Le Meridien Kochi opens fast dining restaurant, Car-Go Bites

At a time when the pandemic has limited the gastronauts’ food expeditions, Le Meridien Kochi has now come up with a quick and easy dining option. It has opened Car-Go Bites, a fast casual dining restaurant which serves international and India inspired food for Kochites those who want a casual, al-fresco, no-fuss dining experience and also for the long-distance highway road commuters.

Car-Go Bites offers serves food and beverage three ways, grab-and-go for the ones on the go, in-car dining and at the table, following all social distancing, hygiene & safety norms. For those who wish to make the evenings special with food, music and some camaraderie in the safe confines of their cars, the newly opened restaurant would be an ideal choice.

Car-Go Bites will be open from 4 pm to 11 pm from Sunday to Thursday. Fridays and Saturdays would be more special with live music and the place will remain open till midnight.

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Mandarin Oriental to debut in Saudi Arabia next year

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has signed a management agreement with Al Khozama Company to handle operations of the Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh. Once rebranded and renovated, it will be the group’s first hotel in the Kingdom.

The group will take over management in Q1 2021 but will not reflag to Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh until the end of that year when refurbishments to guest rooms and public areas are complete.

“The Al Faisaliah Hotel has been a leading light in Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector since opening its doors 20 years ago. We are pleased to be partnering with Mandarin Oriental to further develop the hotel and to create the most luxurious and sophisticated property in the region,” said Khalid Abuhaimed, CEO of Al Khozama.

“We are delighted to further strengthen Mandarin Oriental’s presence in the Middle East by introducing the brand to Saudi Arabia and bringing the Group’s legendary service to Riyadh,” said James Riley, group chief executive of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. “We look forward to collaborating with the Al Khozama Company in transforming the hotel into the city’s most exclusive luxury property,” he added.

The hotel features 321 keys, with the new interiors being done by New York’s Adam Tihany Design. Once finished, the hotel will have ‘refreshed’ restaurants, lounge and bars, including a top floor venue giving views of the capital.

Mandarin Oriental has a compact presence in the Middle East, with the Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah Dubai and Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. Both of which only came into the MO portfolio last year.

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Dubai hotel occupancy higher than Paris and London

The emirate of Dubai ranks second globally in terms of hotel occupancy right now, behind only Singapore and ahead of both London and Paris.

That is according to The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing’s (DTCM) Director-General Helal Saeed Almarri, citing figures from analytics firm STR.

Almarri was speaking to more than 600 people from across hospitality, travel and leisure in DCTM's first physical stakeholder meeting since the start of the pandemic. Speaking at an outdoor venue at Dubai’s Fitness Village, the tourism head explained how Dubai had seen occupancy rates of 51 percent this September and is more than capable of alluring additional visitors this year.

He briefed partners on various achievements this year which have made Dubai so resilient, including the recent UAE-UK air bridge, the resumption of international tourism in July 9 and the emirate’s range of health and safety measures.

Additionally, he discussed initiatives such as ‘Retire in Dubai’, which is aimed at bringing in new working professionals into Dubai and thus benefitting the tourism sector greatly.

Carried by state news agency WAM, he explained, "We are grateful to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, for his visionary leadership and guidance that has enabled us to efficiently tide over the challenges posed by the pandemic and inspired us to develop innovative initiatives to further enhance our competitiveness as a destination. Dubai’s proactive approach and exceptional cross functional management of the situation, has put us in a first mover position to reopen to global markets as and when they reciprocally open, allowing the city to be ahead of the curve.

"We are greatly encouraged by the pace of the industry’s recovery since the city opened its doors to international tourists almost five months ago. The steady influx of travellers indicates that we are on the right track. We hope to perform even better before the year draws to a close, accelerating momentum as we move towards the full reopening of the sector. This critical period has highlighted the resilience of our ecosystem, especially the hotel industry, which took the lead in reviving domestic tourism and creating a positive perception of the industry."

Helal Almarri added, "A diversified multi-geographic strategy that allows us to react quickly to market changes across source markets combined with the strong economic relief programme put in place by the local and federal governments, as well as the support of our stakeholders have helped the destination remain highly competitive in spite of global challenges. Our constant dialogue with stakeholders and partners, especially in these tough times, allows us to keep them abreast of the latest domestic and global developments. This provides them an opportunity to be aligned with new industry initiatives and take advantage of diverse campaigns and efforts being made to ensure Dubai stays at the forefront of the world’s safest destinations."

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WTTC hosts first virtual AGM with 120 members and WTTC ambassadors

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global travel and tourism private sector, hosted its first ever virtual AGM, attended by more than 120 CEOs from across the globe, to discuss the progress made so far, the challenges our sector has faced through this pandemic, and the importance of international collaboration.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has devasted the global Travel & Tourism sector, WTTC has been at the forefront of leading the private sector in the efforts to rebuild global consumer confidence, and the drive to rebuild international travel.

In its first ever virtual AGM, the meeting was chaired by Chris Nassetta, president & CEO of Hilton and WTTC chair, and saw contributions from members around the world and WTTC’s vice chairs including: Gary Chapman, president group services & dnata, Emirates Group; Jeffrey C Rutledge, chief executive officer, AIG Travel; Jerry Noonan, co-founder, Global Hospitality & Leisure Practice, Spencer Stuart and Darrell Wade, co-founder and chairman, Intrepid Group.

The regional vice chairs who were also in attendance included: Jane Sun chief executive officer of Trip.com; Desirée Bollier chair and chief merchant, Value Retail; Manfredi Lefebvre, chairman, Silversea Cruises; Arnold Donald, president & CEO, Carnival Corp; Alex Zozaya, executive chairman, Apple Leisure Group; and Hiromi Tagawa, Executive Advisor, JTB Corp.

The meeting was also attended by WTTC ambassadors, Taleb Rifai, WTTC global ambassador; chairman of International Advisory Board of International Institute for Peace through Tourism and former UNWTO Secretary-General; Michel Taride, WTTC ambassador EU, strategic advisor, former group president Hertz International and chair of the GTTP Advisory Board; Michael Frenzel, WTTC ambassador EU and president of Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry; and Peter Greenberg, WTTC ambassador US and CBS News travel editor.

Major 2020 initiatives presented to attendees included WTTC’s ground-breaking 100 million Jobs Recovery Plan, which was presented to and welcomed by the G20 during an historic meeting between G20 Tourism Ministers, and more than 45 CEOs and Members of WTTC in October, under Saudi Arabia’s leadership.

Furthermore, in its ‘G20 Declaration’ announced last week, the Heads of State said they would continue their efforts in collaborating with stakeholders, including the private sector, to facilitate the Travel & Tourism sector’s recovery from the pandemic.

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Accor to merge with Ennismore to create hospitality’s ‘leading lifestyle operator'

The owner operator of The Hoxton and Gleneagles is to enter into a merger with Accor in a bid to create the ‘world’s leading lifestyle operator in the hospitality sector’.

Ennismore and Accor have entered into ‘exclusive negotiations’ to become a combined entity that will comprise 12 brands, with 73 hotels in operation and a pipeline of more than 110 hotels and another c.70 hotels under ‘active discussion’.

The brands include The Hoxton, Gleneagles, Delano, SLS, Mondrian, SO/, Hyde, Mama Shelter, 25hours, 21c Museum Hotels, TRIBE, JO&JOE and Working From_.

The new entity will be headquartered in London and will take the name Ennismore.

Sharan Pasricha, founder and CEO of Ennismore and Gaurav Bhushan, CEO of the Accor Lifestyle division will become co-CEOs.

Accor will be the majority shareholder of the new entity, with Sharan Pasricha holding a substantial minority position, with the deal expected to be completed in the ‘first semester’ of 2021.

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Punjab’s QSR brand enters Delhi, aims to double its portfolio by next year

Uncle Jack's, with eight operational outlets in Punjab has set its foot in Delhi with the launch of its first outlet in the capital. Launched in 2016, the QSR brand masters in American food. “Delhi is a melting pot of flavours and cuisines. The city has something for every foodie. The food culture is so robust in the city and we have been hoping to join the fun for a long time,” Ankush Arora, Founder & MD, Uncle Jack’s - an all American creamery said.

At present, the QSR brand has two additional locations that are underway, one in West Delhi and the other in Connaught Place and is also targeting to double the number of outlets in the country by next year.
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Sarovar Hotels expands footprint in Gujarat with the signing of Sarovar Portico, Sasan Gir

Sarovar Portico, Sasan Gir is the latest addition to Sarovar Hotels and Resorts’ portfolio in the state of Gujarat. Sarovar Hotels are already operating hotels in Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Gandhidham, Junagadh, Rajkot and Somnath. Sarovar Portico, Sasan Gir will complement Sarovar’s existing leisure portfolio in Kerala, Goa, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Agra.

Sasan Gir well-known as Gir National park is a nature lover’s paradise and synonymous to the majestic Asiatic lion situated close to Talala Gir. A part of the erstwhile state of Junagadh, the region has maintained a fine balance of traditional forest life, ecotourism and modernity.

Sarovar Portico, Sasan Gir, upon completion will feature 56 deluxe and studio rooms offering spectacular views of unspoiled nature and rich uninterrupted jungle life. Guests can take delight in the extensive menu at the restaurant that offers local and global cuisine. The hotel also offers sizeable banqueting and conferencing facilities.

To reinforce that feeling of relaxation, Sarovar Portico offers an exclusive Spa facility with trained therapists to delight guests with a wide variety of treatments. For fitness enthusiast, there is gym and a badminton court. In addition, the hotel has a well-equipped activity center for Children, Swimming Pool and extensive lawns.

Sarovar Portico is just 3 km away from both Sasan Gir train station and the Sasan Gir Museum. Among the abundant of tourist attractions, travellers can explore world- renowned Gir National Park; Devalia Safari Park; Siddi Dhamal, a tribal community of Gir; Somnath Teemple; Diu; Jamjit Waterfall and Kamleswar Dam.

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Accor introduces Vivaah at Novotel

Novotel has introduced Vivaah at Novotel. Leveraging its 20 properties across 15 gateway cities across India. With Vivaah at Novotel, guests get to select a host hotel in any city as their wedding venue.

Puneet Dhawan, Senior VP Operations, Accor India and South Asia said, “We are fuelling our resources with digital innovations and entering into this new segment of virtual weddings to make our guest’s day special in the current times. Novotel is one of our most popular brands in India with 20 properties across the nation. With ‘Vivaah at Novotel Hyderabad Airport’ we strive to fulfil all our guests’ needs and demands with our dynamic hospitality services.”

Rubin Cherian, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Airport said, “We understand emotions and expectations of our patrons from wedding celebrations ‘Vivaah at Novotel’ provides guests an opportunity to choose from a range of options and design their dream wedding. Bearing the current situation and the restriction on the number of people one can invite for the wedding, Novotel Hyderabad Airport has introduced personalized wedding packages. The wedding packages are carefully crafted and are completely holistic in nature. They cover all the aspects that are required to make a wedding a festive and resplendent affair. Our teams are working continuously to help and assist them to make these celebrations more joyous. With our ALLSAFE label’s strict safety and hygiene protocols, guests can be rest assured and enjoy their moment.”

The two distinctive features of this initiative are Dawat by Novotel and Shagun by Novotel for food and gift hampers respectively which are the two integral parts of any Indian wedding.

With Dawat by Novotel, the guests attending the virtual wedding based out of key cities with a Novotel property will have the same culinary experience delivered at their home, which is served at the host hotel. This way even if physically they are in different cities, they will be able to enjoy the same delicacies as served at the wedding. If a particular town other than the host city has a substantial number of guests, Novotel Hyderabad Airport also provides an option to book a banquet in that particular city, which will also project the wedding on a big screen. The same food and beverage services will be provided at the hotel, which are being served at the host property.

Another aspect of this initiative is Shagun by Novotel, through which Novotel hotels in different cities help guests in delivering selected gift hampers to their relatives and friends. Guests can choose these hampers from plethora of options starting from Royale priced at INR 4000, Luxe package at INR 3000, Prestige hamper at INR 2000 and Premium at INR 1000.

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Odisha ready to promote Eco Retreat in five unique locations: Minister of Tourism, Odisha

Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi, Minister of Tourism, Odia Language, Literature & Culture, Government of Odisha, said that Odisha is ready to promote Eco Retreat in five unique locations – Konark, Hirakud, Bhitarkanika, Daringbadi and Satkosia.

Aimed at the timely revival of the tourism and hospitality sector post-COVID-19, Odisha is extensively marketing its flagship campaigns, Odisha By Road complemented by the highly acclaimed Eco Retreat Odisha glamping festival, which is set to begin on 8 December 2020, upto 28 February 2021, he added.

Addressing the ‘Odisha Tourism Virtual Roadshow – 2020’ held for the Raipur, Bilaspur and Durg-Bhilai tourism fraternity, organized by Odisha Tourism and FICCI, Mr Panigrahi said that the Eco Retreats will offer tourists an opportunity to discover Odisha’s diverse tourism offerings, in style. “Chhattisgarh and Odisha are cultural siblings, with deep-rooted commonalities. Despite this, we have our own unique offerings to exhibit to explorers. Together, our states can make this region the most sought-after winter destination for Indians, looking forward to a getaway after reeling under the pandemic for eight months,” he said.

He further mentioned that to experience the true essence of Odisha, one must visit the state. “Odisha, under the leadership of the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Mr Naveen Patnaik ji, has transformed in the past 20 years,” said Mr Panigrahi. He also assured the full support of Odisha tourism for the revival of domestic tourism between the states.

Vishal Kumar Dev, Commissioner – cum – Secretary, Tourism Department and Sports and Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha said, “Odisha’s excellent road connectivity enables enjoyable road trips throughout the state. We have designed two exciting road itineraries starting from Chhattisgarh, including key destinations such as Hirakud and Debrigarh Sanctuary in one leg and Nrusinghnath and Satkosia Tiger Reserve in the other.”

Providing a glimpse of the upcoming Eco Retreat Odisha, Mr Dev said, “Eco Retreat Hirakud, Satkosia and Daringbadi are easily accessible by road, within 450 km. Worldclass amenities for camping in luxury tents are complemented by experiences ranging from jungle trails to water sports, camp-fires to boat rides, cycling tours to adrenaline pumping games, and lip smacking food. All this comes with Odisha’s stamp of tourist safety assurance, backed by its stellar record in COVID management. The synergised application of SOPs and technology for added safety will secure tourists’ experience at every Eco Retreat.”

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A pandemic won’t stop weddings

The events industry was one of the first industries which started facing strains when Covid-19 started spreading. Events were being cancelled, people were dropping out at the last minute as panic spread, leaving the organisers with little to do anything about it. The industry was trying to find ways to keep clients engaged and future projects coming during the lockdown, with ways like virtual workshops, seminars, conferences, and more.

The wedding industry, however, couldn’t survive solely through virtual events. Weddings needed to happen for organisers to survive. During the lockdown, people had desperately sought to get married at their own homes, with barely 10-20 people. No decorators, caterers, choreographers or anyone else were needed for these lockdown weddings. Now, after the series of unlocks and the cap being increased and decreased, the wedding industry still doesn’t have hopes from the upcoming wedding season.
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Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas Announces Five New General Manager Appointments

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas announced several executive appointments across its portfolio luxury of properties in Asia and North Africa.

Sarah Moya Joins Anantara Quy Nhon Villas as GM

Taking the helm at Anantara Quy Nhon Villas and sister property Avani Quy Nhon Resort, both in central Vietnam, is Sarah Moya, a well versed international hotelier with more than 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. Sarah’s career started in her native Philippines where she climbed the sales and marketing ladder to lead teams for Hyatt both in Manila and then on to Siem Reap in Cambodia.

Sarah’s journey continued at the Bill Bensley-designed Shinta Mani Luang Prabang hotel before joining Anantara in 2018 as General Manager of Anantara Angkor Resort in Cambodia. A passionate traveller with an affinity for mountainous regions, Moya considers her career an integral part of this passion. Among the finest beach resorts in Vietnam, surrounded by mountain on three sides and overlooking the Bay of Quy Nhon, Anantara Quy Nhon Villas offers beachfront basking and adventurous discoveries.

Pitak Norathepkitti is Appointed GM of Anantara Angkor Resort

Pitak “Chin” Norathepkitti, the Thai-born Master of Arts in Tourism alumnus and former university lecturer, joins Anantara Angkor Resort in Cambodia from Sofitel Luang Prabang and 3 Nagas Luang Prabang, Laos, where he rose through the ranks to become Cluster General Manager. Prior to moving to Anantara Angkor, Chin held various executive management positions in sales and business development at some of the most famous and storied luxury hotels in his hometown of Bangkok.

With a penchant for tourism education, Chin remains active as a part-time university lecturer and programme conductor. Anantara Angkor Resort is an all-suite hotel in Siem Reap, and the closest to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat. Appealing to discerning travellers with a passion for true discovery, Anantara Angkor offers boutique luxury and a gateway into the heart of the ancient Khmer Empire. 

Emanuel Grosch Newly Appointed GM of Anantara Lawana Samui Resort

Emanuel Grosch’s journey with Anantara began in 2019 as Resort Manager of Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort in the Thai capital, before travelling south to the island haven of Anantara Bophut Samui Resort. Nestled on the quieter north end of Koh Samui’s most famous beach, Emanuel’s new role at Anantara Lawana Samui Resort will utilise his strong operations background and understanding of revenue management.

An international hospitality professional with 15 years’ experience in upscale and luxury hotels and resorts, Emanuel brings with him polished skills and know-how from some of the finest properties around the globe. Having learned the ropes under Capella Group, Emanuel possesses an energetic leadership style that focuses on achieving results, as well as encouraging creativity and vibrant engagement in the workplace.

Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort Appoints Stephan Moonen as GM

Stephan Moonen will oversee the award-winning, flagship resort Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort in Sri Lanka in his appointment as General Manager. Stephan’s 15-year career commenced in food and beverage in his native country, the Netherlands, and has since seen him take on leadership roles for global brands in rooms and food & beverage, gaining experience in Europe, China and the Middle East.

Located on the country’s southern coastline, Stephan joins Anantara Tangalle after a 10-year journey with Marriott Hotels in the United Kingdom. Stephan's new appointment will help ensure the resort continues to provide travellers with extraordinary, authentic and indigenous experiences, allowing them to immerse in Sri Lanka’s rich culture, heritage and natural beauty.

Jesus Juan Arnedo Welcomed as GM at Anantara Tozeur Sahara Resort & Villas

With an extensive international career spanning almost 30 years, Jesus Juan Arnedo boasts an all-encompassing knowledge of central service commercial launchings and hotel openings. Since joining NH Hotel Group in 2012, Jesus has spent time as Cluster General Manager and Regional Operations Manager for numerous properties across Spain, Mexico and Cuba and is adept at implementing the highest standards for discerning guests and inspiring enthusiasm among his team.

As the recently appointed General Manager of Anantara Sahara Tozeur Resort & Villas, Jesus will be a committed ambassador for the Anantara brand, the property and the unique destination of Tozeur itself. Situated at the edge of the Sahara Desert in the southwest of Tunisia, the resort offers a gateway to ancient cultural and desert wonders from an exquisite setting influenced by its Arabian and North African surroundings.

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Oetker Collection announces its 10th hotel, The Woodward, Geneva, Switzerland

Oetker Collection has recently announced that Spring 2021 will see the addition of The Woodward, a new hotel in the heart of Geneva, to its exclusive portfolio of masterpiece hotels. Owned by Bastion Holdings, the hotel sits directly on the shores of Lake Geneva, offering panoramic views of Mont Blanc. Originally built in 1901 by French architect François Durel, in a post-Haussmann style, the hotel is located on Quai Wilson and is currently being completely transformed and carefully reimagined by world-renowned architect Pierre-Yves Rochon.

Beyond The Woodward’s historic façade, guests will find classic-meets-contemporary interiors, providing a stylish city sanctuary with spectacular lake and mountain views. Each of the 26-suites have been carefully curated to possess their own distinct character and individual design details with signature flourishes including marble fireplaces and bookcases. 21 of the suites have a full lake view. The jewels in the crown are the Presidential Suite, designed in elegant ivory tones and offering panoramic lake views from every room with a private dining room and loggia, and the Royal Suite, reached by private lift and designed to resemble a chic Parisian apartment.

World-class dining experiences will be provided by L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Le Jardinier, both recipients of Michelin stars for their New York outposts which are owned and operated by Bastion Group. After 7 years as Executive Chef of L’Atelier in Taipei (1*), Chef Olivier Jean will be at the helm of the kitchens at The Woodward. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon will feature the legendary chef’s open kitchen concept, creating a theatrical dining experience for 36 guests seated around the counter, as well as two dining rooms that can be privatised. Le Jardinier, a play on the French word for ‘gardener’, by Michelin-starred chef Alain Verzeroli, will be the restaurant’s first foray into Europe following the success of its outposts in New York and Miami.

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Olive by Embassy launches Asset Light Management Business under brand 'Olive Residences'

With a future forward vision to liberate real estate and make co – living accessible to millennials and migrants, Olive by Embassy, the co-living and student housing brand by the Embassy Group, today launched its asset light management business named – Olive Residences. With a twofold membership approach, one can choose their primary residence location in the city and gain access to member partner escape locations, as well as the exclusive Olive Club on a “pay as you go” system.

Olive Residences has launched its first property in Koramangala, available for immediate occupancy as 1 BHK residences and two more properties in Magrath Road and Indiranagar, Bangalore to be ready in the next 3 months. Olive Residences will take up residential buildings and hotels under a management agreement in the central locations of metro cities, across India. With state- of-the- art amenities and services, the serviced apartments will go beyond just offering vibrant living spaces, by bringing together a lively community of diverse cultures, backgrounds and walks of life. These fully serviced, all-inclusive accommodations will feature a rooftop terrace with a lounge, bar, yoga deck, fitness and a gaming area. At the city center escape location, the Olive club at the rooftop of WeWork Galaxy on Residency Road, Bangalore, members will have access to a roof top swimming pool, gym and many more high-end amenities. Additionally, members will receive complimentary benefits at the growing network of Embassy Leisure venues such as Sanchez, Sriracha, Shiros, Hard Rock Café as well as the Embassy International Riding school. Olive Residence units will be priced starting at INR 16,500 onwards.

With optimistic growth plans, Olive Residences aims to reach 100 buildings spread across the country by the end of 2021.

Explaining about Olive Residences, Mr. Kahraman Yigit, Co-Founder and CEO, Olive by Embassy said, “Olive will be the world’s first private residence club for millennials based on sharing economy. The idea behind it is “why have one address when you can have ten or more”! People love change and we at Olive, wanted to offer diverse and interesting experiences to today’s generation. Having a primary residence and access to multiple escape locations will be a welcome change, adding to a fun and exciting lifestyle for the young millennials. To ensure a fair and reasonable pricing mechanism, the pay as you go system ensures that our residents only pay for the amenities used, with no hidden charges. We are very excited to introduce this new innovative concept in the market and are confident that this will also bring in the much-needed standardization to the serviced apartment sector”

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Concept Hospitality announces the opening of The Fern Residency, Noida

Concept Hospitality Pvt Ltd, India’s leading environmentally sensitive hotel chain, has announced the full opening of The Fern Residency, Noida in Uttar Pradesh. This is the third hotel the company is operating in both the State and in the NCR region.

The other operational properties in UP are in Agra and Sarnath (Varanasi). This takes the number of hotels managed by the company in India, Nepal and Seychelles to 74 operational hotels, with 6 more hotels scheduled to open by the year-end.

The Fern Residency, Noida, is a midscale business hotel with 45 well-furnished rooms. The hotel also offers a finely-designed multi-cuisine vegetarian restaurant and 3 state-of-art banquet halls. It is  centrally located in the heart of Sector 104 in Noida, with easy access to all the major corporate hubs.

The hotel offers three different room categories – Winter Green, Winter Green Premium and Hazel Suite. In-room amenities include complimentary packaged drinking water, tea/coffee maker, satellite TV connections, pillow menu, eco-friendly lighting arrangements, rain shower and eco-friendly bathroom conveniences.

Other facilities guests can enjoy include Café 104 – a finely-designed multi-cuisine vegetarian restaurant, fitness centre and three spacious banquet halls for conferences, weddings and social occasions.

Suhail Kannampilly, CEO, The Fern Hotels & Resorts, said, “We are delighted to bring our Fern Residency brand to Noida. With its central location, full-service facilities and the environmentally sensitive operations that The Fern Hotels are known for, we are extremely confident that The Fern Residency, Noida will become very popular with the local clientele and our domestic and foreign corporate and leisure guests. Our guests will enjoy our F&B and banqueting facilities, experience a high level of services and standards, and have a great value stay!”

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ABSOLUTE HOTEL SERVICES ANNOUNCES THE SIGNING OF A NEW EASTIN HOTEL IN GANGTOK, SIKKIM

Mumbai, India (November 2020) – Mr.  Sameer Dharkar, Managing Director of  Absolute Hotel Services- India subcontinent & ME region, is delighted to  announce the addition of Eastin Easy  Gangtok, Sikkim to its growing portfolio, through a Management Agreement with  Noblestride Resort.  Strategically located 4,650 feet above sea level in the ity of Gangtok, offering scenic views, the hotel presents 80 well  appointed and comfortable rooms, a mix  of Superior, Deluxe and Suites. Facilities include a Multicuisine All Day Dining Restaurant, Bar, Banquet,  Signature U Spa and Gym.  Conveniently located, the hotel is 200 m from the ICFAI University and the  renowned Government Multi-speciality  Hospital cum Medical College. With driving distance to the main mall located  on MG-Marg, it offers quick access to  popular tourist spots.  

Expressing his views on this development Sameer Dharkar said that “While there is always an  excitement as we expand, the appeal to this addition is having a property in Gangtok, Sikkim, a truly magical hill station, one of the must-visit places in India. It endorses genuine tourism with charming weather, breath-taking vistas, Buddhist shrines, local heritage and culture, exquisite flora and fauna nurturing varieties of butterflies. Our Branded Operations and Services will now  make holidaying a total new experience”.  

Sahara Star collaborates with PREFME to offer guests with a contactless experience

Sahara Star recently resumed operations with all the safety measures in place. Given that they have resumed operations in full-swing, the hotel company also announced about their partnership with the leading-edge hospitality technology innovator, PREFME. With this, the hotel has taken a leap towards adopting newer technology.

This alliance with PREFME has also increased the safety meter a notch above the regular safety measures with a contactless and personalized experience for the guests at the hotel.   

PREFME provides contactless check-in/out, offers guests to personalize their stays. It also has a feature of multilingual chat. The application also presents the users with in-app service booking, in-app food menu & ordering, food ingredients scanner, along with many other benefits.

With the Prefme app, the guests can pre-check-in from any corner of the world, whereas, on arrival, they can get their identities verified through a quick & secure digital ID verification and avoid check-in queues. Guests can also enjoy a completely contactless and hassle-free checkout by viewing their services and making payments from the app.

Commenting on this collaboration, Manish Sodhi, CEO, Hotel Sahara Star said, “By keeping in terms with the Covid-19 situation in the country, we are ecstatic associating with PREFME giving the best and safest experience to our guests and team members. At Sahara Star, we make sure that our guests experience a completely relaxed stay, and easily access our hotel in a contactless way right from their smartphone.”

The PREFME technology will not only ensure a seamless guest experience amid ongoing Covid crisis but will also help in enabling Post-Covid operations.

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Shalvesh Nundlaul is cluster marketing & communications manager at Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa and Hilton Garden Inn Ras Al Khaimah

Shalvesh Nundlaul has been made cluster marketing & communications manager at Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa and Hilton Garden Inn Ras Al Khaimah, just four years into his time at Hilton.

Nundlaul started with the global operator at Hilton Sharjah in 2016 as a marketing coordinator. He was later promoted to marketing executive at Hilton Garden Inn Ras Al Khaimah in 2019, before landing his latest role.

As the cluster manager, Nundlaul will be handling communications at both hotels, along with their marketing campaigns and social media presence. All marketing and PR plans for the hotels will have to be run by Nundlaul first, while he also handles media visits, reviews, conferences and tours.

Cluster commercial director for the hotels, Ninoslav Vidovic, said, “Shalvesh has been an integral member of the team for a number of years with his continuous commitment, creativity and cost-effective innovative ideas. We have looked many times for marketing manager solutions on the market, but we did not realize that we have a real creative gem in house.

He has shown great work ethic, a strong go-for-it attitude that crossed borders of his department, that contributed great deal to our non-stop business efforts and made Hilton RAK Resort one for the most successful hotels in UAE. These are just a few reasons why Shalvesh deserves this promotion. I look forward to seeing Shalvesh grow as he continues to succeed.”

Vidovic himself only joined the cluster earlier this February, bringing with him two decades of experience.

Vidovic was previously cluster director of sales for Hilton in Prague; in the role he expanded market reach towards South America, Asia and Commonwealth of Independent States countries. He also helped Hilton’s position in North America and helped secure large events in the region. 

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DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore hosts Virtual Cake Mixing Ceremony

DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore hosted one-of-a-kind Virtual Cake Mixing Ceremony with the Digital mavericks of Bengaluru.

With the purpose of keeping the celebrations smaller, in-person and socially distanced, the hotel responsibly designed the virtual concept of ushering in the Christmas festivities. The food enthusiasts and influencers were sent a Cake Mixing kit well ahead of the event that contained massive varieties of candied fruits, assorted nuts, mixed spices, fruit peels, and all the important spirits along with a glass jar too to mix it all up. The fruit soaking ceremony was then organized online with a load of fun and a load of work, all amidst great cheer and fervour. The day of the event was rung in under the watchful eyes of Executive Chef Tanmoy Majumder.

After the virtual event, the mixing jars were brought back to the hotel from the bloggers’ homes and emptied in to large containers. Chef will now joyfully start to blend all the ingredients for an exotic dough preparation, store for a couple of days with occasional stirring to mature beautifully in time for Christmas and to be churned out as Christmas plum cakes by our pastry team.

On this occasion Subhabrata Roy, General Manager at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore expressed, “We have always organized the tradition of cake mixing with a lot of enthusiasm and merry making. We didn’t want the pandemic to dampen the festive spirit and so we decided to take the celebrations online. It was truly ecstatic to watch the influencers and chefs participate in the mixing, thereby, celebrating the onset of the festive season. Welcome to the days of virtual networking!”

Tanmoy Majumder, Executive Chef at the hotel said, “The cake mixing is a Christmas tradition dating back to many years. It is a pre-requisite for settling the liquor in the mix of nuts, fruits and spices. The more the ingredients get soaked in good quantity of spirits, the better the taste. We are going to prepare the cake with mounds of almond, raisin, cashew nuts, topped with powdered cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, orange and lemon peel, prunes, dry black currents, golden apricot and other exotic spices, mixed with bottles of liquor and wine. This will be kept till the dry fruits get fattened on the liquor. Then our chefs will combine flour with this mixture for the dough and bake it to perfection”

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India’s wine capital gets a new 113-room hotel, Courtyard by Marriott Nashik

Marriott International announced the opening of Courtyard by Marriott Nashik, the first property to open in the wine capital of India, Nashik. The new 113-room Courtyard by Marriott Nashik is set to provide the best hotel experience to keep guests moving forward, no matter the purpose of their trip. Situated in the northern part of Maharashtra state in India, Nashik is an ancient city with rich history and temples for cultural seekers. The city is also known for hosting one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, the Maha Kumbha. The festival hosts millions of people each year who gather to bath in the Ganges and Yamuna rivers. Nashik has also become a popular destination for wine lovers and is now known as the Wine Capital of India with half of the country’s wineries.

“We are thrilled to open our first Courtyard by Marriott in Nashik and it also marks the 19thCourtyard hotel in South Asia, which reflects our commitment to expand our footprint in the region,” said Neeraj Govil, Senior Vice President, South Asia, Marriott International. “With an unprecedented wave of domestic travel and an increased demand for upscale hotels, the opening of our first Courtyard in yet another new city marks a great milestone for Marriott International in the region.”

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FAITH submits its pre-budget recommendations for the Indian Tourism, Travel & Hospitality Industry

FAITH the policy federation of all the national associations representing the complete tourism, travel and hospitality industry of India (ADTOI, ATOAI, FHRAI, HAI, IATO, ICPB, IHHA, ITTA, TAAI, TAFI) & cause partner AIRDA has submitted its pre-budget recommendations to the Union Budget FY 21 -22 for the Tourism, Travel  & Hospitality Industry of India.

The core vision laid our by FAITH is that of Tourism - Made in India. As per their vision, India should aim to become one of the most preferred Tourism destinations both for domestic and international tourists offering best in class tourism experiences, infrastructure & services and to enable Indian tourism entrepreneurs to create value for all their stakeholders.
 
As per the World Economic Forum, tourism 2019 competitiveness study, India was ranked at 34th among 140 countries. This ranking is up from 2013 when Indian tourism was ranked at 68th. The  goal is to move India into the Top 20 rank in global tourism competitiveness in 5 years post COVID-19 normal.

In line with this vision, FAITH has proposed the following Budgetary themes for Indian Tourism for Union Budget FY 21 - 22:

• One India, One Tourism

• Export competitiveness

• Domestic leadership

• Capital Formation

• Removing inefficiencies

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