Chalet Hotels to Acquire Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort – India Report

Hotel developer Chalet Hotels has announced that it is in the process of acquiring Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort. The 158-key resort, located near Delhi, is under the ownership of Ayushi and Poonam estates. It has been operational since June 2022. 

The enterprise value of the transaction is INR 3.15 billion ($38 million). The resort has reported average daily rates of INR 13,500 ($163) between April 1 and December 31, 2023. It had an occupancy rate of 44% during this period. 

Chalet’s venture into North India: Chalet Hotels Limited is a hotel owner and developer company, under the K Raheja Corp. Chalet developed eight hotels in Maharashtra and southern states of India, partnering with brands such as Marriott International and Accor for management of these properties. The company has currently nine operational properties.

Chalet’s first project in North India was announced when it was awarded the contract to develop a hotel at the T3 terminal of Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. This hotel will be operated under IHCL’s Taj brand. The acquisition of Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort marks Chalet’s second property in North India, in line with its expansion strategy.

Mankind Pharma owner’s hospitality venture: Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort had marked the foray of Mankind Pharmaceuticals’ owner RC Juneja in the hospitality industry via Ayushi and Poonam estates. Post this resort, the Mankind family’s second hospitality venture – The Westin Resort & Spa, Himalayas – opened in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand last year. 

Akasa Air Commences Jammu and Kashmir Operations

Budget airline Akasa Air has entered the market in Jammu and Kashmir. On March 1, the airline commenced its operations from Srinagar. The carrier is now operating daily flights between Srinagar and Mumbai. 

Akasa Air, which began operating in August 2022, has served more than 7.75 million passengers. On a drive to rapidly expand its network, the airline last month announced Doha, Qatar as its first international destination. With this, it is now connecting 21 destinations. 

Assam Tourism Unveils Homestay Scheme to Support Communities

The Assam Tourism Development Corporation has launched the Amar Alohi Rural Homestay scheme in order to promote community-based tourism in the state. The aim is to promote homestay facilities to the tourists while creating self-employment opportunities for the local communities.

The state government has tried to provide eligible local community tourism organizations with benefits including capital subsidy, promotion subsidy, and operational subsidy. In the 2022-23 financial year, Assam had recorded more than 9.8 million tourists, of which 18,946 were foreign tourists.

DoubleTree by Hilton Bengaluru Whitefield Opens

Hilton has announced the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Bengaluru Whitefield in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The upscale hotel, which has been developed by Kalyani Developers, consists of 180 rooms.

Hilton is bullish on the India market and is also set to debut its luxury brand Waldorf Astoria in Jaipur, Rajasthan in 2027. The company has over 25 trading hotels in India and about 20 hotels in the pipeline. The company is looking to expand its portfolio to 75 operating as well as developing hotels in the next few years.

IndiGo Announces 6 New Domestic Routes

India’s largest airline IndiGo has announced six new domestic routes to be added in its upcoming summer schedule. The carrier will operate direct flights between Ahmedabad and Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Aurangabad, Bhopal and Lucknow, and Indore and Varanasi starting March 31. Direct flights between Kolkata and Srinagar, and Kolkata and Jammu will commence in April. 

According to data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, in January 2024, IndiGo carried 7.9 million passengers with a market share of 60.2%. This is because the airline is the preferred carrier for the middle class passengers in India, who are now driving the tourism sector. IndiGo operates more than 2,000 daily flights and has the largest fleet in India with 350 aircraft. It is looking to double its fleet size by 2030.

Leisure Hotels Group Unveils Baikunth Resort

Leisure Hotels Group has announced the opening of Baikunth Resort in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh. The boutique resort consists of 35 rooms and cottages. The company is known for its experiential resorts.

Leisure Hotels Group is aiming to expand its presence in renowned and popular leisure destinations in the country. It recently signed properties in Mcleodganj and Goa.

Helicopters increasingly popular transportation mode for business travel

Universal Vulkaan Aviation has been appointed as the distributor for Leonardo, which is a global manufacturer of rotary-wing aircraft in the Indian civil helicopter market. The partnership aims to make available AW109, AW139, and AW169 models in the country.

Helicopters are becoming an increasingly popular mode of transportation for business travel and tourism, especially religious tourism, said Universal Vulkaan Aviation’s Harinder Commar. Pilgrims in India often rely on helicopter services to complete their pilgrimage. Several religious sites located in difficult terrains such as Mata Vaishno Devi Temple and Amarnath Temple in Jammu and Kashmir, and Kedarnath Temple and Gurdwara Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand, have helicopter services to make the journey easier for the devotees.