Author: HBI Staff | Hyderabad
Travel tech giant OYO has announced plans to expand its presence in India’s religious tourism hotspots by adding 500 hotels across key pilgrimage destinations in 2025. This strategic move comes as religious tourism continues to gain momentum, supported by government initiatives such as the PRASHAD scheme, Ramayana Circuit, and Swadesh Darshan Scheme, aimed at improving infrastructure and developing tourist sites. In its statement, OYO revealed that it will add over 150 hotels in Ayodhya, 100 in Varanasi, and 50 each in Prayagraj, Haridwar, and Puri. Additional properties will be introduced in other spiritual destinations, including Mathura, Vrindavan, Amritsar, Ujjain, Ajmer,…
IHCL announced the signing of a hotel in Mandvi, Gujarat. This under construction project will be branded an IHCL SeleQtions hotel. Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Suma Venkatesh, Executive Vice President – Real Estate & Development, IHCL, said, “Mandvi’s unspoiled beaches and unique cultural heritage offers immense potential along India’s largely unexplored western coastline. Aligned with the Government of India’s Dekho Apna Desh initiative and IHCL’s pioneering spirit, we remain committed to developing such novel destinations. This signing strengthens our foothold in Gujarat bringing our portfolio to 29 hotels across brands. We are delighted to partner with Sea Leaf Resort…
As Starbucks India marks its 100th store in Mumbai – where it began its journey 12 years ago – it unveils an exclusive merchandise collaboration with renowned couturier Anamika Khanna. This collection features a series of 16 tote bags showcasing Khanna’s signature design ethos, capturing the essence of coffee, connection and conversation set against the city’s iconic skylines, heritage and local culture. Celebrating the unique pockets that define the city’s vibrant character, the collaboration beautifully captures the spirit of Mumbai, From the old-world charms of Fort’s historical architecture to Bandra’s street art and graffiti, Andheri’s relentless hustle and Mumbai’s status…
Firewater Neo Bar and Kitchen, a premium fine-dining restaurant serving signatures from all over the world, is proud to announce the grand opening of its third outlet in Hyderabad with a 150-seater resto bar and a 120 seater Ultimate Multipurpose Hall for Corporate and Social Event. Building on the success of its outlets in HITEC City and Miyapur, Firewater brings a luxe yet contemporary take on global comfort food including favorites from European, Asian, and Indian cuisine, innovative fusion dishes, and timeless Hyderabad flavors, housed within a stunning, nature-inspired space. “Since our inception in 2013, Firewater has been much more than…
Sabre Hospitality, a division of Sabre Corporation has expanded partnership with OUTRIGGER Resorts & Hotels. The luxury hotel chain has adopted Sabre’s SynXis Retailing solution across their portfolio of resorts, reinforcing their commitment to delivering personalised guest experiences and maximizing revenue opportunities. As an early adopter of SynXis Retailing at two of its properties, OUTRIGGER Resorts & Hotels experienced the benefits of Sabre’s innovative hotel retail management platform. Building on this success, the chain has committed to implementing the solution across their remaining 12 resort properties. OUTRIGGER Resorts & Hotels is the first major customer to upgrade from the standard…
Club Mahindra, the flagship brand of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited, was felicitated by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) at its flagship event Green Building Congress 2024 for achieving a significant milestone in its sustainability journey. Fourteen Club Mahindra resorts were awarded the prestigious Platinum Certification in 2024 alone by India’s Premier Certification Body for Greening of Projects, IGBC. This recognition has set a new benchmark for sustainable hospitality in India. It also underscores the brand’s unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility and its ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040. The IGBC Platinum Certification is one of…
SGF India, a leading name in vegetarian dining, is excited to announce the opening of its 24/7 outlet in Amritsar. Famous for its vibrant street food culture and diverse culinary offerings, Amritsar now welcomes SGF’s distinctive flavors, including its celebrated soy chaaps, which have quickly become a favorite among food lovers. SGF India is redefining vegetarian dining with a focus on healthy, protein-rich meals. The Amritsar outlet features the brand’s signature live tandoor counters, offering a range of mouthwatering soy chaaps, flavorful North Indian specialties, and refreshing coolers, all in a modern, inviting setting. To celebrate this launch, SGF India…
Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), has emphasized the need for infrastructure sector status for the hospitality industry to secure better financing options. Chhatwal highlights that many regulatory caps placed more than a decade ago must be removed to align with the government’s infrastructure development strategy. He stated, “Supporting this sector isn’t about luxury; it’s about enabling a diverse workforce operating 24/7 and creating jobs.” While discussing the sector’s current growth phase, Chhatwal stated that the industry’s “honeymoon period” isn’t over yet. “The change in business models, balancing capital-heavy and capital-light initiatives, has helped…
Minimalist Hotel, a boutique hotel and dormitory management brand operated by Swashbuckler Hospitality Pvt. Ltd, is set to expand its presence significantly in India. The company plans to add properties in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, and the National Capital Region (NCR) by 2026, founder Gautam Munjal confirmed in a statement to Mint. Launched in 2017, Minimalist Hotel operates a unique hybrid model, blending private hotel rooms with dorm-style accommodations. “It’s a hybrid hotel-cum-hostel model offering a mix of private rooms and dormitories,” said Munjal, emphasizing its appeal to both budget-conscious travelers and those seeking personalized experiences. The company manages its…
The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), recently hosted a thought-provoking and impassioned virtual townhall, NRAI Townhall 10.0 which was attended live by more than 8000 people. The key focus of this Townhall was to discuss and debate the primary issue plaguing the food and restaurant sector, “Are Food Aggregators Helping or Hurting the Restaurant Business in India?” NRAI Townhall 10.0 saw participation and attendees from a wide-ranging list of industry stakeholders including restaurateurs and industry experts. The townhall provided an engaging platform to debate the complex and fast-declining relationship between food aggregators and the restaurant ecosystem due to the…
