GM Speak

‘BIAL will push Bangalore room rates higher’

Even as hotel rates in Bangalore are touching an all-time high, Jagmohan Misra, general manager and senior vice president (South) at The Grand Ashok, a unit of Bharat Hotels, talks to Priya Krishnaswamy about how the new international airport in Devanahalli that is now preparing for a launch will only add aggravate the pricing war.

Jagmohan Misra GM & Senior VP (South) The Grand Ashok Bangalore

Frantic business travel has made room rates in Bangalore among the highest in the world today.

Conceived at around the same time when Bangalore was emerging as an IT destination in 1991, the Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) project that has weathered many a storm, seems to now be a ready reckoner to solve some serious crunches that the city has been facing.

Jagmohan Misra, general manager and senior vice president (South) at The Grand Ashok, says, "The demand has obviously pushed all major hotels back to the drawing boards. The Leela, Taj, Oberoi - all are planning to invest in properties closer to Devanahalli. We at the Bharat group are also planning to add to our room inventory."

He believes that Bangalore rules the domestic hospitality market attracting almost 51 per cent of foreign business travellers, as against 31 per cent visiting Mumbai and 26 per cent visiting Delhi. "Once the airport is operational, it will put Bangalore truly in the global league and change the economy in more ways than one. The policies made by the government to liberalise air traffic has encouraged a number of international airlines to fly into Bangalore, and new airlines to fly in the domestic sector."

The BIAL is predicted to bring in 11 million passengers per year to become the third busiest airport in the country. It will see 10 domestic and 14 international flights taking to the skies almost every hour. Misra adds, "The people coming in would be business travellers looking for world-class hotel rooms, global cuisine options and the best of MICE facilities. IT majors are already adding new blocks near the flying city with eight million square feet of office space under construction. This hectic pace is most encouraging for the already-booming hospitality industry in India."

After nearly 15 years, the project is plodding on amidst political hiccups, government clearances, a heady rate of growth in IT, BPO and biotech sectors. “The launch of BIAL will send out positive signals to the international business community. Bangalore would then have really and truly arrived," says Misra.