Session

New kids on the block

With the economy on an upswing, the second generation of hotel companies entering India are expected to have it simpler than their predecessors. So what do these hoteliers bring to this culturally-vast nation? Nikhil Nath, CEO, Knowcross Solutions, introduced the session bringing in the second movers of the Indian hospitality industry.

Introducing Fairmont Raffles brand, James A Kaplan discusses the group's plan in India. The plan is to introduce the Swissotel brand in India with around 20 of these properties and then eventually introduce eight to ten Fairmont hotels and four to five Raffles Hotels. As to whether the choice of entering India late was right or not, Kaplan said it was all about prioritising, considering India had just opened its doors to new investments.

Introducing Movenpick, which is still a young brand but recognised everywhere not just for its ice cream but also for its hotels, Malcolm Kerr said that the company's focus as far as India was concerned will remain on maintaining the quality of experience provided. "We are looking only at management contracts with high quality developers in prime city locations, which are easily accessible by domestic and international travellers," he said. One such opportunity is the mixed-use development project, believes Kerr.

Michael Sagild described the journey of the seven-year old Minor International which brings Anantara to India soon and is looking to develop individual front-end spas for hotel operators. This, beside its plan to launch eight Anantara by 2013. Paul Pisani spoke about his great passion for hotels, which has led the company to look at the Middle East and India. He describes his company thus, ‘a new fresh brand which is growing in reputation.’

What makes Corinthia stand out, he further added, is the fact that it provides much more than just management of the property. It goes beyond to offer technical support and other such value additions. The group has already decided for 13 properties out of which 12 are already under construction. Sonu Shivdasani discussed how his motto of eco-friendly and sustainability can be and should be adapted. This also involves recruiting local staff even for front house operations. "Twenty-first century travellers looks for freshness with recreation at the destination to give them a fulfilling and enriching experience," he said.

Vimal Singh introduced the multi-brand group Golden Tulip, which has one operational hotel in Jaipur while other eight properties are in various phases of development. Singh too agrees that India has taken a priority globally. Shivdasani added that India will be a crucial area to mark one's presence if it is able to maintain a standardised rate of growth. "India is a formidable platform to reach out to the global focus," said Sagild.

On questioning whether the companies the panelists represented might be at a disadvantage due to being second mover, the panellists said it was not so. Kaplan said that the company had caught the interest of quite a few real estate developers. He credits this to the property's popularity in Singapore and the newly developed Dubai property creating an aspiration value for a Raffles Hotel. Fairmont and Swissotel are brands less known but have piqued interest nonetheless and have been performing well, Kerr claimed.

So what makes each of these properties unique? According to Shivdasani, all are successful companies with high-end clientele and providing a unique experience. Continuing on the same note, Pisani added that a fresh face and a brand which is growing to be the top three or four hospitality groups and a company which believes in quality and not quantity defines Corinthia. Concluding the session, Kaplan added that it was important to have various brands that would fill the gap in different segments.