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According to consulting major Deloitte, international tourism expenditure in India in 2006 was about $8.7 billion and is expected to rise to over $10 billion by the end of 2008. According to them, there were an estimated 105,000 hotel rooms in India as of July 2007 and with these new concepts, this is bound to increase. Avers Amol Rao, Hospitality analyst, PINC research, “If players don’t start now, they will lose market share, as discretionary spending in India is increasing at a fast pace.” Market watchers agree that the growing demand for hotels rooms is stimulating innovations. There are innovations like underground resorts, totally cut off from the outside world. There are even restaurant run by housewives, especially designed for NRI clients. Located in Bangalore, the restaurant has housewives from Bijapur and Dharba cook and serve regional food, just as they would in their own homes.

There is even a military resort in Bangalore called ‘The prestige’. It’s a getaway where corporates send their core teams for training in team-building in typical soldier style. “Corporates like change, so we are trying to innovate and explore new opportunities,” asserts Venu Rao, Director, Aabana Hospitality, the brains behind the underground resort. Adds Amol Rao, “Moreover, products or services of any hotel cannot be in a vertical line as they have to be in a pyramid in order to grow. Indeed alternative tourism in India is a big concept, but in a nascent stage.”

Recently, even Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India (MHRIL) launched a new holidaying concept called Mahindra Homestays, wherein the company partners with home owners for accommodating visiting international tourists for a fee. The intention is to give foreign travellers a unique local experience. Justifies Ramesh Ramanathan, MD, MHRIL: “With shortage of hotel rooms in tourist destinations, it was imperative for us to grab the opportunity for authentic hospitality.” Four Seasons is also developing a destination resort in Puthenkayal (Kerala) which will have 75 villas and also 20 branded, luxury private residences. On similar lines, the Leela Group is investing in a property in Gurgaon which will have 90 apartments called ‘The Residence’.

Interestingly, alternative hospitality is luring even non-hoteliers. Real estate player DLF is building India’s first residential hotel in Goa in collaboration with Hilton Group, with an investment of $2 billion. Likewise, even as you read this, Puducherry-based leather accessories maker Hidesign and Bangalore-headquartered liquor firms, Khoday Group and John Distilleries are busy firming up their alternative hospitality plans. A recent Ma Foi report asserts that an estimated $11.41 billion is expected to flow into the Indian hospitality sector over the next two years. We don’t doubt it. Do you?

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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