Upfront

Leela joins Global Hotel Alliance

The Leela Palace and Resorts has signed a five-year membership agreement with the largest hotel alliance of the world, the Global Hotel Alliance, an international grouping of independent and individual hotel brands. It is the only Indian hotel group to join the alliance, and will shortly open a Global Hotel Alliance office in its Mumbai premises.

Following the agreement, the Leela Group will get marketing and sales support from Global Hotel Alliance members such as Kempinski Hotels (Europe), Omni Hotels (North America), Pan Pacific Hotels & Resorts (Japan), Rydges (Australia), Dusit Hotels & Resorts (Thailand), Landis Hotels & Resorts (Taiwan) and Marco Polo Hotels (China & Hong Kong).

Hotel Leela Venture chairman, CP Krishnan Nair, said that the Global Hotel Alliance would give the Leela an edge in marketing and sales as the group will assist other members in bookings in India and vice versa. Moreover, travellers can avail guest recognition programmes launched by members of alliance hotels.

Recently, the Global Hotel Alliance merged the Asian Hotels Alliance to become the world's largest hotel tie-up by adding three chains. This alliance now consists of nearly 200 upscale and luxury hotels and resorts, spread over 40 countries.

The Leela group operates four hotels in India, of which three have a management alliance with Kempinski. It is expanding its portfolio and will run more than 10 hotels in India in the next two years. The current portfolio of the Leela Group includes properties in Bangalore, Mumbai, Goa and Kovalam Beach (Kerala), with hotels under construction in Chennai, New Delhi, Udaipur, Pune and Hyderabad.