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Oriental luxury
A perfect balance of tradition and modernity, the Mandarin
Oriental Hotel Group has set its sights on India for development, says Andrew
Hirst, its operations director (Asia). By Neeti Mehra
Andrew Hirst
Operations director (Asia)
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group |
With a general development strategy to be present in key cities
and resort destinations worldwide, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group sees opportunities
in India's luxury hospitality market. Says Andrew Hirst, "The inbound and
outbound numbers speak for themselves. We see further room for growth at the
luxury end of the market in line with the growth of the travel and tourism industry
in India."
Overall, the company expects a slowdown in development in
the short term, particularly in the US, due to the current economic situation.
However, he adds, "The long term trends on which our business is based
remain firmly in place."
Focus India
While the group has robust representation here with regards to sales and marketing,
the company has yet to establish a brand presence. With a focus on tradition,
quality and innovation, the company is scouting for opportunities with a set
objective of selecting the right project in the right location, with the right
sponsors.
Hotels are encouraged to develop their own personality with
a distinctive sense of place, thereby reflecting the best of their city or country,
he says, and those very principles will be applied to India too when the opportunity
arises.
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is owner and operator
of some of the world's most prestigious hotels and resorts. Mandarin Oriental
now operates, or has under development, over 10,000 rooms in 23 countries
with 16 hotels in Asia, 14 in The Americas and nine in Europe and North
Africa. The portfolio includes the flagship Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
and The Oriental, Bangkok. Other deluxe hotels are located in prime
destinations worldwide, from London and New York, to San Francisco and Singapore.
The company's aim is to be widely recognised as the best luxury hotel group
in the world. |
Hirst believes...
The luxury market traditionally has been the hotbed of innovation and personalisation.
Says Hirst of Mandarin Oriental's efforts in this regard, "We aim to be
leaders in our field in offering delightful experiences for our guests."
A case in point is the shift of spas to the core of the luxury experience, reflected
with the group's award-winning holistic spas and wellness centres.
The luxury experience revolves around the customer and requires constant evaluation
of the needs of a guest. Customer-centric technology, exceptional dining experiences,
bespoke amenities and services are the hallmark of the brand's experience. Emphasises
Hirst, "No luxury hotel company can afford to rest on its laurels. Since
consumers continually re-evaluate their expectations of luxury brands, so a
hotel must continuously push the barriers of what constitutes luxury, providing
guests with ever-increasing options to enhance each and every aspect of their
stay."
Also appealing to the affluent traveller are residences attached to the hotel
to which the guests have priority access. Unique marketing programmes too add
in differentiating a luxury brand from another. In this case, Mandarin Oriental's
international advertising campaign, where the brand makes a contribution to
the chosen charity of its 19 celebrity 'fans'. "These are all areas that
are important to our guests, and ones where we invest a lot of time and money,"
emphasises Hirst.
In conclusion he says, "It is important for all of our hotels to establish
a distinct sense of place and to underpin the facilities they offer with our
service ethic which began in our Asian heartland."
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