jodhpur
13. Ambica Palace
A1/300, Safdarjung Enclave
New Delhi
14. Hotel Hirohama
Kolila Sanga, Neemrana
Alwar
15. Hotel Ganga Azure
E-58, Greater Kailash I
New Delhi
16.
Kasauli Exotica
02 km before
Kasauli Bus Stand
Kasauli
17.
Hotel Maharaja Palace
Bazar No-1,
Ramganj Mandi
Kota
18.
Hotel Amar Palace
Near Aggersain Chowk
Old Tressury Road
Ambala City
Leisure Inn Grand Chanakya
4-A-B, Kashi Bhawan,
Panch Batti, M.I. Road
Jaipur
19.
The Hadoti Palace
C/o- Badnore Hotels &
Promoters P. Ltd,
Near Ranjit Talkies, Kota Road Bundi
Hotel Royal Orchid
Opp. To BSNL Office
Tonk Road, Durgapura
Jaipur
20.
Chokhi Dhani - The Palace Hotel
Chokhi Dhani Resorts P. Ltd
Plot No. 4/5, Barmer Road
Jaisalmer
Aloha on The Ganges
Tapovan, Rishikesh
25. Nidhivan Hotels & Resorts
Khasra No. 797, Gopal Garh
Tehra Road,
Near Kanha Makhan School
Vrindavan
26.
JW Marriott Mussoorie
Village - Siya
Kempty Fall Road
Tehri Garwal
Mussoorie
27.
Hyatt Regency
Plot No 4, Ferozpur Road,
National Highway - 95
Ludhiana
28.
Hotel Umed Grand
SCS 51 & 52, Chottii Baradari, Part II, Garha Road
Jalandhar
New Members
RESTAURANT CATEGORY
1.
Panchavati Gaurav
Cockbrand Sinner BIDIS
Shop No. 21 DLF Cyber Hub
Cyber city Building No.8
DLF Phase 3
Gurgaon
2.
Moti Mahal Grand
M/s Spice & Ice
Moti Mahal Grand,
GK Plaza, Siali Road
Opp. HDFC Bank
Pathankot
3.
Indi-Que
HIM Restaurants P. Ltd
23/16, Main Market
East Patel Nagar
New Delhi
4.
Nirula’s Restaurant
19, Community Centre
East of Kailash
New Delhi
5.
Underdoggs Sports Bar
T-314, 3rd Floor
Ambience Mall
Vasant Kunj
New Delhi
6.
M/s Brindavan
1-A, 1st Floor, Sapru Marg
Lucknow
7.
Pratap’s Chandni Chowk
Mall Road
Tallital,
Nainital
8.
9.
ADDITIONAL CATEGORY
10.
The Wine Connection
Shop No- 22 & 23
DLF Cyber Hub
Gurgaon
11.
Viking Restaurant
A Unit of Jovial
Entertainment P. Ltd
3rd Floor, The Lake City Mall
Plot No.1, Ashok Nagar
Main Road, Udaipur
12.
Veda
A Unit of Gateway
Hospitality P. Ltd
307, DLF Promenade
Vasant Kunj
New Delhi
13.
Moti Mahal Delux Tandoori Trail
South Asian Hospitality Services P. Ltd,
101, Surya Kiran Blding,
KG Marg, New Delhi
14.
Shiv Sagar
A Unit of M/s Eatbud Food P. Ltd
52, Janpath(Ground Floor)
New Delhi
15. Maquina - Tex Mex Dive Bar
GM Hospitality P. Ltd
30 –A, Ground Floor, Hauz Khas Village
New Delhi
16.
Haldiram
Haldiram Product P. Ltd
D- Mall, Commercial Complex
Plot No.18/5, Twin District Centre 10
Rohini, Delhi
The Golden Dragon
Unit no. 2 & 3, Tower A
Spaze Mall, Sector 47
Gurgaon
17.
Haldiram
Haldiram Product P. Ltd
Pacific Mall, Level 3
Next to Cinemax Entrance
Subhash Nagar, Delhi
Dramz Whisky Bar & Lounge
1580, KD Marg
Qutab Road, Mehrauli
New Delhi
18.
Ware House Café
D-19 & 20, 1st Floor
Connaught Place
New Delhi
1.
Apple Inn Restaurant
C/o- Hotel Apple Inn
Shree Govind Kripa
Infrastructure P. Ltd
E-7, 36 Nirman Nagar
DCM Ajmer Road
Jaipur
2.
Buzz
The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake
PO. Damdama
Off Sohna -Gurgaon Highway
Gurgaon
3.
Hills Edge
C/o- Hotel Marina
The Mall, Shimla
4.
Bricklane
C/O- Express Sarovar Portico
Sec- 39, Surajkund, Faridabad
5.
Café Pacific
C/O- Hotel Sewa Grand
12/4, DM Road, Sector -36
Faridabad
6.
Skylit
C/o- Citrus Hotel
285-286, Sec-29, Gurgaon
7.
JW Café
C/o- JW Marriott
Village - Siya
Kempty Fall Road
Tehri Garwal, Mussoorie
Summary Report
Hotel Membership
Restaurant Membership
Associate Membership
Additional Category
Total Membership
28
18
0
7
32
53
Horoscope
Forecast March 2015
ARIES (March 21 to April 20)
You may lack confidence and may not get full credit for your hard work. Tension about career will kind of disappear and you will receive full support from your
new boss. You may need new pair of glasses or need to have eyesight tested for first time. Think twice and read completely before you sign any important document.
Money will be spent on an upcoming trip.
TAURUS (April 21 to May 20)
Pressure at work will increase and new associates will be less cooperative. You will still have a big chance to prove your intelligence in front of new people who
soon may make an interesting offer. Some of you may start a business loan process too. Just have confidence and do not be shaky. You may have to take a trip on a
very short notice.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20)
If you become double minded and ignore the past experience, others will again use you. Business will keep growing from now on and you may be offered another
deal by a totally new group. Try to cut down on nicotine and caffeine for some time. Someone from different race will create lots of distraction in mind. You will
soon have a visitor in the house.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22)
You may finally make up your mind to get out of the tricky relationship and start focusing on real issues. Strong planets will help you achieve your goals easily.
You may receive some valuable gifts from in laws too. Financial pressure will suddenly disappear and you will be on the right track. Value of your stocks and other
assets will appreciate.
LEO (July 23 to August 22)
Stress level will come down quickly and you will be relaxed after finishing the project. Planets assure success in career from now on. Meetings will go very well
and you will be given the hint. Spouse may not feel too good and need over the counter medication and a small break. Someone from past will try to come back in
your life, be careful.
VIRGO (August 23 to September 22)
You need to spend more time and energy to turn your brilliant idea into a lucrative business. Legal matters may come to a favourable end. You may be getting
ready for an upcoming overseas trip also. Spouse will need strong medication to cure the problem. Money will come but will be difficult to save for more than few
weeks.
LIBRA (September 23 to October 22)
Face issues head on, if you want them to get resolved quickly. You will be working in a tough atmosphere and against heavy odds. Patience and favourable planets
will take you closer to your ultimate goals. Money on hold will finally show up in the account. People in business will spend more on advertising. You will miss
someone badly.
SCORPIO (October 23 to November 22)
Move could take final shape as the application will get approved. There will be an improvement on financial front but at a slow speed. This month will bring you
closer to few very ambitious people who could be helpful in future. Enemies will leave you alone from now. You will spend some time on phone to straighten some
wrong or excess billing.
SAGITTARIUS (November 23 to December 22)
You may have to work harder to stay ahead of the competition. Just ignore the critics and stick to your plans. You will have the chance to make quick
money through stocks and bonds. Try your hand in lottery this month. You will be unhappy with the comments made by a close relative. You will be working
on a short trip too.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19)
You will be amazed to see how things can change if you are honest and offer something different. People involved in research and development
work will see the breakthrough. A loan application pending for quite some time will also go through. You will need to maintain a tough stand if you want to
teach others a lesson.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18)
You will become more health conscious and may even join a health club. Presence of Venus in the fourth will make you far sighted and you will be looking for long
term benefits in everything. You will get several new contracts this month. Some of you may develop taste for red meat also. You will spend time with successful
people and learn something from them.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
Hold your emotions when someone changes plans in midstream. Once you realise what is truly important, you will adjust quickly. Some of you will be working hard
for an upcoming interview and fill up a thick application form. People in business will be happy to see reduced competition. You will take time out for entertainment
with the family.
Xyz
55
Xyz

New Members - Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India

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