HRH Hotels bag two awards at National Tourism Awards

Udaipur─based HRH Group of Hotels has won two awards at the National Tourism Awards 2007─'08. The group's hotels have won awards in Classified Hotel – Heritage category, and Grand Heritage category. While Gajner Palace, Bikaner, won the award in the Heritage category, Shiv Nivas Palace, Udaipur was adjudged the best hotel in the Heritage Grand category. Apart from these two awards, HRH Group's Fateh Prakash Palace has won a separate citation this year as an acknowledgement for consistent performance in the last three years. Fateh Prakash Palace had won awards three years consecutively in the National Tourism Awards under the Heritage Grand category.

Sharing her happiness, Padmaja Kumari Mewar, Joint Managing Director, HRH Group said, “These awards are a real encouragement and a motivating factor during these times of economic recession. We hope the people in the Government can reach out to the industry through these awards.”

Marriott to open 17 new properties in UAE by 2011

Marriott plans to open 17 new properties, including 4,000 rooms, in the UAE by 2011, JW Marriott Jr, the company's Chairman and CEO, told Emirates Business in an interview. Overall, the company plans to open 130,000 hotel rooms worldwide by 2012, Marriott added. At present, close to 100 per cent of the 30,000 to 35,000 rooms that the company expects to open during the year are signed and financed, he said.

WorldHotels expands in the Americas

WorldHotels has announced expansion with three new affiliate hotels in the United States, Argentina and Brazil. All joining as new affiliate hotels of the Deluxe Collection are The Empire Hotel in New York, Hotel Madero in Buenos Aires, and the newly restored Hotel Santa Teresa in Rio de Janeiro.

Located on West 63rd Street, The Empire Hotel will consist of 420 rooms and suites, Hotel Madero has 169 guest rooms and 28 suites and offers 24─hour room service and three restaurants and bars, including Red Resto, White Bar and Blue Sky Bar. Hotel Santa Teresa in Rio de Janeiro has just reopened following a three─year renovation. The hotel offers 44 suites and rooms.

“We are delighted to welcome these three affiliate hotels to our Americas portfolio. We now have an even more extensive hotels network providing a wide variety of hotels with character and unique identity for business and leisure travellers visiting the Americas” says Roland Jegge, Vice President Asia/Pacific of WorldHotels.

Carlson expands Radisson Plaza brand in China

Carlson Hotels Worldwide (CHW) has signed an agreement to add a new Chinese property to the Radisson Plaza portfolio. The 300─room Radisson Plaza Hotel Chongqing Nan Bin Lu is scheduled to open at the end of 2010. Owned by Chongqing Xun Sheng Real Estate Development Co., Ltd, this will be the fifth Radisson property in the future pipeline for China. Other planned Radisson properties are the Radisson Plaza Hotel Shenyang Hunnan, Radisson Plaza Hotel Tianjin, Radisson Plaza Hotel Sanya Lu Hui Tou and Radisson Hotel Liuzhou. This is part of CHW's strategy to increase the brand's presence across the region and also support the group's overall development plans to more than double its hotel portfolio in Asia over the four year period of 2008 to 2012.

“This property will create an important foothold for the Radisson Plaza brand as Chongqing continues to aggressively grow as an important economic and tourism hub for southwest China. In addition, the location of this hotel provides an ideal setting for the brand, which is becoming a well─established name in key commercial cities across China,” says Jean─Marc Busato, managing director – Asia Pacific, Carlson Hotels Worldwide.

Banjaar Tola at Kanha National Park opens for guests

Taj Safaris recently opened the doors of its new luxury lodge, Banjaar Tola at Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh. Banjaar Tola has been added to the Taj Safari Circuit; it aims to offer an in─depth wildlife experience.

Banjaar Tola's location near the southern gate ensures quick access into the park. It consists of two camps, each containing nine tented suites. Out of these, one camp with nine tents is currently open for guests. The lightweight ensuite tents have been designed using locally sourced sustainable materials. Interiors showcase block─printed cottons and silks that are typical of Madhya Pradesh. Each suite will feature a private deck overlooking the river, plus a swimming pool.

Conservation efforts at Banjaar Tola start from the ground up; each suite is set on raised structures, supporting the tent at only seven points on the ground, allowing natural growth and drainage under all the buildings. Instead of conventional electrical units, the tents are designed with double layers of canvas with insulation materials and air gaps to keep them cool. In winter, hot water for the bathroom will be piped under the insulated bamboo floor.

Tiger Hill Vineyards launches White Zinfandel Rose

Tiger Hill Vineyards, founded by Kavita Chougule,will be launching the Tiger Hill White Zinfandel Rose, a luxurious white wine in India. The White Zinfandel Rose is made from 100 per cent white zinfandel grapes renowned in Napa Valley California that have been grown, hand picked and pressed at the Tiger Hill Vineyards near Nashik.

Kavita Chougule, Founder, Tiger Hill Vineyards says, "The result is a wine of great finesse and balance that embellishes the fruit that nature has provided only to be skillfully honed by our master winemaker and bottled."

P Chidambaram presents the National Tourism Awards 2007─2008

The National Tourism Awards 2007─2008 which took place yesterday at the Ashok Convention Hall in New Delhi were presented by P Chidambaram, Union Home Minister in the presence of Ambika Soni, Union Minister, Tourism and Culture and Kanti Singh, Minister of State for Tourism and Culture. The awards, as usual were presented to the best performers from all segments of tourism and travel during the year 2007─2008. In the wake of the wake of 26/11, a new category of award was also announced from this year – Athithi Devo Bhava – Pride of India – for exemplary courage and sacrifice. The newly instituted Athithi Devo Bhava – Pride of India awards were received by Raymond Bickson for The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Mumbai; and Vikram Oberoi for the Oberoi and Trident hotels.

Among the state tourisms, Arunachal Pradesh won the best state/union territory award for the development of Tourism infrastructure; Rajasthan won the award for best state for Tourism─related programmes. Among the North Eastern States, Sikkim won the best state for tourism related programmes.

Choice Hotels India opens Quality Inn Sabari Resorts in Kodaikanal

Choice Hotels India (CHI), an American chain of mid market hotels in India and Sabari Inn Pvt Ltd have opened Quality Inn Sabari Resorts in Kodaikanal. Sabari Inn has a franchise and marketing tie up with CHI.

Quality Inn Sabari Resorts is the first branded hotel in Kodaikanal, spread over an area of two acres with 50 rooms. The new property offers Wi─Fi enabled rooms suitable for leisure and business travellers. 'Rendezvous' is the all─day dining restaurant and 'Grammy' is a bar that offers gourmet snacks, as well. The hotel also provides conference and banquet facilities.

Vilas Pawar, CEO, CHI said, “Our relationship with the Sabari Group was inked over five years ago when CHI signed the Quality Inn Sabari, Chennai. We look forward to associating with the group for its upcoming hotels in Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad. The Coimbatore hotel will be ready for operations by the end of this year, Bengaluru by end 2010 and Pune in the first quarter of 2011.”

Amusement industry witnesses 15─20% YOY growth

The 9th Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries (IAAPI), which was held between February 21 and 23, 2009 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, witnessed around 3500 visitors and 83 exhibitors (including 40 per cent from abroad). The expo was inaugurated with a lamp lighting and ribbon cutting ceremony by Arijit Sengupta, CEO and Director, Nicco Parks and Resorts Ltd and President, IAAPI; Balwant Chawla, Managing Director, Polo Group and Ex─President, IAAPI; Rajen Shah, Director, Arihant Industries Corporation Ltd and Ex─President, IAAPI; N D Rana, first Vice President, IAAPI and V G P Ravidas, Managing Director, VGP Universal Kingdom and Ex─President, IAAPI. The delegates launched the IAAPI exhibitor's directory at the event, as well.

IAAPI's tenth edition will be held in Mumbai from March 18─20, 2010 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai. According to an IAAPI report, “The amusement industry witnesses 15 to 20 per cent growth year on year. Around five Crore people visit a total of 100 amusement and theme parks in India, annually.”

P Chidambaram presents the National Tourism Awards 2007─2008

The National Tourism Awards 2007─2008 which took place yesterday at the Ashok Convention Hall in New Delhi were presented by P Chidambaram, Union Home Minister in the presence of Ambika Soni, Union Minister, Tourism and Culture and Kanti Singh, Minister of State for Tourism and Culture. The awards, as usual were presented to the best performers from all segments of tourism and travel during the year 2007─2008. In the wake of the wake of 26/11, a new category of award was also announced from this year – Athithi Devo Bhava – Pride of India – for exemplary courage and sacrifice. The newly instituted Athithi Devo Bhava – Pride of India awards were received by Raymond Bickson for The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Mumbai; and Vikram Oberoi for the Oberoi and Trident hotels.

Among the state tourisms, Arunachal Pradesh won the best state/union territory award for the development of Tourism infrastructure; Rajasthan won the award for best state for Tourism─related programmes. Among the North Eastern States, Sikkim won the best state for tourism related programmes.

Tiger Hill Vineyards launches White Zinfandel Rose

Tiger Hill Vineyards, founded by Kavita Chougule,will be launching the Tiger Hill White Zinfandel Rose, a luxurious white wine in India. The White Zinfandel Rose is made from 100 per cent white zinfandel grapes renowned in Napa Valley California that have been grown, hand picked and pressed at the Tiger Hill Vineyards near Nashik.

Kavita Chougule, Founder, Tiger Hill Vineyards says, "The result is a wine of great finesse and balance that embellishes the fruit that nature has provided only to be skillfully honed by our master winemaker and bottled."

Mehfil Hospitality opens Shahenshah restaurant

Mehfil Hospitality Limited, Chandigarh has opened 'Shahenshah', a fine dining restaurant─cum─lounge in City Centre, sector 17, Chandigarh. The restaurant offers multi cuisine five course meals including Oriental, Thai, Mexican, Continental and Indian delicacies.

Speaking about the new venture, Harmohan Dhawan, Chairman and Managing Director, Mehfil Hospitality Limited said, “Equipped with large projection screens, the restaurant would have a capacity of 135 pax and it would also have a bar, banquet hall with an open terrace on three sides with a capacity of 350 people. After the success of this venture, we would open this restaurant in other parts of Punjab.” With over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, the company's earlier ventures include Mehfil restaurant, English Garden and Mr Burger.

Haridwar to get mega food park

Subodh Kant Sahai, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries is laying the foundation stone for Patanjali Food and Herbal Park near Haridwar, Uttarakhand on February 25, 2009. The proposed mega food park will be set up by (yoga guru) Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Yog Peeth on Luxor Road in the Padartha village at an investment of Rs 500 Crore.

The new park will be spread over 95 acres and will have 32 processing units to obtain value─added products from fruits and vegetables; for example, juice, pulp, puree, candies, herbal products and pickles. Plans are afoot to set up training centres for farmers to receive training on how to grow amla and aloe vera crops on barren lands. While a unit for powder and extract making of herbs is being planned at a later stage, project to procure bio─diesel from jetropa and crude palm oil is also on the anvil.

The proposed park is part of the Mega Food Parks Scheme launched by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries under the 11th Plan to boost the food processing industry in the country. Although, 30 such parks are being envisaged in the Plan period, initially 10 such parks will established in the Phase I.