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Infosys co-founder Shibulal's daughter enters hotel biz

Infosys co-founder and CEO S D Shibulal daughter Shruti Shibulal has launched a 30-room boutique resort property in Coorg, according to reports.

Reports stated that resort is within a 170-acre coffee plantation in the Western Ghats and the property has a built-up area of 90,000 sq ft.

Shruti had acquired the coffee plantation in Madikeri taluk in 2006, and later set up a company called Tamara Real Estate Holdings, says report.

There are reports that the room tariffs ranges from Rs. 16,000 to Rs. 18,000 per night, which is inclusive of all meals.

Indian Hotels allots shares to Tata Sons on conversion of Warrants

Indian Hotels Company Ltd has announced that Tata Sons Limited vide their letter dated June 22, 2012, has exercised the option to convert 4,80,00,000 Warrants where each Warrant entitled Tata Sons Limited to subscribe to one Ordinary Share of the Company of Rs. 1/- each of the Company @ Rs. 103.64 per share.

Pursuant to receipt of money from Tata Sons Limited, the Committee of Directors has on June 22, 2012 approved the allotment of 4,80,00,000 Ordinary Equity Shares of Rs. 1/- each of the Company at a premium of Rs. 102.64 per share aggregating to Rs. 4.97bn (of which 25% amounting to Rs. 124.37 crores had been received on allotment of Warrants), in accordance with the provisions of SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2009. 

Infocus

Money saving tips to boost a holiday budget

As the summer months draw closer, holidaymakers across the country are dusting off their suitcases and looking forward to their annual sunshine getaway. More and more Brits are looking to cheap holiday deals to get more for their money whilst away, but there's also a range of ways to save cash at home before getting to the airport.
 
Getting Around
Families saving for Florida holiday packages will be feeling the pinch of high fuel prices at the moment. Checking tyre pressures and cleaning air filters regularly can help to boost the fuel efficiency of a car and lower the weekly cost of ferrying the kids around. Moreover the AA warns that not only does a car with under-inflated tyres cost more to run; it's also harder to control on the roads. The longer spring and summer days are the perfect time to ditch the car and get some fresh air by walking to school and work.
 
Post-Hose Pipe Ban
The recent spring storms may have boosted UK water supplies, but it's still a great time to conserve water in the home to save on utility bills. Brits saving for holidays to Rhodes this summer should consider taking 'navy' showers, which involves switching off the water whilst scrubbing and shampooing. Many water companies also offer single setting showerheads and 'showersave' gadgets to help economise on water.
 
Save on calls
A mobile phone contract has almost become mandatory in this country, but many people may be paying for more minutes and texts than they actually use. Bills coming in at around £50 a month works out at about £1000 of an annual salary, so reducing a tariff to £35 will boost a holiday budget by £180. Friends looking forward to cheap Cyprus holidays this summer can chat online rather than on the phone for an easy way to cut down on monthly bills.
 
Cut down on food waste
Planning ahead is a quick way to shrink the cost of the weekly shop. Holidaymakers should dig out the cookery books for summer recipe ideas then note all the ingredients on a shopping list. Lovefoodhatewaste.com is a handy tool to help work out the exact amounts of various ingredients needed for a particular meal, whilst mysupermarket.co.uk will reveal which major supermarket can give the best online deal.
 
Cancel the gym membership
Dark and cold mornings are a thing of the best, so it's time to move the fitness regime from the treadmill to the street. Running home from work will also help to both reduce travel costs and burn calories for a better beach body.

SOURCE: Direct Holidays

Domestic News

Rate parity is still biggest dilemma for Hoteliers: survey

According to a new study by Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (Switzerland) and RateTiger, rate parity is the dominant factor affecting hotels’ distribution and revenue strategies today, and has resulted in hotels neglecting the fundamentals of revenue management but has also opened their eyes to alternative distribution techniques.

The multi-regional study (conducted in five countries), The Distribution Challenge 2012, found that revenue managers are using channel management tools and price shopping reports more than ever, up to 11 times a day on average, to drive revenue on their main channels. However as they struggle to maintain price consistency they are now seeking new ways to improve exposure, reach new markets and increase direct bookings.

“Retail sites are continuously monitoring rate parity placing a lot of pressure on hotels to update rates on their channels,” observed Horatiu Tudori, Senior Lecturer, Revenue Management, Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland. “Hoteliers are spending more time managing rate parity and ensuring rate integrity which is taking them away from defining more sophisticated strategies to reduce the cost of distribution and increase RevPAR.”

Max India postpones plans to build 5-star hotel in Delhi: reports

Analjit Singh, chairman of  Max India, has postponed its plans to build a five-star hotel in Noida's premium Delhi One project, according to reports.

Reports stated that Singh had originally planned a hotel on the 500,000 sq ft tower he bought in the mixed-land use project being developed by The 3C Company off the Noida end of the DND flyway.

Max India said that the group is likely to shift its headquarters to the new tower while leasing out rest of the floors in the building.

The Lalit Mumbai receives Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor

The Lalit Mumbai announced that it has received the prestigious 2012 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. The certificate honoring hospitality excellence is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveler reviews on TripAdvisor and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide.

In an email announcing the award TripAdvisor said, “TripAdvisor is proud to congratulate The Lalit Mumbai on earning the prestigious 2012 Certificate of Excellence. Our travelers consistently commend your property with the highest praise as an exceptional achievement. Only the very best in the business are awarded a Certificate of Excellence.”

Commenting on the award,  Samil Malhotra, Vice President – Marketing, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group said, “It is an honor for The Lalit Mumbai to receive this award. It has always been our endeavor to set new benchmarks in luxury service and comfort that ensure that guests have a memorable experience. This award is a manifestation of our ability to consistently raise the bar in hospitality excellence and provide guests an experience that they will cherish for a lifetime.”

Global News

Marriott International on track to have 4,000 hotels by 2014
Leading global hotel operator Marriott International, Inc. said it is on track to have 4,000 hotels in 90 countries across its 14-brand lodging portfolioby 2014.  With 115,000 hotel rooms in its development pipeline, it could open between 90,000 and 105,000 new rooms around the world in 2012 through 2014, not including the planned Gaylord acquisition.

In presentations at its first meeting in China for security analysts and institutional investors,Marriott also will say it expects tohave more than 100 hotels across nine brands and nearly 40 markets in China by 2014.

Capture swedish innovation, win trip for sweden

Have camera? Will shoot? Then the Embassy of Sweden invites you to participate in a Photo Competition titled: Swedish Innovations, Indian Interpretations.A multitude of Swedish Innovations are a part of our day-to-day lives. Ranging from the ubiquitous zipper, the safety match, the three-point safety belt, the pacemaker, the blue tooth, the spanner to Skype and Spotify!

As a part of the Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Week 2012, Swedish Innovations – Indian Interpretation: A Photo Competition invites creative Indian nationals to artistically capture Swedish innovations through the lens of their cameras - be it professional photo equipment, snapshot cameras or simply the mobile phone.A jury consisting of eminent Indian culture personalities will select the best entries, which will be exhibited at art galleries and get published in a photo book.

The competition finalist will be awarded a one-week trip to Sweden for two.The competition is being is organized as part of the sixth edition of The Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Week, an annual, high-profile, weeklong event by the Embassy of Sweden and some leading Swedish companies in India.

The Week is a celebration of innovation and creativity, emphasizing that Sweden and Swedish companies have a long-term commitment to collaborations in India and Indian partners.

Holiday Inn Express launches first property in South East Asia in downtown Bangkok

Swiss International Hotels & Resorts appoints Sheila Nair as Chief Advisor