A booming India remains an irresistible magnet for hotel chains large and small.
After a two-year hiatus, giant hospitality provider Starwood Hotels & Resorts opened The Westin Pune Koregaon Park, the first of six to roll out by 2012. The first property under the brand, The Westin Sohna Gurgaon Resort and Spa, entered the subcontinent in 2007.
This second Westin further enhances a portfolio of 23 hotels, representing the Luxury Collection, Le Meridien, Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton (launched recently in Mumbai and Jaipur) labels. aloft, meant to appeal to the technology savvy and mobile traveller, will make its debut next year in three thriving hubs: Bangalore, Chennai and Coimbatore.
Likewise, boutique operator Alila Hotels & Resorts is launching Alila Diwa Goa (pictured) this month, the first new property to enter the resort destination in seven years, according to its president and CEO, Mark A Edleson. The chain, well known in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta and Bali, is considering a presence in Bangalore in the future.
Domestic tourism will be driving the business and filling rooms and meeting spaces, top management of both organisations believe.
“Majority of our guests will be locals,” Edleson told Business Traveller. “And the potential for this sector to keep on growing is strong.”
Fritz van Paasschen, Starwood’s president and CEO, added: “The rise of India’s middle class is driving domestic tourism growth. Disposable income in India has grown about 10 percent annually, and much of that is being spent on travel.”
For more details on Starwood, visit www.starwoodhotels and on Alila, www.alilahotels.com
Margie T Logarta
