Best Western, which is one of the world?s largest chain of hotels and currently has 11 operational hotels in the country, is aiming to expand its network to 100 hotels over the next seven years. The hospitality giant will open five new properties in the country by the end of the year, taking its count to 16 hotels in India. Sudhir Sinha, president and chief operating officer, Best Western India, told FE that 14 more hotels are under different stages of construction.
On being asked about the tall order, Sinha said that the group that operates on both licensing and management contracts basis, will see a total of nine properties in 2009. ?We will meet the target even if we are adding 10 new properties every year. There are some 98 projects currently that are in different stages of inquiry,? he said.
Though the group is open to signing up Greenfield projects, it does not plan to own any of the hotels. Sinha said that a sister concern of the hotels chain, Signet Hotels, owns and manages six properties in the country. Signet Hotels is owned by Cabana Hotels Management, which is also the master franchisee of the Best Western brand in India.
The chain, which provides marketing, reservations and operational support to 4,200 independently-owned hotels across 80 countries, recently launched new properties at Baddi (HP), Trivandrum (Kerala) and Amritsar (Punjab). It will open one five-star hotel each in Kolkata, Bangalore and Goa by the end of year. It will also launch one 3-star property each in Goa and Gurgaon by the year-end.
