Come winter, India becomes a favourite destination for conferences and conventions both of the international and domestic variety. While in the past, Delhi, Mumbai and to some extent Bangalore were the hotspots, now, the destinations are increasing. Hyderabad and Kochi, hitherto unheard of in the international conference and convention circuit have gained a place on the map. But with business booming and India becoming a favourite destination, a lot of the conference business which earlier used to head to Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Hong Kong, is now heading Indiaward. Consider this. The Asian Development Bank held its Annual Meeting for the first time in Hyderabad last year at the Emaar Group and Anhdra Pradesh government developed Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC). It offers 2, 91,000 sq ft of primary space with a capacity to see 5,000 delegates and 2,50,000 sq feet pre-function areas with 32 break out rooms. This capacity can be increased to 6,500 delegates for special events. The venue also hosted the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas which were earlier held in Delhi and Mumbai. It is being touted as South Asia?s first world-class and India?s largest.
In Mumbai, the one catching the attention is Radisson Hotel and Convention Centre. With hectic real estate activity everywhere, developers are also looking at this as a profitable segment to get into. ?The ideal combination would be to have a hotel with a convention centre. With a large convention centre, the attached hotel?s occupancy goes up. One feeds into the other,? observes Pranay Vakil, chairman, Knight Frank (India) Ltd, a property consultancy major. ?There is a synergy between the two and helps in increasing room occupancy and maximising revenues,? Concurs Sanjiv Rai, COO (Hospitality) Emaar MGF land Ltd. The company is setting up a 1,200-passenger convention facility along with a 200-room hotel in Dehradun at an investment of Rs 200 crore. It has also tied up with the Holiday Inn group for the hotel.
The Delhi-based AEZ Group is now developing its Indirapuram Habitat Centre with a capacity to accommodate 5,000 people. ?Actually, there is need for more of such convention centres across the country, particularly in the NCR region where there is acute shortage of such centres,? says Sanjay Kackar, chief operating officer (sales and marketing).
Among the other big players eying this business is DLF Ltd, the country?s largest real estate developer. The company will build a Rs 6,000-crore international convention centre near New Delhi?s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The centre, to be located at one of the national capital?s fastest growing areas, Dwarka, will be designed to compete with Singapore?s Suntec Convention Centre, which, at present is rated the world?s best.
The complex will include 25 meeting rooms with a total seating capacity of over 2,000 delegates and two 5,000 sq m exhibition halls. The main convention hall of the centre, proposed to be set up on a 20 lakh sq ft area and valued at Rs 900 crore, will accommodate 12,000 delegates with telescopic seating arrangements. A hotel complex, to be constructed in a 6.5 lakh sq ft area, would comprise 835 rooms of different categories.
Heading south, Lulu International Convention Center is the largest in Kerala and the second largest in India. Developed by entrepreneur and business magnate, Yusuff Ali MA, managing director, it is located strategically in Thrissur, the heart of Kerala, around 45 minutes away from the Cochin drive from the Calicut Airport.
Set in traditional Keralite ambience and hospitality, the 4,000-seat convention centre offers a vast array of facilities including an exclusive helipad, built to international aviation standards. Spread across an area of 18 acres with a built-up area of 1,60,000 sq feet the centre has a dining facility for 2,000 guests at a time. In addition, there are three mini-conference halls with a total capacity for 750 guests and a 50-room hotel with restaurants.
While the present rush seems an appropriate response to fill the gap in the market, sustenance of such centres depends on many factors. ?This segment does call for very specialised knowledge and skills. While India is picking up, it is new to it,? says Vakil. ?More than the conference, what attracts visitors, especially the foreign ones is location. And India is the flavour of the decade,? quips Emaar?s Rai. Vakil adds that while India has the potential and should be able to quickly fall in line with the likes of Sydney, Singapore or Hong Kong, ?with an expected growth of 9.4%,? problem areas that need immediate redressal are: air connectivity, roads, infrastructure and handling of tourists in terms of entertainment. The cities also need to gear up for that. Because, after business, its time for some pleasure too.