The Abu Dhabi-based hotel management company, Rotana Hotels & Resorts recently conducted its first independent sales mission in New Delhi and Mumbai. The roadshow witnessed the participation eight General Managers from the group’s hotels from UAE and Kuwait. “India is now one of our biggest source markets, primarily in the UAE. India is the only place where we have deployed dedicated resources in 2011. We are working on both inbound and outbound. This is also first time that General Managers are participating in roadshow to understand the expectations of Indian travelers,” Andy Nightingale, Director of International Sales, Rotana Hotel Management Corporation, told T3. The objective was to interact with the target audience to further push numbers from India, he said.
Divulging more information on India plan, Nightingale revealed that Rotana has set a target of operating 15-20 hotels in India in next 10 years. “We are looking to open 15-20 hotels in India in next 10 years. By the first half of 2014, we will announce our first project which could be either in Delhi or Mumbai. We have an investment of US$ 3.5 million in Indian market to enhance infrastructure in terms of corporate office set up, HR, sales force, etc for the next few years. Our focus in India is to attract investors into the brand as well as improve our outbound business from the market,” he said and added that the group is looking at almost all major cities in India to set up their hotels.
According to him, Rotana has seen a traffic growth of 40 per cent since it established its sales office in India. “Tourism boards of Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been cooperative with us and we are here to further promote our brands in India. We are also working closely with Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways to further tap the potential of the Indian market,” he said and added that India is expected to contribute 100,000 room nights to Rotana in 2013 as Dubai is now established as value-for-money destination.
Speaking about India’s growing importance as a market, Nightingale stated that, currently India contributes around 10 per cent of the total business of Rotana, which stood at 6 per cent two years ago. “We are expecting the contribution to grow to 15 per cent in 2014. Of the total room nights, 75-80 per cent is from leisure, groups and MICE segment and 10-15 per cent are from corporate. We want to grow corporate share in 2014,” he added.
Vasudha Sondhi, Managing Director, Connect Worldwide India, which handles sales and marketing of Rotana in India, said that contribution of the Indian market is increasing as there is a very focused sales strategy in place. “Rotana portfolio and its sub brands are most suitable for the Indian travelers. We are happy to be the first hotel group to have a sales mission comprising of only General Managers,” she said.
The mission was attended by Mrad El Khoury, Towers Rotana, Dubai; Rabih Melhem, Media Rotana, Dubai; Karim Nahas, Rose Rayhaan, Dubai; Hussein Hachem, Al Bustan & Al Murooj Rotana, Dubai; Jorg A Hauri, Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi; Mark Deere, Yas Island Rotana & Centro Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and Pierre Zayoun, Al Manshar Rotana, Kuwait.
